DISCLAIMER
The Sony NW-WM1Z (and NW-WM1A) was loaned by Sony Malaysia in collaboration with Sony Japan to me for a month, in which it was promptly returned on the agreed date. Many thanks to Masayuki-san and Tomoaki-san from Sony Japan, along with Bryan, Danny and Diane from Sony Malaysia for both giving the green light for the project and expediting it.
The reviews and writing processes for the two units were done concurrently and as such the two will have certain sections that are carbon copies of itself in delivery, such as the introduction. The review for the WM1Z will be released first, with the release of WM1A review after.
INTRODUCTION
In late 2001, the release of Apple’s iPod arguably revolutionized what we know of the portable audio industry, bringing forth the ability to store and play digitally stored music files into a pocket friendly form factor with an intuitive control scheme. As significant as that may be, the impact of iPod’s release, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the influence of a product that was released 22 years prior to it – the Sony Walkman. Perhaps the most influential product ever to be released in the history of the industry, it made music on the go accessible to the masses, and inspired a host of products that were released after it, including its eventual successor the Discman, the aforementioned iPod and the since discontinued Zune, among others.
But that was more than two decades ago. A lot have changed since then: the World Wide Web was invented, computers are now common in every household, and mobile phones have evolved from a single task unit into a multipurpose device. With the rise and subsequent fall in popularity of both cassette tapes and compact discs as standard music mediums, in line with the surging acceptance of digital formats as the way forward, the Walkman, along with any music player that utilizes physical music mediums, have since been driven to near extinction. What’s left of the Walkman legacy is a branding that is a shell of its former self, releasing solid performing portable players like the NWZ-ZX1 and ZX2, none of them made a huge statement like the original Walkman did.
That is, until now. At IFA 2016, Sony announced its brand new flagship music player – the NW-WM1Z (1Z). Designed as no frills, cost no object unit, the 1Z is Sony’s answer in its quest to combine sophisticated sound technology with beautifully crafted, high-grade materials and class-leading usability. If all that sound like marketing jargon to you, it kind of is since I plucked it from Sony’s product page. In my interpretation, basically what Sony is promising with the unit that fuses high build quality, software and hardware that has both functionality and ease of use, and finally but most importantly standard defining sound quality. Adding on to that, Sony also released (at the same time) another player within the same line – the NW-WM1A (1A), which shares the same design its sibling the 1Z, yet still delivers a package that is more affordable to the masses than the 1Z, at the cost of less premium build materials and storage capacity.
So has Sony Walkman line reclaimed its former glory with the release of the 1Z and 1A? Read on to find out.
*As the title suggest, this review’s main point of focus is the WM1Z. A separate review for the WM1A will be published in the near future.
INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The 1Z is a Hi-Res Audio certified audio player, its outputs consisting of a single ended output and a balanced output. What needs to be highlighted is the balanced output, specifically the type of it. It does not accept the conventional 2.5mm connector employed by the likes of the A&K players, nor does it accept the less used 3.5mm TRRS connector that is favoured by HiFiMAN players. Instead, it plays with the newer Pentaconn standard by Jeita which uses a 4.4mm balanced connector, a first at least for me. From what I know, the 4.4mm was designed to improve in insertion durability and the uniformity of the resistance value across the connector. I have not tested out any 4.4mm connectors repeatedly to confirm this but by the looks of it, it does look sturdier than the older standards, so they are moving in a good direction for me.
The single ended output is rated at 60mW + 60mW (non CEW, High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW), whereas the balanced output is rated at 250mW + 250mW (non CEW,High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW). To be honest I’m not entirely sure what CEW stand for. Still, from what I understand, it represents the region in which the unit was made for. The reason for a different unit made for the CEW region (certain European countries) is to comply with volume limit laws set within them, so these CEW units are fixed to output lower power. The sample I tested with was a non CEW unit, and easily drove all of my headphones and IEMs to a comfortable listening level and it feels like it has gobs of power to drive most headphones on the market. My guess would be that it is able to drive notoriously hard to drive headphones to the volume level that I normally listen to (low if not moderate) at high gain.
Additionally, the 1Z is equipped for playback through version 4.2 Bluetooth technology at the 2.4 GHz band, but does not support apt-X codec (unless a firmware revision changed that). The player however is able to support LDAC, which promises 3X the date transmitted, providing enhanced wireless listening experience at near Hi-Res quality. It is also equipped with NFC capabilities; however there is a glaring omission in terms of wireless capability: Wi-Fi. With that omission, it was obvious that the device was designed for music purists, not those who prefer complete digital files compared to streaming on the go with applications like Spotify and Tidal. I don’t use all these streaming services so it ended up perfectly fine for me, still it was surprising to see the absence of Wi-Fi as that has been the way many of us listen to our music nowadays. Perhaps it was a conscious choice to eliminate the function in hopes of providing better sonic performance? That would probably be my guess.
It has a frequency response between 20 to 40,000 Hz when playing a data file, and is capable of playing files ranging from the typical 16 bit/44.1 Hz up to DSD 256. The types of file formats available for playback on 1Z includes WAV, AIFF, WMA, AAC, HE-ACC, FLAC, ALAC and DSD, with the noticeable name left out being APE. Native DSD is available for playback yet it is only accessible when the balanced output is used. DSD playback using the single ended output is through regular PCM conversion, which is a shame as I feel Native DSD should be applicable for both outputs. If you’re going to offer the option, you might as well cover all fronts. The files can be played back ‘raw’, or without any enhancements, through the Direct Source function. It can also be adjusted to possibly improve the overall presentation through various functions such as DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normalizer and a 10 band equalizer. Effects from all these sound options will be explained in a later section.
Furthermore, the 1Z has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery neither the sizing nor the power rating publically declared. However, it was stated to have a battery life for 33 hours of continuous playback when 128kbps MP3 files are concerned, and 11 hours when DSD 256 are used, with a full charge completed in approximately 7 hours. In my experience, the quoted charging time holds true and I have been able to consistently reach about 25 to 30 hours’ worth of playback when utilizing my playlist consisting of FLAC, ALAC and DSD; which I found impressive. The battery life can easily last me a one way flight to almost anywhere on the planet! To complement the long battery life, the 1Z itself has 256GB storage on board, effectively about 230GB of user memory capacity, and is expandable through a microSD slot to a (current) total maximum of 518GB of storage. Unless, all your files are in DSD format, most if not your entire library can follow you around with the unit.
Finally, the 1Z have multiple languages on device for its user interface, including English, Spanish and Chinese to name a few. This is a nice touch to make the user interface accessible to a larger portion of the masses. All that, at a whopping retail price of $3199.99. Yes, $3200 for this. I’ll let that sink in for a while.
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
The unit I had was a product sample from Sony so I did not receive it in its product packaging. From what I gather, the unit comes in a paperboard box similar to that found in most smartphone packaging nowadays like the iPhone and Galaxy S8. I must say I am unimpressed since I assumed that a product such as the 1Z would be presented in a packaging more befitting of its status, though I know some would argue that the product cost should be concentrated on the product itself rather than its soon to be useless packaging. Needless to say, I did not spend $3200 for a package box; still the least I would expect from Sony is for it to be nicely wrapped.
Inside the packaging, you’ll find your 1Z, a USB cable, a wrist strap for your unit, a Startup Guide and an Instruction Manual. Specifically for the 1Z, a leather case is included as well. For this review, I received the player, the USB cable and the leather case. Both the Startup Guide and the Instruction Manual can also be located online through Sony’s product page.
The USB cable used with the 1Z, which is standard across all Sony music players, is fitted with what is to be known as the ‘WM connector’. Personally I would have hoped that Sony changed the standard of connectors to the more common micro USB or USB C, as those cables are more readily available. I find the fact that I have to bring an extra cable for the 1Z when I’m on the go just a tad inconvenient since I am already carrying a micro USB and a USB C cable every day for all my other portable source gear. Nonetheless, it’s more of a suggestion for future products than an actual design flaw that has to be corrected immediately.
Above are a few snapshots of the case that comes with WM1Z. The same case can be used with WM1A as well.
I found the leather case, built akin to some of the flip cases available for phones, to be made of high quality leather. It’s not completely made of leather, as there are plastic guides strategically positioned to nestle your 1Z into the case. While it is without a doubt nicely built, I felt that the case was unwieldy, particularly the fact that I have to flip open the case just to get to the front screen or the compartments at the bottom such as the charging port. I much preferred the other cases made by 3rd party manufacturers on the market as it allows simple access to the screen and charge the 1Z without opening the case, though some may appreciate and prefer the Sony case which allows the user to directly press the side buttons, unlike the other cases which cover most of the buttons except the power button.
BUILD QUALITY
Here are my less professional shots of the beautiful WM1Z.
This is a step by step view of the manufacturing process of WM1Z, from its original solid block of oxygen-free copper till its completion. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
The 1Z never stops to astonish me with its good looks; it’s truly a sight to behold. The main chassis is made with oxygen-free copper (OFC), milled from a solid block then gold plated, which was selected as material of choice due to its better grounding capabilities. However, it does come at a price as the player weighs almost 455g, not something to scoff at, and certainly not something you would put inside your pocket daily even if your pocket fit the dimensions.
Speaking of dimensions, the 1Z is sized at 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm, so it’s fairly large in size even when compared to the other DAPs available on the market. I could comfortably fit it in my medium sized hand but one handed operation would be a stretch (no pun intended). At the front of the unit, a 4’’ TFT colour video display panel with a display resolution of 854x480 (FWVGA) and (of course) touchscreen capability serves as your main and only screen. The back of the unit features a textured faux leather piece etched with the Walkman logo at the bottom, as if to lay your electronic goodness with an extra touch of class. I loved the leather back addition as it grants some extra grip to the unit that is highly welcomed. Surely you would not want to risk it dropping or slipping from your hand. You probably want to avoid exposing it to water or liquids in general as it is not waterproof nor water resistant, something we see being implemented more and more of in the mobile phone market but less so in the DAP industry.
These shots are of the bottom, top, left and right side of the WM1Z respectively. As seen from the sticker on the left side, the units are made in Malaysia, a thing of note for a Malaysian like me.
The bottom of 1Z houses the microSD card slot, the charging/data transfer cable slot and a strap hole to tie your wrist strap at. At the top of 1Z, you can find your balanced 4.4mm output on the left with the single ended 3.5mm output on the right. Judging by the looks and feel of it, all these connectors and compartments have been solidly built, thus one will feel confident that the parts won’t fail on them unless excessively abused. On the left, you can find the hold switch while all the other buttons are on the right, including the power button, both volume up and down buttons, skip, play and finally rewind buttons. The buttons and switch has a nice tactile feel to them, so pressing the buttons by mistake can be easily detected and significantly reduced if not completely remedied.
This is an exploded view of the WM1ZZ, followed by a view on the separated analog and digital section of the player. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
This picture shows the top of the line internal components used in the player, wired with wiring specifically designed by Kimber Kable. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
A unit priced at a premium like the 1Z should not hold off in its selection of material, and it truly deliver in that regard by bringing the best of the best in terms of internal components. First off, 1Z continues the on-going usage of Sony’s own S-Master HX full digital amplifier that keeps the audio signal processing entirely in the digital domain to accurately process massive audio data while minimising noise and distortion. Secondly, the entire circuitry within the unit was connected with four wire braided cables specifically designed by Kimber Kable. It doesn’t surprise me at all since Ray Kimber, founder of Kimber Kable and a legend in his own, shares a close bond with the people in Sony.
In addition, the 1Z is equipped with high performance resistors known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ and high polymer capacitors known as “FT CAP”, in lieu of achieving their aim at producing the best music player currently available. To further enhance the design, the segment directly involved in the audio playback has been segregated from the rest of the board, specifically done to reduce the S/N ratio. I am not 100% sure how those electrical components factor in since I’m not an electrical engineer myself. Regardless, I have previously experienced a jump in sound quality when I swapped my stock cables to cables from Kimber on my headphones, so I have no doubt that these small details are important and directly affect the performance of 1Z.
USERABILITY
Just to be clear, the 1Z does not use Android for its operating system, opting for an in-house operating system instead. It’s not open source like an Android OS, thus the option of downloading 3rd party applications are removed. I still believe Sony had come up with a solid if not awe inspiring OS, not overreaching, and only functioning as needed.
Starting the unit itself was simple enough; one holds the power button for about 3 seconds which is actually the same procedure to initiate the shutdown sequence. The boot up time was average, coming up to about the same time as my QP1R if not slightly longer. At every boot up, the player will scan for all the songs available on its physical memory and equipped memory card to load up its music library. The load up time feels similar to the time taken for a new memory card to be loaded so I assume that it loads up the entire library each time. It’s slightly unnecessary for me since I do not switch up my cards every day but I didn’t mind it too much as the load up time is pretty short considering the amount of songs I have on each card.
A combination of the simple interface and a responsive touch screen made operating the 1Z was pretty straight forward for me. The home menu shows how all your files are sorted by: songs, albums, artists, genres, release year, composers, playlists and Hi-Res certified files. A simple tap will bring up a sub menu of each category, listing the folders or files clearly in alphabetical order. At the bottom, 4 capacitive buttons allows navigation to the previous screen, the playback screen, the library screen (based on the previously accessed sorting method) and settings screen.
The pictures above show playback screen then overlaid with the volume control screen. The volume control can also be used through the capacitive buttons on the side.
On the playback screen, you’ll find a straight forward layout that maintains the simplicity found on other screens. Three main buttons, rewind, play and forward, lace the screen. Pressing on either volume button will bring up the volume screen, also accessible by tapping on the volume bar that is at the top of the screen, which can then be used to adjust the volume at larger increments.
The photos above show the settings menu, the playback settings screen, output settings screen and device setting screen respectively.
On the settings screen, 3 smaller round buttons are displayed near the top, which from left to right is for brightness adjustment, Bluetooth connection for headphones and Bluetooth connection for remotes. Below that, there are 3 basic setting screens, one for playback, one for output and one for the device itself. Scrolling down reveals access to more screens for the sound settings and Bluetooth settings.
Through the playback settings screen, you gain access to the play mode, playback range, the sleep timer and options for artist list display and lyrics display. Here is where you adjust your preferred way for music playback, including shuffling and repeating.
With the output settings screen, you are able to control the headphone output, the USB output for DSD and DSD playback settings. Interesting to note is the options held within the headphone output settings, which allows for channel balancing and high gain output, but most importantly the AVLS limit, which restricts the device to a set volume limit when switched on.
Diving into the device settings screen, you can adjust a host of general usage based configurations, such as the beep settings; screen off timer, USB connection settings, clock settings and language settings among others. You are also able to disable the touch panel when the hold button is active on the side in this page.
The photos above show the sound settings screen, then shows all the functions available within said screen, including a 10 band equalizer, DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer and Dynamic Normalizer.
As previously mentioned, there are 4 sound tuning options available from the sound settings page: a 10 band equalizer, DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer and Dynamic Normalizer. The 10 band equalizer functions like any other equalizer you can find on most devices, providing attenuation or suppression to its designated frequency band. For the 1Z, it’s specifically at 31 Hz, 62 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz and 16 kHz. It’s interesting to note that the frequency band resides well within the typical hearing range of 20 to 20 kHz, while most other players usually start at 20 and end at 20 kHz if not higher. The equalizer works like a charm, with each attenuation step obvious and easily distinguished, yet not sounding artificial or overworked. I still prefer to use Direct Source on almost every listening occasion but the option to tweak the 1Z’s sound to further improve the listening sensation is highly welcomed.
The DSEE HX upscaling is devised to allow compressed quality and even audio CD quality tracks sound similar to High-Resolution Audio tracks. While it didn’t seem to bring much to the table when I use my lossless files (tracks ripped straight from the CD, to prevent any ‘digital’ dispute), it sorta, kinda worked with the 320kbps or less quality MP3/AAC files. Tracks become a tad clearer, though I would still highly recommend you use higher quality files as I found that using my lossless files still sound better than the same track but lower quality file being dusted with the function’s magic.
The DC Phase Linearizer aims at adjusting low-frequency phase shifts to reproduce the audio characteristics of analog amplifiers, which to me is just fancy audiophile language for making your tracks a touch warmer and richer, and that it has achieved. When the focus is solely on this function, tracks would be presented with an extra layer of richness and lushness, though often I found that it felt forcefully imposed onto some of my tracks that are already full of it to begin with, so I end up not using this function more often than not. Of the 3 non-typical sound setting, I found this to be the one that showcase its functionality best.
Last but certainly not least is the Dynamic Normalizer, which aims at moderating the change in volume between tracks to minimize differences in volume level. The performance of this setting was iffy. When it worked, you can notice it immediately. When it didn’t, you’re left wondering if the function had any use for it. It’ll perform better if the volume difference between tracks is more drastic than normal. It functions well if you have a plethora of tracks with drastic volume level difference so you could save a few seconds that you would normally use to slowly adjust your volume.
SOUND QUAITY
Evaluation Process
The WM1Z that loaned to me was previously used in shows, so it already was used for more than the 200 hours duration that I burn in my review units with before any critical listening were made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. I had included a couple of DSD files to test out WM1Z’s direct DSD capability among other things but was not able to prepare a 4.4mm balanced connector cable for any of my gear before my loan period ended. Alas, I will make sure to try it out with my own gear the next time I have the chance.
The following is a list of headphones and IEMs that I used to evaluate the WM1Z:
· Mr.Speakers Ether C
· Sennheiser HD 25 I-II (Modified)
· NAD Viso HP50
· Empire Ears Zeus-R (Custom)
· Noble Audio Katana (Custom)
· Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (Custom)
· Ultimate Ears 18+ Pro (Universal)
· JH Audio Roxanne Universals (Generation 1)
The following is a list of source gear that I used to compare and evaluate the WM1Z:
· Chord Mojo
· iBasso DX90
· Questyle QP1R
· Calyx M player
· Sony WM1A (Loaner)
All listening sessions were made only with the single ended output as I could not procure a balanced cable for my gear in time during the loan period. I could only compare the single ended and balance output of the device through Sony’s own MDR-Z1R demo headphone that had two different cables for the respective outputs readily available.
Initial Impressions
Often we are impressed by the plethora of gear available in the market, whether it’s a piece with sonic performance that is more than capable to compete with units that are placed at a higher price bracket, or a TOTL gear that provides a listening experience so realistic, so ‘right’ sounding that we can’t help but fall in love with it. I myself could probably conjure up a list of recommendations for various price ranges that fits the bill for many different sound signature preferences, and I am sure many of us in the same line of interest could do the same.
However, when it comes to units that convey music so magically it manages to speak to one’s soul, distorting your perception of what’s real and what’s a piece of recorded art, those are few and far between, and for me, the WM1Z definitely rank within this category. If the previous description is too long, too overdressed for you, then let me summarize the WM1Z in one word: transcendent. Exceptional and peerless, I personally think that the unit ranks as numero uno on my personal list of DAPs that I have ever got the honour of listening to, even at first listen.
(What I would like to point out is that I am yet to hear the A&Ultima SP1000, but I thought the WM1Z sounded slightly better than the AK380 in any variation.)
Bass to my ears come across smooth and detailed, yet impactful, but never overbearing. The mids are textured heavenly, with its lushness only outmatched by, again, the detail in it. The treble felt like the gentle kiss from an angel: silky, airy and expansive. Everything just tie up together wonderfully to produce absolute sonic bliss in my ears. It took my breath away, literally, well almost literally.
Sound Signature
WM1Z is an analog work of art. Its sound signature is best described as highly, nay, immensely organic, with superior resolution and amazing imagery to complement its outstanding tonality. Further dissection of the sound reveals an enticing warm sound which envelops the soundstage, creating this illusion of myself sitting on a cosy chair in my favourite pub listening to the best tunes playing out from the jukebox. The lift on the bass and mids which brings out the warmish tone is done tastefully, and while obvious in presence it never feels obtrusive, rather it sounds even handed throughout. The word ‘balanced’ almost left my mouth when describing it, and although it’s not (and never paraded itself as) neutral, the ‘balance’ in sound presentation is nothing short of remarkable.
The bass of 1Z was simply the most euphonic experience I’ve ever come across from a source I can easily put into my backpack. It is extremely lush, with a richness that would make Bill Gate’s bank account look like a small piggy bank. Adding to that is a superb bass extension and resolution that pulls out all the details, elevating the bass experience. The thing that amazes me the most is how the bass just come and go, where its presentation is almost chameleon like. The bass comes full and punchy when I listen to bass heavy genres while the bass will present itself warm and tight when the 1Z plays tracks that focus on other regions of the frequency response. There is never a doubt that the bass region is emphasized more than any other region, yet it doesn’t feel the least bit boomy, and will leave you craving for more. Arguably, the bass performs its best when I’m listening to more jazz or classical style tunes, though that might not be the same for everyone, and I love that.
Like the lower regions, the mids are lifted, not to the same extent as the bass, but definitely enough for it to be declared as ‘forward’. The mids has, in my opinion, unrivalled smoothness in the mids from any DAP that I’ve crossed paths with, and like the bass it is lacquered with lushness all over. Vocals come off organically like never before, with the raw emotion poured into each lyric leaving the vocalist’s lips clearly felt from body to soul. The amount of detail that can be found from 1Z’s mids is beyond comparison, even down to the minor details; from the way a vocalist annunciate the track’s lyrics to the way an instrument within the region was played. That last bit was most evident when I’m listening to studio recorded acoustic guitar driven tracks, where I could clearly hear and feel the strings being plucked and reverb upon it, a sensation hard to replicate even through the better desktop systems available now on the market.
The treble region is the closest to neutral for me, with a resolution and detail that is on par with 1Z’s bass and mids, if not even better. Like the bass, it’s well extended; no hints of strident or sibilant sound from any of my listening sessions, which serves to produce a crisp yet delicate upper region. For that matter, the treble maintains sweet throughout, yet comes with a smoothness that ensures it’s non-fatiguing to listen to even in longer listening sessions. At the same time, the treble is presented in an airy and breathy manner, again being able to seamlessly outline the skill involved in instrument playing that focus on the upper registers, registering every note from instruments like flute and sax with unmatched naturalism. 1Z’s treble does no try to upstage its other two main regions with sparkly highs, though it succeeds in reaching a high level of quality that would ensure that its performance is more than capable to stand its ground when compared to the best DAPs on the market. It’s not the bona fide showstopper, but it sure does put on hell of a show.
As highlighted upon multiple times in the review, the 1Z manage to pair it’s off the charts musicality with a resolving ability throughout its frequency range that, as of now, still knows no equal. The music is always clear and transparent; fully capitalising on 1Z’s soundstage which is both deep and wide, creating an illusion that you’re listening to the entire studio or live performance at an airy and spacious arena, standing/sitting at the best spot of the house. The 1Z also did not forget about the importance of its imaging capabilities, where instruments and vocals could be placed at its location with ease, bringing forth an even greater sense of naturalism in our music. Together with impeccable PRaT acting as the icing on our proverbial sound ‘cake’, it’s hard to pin point anything negative sound wise. I found that I hardly needed to use any of the equalizer or any of the sound functions to have the 1Z sounding at its best. Having the option to tweak its presentation to suit our personal preference is akin to coming with a gift for the host at a party, highly welcomed but never necessary. If it’s right on the money, why fix it?
COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the 1Z to my own Questyle QP1R player and the loaned 1A. The QP1R is in my view the best performing standalone player within my arsenal, and we certainly can’t have enough comparisons made on the fight for internal supremacy between the 1A and the 1Z.
I deliberately avoided comparing the 1Z with the Mojo as I wanted to make the comparisons solely based on standalone players rather than external DAC/Amps added to other sources. If you do wish to know more on what I think of the two, please let me know in the comments below or better yet send me a PM.
Sony NW-WM1A (1A)
Whenever a conversation about the 1Z start, especially to someone who has yet to encounter and listen to the unit first hand, this question would surely come to mind: How does it’s less fancy, lower priced sibling the 1A compare to it? Having the good fortune of holding both units in possession to listen at a more in-depth level at various environments, particularly quiet surroundings that can showcase both units performing at their best, let me share with you my thoughts on how the two compare to each other.
First off, let’s talk about the non-sonic related differences between the two. Immediately, the first detail that will jump to you is the price, with the 1Z priced at $3199.99 (again, let that sink in) and the 1A at a relatively moderate price of $1199.99, or $3200 and $1200 because really at this price range $0.01 don’t look significant to me. For almost 3 times the price, the 1Z, compared to the 1A, brings to the table what Sony identified as better quality materials for certain components and a memory capacity upgrade, but nothing else. There are no key functions, applications or components left out when transitioning from one unit to the other, which was for me an excellent move on Sony’s part.
So what are the components that are different between 1Z and 1A? It’s the chassis, internal wiring and resistors used at the sound part of the circuit board. 1Z’s chassis is milled from a solid block of OFC that is gold-plated, while the 1A’s uses a chassis that is milled from a solid block of aluminium, hence an immediate weight difference with the 1A being almost half as light even at the same dimensions. For the internal wiring, 1Z utilizes 4 wire braided cable made by Kimber Kable while the 1A uses ‘regular’ OFC cable from an unnamed source. In terms of the resistors, 1Z is equipped with what is known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ resistors while 1A is equipped with more commonly found ‘MELF Register’ resistors. The use of different materials for these 3 components is the cause that led to a difference in sound between the two units. Finally, the 1Z has 256GB in internal memory compared to the 1A which has 128GB, though that difference will be less felt as both have an external memory slot readily available. So unless your entire collection revolves around DSD tracks, the capacity supplied (including the slot) should more than cover your needs for memory space.
Now, to the most important comparison: the sound. Both share a similar sound signature, where they both exude a sound that is warm, detailed and highly musical. Regardless, when compared to each other, the 1Z feels like it has a little more body to the overall sound, while the 1A just feels like the less coloured of the two. If the 1Z was the apex of analogue sound reproduction, the 1A is a more ‘digital sounding’ take of the 1Z’s presentation.
From the bass, 1Z’s emphasis on the region is more pronounced than that found on the 1A. As mentioned previously, there is some extra body coming through from the 1Z, creating a sense that the 1Z is more natural and musical. Even with the added body, the level of detail is similar, if not better, on the 1Z. Nonetheless, both share a healthy level of bass boost, so if you prefer a closer to neutral, yet still elevated bass presence the 1A might be more in line with your preference, while someone who prefer a more fun sound through the added weight in the lower end will prefer the 1Z.
The same can be said with the mids, where it is lusher and more euphonic with the 1Z. There’s a sense that an extra level of emotion is layered onto the 1Z’s mids, with the 1A’s mids coming off colder and more analytical. Having said that, the 1A’s midrange would still qualify in most people is still rich and smooth, and to me it is not on par with the 1Z, but would easily produce a vocal performance that would sway you off your feet. Again, the resolving ability of the two units is similar in this region, so there’s a choice to be made based off its tonality.
Treble is where the 1Z triumphs over the 1A. There is definitely some added quantity in the region for the 1Z compared to the 1A, and it feels slightly more extended and more resolving within these upper registers. The 1Z is able to carry the added detail without sounding harsh at all, with a tonality that is easier on the ears. In comparison, the 1A felt like it brought a knife to the gun fight, coming across more mellow and closed-in. The 1Z also has added depth and width into its soundstage to weave around, so there’s a better sense of separation and imaging than the 1A.
For me, the 1Z no doubt is a step up in sound from the 1A, and while the differences are not immediately apparent through quick A/B comparisons, a longer listening session will slowly uncover its added prowess over its cheaper sibling. The key is whether that added 5-10% increase in performance (if it’s even measurable) is worth paying over double the money you required for the 1Z. For most cases, I would recommend going for the 1A and using the rest of money from a 1Z budget to invest in better transducers: headphones or earphones, as I truly believe that the transducer quality should be of priority followed by the source. If money was no issue though, the 1Z would more often than not come out tops through its superior sound quality.
Questyle QP1R (QP1R)
At the point of its release, the QP1R was a solid high performance DAP, sold at a relatively reasonable price of $999, considering it was announced then subsequently released around the same time where a few DAPs above the $1500 mark was the rage of town (I’m looking at your highly attractive, out of my price range DAPs A&K). It has since been superseded by the upcoming QP2R. I have yet listen to the QP2R so I will refrain from making any comparisons based on the comments I’ve read and heard about it.
Back to the QP1R, at less than a third the price of a $3199.99 (really, sink that in) 1Z, it comes in a machined aluminium body merged with a Gorilla glass front and back, with a volume knob that resembles a crown knob of a luxury watch and a click wheel obviously inspired by the timeless iPod click wheel design. In fact, I found the knob to be the most well designed volume control that I have tried till date, every satisfying click letting me know that I’ve increased it a step without looking at the screen.
The build quality of the QP1R is similar to any of the other electronics coming out from Foxconn’s factory: spot on for most of the time, with a few misses here and there on a handful of units. Its click wheel is notorious for being one of the most unresponsive, hard to control physical mechanism on a well-known DAP. On the other hand, the 1Z with its copper body is more solid in the hand, the controls buttons provide a more tactile feedback, and overall exudes better build quality. I won’t recommend dropping either of the units, but the 1Z would probably fare better upon a fall from height than the QP1R.
Moving on to functionality, both units focus on being a purist driven player, where there are no net capabilities to support any streaming services. Both units have the basic functions: 10 band equalizer, gain change, search through categories among others. Nonetheless, the 1Z is the more function pack of the two, capable of Bluetooth based playback, balanced output playback and extra sound tuning functions just to name a few.
The software is also more accessible on the 1Z for me. It’s hard to compare as one uses only physical controls while the other mainly use a capacitive touchscreen, so it’ll provide a different feel from the units. Still, it’s easy for me to see that I have an easier time to search through my songs and folders on the 1Z, where as an extra amount of effort and time will be needed to navigate through the menus on the QP1R. Had the QP1R been a breeze to go through like the old classic iPod, I would call this category a wash, or perhaps even a slight edge due to its more common familiarity.
To clarify (if you have skipped the top part of this review), both units were compared through their single ended output. QP1R does not feel dissimilar in the direction of its sound tuning, leaning towards an overall warm sounding tonality. When comparing the two, I felt that the QP1R was darker, where the added quantity in bass compared to the lift in the mids is more apparent than the 1Z. The darker personality is extra imposed due to a more subdued treble on the QP1R than the 1Z.
In the bass department, both have emphasized bass; with the QP1R making an impression that it is further north of neutral than the 1Z. The QP1R is relatively less detailed and less extended in these lower register, which may have contributed into conjuring itself with an image of overemphasized bass during the comparison. This is certainly not the case as the QP1R is a DAP focusing on musicality that has a tasteful lift in the bass, never overwhelming rest of the frequency response. I also feel that the 1Z has an overall more attractive tonality with the bass, whereas the QP1R is a touch punchier and more hard hitting. If I had to choose, I would go with the 1Z’s bass, as the amount of detail that it brings to the table is difficult to ignore when you switch sources.
Diving into the midrange, the QP1R has a lightly lifted midrange while the 1Z’s mids are lifted a little more. Once again, the tonality is richer and more appealing on the 1Z to my taste, as the more seductive presentation especially in the vocals bring out the best of my favourite tracks. Furthermore, like the bass, I felt that the 1Z is more resolving in this area, so you don’t miss out on even the slightest of detail, and is carried through with a smoothness level like no other. The 1Z is a clear winner in this region for me, it’s simply too hard to compete in what has been arguably my favourite midrange presentation of any portable source yet.
The treble range has a larger difference between the two units than any other region, where the QP1R is just a hair less than neutral while the 1Z has a subtle boost to it. Both units do not have any sharpness or strident features in its playback, yet the 1Z is smoother hence easier on the ears. It also is better extended, paired with better resolution between the two; it plays well with my treble focused preference. The soundstage is wider and deeper for the 1Z, so there is a better sense of airiness in the tracks, whereas the QP1R felt more constricted. There is also better separation and imaging coming from the 1Z, therefore it creates a more ‘visible’ and realistic image. Yet again, 1Z has to be my preferred presentation of the two units.
I hate to paint the QP1R in such a light. It’s a highly capable unit that combines TOTL level sound quality in a welcomed form factor at an acceptable price range. The comparison process taught me a lot, and while the QP1R is no slouch at all, it just comes to show that the 1Z is just that good at what it does; or rather it plays better to my personal taste. If price was not a factor, I would choose the 1Z any day of the week. Here’s to hoping that the QP2R brought enough improvements to the foray to compete with the 1Z.
CONCLUSION
When Sony first announced the 1Z, I have to admit I was pretty surprised by that decision. While more and more companies are focused on delivering units that perform amazingly for a good price point, akin to what Sony did with the 1A, Sony manage to thicken the plot as well by releasing the 1Z. It promises only the best performance that money can buy in a compact form, and for me it has certainly delivered on it. I’m not one for strapping 10 units to form a ‘portable’ ecosystem of a gear, so for 1Z to deliver in such great proportion was a good ‘ear opening’ experience.
In the 1Z, Sony sought out to reproduce your music in the most natural and organic manner they thought possible. It’s warm and smooth attracts you in, its detail and extension throughout keeps you asking for more, and its lushness and richness ensures that you’ll never want to leave its soundstage. Combine that with sublime build quality, superb battery life, a control system that is intuitive and fast to learn, plus a host of functional tuning applications to tweak the sound signature further for one’s preference, the 1Z is without a doubt one of the most complete packages for a portable player in the market right now.
Does it have any downsides? I know a fair few who would appreciate Wi-Fi capabilities designed into it, as streaming services are in a boom right now for portable player. Secondly, I for one do not like that Sony decided to maintain on the Walkman connector standard, and much prefer if they move to the more common Micro USB or even the flavour of the month USB C. It’s also not something you can just fit into your pocket, seeing that it weighs half a kilo (I’m British standard educated).Those are small quirks, and should be pretty acceptable for most people. What would alienate most to turn to other competitors is the price. I don’t know about you but $3200 is a pretty hefty amount of dough for me, and it’s not every day that someone would be willing to splash a nice chunk of their hard earned cash onto, well a unit that essentially plays music, and does little to nothing else.
Do I want a 1Z? Yes, I do. Do I have the money to afford it? No, I don’t, and that’s the sad part. Having spent the greater part of a month with such a magnificent player, I initially had a hard time transitioning back to my other players; such was its impact to my ears. Don’t get me wrong, my other players and stacks sound superb, still nothing could make me forget the allure of 1Z, and that shouldn’t change for a while. Every time I listen to my own sources, I’ll always remind myself of a few things: Remember when this track was presented with even more vigour? Remember when it was much easier to search for particular tracks? Remember when my player wouldn’t die on me on the train after a day’s worth of playback?
So, if you are able to afford it, and already have invested in high performance transducers, I highly recommended you go for a listen then get one. If you’re like me, I recommended you dig deep and work harder to earn one.
And if you haven’t listened to one, and can’t afford it, I totally recommended you to refrain from an audition, as your wallet might just regret. Seriously, it’s just that good.
The Sony NW-WM1Z (and NW-WM1A) was loaned by Sony Malaysia in collaboration with Sony Japan to me for a month, in which it was promptly returned on the agreed date. Many thanks to Masayuki-san and Tomoaki-san from Sony Japan, along with Bryan, Danny and Diane from Sony Malaysia for both giving the green light for the project and expediting it.
The reviews and writing processes for the two units were done concurrently and as such the two will have certain sections that are carbon copies of itself in delivery, such as the introduction. The review for the WM1Z will be released first, with the release of WM1A review after.
INTRODUCTION
In late 2001, the release of Apple’s iPod arguably revolutionized what we know of the portable audio industry, bringing forth the ability to store and play digitally stored music files into a pocket friendly form factor with an intuitive control scheme. As significant as that may be, the impact of iPod’s release, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the influence of a product that was released 22 years prior to it – the Sony Walkman. Perhaps the most influential product ever to be released in the history of the industry, it made music on the go accessible to the masses, and inspired a host of products that were released after it, including its eventual successor the Discman, the aforementioned iPod and the since discontinued Zune, among others.
But that was more than two decades ago. A lot have changed since then: the World Wide Web was invented, computers are now common in every household, and mobile phones have evolved from a single task unit into a multipurpose device. With the rise and subsequent fall in popularity of both cassette tapes and compact discs as standard music mediums, in line with the surging acceptance of digital formats as the way forward, the Walkman, along with any music player that utilizes physical music mediums, have since been driven to near extinction. What’s left of the Walkman legacy is a branding that is a shell of its former self, releasing solid performing portable players like the NWZ-ZX1 and ZX2, none of them made a huge statement like the original Walkman did.
That is, until now. At IFA 2016, Sony announced its brand new flagship music player – the NW-WM1Z (1Z). Designed as no frills, cost no object unit, the 1Z is Sony’s answer in its quest to combine sophisticated sound technology with beautifully crafted, high-grade materials and class-leading usability. If all that sound like marketing jargon to you, it kind of is since I plucked it from Sony’s product page. In my interpretation, basically what Sony is promising with the unit that fuses high build quality, software and hardware that has both functionality and ease of use, and finally but most importantly standard defining sound quality. Adding on to that, Sony also released (at the same time) another player within the same line – the NW-WM1A (1A), which shares the same design its sibling the 1Z, yet still delivers a package that is more affordable to the masses than the 1Z, at the cost of less premium build materials and storage capacity.
So has Sony Walkman line reclaimed its former glory with the release of the 1Z and 1A? Read on to find out.
*As the title suggest, this review’s main point of focus is the WM1Z. A separate review for the WM1A will be published in the near future.
INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The 1Z is a Hi-Res Audio certified audio player, its outputs consisting of a single ended output and a balanced output. What needs to be highlighted is the balanced output, specifically the type of it. It does not accept the conventional 2.5mm connector employed by the likes of the A&K players, nor does it accept the less used 3.5mm TRRS connector that is favoured by HiFiMAN players. Instead, it plays with the newer Pentaconn standard by Jeita which uses a 4.4mm balanced connector, a first at least for me. From what I know, the 4.4mm was designed to improve in insertion durability and the uniformity of the resistance value across the connector. I have not tested out any 4.4mm connectors repeatedly to confirm this but by the looks of it, it does look sturdier than the older standards, so they are moving in a good direction for me.
The single ended output is rated at 60mW + 60mW (non CEW, High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW), whereas the balanced output is rated at 250mW + 250mW (non CEW,High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW). To be honest I’m not entirely sure what CEW stand for. Still, from what I understand, it represents the region in which the unit was made for. The reason for a different unit made for the CEW region (certain European countries) is to comply with volume limit laws set within them, so these CEW units are fixed to output lower power. The sample I tested with was a non CEW unit, and easily drove all of my headphones and IEMs to a comfortable listening level and it feels like it has gobs of power to drive most headphones on the market. My guess would be that it is able to drive notoriously hard to drive headphones to the volume level that I normally listen to (low if not moderate) at high gain.
Additionally, the 1Z is equipped for playback through version 4.2 Bluetooth technology at the 2.4 GHz band, but does not support apt-X codec (unless a firmware revision changed that). The player however is able to support LDAC, which promises 3X the date transmitted, providing enhanced wireless listening experience at near Hi-Res quality. It is also equipped with NFC capabilities; however there is a glaring omission in terms of wireless capability: Wi-Fi. With that omission, it was obvious that the device was designed for music purists, not those who prefer complete digital files compared to streaming on the go with applications like Spotify and Tidal. I don’t use all these streaming services so it ended up perfectly fine for me, still it was surprising to see the absence of Wi-Fi as that has been the way many of us listen to our music nowadays. Perhaps it was a conscious choice to eliminate the function in hopes of providing better sonic performance? That would probably be my guess.
It has a frequency response between 20 to 40,000 Hz when playing a data file, and is capable of playing files ranging from the typical 16 bit/44.1 Hz up to DSD 256. The types of file formats available for playback on 1Z includes WAV, AIFF, WMA, AAC, HE-ACC, FLAC, ALAC and DSD, with the noticeable name left out being APE. Native DSD is available for playback yet it is only accessible when the balanced output is used. DSD playback using the single ended output is through regular PCM conversion, which is a shame as I feel Native DSD should be applicable for both outputs. If you’re going to offer the option, you might as well cover all fronts. The files can be played back ‘raw’, or without any enhancements, through the Direct Source function. It can also be adjusted to possibly improve the overall presentation through various functions such as DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normalizer and a 10 band equalizer. Effects from all these sound options will be explained in a later section.
Furthermore, the 1Z has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery neither the sizing nor the power rating publically declared. However, it was stated to have a battery life for 33 hours of continuous playback when 128kbps MP3 files are concerned, and 11 hours when DSD 256 are used, with a full charge completed in approximately 7 hours. In my experience, the quoted charging time holds true and I have been able to consistently reach about 25 to 30 hours’ worth of playback when utilizing my playlist consisting of FLAC, ALAC and DSD; which I found impressive. The battery life can easily last me a one way flight to almost anywhere on the planet! To complement the long battery life, the 1Z itself has 256GB storage on board, effectively about 230GB of user memory capacity, and is expandable through a microSD slot to a (current) total maximum of 518GB of storage. Unless, all your files are in DSD format, most if not your entire library can follow you around with the unit.
Finally, the 1Z have multiple languages on device for its user interface, including English, Spanish and Chinese to name a few. This is a nice touch to make the user interface accessible to a larger portion of the masses. All that, at a whopping retail price of $3199.99. Yes, $3200 for this. I’ll let that sink in for a while.
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
The unit I had was a product sample from Sony so I did not receive it in its product packaging. From what I gather, the unit comes in a paperboard box similar to that found in most smartphone packaging nowadays like the iPhone and Galaxy S8. I must say I am unimpressed since I assumed that a product such as the 1Z would be presented in a packaging more befitting of its status, though I know some would argue that the product cost should be concentrated on the product itself rather than its soon to be useless packaging. Needless to say, I did not spend $3200 for a package box; still the least I would expect from Sony is for it to be nicely wrapped.
Inside the packaging, you’ll find your 1Z, a USB cable, a wrist strap for your unit, a Startup Guide and an Instruction Manual. Specifically for the 1Z, a leather case is included as well. For this review, I received the player, the USB cable and the leather case. Both the Startup Guide and the Instruction Manual can also be located online through Sony’s product page.
The USB cable used with the 1Z, which is standard across all Sony music players, is fitted with what is to be known as the ‘WM connector’. Personally I would have hoped that Sony changed the standard of connectors to the more common micro USB or USB C, as those cables are more readily available. I find the fact that I have to bring an extra cable for the 1Z when I’m on the go just a tad inconvenient since I am already carrying a micro USB and a USB C cable every day for all my other portable source gear. Nonetheless, it’s more of a suggestion for future products than an actual design flaw that has to be corrected immediately.
Above are a few snapshots of the case that comes with WM1Z. The same case can be used with WM1A as well.
I found the leather case, built akin to some of the flip cases available for phones, to be made of high quality leather. It’s not completely made of leather, as there are plastic guides strategically positioned to nestle your 1Z into the case. While it is without a doubt nicely built, I felt that the case was unwieldy, particularly the fact that I have to flip open the case just to get to the front screen or the compartments at the bottom such as the charging port. I much preferred the other cases made by 3rd party manufacturers on the market as it allows simple access to the screen and charge the 1Z without opening the case, though some may appreciate and prefer the Sony case which allows the user to directly press the side buttons, unlike the other cases which cover most of the buttons except the power button.
BUILD QUALITY
Here are my less professional shots of the beautiful WM1Z.
This is a step by step view of the manufacturing process of WM1Z, from its original solid block of oxygen-free copper till its completion. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
The 1Z never stops to astonish me with its good looks; it’s truly a sight to behold. The main chassis is made with oxygen-free copper (OFC), milled from a solid block then gold plated, which was selected as material of choice due to its better grounding capabilities. However, it does come at a price as the player weighs almost 455g, not something to scoff at, and certainly not something you would put inside your pocket daily even if your pocket fit the dimensions.
Speaking of dimensions, the 1Z is sized at 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm, so it’s fairly large in size even when compared to the other DAPs available on the market. I could comfortably fit it in my medium sized hand but one handed operation would be a stretch (no pun intended). At the front of the unit, a 4’’ TFT colour video display panel with a display resolution of 854x480 (FWVGA) and (of course) touchscreen capability serves as your main and only screen. The back of the unit features a textured faux leather piece etched with the Walkman logo at the bottom, as if to lay your electronic goodness with an extra touch of class. I loved the leather back addition as it grants some extra grip to the unit that is highly welcomed. Surely you would not want to risk it dropping or slipping from your hand. You probably want to avoid exposing it to water or liquids in general as it is not waterproof nor water resistant, something we see being implemented more and more of in the mobile phone market but less so in the DAP industry.
These shots are of the bottom, top, left and right side of the WM1Z respectively. As seen from the sticker on the left side, the units are made in Malaysia, a thing of note for a Malaysian like me.
The bottom of 1Z houses the microSD card slot, the charging/data transfer cable slot and a strap hole to tie your wrist strap at. At the top of 1Z, you can find your balanced 4.4mm output on the left with the single ended 3.5mm output on the right. Judging by the looks and feel of it, all these connectors and compartments have been solidly built, thus one will feel confident that the parts won’t fail on them unless excessively abused. On the left, you can find the hold switch while all the other buttons are on the right, including the power button, both volume up and down buttons, skip, play and finally rewind buttons. The buttons and switch has a nice tactile feel to them, so pressing the buttons by mistake can be easily detected and significantly reduced if not completely remedied.
This is an exploded view of the WM1ZZ, followed by a view on the separated analog and digital section of the player. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
This picture shows the top of the line internal components used in the player, wired with wiring specifically designed by Kimber Kable. Picture credits due to Sony Japan.
A unit priced at a premium like the 1Z should not hold off in its selection of material, and it truly deliver in that regard by bringing the best of the best in terms of internal components. First off, 1Z continues the on-going usage of Sony’s own S-Master HX full digital amplifier that keeps the audio signal processing entirely in the digital domain to accurately process massive audio data while minimising noise and distortion. Secondly, the entire circuitry within the unit was connected with four wire braided cables specifically designed by Kimber Kable. It doesn’t surprise me at all since Ray Kimber, founder of Kimber Kable and a legend in his own, shares a close bond with the people in Sony.
In addition, the 1Z is equipped with high performance resistors known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ and high polymer capacitors known as “FT CAP”, in lieu of achieving their aim at producing the best music player currently available. To further enhance the design, the segment directly involved in the audio playback has been segregated from the rest of the board, specifically done to reduce the S/N ratio. I am not 100% sure how those electrical components factor in since I’m not an electrical engineer myself. Regardless, I have previously experienced a jump in sound quality when I swapped my stock cables to cables from Kimber on my headphones, so I have no doubt that these small details are important and directly affect the performance of 1Z.
USERABILITY
Just to be clear, the 1Z does not use Android for its operating system, opting for an in-house operating system instead. It’s not open source like an Android OS, thus the option of downloading 3rd party applications are removed. I still believe Sony had come up with a solid if not awe inspiring OS, not overreaching, and only functioning as needed.
Starting the unit itself was simple enough; one holds the power button for about 3 seconds which is actually the same procedure to initiate the shutdown sequence. The boot up time was average, coming up to about the same time as my QP1R if not slightly longer. At every boot up, the player will scan for all the songs available on its physical memory and equipped memory card to load up its music library. The load up time feels similar to the time taken for a new memory card to be loaded so I assume that it loads up the entire library each time. It’s slightly unnecessary for me since I do not switch up my cards every day but I didn’t mind it too much as the load up time is pretty short considering the amount of songs I have on each card.
A combination of the simple interface and a responsive touch screen made operating the 1Z was pretty straight forward for me. The home menu shows how all your files are sorted by: songs, albums, artists, genres, release year, composers, playlists and Hi-Res certified files. A simple tap will bring up a sub menu of each category, listing the folders or files clearly in alphabetical order. At the bottom, 4 capacitive buttons allows navigation to the previous screen, the playback screen, the library screen (based on the previously accessed sorting method) and settings screen.
The pictures above show playback screen then overlaid with the volume control screen. The volume control can also be used through the capacitive buttons on the side.
On the playback screen, you’ll find a straight forward layout that maintains the simplicity found on other screens. Three main buttons, rewind, play and forward, lace the screen. Pressing on either volume button will bring up the volume screen, also accessible by tapping on the volume bar that is at the top of the screen, which can then be used to adjust the volume at larger increments.
The photos above show the settings menu, the playback settings screen, output settings screen and device setting screen respectively.
On the settings screen, 3 smaller round buttons are displayed near the top, which from left to right is for brightness adjustment, Bluetooth connection for headphones and Bluetooth connection for remotes. Below that, there are 3 basic setting screens, one for playback, one for output and one for the device itself. Scrolling down reveals access to more screens for the sound settings and Bluetooth settings.
Through the playback settings screen, you gain access to the play mode, playback range, the sleep timer and options for artist list display and lyrics display. Here is where you adjust your preferred way for music playback, including shuffling and repeating.
With the output settings screen, you are able to control the headphone output, the USB output for DSD and DSD playback settings. Interesting to note is the options held within the headphone output settings, which allows for channel balancing and high gain output, but most importantly the AVLS limit, which restricts the device to a set volume limit when switched on.
Diving into the device settings screen, you can adjust a host of general usage based configurations, such as the beep settings; screen off timer, USB connection settings, clock settings and language settings among others. You are also able to disable the touch panel when the hold button is active on the side in this page.
The photos above show the sound settings screen, then shows all the functions available within said screen, including a 10 band equalizer, DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer and Dynamic Normalizer.
As previously mentioned, there are 4 sound tuning options available from the sound settings page: a 10 band equalizer, DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer and Dynamic Normalizer. The 10 band equalizer functions like any other equalizer you can find on most devices, providing attenuation or suppression to its designated frequency band. For the 1Z, it’s specifically at 31 Hz, 62 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz and 16 kHz. It’s interesting to note that the frequency band resides well within the typical hearing range of 20 to 20 kHz, while most other players usually start at 20 and end at 20 kHz if not higher. The equalizer works like a charm, with each attenuation step obvious and easily distinguished, yet not sounding artificial or overworked. I still prefer to use Direct Source on almost every listening occasion but the option to tweak the 1Z’s sound to further improve the listening sensation is highly welcomed.
The DSEE HX upscaling is devised to allow compressed quality and even audio CD quality tracks sound similar to High-Resolution Audio tracks. While it didn’t seem to bring much to the table when I use my lossless files (tracks ripped straight from the CD, to prevent any ‘digital’ dispute), it sorta, kinda worked with the 320kbps or less quality MP3/AAC files. Tracks become a tad clearer, though I would still highly recommend you use higher quality files as I found that using my lossless files still sound better than the same track but lower quality file being dusted with the function’s magic.
The DC Phase Linearizer aims at adjusting low-frequency phase shifts to reproduce the audio characteristics of analog amplifiers, which to me is just fancy audiophile language for making your tracks a touch warmer and richer, and that it has achieved. When the focus is solely on this function, tracks would be presented with an extra layer of richness and lushness, though often I found that it felt forcefully imposed onto some of my tracks that are already full of it to begin with, so I end up not using this function more often than not. Of the 3 non-typical sound setting, I found this to be the one that showcase its functionality best.
Last but certainly not least is the Dynamic Normalizer, which aims at moderating the change in volume between tracks to minimize differences in volume level. The performance of this setting was iffy. When it worked, you can notice it immediately. When it didn’t, you’re left wondering if the function had any use for it. It’ll perform better if the volume difference between tracks is more drastic than normal. It functions well if you have a plethora of tracks with drastic volume level difference so you could save a few seconds that you would normally use to slowly adjust your volume.
SOUND QUAITY
Evaluation Process
The WM1Z that loaned to me was previously used in shows, so it already was used for more than the 200 hours duration that I burn in my review units with before any critical listening were made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. I had included a couple of DSD files to test out WM1Z’s direct DSD capability among other things but was not able to prepare a 4.4mm balanced connector cable for any of my gear before my loan period ended. Alas, I will make sure to try it out with my own gear the next time I have the chance.
The following is a list of headphones and IEMs that I used to evaluate the WM1Z:
· Mr.Speakers Ether C
· Sennheiser HD 25 I-II (Modified)
· NAD Viso HP50
· Empire Ears Zeus-R (Custom)
· Noble Audio Katana (Custom)
· Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (Custom)
· Ultimate Ears 18+ Pro (Universal)
· JH Audio Roxanne Universals (Generation 1)
The following is a list of source gear that I used to compare and evaluate the WM1Z:
· Chord Mojo
· iBasso DX90
· Questyle QP1R
· Calyx M player
· Sony WM1A (Loaner)
All listening sessions were made only with the single ended output as I could not procure a balanced cable for my gear in time during the loan period. I could only compare the single ended and balance output of the device through Sony’s own MDR-Z1R demo headphone that had two different cables for the respective outputs readily available.
Initial Impressions
Often we are impressed by the plethora of gear available in the market, whether it’s a piece with sonic performance that is more than capable to compete with units that are placed at a higher price bracket, or a TOTL gear that provides a listening experience so realistic, so ‘right’ sounding that we can’t help but fall in love with it. I myself could probably conjure up a list of recommendations for various price ranges that fits the bill for many different sound signature preferences, and I am sure many of us in the same line of interest could do the same.
However, when it comes to units that convey music so magically it manages to speak to one’s soul, distorting your perception of what’s real and what’s a piece of recorded art, those are few and far between, and for me, the WM1Z definitely rank within this category. If the previous description is too long, too overdressed for you, then let me summarize the WM1Z in one word: transcendent. Exceptional and peerless, I personally think that the unit ranks as numero uno on my personal list of DAPs that I have ever got the honour of listening to, even at first listen.
(What I would like to point out is that I am yet to hear the A&Ultima SP1000, but I thought the WM1Z sounded slightly better than the AK380 in any variation.)
Bass to my ears come across smooth and detailed, yet impactful, but never overbearing. The mids are textured heavenly, with its lushness only outmatched by, again, the detail in it. The treble felt like the gentle kiss from an angel: silky, airy and expansive. Everything just tie up together wonderfully to produce absolute sonic bliss in my ears. It took my breath away, literally, well almost literally.
Sound Signature
WM1Z is an analog work of art. Its sound signature is best described as highly, nay, immensely organic, with superior resolution and amazing imagery to complement its outstanding tonality. Further dissection of the sound reveals an enticing warm sound which envelops the soundstage, creating this illusion of myself sitting on a cosy chair in my favourite pub listening to the best tunes playing out from the jukebox. The lift on the bass and mids which brings out the warmish tone is done tastefully, and while obvious in presence it never feels obtrusive, rather it sounds even handed throughout. The word ‘balanced’ almost left my mouth when describing it, and although it’s not (and never paraded itself as) neutral, the ‘balance’ in sound presentation is nothing short of remarkable.
The bass of 1Z was simply the most euphonic experience I’ve ever come across from a source I can easily put into my backpack. It is extremely lush, with a richness that would make Bill Gate’s bank account look like a small piggy bank. Adding to that is a superb bass extension and resolution that pulls out all the details, elevating the bass experience. The thing that amazes me the most is how the bass just come and go, where its presentation is almost chameleon like. The bass comes full and punchy when I listen to bass heavy genres while the bass will present itself warm and tight when the 1Z plays tracks that focus on other regions of the frequency response. There is never a doubt that the bass region is emphasized more than any other region, yet it doesn’t feel the least bit boomy, and will leave you craving for more. Arguably, the bass performs its best when I’m listening to more jazz or classical style tunes, though that might not be the same for everyone, and I love that.
Like the lower regions, the mids are lifted, not to the same extent as the bass, but definitely enough for it to be declared as ‘forward’. The mids has, in my opinion, unrivalled smoothness in the mids from any DAP that I’ve crossed paths with, and like the bass it is lacquered with lushness all over. Vocals come off organically like never before, with the raw emotion poured into each lyric leaving the vocalist’s lips clearly felt from body to soul. The amount of detail that can be found from 1Z’s mids is beyond comparison, even down to the minor details; from the way a vocalist annunciate the track’s lyrics to the way an instrument within the region was played. That last bit was most evident when I’m listening to studio recorded acoustic guitar driven tracks, where I could clearly hear and feel the strings being plucked and reverb upon it, a sensation hard to replicate even through the better desktop systems available now on the market.
The treble region is the closest to neutral for me, with a resolution and detail that is on par with 1Z’s bass and mids, if not even better. Like the bass, it’s well extended; no hints of strident or sibilant sound from any of my listening sessions, which serves to produce a crisp yet delicate upper region. For that matter, the treble maintains sweet throughout, yet comes with a smoothness that ensures it’s non-fatiguing to listen to even in longer listening sessions. At the same time, the treble is presented in an airy and breathy manner, again being able to seamlessly outline the skill involved in instrument playing that focus on the upper registers, registering every note from instruments like flute and sax with unmatched naturalism. 1Z’s treble does no try to upstage its other two main regions with sparkly highs, though it succeeds in reaching a high level of quality that would ensure that its performance is more than capable to stand its ground when compared to the best DAPs on the market. It’s not the bona fide showstopper, but it sure does put on hell of a show.
As highlighted upon multiple times in the review, the 1Z manage to pair it’s off the charts musicality with a resolving ability throughout its frequency range that, as of now, still knows no equal. The music is always clear and transparent; fully capitalising on 1Z’s soundstage which is both deep and wide, creating an illusion that you’re listening to the entire studio or live performance at an airy and spacious arena, standing/sitting at the best spot of the house. The 1Z also did not forget about the importance of its imaging capabilities, where instruments and vocals could be placed at its location with ease, bringing forth an even greater sense of naturalism in our music. Together with impeccable PRaT acting as the icing on our proverbial sound ‘cake’, it’s hard to pin point anything negative sound wise. I found that I hardly needed to use any of the equalizer or any of the sound functions to have the 1Z sounding at its best. Having the option to tweak its presentation to suit our personal preference is akin to coming with a gift for the host at a party, highly welcomed but never necessary. If it’s right on the money, why fix it?
COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the 1Z to my own Questyle QP1R player and the loaned 1A. The QP1R is in my view the best performing standalone player within my arsenal, and we certainly can’t have enough comparisons made on the fight for internal supremacy between the 1A and the 1Z.
I deliberately avoided comparing the 1Z with the Mojo as I wanted to make the comparisons solely based on standalone players rather than external DAC/Amps added to other sources. If you do wish to know more on what I think of the two, please let me know in the comments below or better yet send me a PM.
Sony NW-WM1A (1A)
Whenever a conversation about the 1Z start, especially to someone who has yet to encounter and listen to the unit first hand, this question would surely come to mind: How does it’s less fancy, lower priced sibling the 1A compare to it? Having the good fortune of holding both units in possession to listen at a more in-depth level at various environments, particularly quiet surroundings that can showcase both units performing at their best, let me share with you my thoughts on how the two compare to each other.
First off, let’s talk about the non-sonic related differences between the two. Immediately, the first detail that will jump to you is the price, with the 1Z priced at $3199.99 (again, let that sink in) and the 1A at a relatively moderate price of $1199.99, or $3200 and $1200 because really at this price range $0.01 don’t look significant to me. For almost 3 times the price, the 1Z, compared to the 1A, brings to the table what Sony identified as better quality materials for certain components and a memory capacity upgrade, but nothing else. There are no key functions, applications or components left out when transitioning from one unit to the other, which was for me an excellent move on Sony’s part.
So what are the components that are different between 1Z and 1A? It’s the chassis, internal wiring and resistors used at the sound part of the circuit board. 1Z’s chassis is milled from a solid block of OFC that is gold-plated, while the 1A’s uses a chassis that is milled from a solid block of aluminium, hence an immediate weight difference with the 1A being almost half as light even at the same dimensions. For the internal wiring, 1Z utilizes 4 wire braided cable made by Kimber Kable while the 1A uses ‘regular’ OFC cable from an unnamed source. In terms of the resistors, 1Z is equipped with what is known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ resistors while 1A is equipped with more commonly found ‘MELF Register’ resistors. The use of different materials for these 3 components is the cause that led to a difference in sound between the two units. Finally, the 1Z has 256GB in internal memory compared to the 1A which has 128GB, though that difference will be less felt as both have an external memory slot readily available. So unless your entire collection revolves around DSD tracks, the capacity supplied (including the slot) should more than cover your needs for memory space.
Now, to the most important comparison: the sound. Both share a similar sound signature, where they both exude a sound that is warm, detailed and highly musical. Regardless, when compared to each other, the 1Z feels like it has a little more body to the overall sound, while the 1A just feels like the less coloured of the two. If the 1Z was the apex of analogue sound reproduction, the 1A is a more ‘digital sounding’ take of the 1Z’s presentation.
From the bass, 1Z’s emphasis on the region is more pronounced than that found on the 1A. As mentioned previously, there is some extra body coming through from the 1Z, creating a sense that the 1Z is more natural and musical. Even with the added body, the level of detail is similar, if not better, on the 1Z. Nonetheless, both share a healthy level of bass boost, so if you prefer a closer to neutral, yet still elevated bass presence the 1A might be more in line with your preference, while someone who prefer a more fun sound through the added weight in the lower end will prefer the 1Z.
The same can be said with the mids, where it is lusher and more euphonic with the 1Z. There’s a sense that an extra level of emotion is layered onto the 1Z’s mids, with the 1A’s mids coming off colder and more analytical. Having said that, the 1A’s midrange would still qualify in most people is still rich and smooth, and to me it is not on par with the 1Z, but would easily produce a vocal performance that would sway you off your feet. Again, the resolving ability of the two units is similar in this region, so there’s a choice to be made based off its tonality.
Treble is where the 1Z triumphs over the 1A. There is definitely some added quantity in the region for the 1Z compared to the 1A, and it feels slightly more extended and more resolving within these upper registers. The 1Z is able to carry the added detail without sounding harsh at all, with a tonality that is easier on the ears. In comparison, the 1A felt like it brought a knife to the gun fight, coming across more mellow and closed-in. The 1Z also has added depth and width into its soundstage to weave around, so there’s a better sense of separation and imaging than the 1A.
For me, the 1Z no doubt is a step up in sound from the 1A, and while the differences are not immediately apparent through quick A/B comparisons, a longer listening session will slowly uncover its added prowess over its cheaper sibling. The key is whether that added 5-10% increase in performance (if it’s even measurable) is worth paying over double the money you required for the 1Z. For most cases, I would recommend going for the 1A and using the rest of money from a 1Z budget to invest in better transducers: headphones or earphones, as I truly believe that the transducer quality should be of priority followed by the source. If money was no issue though, the 1Z would more often than not come out tops through its superior sound quality.
Questyle QP1R (QP1R)
At the point of its release, the QP1R was a solid high performance DAP, sold at a relatively reasonable price of $999, considering it was announced then subsequently released around the same time where a few DAPs above the $1500 mark was the rage of town (I’m looking at your highly attractive, out of my price range DAPs A&K). It has since been superseded by the upcoming QP2R. I have yet listen to the QP2R so I will refrain from making any comparisons based on the comments I’ve read and heard about it.
Back to the QP1R, at less than a third the price of a $3199.99 (really, sink that in) 1Z, it comes in a machined aluminium body merged with a Gorilla glass front and back, with a volume knob that resembles a crown knob of a luxury watch and a click wheel obviously inspired by the timeless iPod click wheel design. In fact, I found the knob to be the most well designed volume control that I have tried till date, every satisfying click letting me know that I’ve increased it a step without looking at the screen.
The build quality of the QP1R is similar to any of the other electronics coming out from Foxconn’s factory: spot on for most of the time, with a few misses here and there on a handful of units. Its click wheel is notorious for being one of the most unresponsive, hard to control physical mechanism on a well-known DAP. On the other hand, the 1Z with its copper body is more solid in the hand, the controls buttons provide a more tactile feedback, and overall exudes better build quality. I won’t recommend dropping either of the units, but the 1Z would probably fare better upon a fall from height than the QP1R.
Moving on to functionality, both units focus on being a purist driven player, where there are no net capabilities to support any streaming services. Both units have the basic functions: 10 band equalizer, gain change, search through categories among others. Nonetheless, the 1Z is the more function pack of the two, capable of Bluetooth based playback, balanced output playback and extra sound tuning functions just to name a few.
The software is also more accessible on the 1Z for me. It’s hard to compare as one uses only physical controls while the other mainly use a capacitive touchscreen, so it’ll provide a different feel from the units. Still, it’s easy for me to see that I have an easier time to search through my songs and folders on the 1Z, where as an extra amount of effort and time will be needed to navigate through the menus on the QP1R. Had the QP1R been a breeze to go through like the old classic iPod, I would call this category a wash, or perhaps even a slight edge due to its more common familiarity.
To clarify (if you have skipped the top part of this review), both units were compared through their single ended output. QP1R does not feel dissimilar in the direction of its sound tuning, leaning towards an overall warm sounding tonality. When comparing the two, I felt that the QP1R was darker, where the added quantity in bass compared to the lift in the mids is more apparent than the 1Z. The darker personality is extra imposed due to a more subdued treble on the QP1R than the 1Z.
In the bass department, both have emphasized bass; with the QP1R making an impression that it is further north of neutral than the 1Z. The QP1R is relatively less detailed and less extended in these lower register, which may have contributed into conjuring itself with an image of overemphasized bass during the comparison. This is certainly not the case as the QP1R is a DAP focusing on musicality that has a tasteful lift in the bass, never overwhelming rest of the frequency response. I also feel that the 1Z has an overall more attractive tonality with the bass, whereas the QP1R is a touch punchier and more hard hitting. If I had to choose, I would go with the 1Z’s bass, as the amount of detail that it brings to the table is difficult to ignore when you switch sources.
Diving into the midrange, the QP1R has a lightly lifted midrange while the 1Z’s mids are lifted a little more. Once again, the tonality is richer and more appealing on the 1Z to my taste, as the more seductive presentation especially in the vocals bring out the best of my favourite tracks. Furthermore, like the bass, I felt that the 1Z is more resolving in this area, so you don’t miss out on even the slightest of detail, and is carried through with a smoothness level like no other. The 1Z is a clear winner in this region for me, it’s simply too hard to compete in what has been arguably my favourite midrange presentation of any portable source yet.
The treble range has a larger difference between the two units than any other region, where the QP1R is just a hair less than neutral while the 1Z has a subtle boost to it. Both units do not have any sharpness or strident features in its playback, yet the 1Z is smoother hence easier on the ears. It also is better extended, paired with better resolution between the two; it plays well with my treble focused preference. The soundstage is wider and deeper for the 1Z, so there is a better sense of airiness in the tracks, whereas the QP1R felt more constricted. There is also better separation and imaging coming from the 1Z, therefore it creates a more ‘visible’ and realistic image. Yet again, 1Z has to be my preferred presentation of the two units.
I hate to paint the QP1R in such a light. It’s a highly capable unit that combines TOTL level sound quality in a welcomed form factor at an acceptable price range. The comparison process taught me a lot, and while the QP1R is no slouch at all, it just comes to show that the 1Z is just that good at what it does; or rather it plays better to my personal taste. If price was not a factor, I would choose the 1Z any day of the week. Here’s to hoping that the QP2R brought enough improvements to the foray to compete with the 1Z.
CONCLUSION
When Sony first announced the 1Z, I have to admit I was pretty surprised by that decision. While more and more companies are focused on delivering units that perform amazingly for a good price point, akin to what Sony did with the 1A, Sony manage to thicken the plot as well by releasing the 1Z. It promises only the best performance that money can buy in a compact form, and for me it has certainly delivered on it. I’m not one for strapping 10 units to form a ‘portable’ ecosystem of a gear, so for 1Z to deliver in such great proportion was a good ‘ear opening’ experience.
In the 1Z, Sony sought out to reproduce your music in the most natural and organic manner they thought possible. It’s warm and smooth attracts you in, its detail and extension throughout keeps you asking for more, and its lushness and richness ensures that you’ll never want to leave its soundstage. Combine that with sublime build quality, superb battery life, a control system that is intuitive and fast to learn, plus a host of functional tuning applications to tweak the sound signature further for one’s preference, the 1Z is without a doubt one of the most complete packages for a portable player in the market right now.
Does it have any downsides? I know a fair few who would appreciate Wi-Fi capabilities designed into it, as streaming services are in a boom right now for portable player. Secondly, I for one do not like that Sony decided to maintain on the Walkman connector standard, and much prefer if they move to the more common Micro USB or even the flavour of the month USB C. It’s also not something you can just fit into your pocket, seeing that it weighs half a kilo (I’m British standard educated).Those are small quirks, and should be pretty acceptable for most people. What would alienate most to turn to other competitors is the price. I don’t know about you but $3200 is a pretty hefty amount of dough for me, and it’s not every day that someone would be willing to splash a nice chunk of their hard earned cash onto, well a unit that essentially plays music, and does little to nothing else.
Do I want a 1Z? Yes, I do. Do I have the money to afford it? No, I don’t, and that’s the sad part. Having spent the greater part of a month with such a magnificent player, I initially had a hard time transitioning back to my other players; such was its impact to my ears. Don’t get me wrong, my other players and stacks sound superb, still nothing could make me forget the allure of 1Z, and that shouldn’t change for a while. Every time I listen to my own sources, I’ll always remind myself of a few things: Remember when this track was presented with even more vigour? Remember when it was much easier to search for particular tracks? Remember when my player wouldn’t die on me on the train after a day’s worth of playback?
So, if you are able to afford it, and already have invested in high performance transducers, I highly recommended you go for a listen then get one. If you’re like me, I recommended you dig deep and work harder to earn one.
And if you haven’t listened to one, and can’t afford it, I totally recommended you to refrain from an audition, as your wallet might just regret. Seriously, it’s just that good.