[Barra]

Sony WM1A: Received my Sony WM1A a couple days back and have been happy, but wondering what happened to the higher performance that I had heard at CAMJAM. It sounded softer and warmer than I had remembered, but good. However, this was only using SE since I didn't have my balanced adapter yet. I also misread the interface thinking it was set to high gain, but in fact, I had to chose that option to go to another UI level and check the boxes to turn it on. So today with the receipt of Ted's silver litz 4.4mm adapter, I am finally in balanced mode and at high gain and there it is, the performance that I remember coming through strong.

Sony WM1A vs. Caylx M: With the A18, I am hearing an A game with both. I didn't even expect to like the Caylx M as it has the Sabre chip that I dislike, but got a good price on it and couldn't find any other way to audition it so I bought it to try and sell. But now, no way...... til death do us part. Sony is big and thick like listening to a very well endowed tube amp on great speakers. The Calyx is more transparent so the dynamics and black space jump out at you more with gobs of detail. The Sony loses to the Calyx in sound stage with the calyx being in a larger venue but still very intimate. The Sony is a smaller intimate smoke filled room but has that charm of being part of the action. They both show off the performance of the A18, but the Calyx probably takes it a little higher in terms of performance. The Sony isn't far behind though. The Sony makes the A18 sound like the LCD4 while the Calyx M makes the A18 sound like the Focal Utopia, but with better bass. I like the idea of having both signatures to play with as the mood stricks.

AK100ii + BH2 Amp: The A18 sounds great with this setup, but seems like a level down. If the other two take the A18 to LCD4/Utopia levels of performance, the AK moves the A18 toward LCD3 signature qualities and performance. Anyone want to buy my AK100ii?

 

[EagleWings]

@Barra , nice impressions. Btw, are you using a balanced adapter on an SE cable, or is it a balanced cable?

 

[PinkyPowers]

@Barra , nice impressions. Btw, are you using a balanced adapter on an SE cable, or is it a balanced cable?

Taken from the last page...

Starting to cable roll as I just got the Sony WM1A and my Ted Headphone Lounge 4.4mm adaptor.

Cables Matter: My silver litz cable is taking the A18 performance up a level. There is enhanced transparency as well as even better treble and more dynamics. The combined result is a more aetheric and emotional sound quality to it. It is even more addictive and easier to get lost in the music. Still getting used to the changes. This is using my Calyx M so far which itself is very transparent and dynamic so it may just be passing through the qualities of the source better. Moving on to try the Sony balanced.

 

[EagleWings]

Recently, I learnt there are Single Ended to 4.4 Balanced adapters, that will let you use the 4.4 Balanced port of the Sony DAPs with just your Single Ended cable. I wasn't sure if the cable that he already had was SE terminated or Balanced terminated.

If his cable was 2.5mm/3.5mm Balanced terminated, then not a problem. Because, 2.5mm/3.5mm Balanced to 4.4mm Balanced adapters are quite common and works as expected.

But if his cable is SE terminated, then I am wondering if using the SE to 4.4mm Balanced adapter to connect his SE cable to the 4.4mm port of the Sony DAP would offer all the benefits the port promises.

 

[Barra]

Recently, I learnt there are Single Ended to 4.4 Balanced adapters, that will let you use the 4.4 Balanced port of the Sony DAPs with just your Single Ended cable. I wasn't sure if the cable that he already had was SE terminated or Balanced terminated.

If his cable was 2.5mm/3.5mm Balanced terminated, then not a problem. Because, 2.5mm/3.5mm Balanced to 4.4mm Balanced adapters are quite common and works as expected.

But if his cable is SE terminated, then I am wondering if using the SE to 4.4mm Balanced adapter to connect his SE cable to the 4.4mm port of the Sony DAP would offer all the benefits the port promises.

Hey EagleWings, Ted has me set up on his best silver litz cable going balanced to an AK2.5. In this setup, I have an assortment of adapters that attached using the balanced 2.5 female to the end plug. Besides being what I needed for my AK100ii, it is the lightest weight adapter type. This has given me a lot of variability on my cable - 2.5ak, 3.5 SE, full sized 4 pin balanced, and now a balanced 4.4mm sony.

 

[noplsestar]

Sony WM1A: Received my Sony WM1A a couple days back and have been happy, but wondering what happened to the higher performance that I had heard at CAMJAM. It sounded softer and warmer than I had remembered, but good. However, this was only using SE since I didn't have my balanced adapter yet. I also misread the interface thinking it was set to high gain, but in fact, I had to chose that option to go to another UI level and check the boxes to turn it on. So today with the receipt of Ted's silver litz 4.4mm adapter, I am finally in balanced mode and at high gain and there it is, the performance that I remember coming through strong.

Sony WM1A vs. Caylx M: With the A18, I am hearing an A game with both. I didn't even expect to like the Caylx M as it has the Sabre chip that I dislike, but got a good price on it and couldn't find any other way to audition it so I bought it to try and sell. But now, no way...... til death do us part. Sony is big and thick like listening to a very well endowed tube amp on great speakers. The Calyx is more transparent so the dynamics and black space jump out at you more with gobs of detail. The Sony loses to the Calyx in sound stage with the calyx being in a larger venue but still very intimate. The Sony is a smaller intimate smoke filled room but has that charm of being part of the action. They both show off the performance of the A18, but the Calyx probably takes it a little higher in terms of performance. The Sony isn't far behind though. The Sony makes the A18 sound like the LCD4 while the Calyx M makes the A18 sound like the Focal Utopia, but with better bass. I like the idea of having both signatures to play with as the mood stricks.

AK100ii + BH2 Amp: The A18 sounds great with this setup, but seems like a level down. If the other two take the A18 to LCD4/Utopia levels of performance, the AK moves the A18 toward LCD3 signature qualities and performance. Anyone want to buy my AK100ii?

Hi Barra, thanks for your comparison. It´s nice to know that the good old Calyx M still can match the newest DAPs. Have you also bought and installed the firmware upgrade for Calyx M from Windows X? If not, give it a try, because his FM brings the DAP even quite a notch further/upwards in sound quality (but alas not in battery life)

Edit: and can you please tell me if there's any hiss with the A18 in combo with the two DAPS? Thanks!

 

[EagleWings]

Hey EagleWings, Ted has me set up on his best silver litz cable going balanced to an AK2.5. In this setup, I have an assortment of adapters that attached using the balanced 2.5 female to the end plug. Besides being what I needed for my AK100ii, it is the lightest weight adapter type. This has given me a lot of variability on my cable - 2.5ak, 3.5 SE, full sized 4 pin balanced, and now a balanced 4.4mm sony.

Thanks. I kinda guessed that your cable was Balanced terminated as I saw the AK100ii in your signature. But I was curious to know, if by any chance your cable was Single Ended and if you were using a SE to Balanced adapter.

 

[Ike1985]

Sony WM1A: Received my Sony WM1A a couple days back and have been happy, but wondering what happened to the higher performance that I had heard at CAMJAM. It sounded softer and warmer than I had remembered, but good. However, this was only using SE since I didn't have my balanced adapter yet. I also misread the interface thinking it was set to high gain, but in fact, I had to chose that option to go to another UI level and check the boxes to turn it on. So today with the receipt of Ted's silver litz 4.4mm adapter, I am finally in balanced mode and at high gain and there it is, the performance that I remember coming through strong.

Sony WM1A vs. Caylx M: With the A18, I am hearing an A game with both. I didn't even expect to like the Caylx M as it has the Sabre chip that I dislike, but got a good price on it and couldn't find any other way to audition it so I bought it to try and sell. But now, no way...... til death do us part. Sony is big and thick like listening to a very well endowed tube amp on great speakers. The Calyx is more transparent so the dynamics and black space jump out at you more with gobs of detail. The Sony loses to the Calyx in sound stage with the calyx being in a larger venue but still very intimate. The Sony is a smaller intimate smoke filled room but has that charm of being part of the action. They both show off the performance of the A18, but the Calyx probably takes it a little higher in terms of performance. The Sony isn't far behind though. The Sony makes the A18 sound like the LCD4 while the Calyx M makes the A18 sound like the Focal Utopia, but with better bass. I like the idea of having both signatures to play with as the mood stricks.

AK100ii + BH2 Amp: The A18 sounds great with this setup, but seems like a level down. If the other two take the A18 to LCD4/Utopia levels of performance, the AK moves the A18 toward LCD3 signature qualities and performance. Anyone want to buy my AK100ii?

Great impressions. I'm looking at a 2.5 balanced sivler cable as well for A18. Not really interested in changing the signature just want to squeeze out ever last little bit of detail it's capable of.

 

[linux4ever]

How's the size and comfort of A18 as compared to A12 & A10? Do the bigger canals make it uncomfortable?

Also I'm still concerned that I don't get along that well with APEX modules. It causes me fatigue after few hours of usage. On ADEL I've gone 6 hours straight and haven't felt even the slightest trace of fatigue. Either 64 Audio has to improve their APEX modules to address this fatigue issue or provide customers the option of supporting both ADEL and APEX.

 

[Ike1985]

How's the size and comfort of A18 as compared to A12 & A10? Do the bigger canals make it uncomfortable?

Also I'm still concerned that I don't get along that well with APEX modules. It causes me fatigue after few hours of usage. On ADEL I've gone 6 hours straight and haven't felt even the slightest trace of fatigue. Either 64 Audio has to improve their APEX modules to address this fatigue issue or provide customers the option of supporting both ADEL and APEX.

No comfort issue with A18, it's a perfect fit. I can listen to A18 with M15 all day and night get a little bit of an ache a couple times a week. True ADEL never made me ache but the ADEL sound quality wasn't as good. I suspect there is a tradeoff between air pressure relief effects and sound quality (also isolation plays a role), I can't be sure though. I know that Apex is designed to absorb resonances from within the module and also the shape of the canals. This also improves sound quality

 

[linux4ever]

No comfort issue with A18, it's a perfect fit. I can listen to A18 with M15 all day and night get a little bit of an ache a couple times a week. True ADEL never made me ache but the ADEL sound quality wasn't as good. I suspect there is a tradeoff between air pressure relief effects and sound quality (also isolation plays a role), I can't be sure though. I know that Apex is designed to absorb resonances from within the module and also the shape of the canals. This also improves sound quality

Thanks man. In your experience would you say A12 is better than A18 or A18 is better than A12? or would you prefer to use both? From your review it looks like A18 is a very good refinement over A12 and all other A series for that matter.

 

[twister6]

Can't speak for A-series, but since a number of people asked me how does U-series U18 stacks up against U12 and U6, I took a few closeups. U12 is in the middle, and of course you can't miss red U18 on one side and smaller U6 on the other side. Pretty much, 18-driver U18 is almost the same size as 12-driver U12. The comfort of U12 vs U18 fit is the same.

 

[twister6]

Thanks man. In your experience would you say A12 is better than A18 or A18 is better than A12? or would you prefer to use both? From your review it looks like A18 is a very good refinement over A12 and all other A series for that matter.

U12 and U18 have a different sound signature, you can't say one is better than the other because they tuned differently. The same way how U18 and Fourte, they are tuned differently. Some might prefer one signature, while others will prefer the other But doesn't mean that one is better than the other

 

[linux4ever]

U12 and U18 have a different sound signature, you can't say one is better than the other because they tuned differently. The same way how U18 and Fourte, they are tuned differently. Some might prefer one signature, while others will prefer the other But doesn't mean that one is better than the other

Thanks buddy for the pictures. Yes I had the feeling that the sound signature was something along the lines that you described. I prefer neutral, balanced sound signature with some warmth and some bass punch. Based on that A18 seems to be meeting that requirement. Man that price is really scary though.

 

[Ike1985]

U12 and U18 have a different sound signature, you can't say one is better than the other because they tuned differently. The same way how U18 and Fourte, they are tuned differently. Some might prefer one signature, while others will prefer the other But doesn't mean that one is better than the other

You don't feel the A18 is technically more advanced and proficient than the U/A12? In this case it seems it's not just signature but Tia drivers, internal 3d printed chambers designed to reduce resonance, etc (see my review). There's actually quite a bit different with regard to the build of the A18 vs the A12.