[FooFighter]

that spdif output is not optical, it is coax/electrical. I don't even think any dap vendors, except for A&K and Cowon, feature optical spdif anymore.

OK, I knew it from initial Ifi micro idsd, not sure if their current models still support it...
Unfortunately my Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar only supports SPDIF optical in.
All DAPs I had only support coax out but no Coax in.
So that seems to qualify only for hifi desktop rig to be connected unfortunately...
Thx for heads up!

 

[Strifeff7]

I’ve been listening to the W2 all day [thanks MusicTeck] and trying out all the settings with my main IEMs and headphones: Sony IER-Z1R, MDR-Z1R, and MDR-1A.

If you have any of those and wanted to try some different settings, this is what sounds best to me:

IER-Z1R => Gain: HIGH; FLT: Fast; TUNE: 02
MDR-Z1R => Gain: HIGH; FLT: LL Fast; TUNE: 01
MDR-1A => Gain: LOW; FLT: Fast; TUNE: 02

[EQ: Normal, and balanced 4.4mm connector for all; tested on an iPad Pro 12.9” 2020 with included USB-C-to-USB-C cable]

I was trying to approximate the sound I’m used to when connected to my other portable and desktop setups. I didn’t just approximate it, the W2 exceeded my expectations. The W2 is the best sounding portable setup I have now (my other portable gear is iFi xDSD, Topping NX4 DSD, Monolith Portable THX, DF Cobalt, L P S1 (which I’ll still use for TIDAL MQA). The W2 was better sounding than all of them.

My desktop setup is a LUMIN U1 Mini->(USB)->RME ADI-2 DAC FS, and I have to do some PEQ to get the MDR-Z1Rs to sound right, but with the W2, setting the filter to “LL Fast” and TUNE to “01” made the MDR-Z1Rs sound almost as good as my EQ settings on the RME DAC: really impressive dongle! In fairness, the RME ADI-2 DAC provides deeper bass and sub-bass, and has a much wider soundstage; but the W2 is my #1 portable DAC.

hello,
is there any sound different if connected with PC/desktop vs android phone ?

 

[eloelo]

I also do wonder about sound difference between PC and phone, since my S1 sounds different between both

 

[musicday]

hello,
is there any sound different if connected with PC/desktop vs android phone ?

S1 sounds better and fuller when connected to pc Vs android phone. I see no reason why the W2 won't do the same.
Doesn't work with my Windows 7 so I can't test. Sorry.

 

[HiFyAK2020]

They are quite responsive with the WeChat rep; always answer my question within 2 days the latest. Do you want me to share the name card with you?

Same for me - i am in contact with them and had no problem to get an answer within 24 h. I do though think that they are very busy with the launch of the W2. I assume they have a lot of demande - already MusicTeck must have been under water in the last few days to fill in all the shipments (which they did) knowing that everybody is already biting his fingernails to get his W2... And I think that their Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean and so forth customer base is also on full gear.
So be a bit gentle with them. They are still a small company and we can't always expect to be treated by everybody as VIP - like all OUR needs come first and the rest later. So bluestorm 1992 seems also to have good relationship with them and can help

 

[HiFyAK2020]

just some idea: I sporadically get warning from IOS that I am hearing too long and too loud and IOS is stopping the music then - no joke, but this message is supposed to be there then out of Apple Health

that also exists on Android phones and it is absolutely disgusting - how can an app in IOS or Android kind of lecture us as to how loud we listen to music ? it's not just a warning message on the screen - they simply turn off the music !!! I found a way to switch this "feature" off in Android, since I got really annoyed...

 

[HiFyAK2020]

I personally don't think there's any point buying iems much above $1k regardless...

wrong - there is a very good point in doing so - SOUND QUALITY

 

[HiFyAK2020]

Not much time yet to play with W1 vs W2 but one thing I already noticed is that W2 has more refinement and more details to present. What is intersting is that my Huawei P30 pro with the Poweramp App installed has a several output modes. The standard is OpenSL ES Output which is 16 bit 48Khz but there is also a choice called OpenSL ES Hi-Res Output with Experimental native 24+ bit 96/192+ KHz USB DAC and with W1 the sound was sometimes a little bit distorted, but when I used this output setting but with W2 it is razor sharp and clear.
I noticed also a bit more punch in the W2 and about the cable: I am a bit concerned about damaging the USB-C plug in my Smartphone (the older mini USB plug broke easily) so i got a USB-C male to male cable from Ugreen which is 40 cm long and has one one side a 90 degrees angle connector which is plugged into the Smartphone.
The sound quality and loudness is the same as the small white cable that comes with W2. As the Ugreen cable is longer - it is much easier to take the W2 and program it while the phone stays on a solid surface.
So you do not need to just rely on the white cable.

 

[W1ll1eTheP1mp]

Anyone tried W2 with PC yet? and/or with Roon?

 

[Niyologist]

Any cables Type C cables that are perfect for the W2? Like a short Type C male to male?

 

[HiFyAK2020]

Any cables Type C cables that are perfect for the W2? Like a short Type C male to male?

I just wrote one above - ugreen

 

[FooFighter]

Anyone tried W2 with PC yet? and/or with Roon?

not PC, ony MacBook Pro

Amazon Music HD 24bit/48khz
Low Gain, Tone2, Filter: Fast
Andromeda Gold
On MacOS vs iPhone W2 seems to be not louder but a tad more distinct, finer, more transparent, difference not night and day but audible when doing direct A-B, definitely much closer to each other than S1 imho

In general I have to say that I am listening much more to more fine music like Jazz, classical music and Singer-Songwriter songs with W2 as it brings out the details and fine quality of music out.
When connected to my MacBook I also have the feeling I am not making a very big compromise in comparison to my TOTL DAP.
And that is meaning something!

 

[twister6]

Guys, my W2 arrived an hour ago, hooray.
First of all, the good news: no or negligible EMI at all (iPhone 12 Pro, wifi, cellular network), so twice hooray, I'm excited (with my iPhone, S1 and balanced 4.4 Penon cable it's a huge problem), buuuut ....
Second, the bad news: at higher volumes (approx. 70+ at HIGH, approx. 80+ at LOW) the music is interrupted (every second or shorter, it depends on volume). If I set a lower volume, everything is fine. It depends on the cable I connect to the iPhone, the stock W2 cable is the best of all 3 (the second is Penon USB-C to lightning (approx. 65+ on HIGH, approx. 72 + on LOW) and the third and worst is the Lotoo stock S1 cable (approx. 62 + on HIGH, approx. 67 + on LOW).
On my MacBook, everything seems to be fine, nothing what I described is happened.

Any ideas? Does anyone have the same problem?
Would anyone try it with iPhone?

OK, borrowed my daughters iPhone 11, the same setup as yours with W2 and Solaris 2020, balanced terminated. I don't use iPhone and not sure if there are settings I need to tweak in there, but I had to set the phone volume very low and had to turn down W2 volume to around 36 with Solaris because it was already very loud. When turning it up to over 70, I did hear the volume stuttering. I also tested it with a few other IEMs, and hear the same. Testing these on my Galaxy phone, I can go up to 80 without a problem. I think this could be phone related. Also, I connected it to my Win10 laptop, and with Solaris 2020 in high gain on W2 going over 35 is already loud enough, but I did push it over 70 (with iems out of my ears) and there was no stuttering.

So could be an issue related to iPhone and power supply restriction since at high gain and 70% of volume W2 will be drawing more current. Will wait what you hear back from L&P.

 

[FooFighter]

OK, borrowed my daughters iPhone 11, the same setup as yours with W2 and Solaris 2020, balanced terminated. I don't use iPhone and not sure if there are settings I need to tweak in there, but I had to set the phone volume very low and had to turn down W2 volume to around 36 with Solaris because it was already very loud. When turning it up to over 70, I did hear the volume stuttering. I also tested it with a few other IEMs, and hear the same. Testing these on my Galaxy phone, I can go up to 80 without a problem. I think this could be phone related. Also, I connected it to my Win10 laptop, and with Solaris 2020 in high gain on W2 going over 35 is already loud enough, but I did push it over 70 (with iems out of my ears) and there was no stuttering.

So could be an issue related to iPhone and power supply restriction since at high gain and 70% of volume W2 will be drawing more current. Will wait what you hear back from L&P.

Really interesting, iPhone 11 Pro, no stuttering with volume over 80 (not on my ears as this would kill them) and not connected to Andros as this could kill them too.

Edit: I can reproduce it: It'S related to the Andros!
Clipping is happening with mine with volume over 70 running balanced on low Gain - don't forget my Golds have 7 Ohm, so they are even louder than Solaris at that level!
But really, who is listening that loud? And human will have definitely hearing damage after only seconds!
I guess that's related to Andromedas behaviour on high volume?
Clipping not happening with my Full Size cans!
@Ales R
Edit: Clipping not happening on MacOS with high volume with my Andros.
So with very high volume (which I will never in my live use) it's clipping on IOS with sensitive IEMs as it seems

 

[JelStIy]

Really interesting, iPhone 11 Pro, no stuttering with volume over 80 (not on my ears as this would kill them) and not connected to Andros as this could kill them too.

Edit: I can reproduce it: It'S related to the Andros!
Clipping is happening with mine with volume over 70 running balanced on low Gain - don't forget my Golds have 7 Ohm, so they are even louder than Solaris at that level!
But really, who is listening that loud? And human will have definitely hearing damage after only seconds!
I guess that's related to Andromedas behaviour on high volume?
Clipping not happening with my Full Size cans!

My tests with an iPhone 12 Pro were done with headphones rather than IEMs -- no stuttering up to the highest volume.