[dgjl]

Has anyone tried the W2 with very sensitive IEMs on 4.4mm balanced?
I use a Westone W80 (balanced for my ZX507) and the Paw S1 had trouble getting power on 4.4mm with low volumes, and I had to use a 3.5mm adapter all the time.
Would like to know if the W2 can handle without a problem.

As posted above, I use W60s and find the 3.5 output is better than the 4.4 in terms of SQ.

 

[FooFighter]

Has anyone tried the W2 with very sensitive IEMs on 4.4mm balanced?
I use a Westone W80 (balanced for my ZX507) and the Paw S1 had trouble getting power on 4.4mm with low volumes, and I had to use a 3.5mm adapter all the time.
Would like to know if the W2 can handle without a problem.

Can only speak for 4 Ohms Andromeda Gold.
No hissing, running on Low Gain balanced.
But it also run well with S1, now just more revealing and more details

 

[Gus141]

I’m surprised I haven’t seen more talk about the Tone 01 “gentle” and Tone 02 “refine” settings. When I read people saying W2 is more warm than some DAC, and then read three posts later W2 is more crisp and resolving of details, I think I’m actually seeing how some are using the default filter and tone setup and others are selecting their preferred filter setup and trying out the tone settings.

I asked Prof. Wolf in the ASR forum thread, where he measured the w1/w2, to divulge a little more info on the Tone 01 and 02 settings. He just said they were some minor psychoacoustic algorithms based on some of his research, but that they didn’t mess with the stellar measurements in any noticeable way. He described the Tone algorithms as: “Tune01/02 is an algorithm that I gave to Luxury & Precision for free... It does not change the frequency response, distortion, noise... There is almost no change even in the multitone measurement” … “It comes from part of my own (not rigorous) psychoacoustic research... trying to change the "hardness" or "looseness" of the sound.”

So what does everyone prefer, and why, and with what IEMs headphones?

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

Looking forward to others sharing their settings.

P.S. My music tastes are EDM, Pop, Classic Rock, Rock/Alternative, Hip Hop, New Age, Jazz, Classical. So my settings are based on the kit I use and the music I like.

Cheers,
Gus

 

[DetoNatioNFocusFizz]

From my quick a/b tune 1 definitely had a stronger emphasis on the bass, while in tune 2 the instruments were more discernable. Personally I use low gain for all my equipment since it's easier to switch between headphones and IEMs.

 

[Dionietzscheus]

Just arrived! Nice!!!

 

[snapandslide]

I’m surprised I haven’t seen more talk about the Tone 01 “gentle” and Tone 02 “refine” settings. When I read people saying W2 is more warm than some DAC, and then read three posts later W2 is more crisp and resolving of details, I think I’m actually seeing how some are using the default filter and tone setup and others are selecting their preferred filter setup and trying out the tone settings.

I asked Prof. Wolf in the ASR forum thread, where he measured the w1/w2, to divulge a little more info on the Tone 01 and 02 settings. He just said they were some minor psychoacoustic algorithms based on some of his research, but that they didn’t mess with the stellar measurements in any noticeable way. He described the Tone algorithms as: “Tune01/02 is an algorithm that I gave to Luxury & Precision for free... It does not change the frequency response, distortion, noise... There is almost no change even in the multitone measurement” … “It comes from part of my own (not rigorous) psychoacoustic research... trying to change the "hardness" or "looseness" of the sound.”

So what does everyone prefer, and why, and with what IEMs headphones?

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

Looking forward to others sharing their settings.

P.S. My music tastes are EDM, Pop, Classic Rock, Rock/Alternative, Hip Hop, New Age, Jazz, Classical. So my settings are based on the kit I use and the music I like.

Cheers,
Gus

I'm using the same settings for my IER-Z1R. Very small changes between each setting. Heard much difference with the FLT?

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Did anyone try W2 connected to (USB-c) M6 pro or M8?

 

[Gus141]

I'm using the same settings for my IER-Z1R. Very small changes between each setting. Heard much difference with the FLT?

For the Filter settings (FLT) I do hear some subtle differences between the linear phase filters and the minimum-delay/low-latency (LL) filters. Also, I‘ve never been a fan of Slow filters since they usually have too much high-frequency attenuation prior to Nyquist frequency; whether I can hear that or not is overridden by my expectation bias but I stick to Fast filters for this reason (AKM uses the words Sharp and Short-Delay Sharp, instead of Fast / LL Fast to describe the same filters).

So I stick to linear-phase fast and minimum-delay fast filters, which on this DAC are Fast and LL Fast, respectively. I don’t always hear filter differences (my Oppo 205 has the standard ESS 9038pro filter settings and I can’t hear any differences in blind testing) but with the W2, and the CS43198 chips in general, I do hear a difference with bass-heavy kit, like my Sony IEMs/headphones. So without trying, and probably failing, to describe exactly what differences I hear, all I can really say is I chose those settings in my prior post after some non-rigorous blind testing with the help of a friend.

 

[ClieOS]

L&P is beta testing next firmware. It will also come in IE800s and SE846 flavors.

 

[musicday]

L&P is beta testing next firmware. It will also come in IE800s and SE846 flavors.

They need to prepare for the IE900 as the IE800s is old now .
Thanks for letting us know. Do you know what other features the new update brings?

 

[milkdudd]

L&P is beta testing next firmware. It will also come in IE800s and SE846 flavors.

With the popularity of the Dunu Zen, I hope they show a little love in that direction if they haven't already

 

[snapandslide]

For the Filter settings (FLT) I do hear some subtle differences between the linear phase filters and the minimum-delay/low-latency (LL) filters. Also, I‘ve never been a fan of Slow filters since they usually have too much high-frequency attenuation prior to Nyquist frequency; whether I can hear that or not is overridden by my expectation bias but I stick to Fast filters for this reason (AKM uses the words Sharp and Short-Delay Sharp, instead of Fast / LL Fast to describe the same filters).

So I stick to linear-phase fast and minimum-delay fast filters, which on this DAC are Fast and LL Fast, respectively. I don’t always hear filter differences (my Oppo 205 has the standard ESS 9038pro filter settings and I can’t hear any differences in blind testing) but with the W2, and the CS43198 chips in general, I do hear a difference with bass-heavy kit, like my Sony IEMs/headphones. So without trying, and probably failing, to describe exactly what differences I hear, all I can really say is I chose those settings in my prior post after some non-rigorous blind testing with the help of a friend.

Ok that makes a lot of sense - and why I also shy away from slow filters and at least with the Z1R we're kinda hearing the same thing!

L&P is beta testing next firmware. It will also come in IE800s and SE846 flavors.

We really need one for the Z1R

 

[ClieOS]

They need to prepare for the IE900 as the IE800s is old now .
Thanks for letting us know. Do you know what other features the new update brings?

They said it will also be with a 'new driver', which I assumed is USB driver for Windows.

 

[musicday]

The new case I've got for the W2 and the right cable to connect to the laptop makes this a must have device for me. Incredible sound even when connected to Netflix.
Thank you L&P, best purchase of the year.

 

[LastFantasy]

I'm asking W2 users. Which setting do you listen to, low gain or high gain?