My first impressions on the WS1
Oct 22, 2008 at 8:39 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11

|Fred

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Packaging:
It's really nice, I think its a great improvement over the SA'6, thumb up for the Design team. I love the small black pouch

Floor Noise, a kill joy ?:
On the units I tested it has nothing to do with white or pink noise, from my raw testing its a 250Hertz-ich frequency (with some sub hamonics). In other words it does not sound like ssseehhh but if anything like a "mmmmmm" more or less in the style of a laptop vent spinning at idle speed. The noise does not increase with volume increase. (edit: Changing channel, alowed me so divide the noise amount by 2: mming is faint event on calm music like Chet baker's) . While listening at a loud level with winamp at 100%, noise become perceptible if I drop the volume to 1%. More over after a while you no longer notice it all that much unless you compare on/off. Reason being imho that the W1 humming is less distinctive that regular pink noise. Most of the time you will pick noise from the recording way before the one from the W1's and at high gain you are very likely to pickup noise from the source amp before the W1 if you are not using dedicated amp.


Sound wise
I feel that the audio fingerprint of the SA6 is greatly affected by the W1, basically it makes the SA6 sound like my Boses XL4000. Saying that they slightly boost the Bass is an under statement.
I went back to Bass - &Sleek silicone from bass+ +olive and still feel there is more bass ^^. Low medium 150-300Hz sounds also affected to me, making the SA6 lean toward a UE or westone ish render in that area. Using the quick and dirty winamp eq -4db@170Hz and -6db@310Hz get closer to the wired SA6 sound. From a pure sound signature point of view, I must admit that I prefer the more subtle SA6 wired. The W1 makes it too big for my taste but I have no doubt that some will love that big can feeling.


Wireless:

Now that I spend 80% of this topic off topic, may be I can start to talk about what the WS1 is made for ! LOL ! So allow me to cut to the chest: Wireless in-ear is the best thing since sliced Bread ! No, really, 6 months ago I really wasn't convinced of the point of wireless earphone, but now even if I only had them for 4,5 hours I'm having hard time thinking doing without. Wireless SA6 it really
beerchug.gif
Sleek Audio is a bit optimistic with the range of the unit: It trump a house floor, edit: 4 to 8 m with a thin wall and a couple or doors is more like it.

PS: I forgot: bybye microphonic noise (a lot less at least)


I don't listen to music on an ipod but since I had one at hand and people love ipods here are some black on white , black on blue pictures.
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2yto5ms.jpg

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Oct 22, 2008 at 9:25 PM Post #2 of 11
Cool, Im looking foreward to odering mine soon. I still have some Logitech freepulse laying around but I just cant stand them.

I love the ability to walk around the office a little and not carry the player with me.

Also I will be able to just set the player on the treadmill.

Or do you think running would be tough with the amp/transmitter on your neck.
 
Oct 23, 2008 at 5:59 AM Post #3 of 11
I'm going to jog to work in an hour, I'll tell you then.

About wireless interferences:
if the w1 base is:
Close to my GSM phone: no problem
Close to an FM portable radio: no problem
Close to a laptop powersuply: Buzz if the W1 touch it , needs to be 3 cm away:
Close to a DTC land wirelessphone base: Hudge Buzz if less than 3 cm away


I had some buzz when I plugged the devise to a portable cdplayer, (but the cdplayer battery were very low)
I tested without issue on: Hifi amp, dac amp, 2 laptops, 1 pc, 1 portable Fm radio, ipod
 
Oct 23, 2008 at 6:30 PM Post #4 of 11
Thank you for sharing your impressions.
 
Oct 24, 2008 at 11:12 AM Post #7 of 11
Today I toke an ipod to do the test.
Further investigating the skipping & walking

Inside my back pack: no skipping / switching
Inside my leather Jacket (inside top pocket): no skipping / switching
Inside my leather Jacket (outside bottom pocket): Some rare skipping, may be 2 every 10 minutes, well to be more precise: when I placed the ipod in that pocket I got soon afer 2 successive switching then I did not get any skipping for about 2 song but when I reach for the ipod in the pocked it switched again. The hand seems to affect the waves...
Inside my pant's pocket: lots of switching, this is pretty weird cause this pocket is not that far from the one on my jacket 10cm tops .
Inside my leather Jacket / me being 5 meters away from the Jacket: no skipping / switching !!!
Pluged to my DAC:no skipping / switching I can jump dance what ever no skipping

My conclusion based on no scientific evidence: the human body seems to absorb some of the wireless signal from the transmitter. (hands, pants is thinner than leather jacket), I imagine than some materials may also absorb more than others airwave, => check for those
 
Oct 24, 2008 at 7:27 PM Post #8 of 11
Quote:

Originally Posted by |Fred /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Today I toke an ipod to do the test.
Further investigating the skipping & walking

Inside my back pack: no skipping / switching
Inside my leather Jacket (inside top pocket): no skipping / switching
Inside my leather Jacket (outside bottom pocket): Some rare skipping, may be 2 every 10 minutes, well to be more precise: when I placed the ipod in that pocket I got soon afer 2 successive switching then I did not get any skipping for about 2 song but when I reach for the ipod in the pocked it switched again. The hand seems to affect the waves...
Inside my pant's pocket: lots of switching, this is pretty weird cause this pocket is not that far from the one on my jacket 10cm tops .
Inside my leather Jacket / me being 5 meters away from the Jacket: no skipping / switching !!!
Pluged to my DAC:no skipping / switching I can jump dance what ever no skipping

My conclusion based on no scientific evidence: the human body seems to absorb some of the wireless signal from the transmitter. (hands, pants is thinner than leather jacket), I imagine than some materials may also absorb more than others airwave, => check for those



Very interesting observations and refections on those observations...the human body is a many wondrous thing!
 
Oct 25, 2008 at 10:20 AM Post #10 of 11
Mine has the "EEEEEEEEE" buzzing no matter the circumstance. It is entirely unacceptable to me, and it's very noticeable even when listening to music.

The noise floor (pink/white noise hissing) is pretty high as well. As a Mid-Fi product, the Sleek Audio W-1 is a decent product. But I wouldn't endorse it for a no-compromise, high end system. It's a compromise either way.

-Ed
 
Oct 25, 2008 at 5:03 PM Post #11 of 11
Could you try to turn the unit on, jack unplugged. Do you head pink noise?
In my small experience with the two unit I tested, there really are channels where the mmming is close to non existent. (don't get me wrong there are channel were mmming is noticeable but finding an good channel doesn't take much time usually in max 3 tries I get one)

ps: I did edit my first post:to reflect further testing of range the w1 trump one house floor (mine at least). The emitter if placed on a shelf at about 1,2 above the ground, I stand below the emitter on the floor bellow (about 3,1 meters + floor) I get a radius of 4 meters where I get signal without channel skipping
 

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