Would it be possible to do a comparison between the wma1m2 and the a306 in this manner to see if they're significantly different sound quality wise? is the m2 really $1000 dollars better? Or how much should it cost given the quality of sound that comes out of it? I'm thinking of just getting the m2 to avoid the whole cap vs non cap + bass problems.
Hi MyronGaines,
Going from memory, when I listened to WM1AM2 (USA region model, in 4.4 balanced, with high gain on and in Direct Source mode) few weeks back, I found it to be decent in most areas of presentation, tonality and performance. In comparison to A306, WM1AM2 has a larger and noticeably wider soundstage with more body and texture in lows and mids as well as more air with slightly more extended highs.
From low end, WM1AM2 has more noticeable presence with some added heft, texture (a bit tighter bodied), impact and decay. There is a fair amount of physicality and slam from bass done in a subtle ‘clean’ way with good definition, enough body and some swiftness in speed. Sub-bass is also decent with enough felt (and slight weighted) presence of subtle lows to upper low regions.
Transients are noticeably more sharpened with a bit more detail retrieval, with slightly more dense bodied weight and some added clarity. Resolution is also a step up with more subtle details that can be heard and felt from most tracks with vocals and instruments, as well as a bit more room and space for instruments and vocals to move around and perform across & along the stage.
However, I wouldn’t say these differences are a drastic ‘improvement’ over the A306, but rather just noticeable and subtle in its ways with a slightly different presentation and tonality.
At a higher price point of over a grand for the WM1AM2, I found its ‘mediocre’ responsiveness in going through tracks on Tidal with some inconsistencies (in user interface) and switching through other apps with a bit of lag, as well as its slightly bulky shaped form factor (with tpu case on when used on the go) to be inconvenient for portable listening on the go. I ended up returning it back to Amazon about a week later (returns are free of charge with Prime membership).
For the A306 (Japan region model, in 3.5 single-ended), it shares some similar qualities with the WM1AM2, but with a slightly more intimate, noticeably more smooth and ‘musical’ kind of presentation, balanced by a bit of softness in its transients with just enough details, low end, mids & highs, and presence of stage & air for on the go listening (in a more portable size and compact form factor).
Before making the commitment in purchasing this dap, I think the best thing you can do is to find a portable audio shop nearby (or attend shows like CanJam) and try/listen to the WM1AM2 to get a good feel & sense for the kind of sound and performance you’re getting.
