It took a long time to Map out the upgrades for DMP Z1. Literally, every details are thought off from the Engineering teams, even down to the FT 3rd generation capacitors of Solid Polymer conductors type. These guys are custom made and ordered to specifications by Sony, and with the parameters that would surpass or close to normal liquid electrolytic types. Anyways, without torturing the DMP in pulling and replacing parts, the theories, mapped out thoughts ....etc...are all coming from my experiences of modifications from other devices, with carefully thought out of which specific sections, the how and why on the DMP.
In the end, there are not much to do in the DMP to bring upgrades to it, and while fooling around too much, it could even back fire. Therefore, what the DMP received are replacing the Nichicon Fine Gold series of coupling and decoupling caps into Silmic II by Elna, I love this caps, and would prefer it in any systems that I can. The rest of the upgrades are to replace OFC (oxygen Free Copper) wires from interconnect of signal lines, power supplies, and the main Power lines.
The improvements are better soundstage presentations, and fidelity. It was originally Excellent, and now has surpassed that marks in my own opinions. But even at this points, there will be different views and skeptical people to argues. Some people would said that they prefer Nichicon Fine Gold rather than Silmic II, and some even said that Cables don’t improve or change the sound characteristic.....etc....etc... and to every one who is this much skeptical out there, I would always agreed that the DMP is a marvelous piece of engineerings, and is the king of the Digital Music Player system in the modern date, and that it doesn’t need any “modifications“ to perform and shines better than many competitor.
However, to the Hardcore enthusiasts, upgraded cables do bring better performances, so upgrading from OFC into Better materials would elevate the performances, and the Coupling capacitors swaps are simply the personal preferences, and even Sony engineers has already stated this out loud, in analog amplifications, different usages of Coupling capacitors will bring different characteristics to the sound being performed, and therefore the Walkman WM1A/Z series has a DSP effects of DC-Phase Linearizer that mimics the different effects of different capacitors in use. The effect is observable, and more so in any upgraded Walkman (firmware and hardware wise).
So, this is what my journey has concluded , to make something the best to become better, and I am super duper happy with my DMP, and all in one system that can serve my HD800S well just as much as IER-Z1R, and the fact that I can bring it around the house or the office to enjoy is “pure bliss”
