Pictures of Your Portable Rig (part XVI)
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logboy
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can i ask how people determine what dac + amp to combine with which dap? iem, also - i like a wide variety of music, + feel things are heading towards balanced headphone outputs, and would like to be using in the go mostly and at home sometimes.
new to this. looking at both, + iem right now. some players (sony) shown here in setups seem to never pair with external devices, but other very high-end dap might be. how do i set an aim when most can’t be tried in person?
i am also interested to know about battery changing - some of either device might have this as standard or possible with maker installing a new one? i’d like to change out myself with it as a considered part of the design, if possible.
any help very much appreciated.
new to this. looking at both, + iem right now. some players (sony) shown here in setups seem to never pair with external devices, but other very high-end dap might be. how do i set an aim when most can’t be tried in person?
i am also interested to know about battery changing - some of either device might have this as standard or possible with maker installing a new one? i’d like to change out myself with it as a considered part of the design, if possible.
any help very much appreciated.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Much of pairing is trial and error. Sony made a more neutral 1A, then more of the typical V tune with the 1Z. Though what happened a little while ago was enthusiast firmware. Sony actually had different regions and a different sound for each region. This may be marketing much like how fast food corporations make different dishes across the world. So Rockbox is a series of hackers who made a unlock software to “unlock” the regions. It tuned out for me I liked the Japan region. On top of that MrWalkman is a member here who released new firmwares for the 1A and 1Z, 300ZX....etc. The new firmware greatly increased the clarity and simple “audiophileness” of the DAPs. Yet even then there was a lot to choose. I have my 1A on a program called 1A/1Z+ yet there is also a way to add the character of the 1Z to the 1A. Due to hardware differences between the 1A and Sony 1Z Walkman there was still differences between the two. Still we learned that software in the devices actually accounted for more character than we thought. If you owned both 1A and 1Z you could test them to see which variations were best for your likes and what would go best with your IEMs. These changes affect soundstage bass tone character and even position of elements in the soundstage....etc. Many found variations which sounded natural to them and stayed with a program. Though many kept exploring.
Using the devices to a amp is another concern. Though keep in mind that many use the 1A and 1Z with full-size headphones. Still there are ways to get an adapter and run a digital transport signal to an external DAC. Also normally we don’t do (double volume knob) as it was it’s considered double amping, though due to the DAPs digital volume control many will connect 3.5mm to RCA to a headphone amp or speaker amp. Also the DAPs can be used in DAC mode where they act as a DAC for a computer. They can even act as a DAC for themselves where the top 1A could be a file digital sender to the 1Z below and you would have access to all the internal memory and joined card memory. When I do that I have about 10K songs and only 2% in 320kbps.
The tricky part is Sony made the 4.4mm balanced amp the better amp in both the 1A and 1Z. So each player has two amps. That can cause a fuss wanting to make everything you own as 4.4mm. Also the players will accept Bluetooth from a phone or tablet. They can accept LDAC too, but that’s a rare format, still it sounds pretty close to 16/44.1 to me.
Finally the players are recommended to need 200 hours burn in per side. So 4.4mm 200 hours and 3.5mm 200 hours until the capacitors have settled and remain consistent. They charge with USB and can have 15-20 hours maybe, though I get less. The batteries are rated to only do 1000 charge cycles yet many folks have 3000 hours to 6000 hours which is way, way more charges. They came out in 2016 and no one has yet needed to replace their battery.
They are used at home often by members and never taken out of the house. If you need an external amp.....that would basically depend on the demand of power needed for your full-size headphones. But the matching is basically experimenting with gear till you hit gold. There is no way to know on paper. No rhyme or reason, you just have to jump in and start trying stuff.
Sorry I know very little about other DAPs, so my opinions here could be slightly myopic?
Cheers!
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logboy
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i appreciate your insight into the SONY models and the general bits on the subject within. am i to take it that if a DAP has a volume knob (rather than button function) that it should never be paired with a DAC AMP as they always need to have one? or is it the case that all DAPs with knobs are by and large powerful enough to handle any headphones? are there any general figures to look out for on a spec of a DAP to reassure me it can handle low and high impedance headphones well and wouldn't need another DAC AMP to improve upon it's onboard ones? should i also be hesitant about SONY doing another DAP any time soon that's akin to their top end with the flared design? finally, i am trying to determine between pairing my iPhone (SE 2020) with a DAC AMP and a dedicated DAP, and have done a lot of looking at brands (and their patchy specs, varied solutions) so ... i've put in some effort, but it's a big subject and not easy to just get an initial handle on. again, thanks.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
The whole 2X volume knob debate is something to concern with. Yet in this case it’s not so much the style of knob but the way the volume is controlled, as it’s digital here. Again, I don’t use the 1A as a source to a power amp or headphone amp with a 3.5mm to RCA X2. Though numerous members use the Sony DAPs to other devices with the 3.5mm to RCA without issue and are pleased with the quality. So it’s possible the “2X volume knob” thing is a non-issue here? Also no one does 4.4mm balanced to RCAX2, it’s always 3.5mm to RCA.
Keep in mind, much of the success in plugging full-size into the DAPs depends on volume levels wanted. Yes, there will always be better damping factor with a desktop powerful amp. Yet depending on headphones and individual needs the Sony DAPs have a reputation being used. It’s a case by case, individual by individual thing. Sony PR helped introduce the confidence by showing photographs of the 1Z with the TOTL MDR-Z1R. And yes the combo gets super loud, though a desktop will get you slightly better damping factors. If you need those factors, it’s going to be the desired volume wanted. Typically the damping factor will only gain about a single added “perceived” dB in bass, yet clearer bass and an increase in imaging and soundstage can be noted normally.
As far as power to interface with full-size headphones......it’s really a situation by situation thing in my view. Meaning many members use the DAPs to power the Sony MDR-Z1R, MDR-Z7 and MDR-Z7MK2. All those headphones are fairly easy to drive. Yes there are specifications about power and damping factor, yet I’m more of simply a listener. There are videos (YouTube) and reports of using the 1A/1Z with an iPhone if you set it up right. For my uses with an iPhone I simply use Bluetooth as the DAPs have a Bluetooth receiver. It’s Apple lossy; (AAC) though LDAC (in my view) is a better wireless codec. Once you get away from Apple phones LDAC is offered. LDAC will not show up in Apple phones as it’s a required chip and a conflict of interest for the chip makers who make the Apple phones.
https://www.headphonezone.in/blogs/...ivate-ldac-on-your-smartphone-in-5-easy-steps
It’s maybe not a profitable idea at this point? But the ultimate dongle would be LDAC transmitters as an IPhone dongle.
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Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
No one knows when the new DAPs will arrive. I don’t have a crystal ball, yet many are happy they purchased the 2016 units.
Cheers!
Gavin C4
Member of the Trade: Hercules Audio
Speaking of taste
Amadeo Nospherathu
Headphoneus Supremus
Dita Dream and Effect Audio Artemis.
riverground
Headphoneus Supremus
How are you liking the King Arthur?
Speaking of taste
been really curious about these for so long.
It's crazy to think that the cable costs more than DAP+IEM combined in that picture. Well, at least it's more worthy than necklace which costs just as crazy.
Xcalibur (the cable, whatever name it is...) is really mature sounding...It's crazy to think that the cable costs more than DAP+IEM combined in that picture. Well, at least it's more worthy than necklace which costs just as crazy.
Thanks for the correction. Sorry, I got confused. You are right King Arthur's IEM with "Xcalibur" cable. I thought I was seeing different IEM.
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