[Star Mastering]

Is the DMP-Z1 tuning package an official ver or recreated based on subjective evaluation?

 

[MrWalkman]

Is the DMP-Z1 tuning package an official ver or recreated based on subjective evaluation?

Unfortunately I can't go into details about that, though I can assure you that the sound signature resembles the one of the actual DMP-Z1, and it's not based on subjective evaluation.

 

[Star Mastering]

I am assured! Thanks!

 

[unifutomaki]

Unfortunately I can't go into details about that, though I can assure you that the sound signature resembles the one of the actual DMP-Z1, and it's not based on subjective evaluation.

@MrWalkman is not only talented but also mysterious... what an individual

 

[MrWalkman]

Thought I'd also share the news here - it seems that additional DSP effects (like selectable DC Phase Linearizer modes, Vinyl Processor modes, and 10 band EQ) and visualizations (VU meter, Spectrum Analyzer, Digital Peak Meter) can also work on the A55 with the DMP-Z1 mod. In exchange, there will be no more FM radio, noise cancelling, and ClearAudio+.

Coming soon!

 

[unifutomaki]

Thought I'd also share the news here - it seems that additional DSP effects (like selectable DC Phase Linearizer modes, Vinyl Processor modes, and 10 band EQ) and visualizations (VU meter, Spectrum Analyzer, Digital Peak Meter) can also work on the A55 with the DMP-Z1 mod. In exchange, there will be no more FM radio, noise cancelling, and ClearAudio+.

Coming soon!

You are literally single-handedly doubling the value of this little player to me. Awesome stuff, can't wait!

 

[fish1050]

Unfortunately I can't go into details about that, though I can assure you that the sound signature resembles the one of the actual DMP-Z1, and it's not based on subjective evaluation.

It is just to bad it takes someone like yourself to optimize the sound quality of a Sony DAP. It would seem that Sony is deliberately crippling the sound on the A55 to justify the lower price. I would love to see Sony take a page from the Fiio and Hiby playbook and release an A55 Pro. Clearly there are people like me that want a great sounding DAP but don't want android and streaming. Come out with an A55 Pro with the best possible sound quality. That way you don't have to jump to the A105 or ZX series and deal with android and streaming to get the best Sony sound quality. There is certainly enough of a price gap between the A55 and A105 to support an A55 Pro.

You could almost start your own pirate modding business. Buy up some A55 units, mod the firmware and mark them up and sell them as maybe A55 Custom version. Sony never needs to know. Better still have people ship you their units, you mod the firmware, charge for it and make some $$$ in the process.

 

[MrWalkman]

You could almost start your own pirate modding business. Buy up some A55 units, mod the firmware and mark them up and sell them as maybe A55 Custom version. Sony never needs to know. Better still have people ship you their units, you mod the firmware, charge for it and make some $$$ in the process.

I heard that some people had this idea/even tried doing it for a while in more Eastern parts of the world, but with some other type of mods, not firmware-wise like this one (still software related) and not as effective, in my opinion. I don't think it's really an ok thing to do...

It is just to bad it takes someone like yourself to optimize the sound quality of a Sony DAP. It would seem that Sony is deliberately crippling the sound on the A55 to justify the lower price.

As I was saying in the "Sony FW mods" thread, I think it would be wiser to look at this in a different way, and to just be grateful we have it available.

 

[unifutomaki]

As I was saying in the "Sony FW mods" thread, I think it would be wiser to look at this in a different way, and to just be grateful we have it available.

Besides, in my (subjective) opinion, even the stock A55 is a decent sounding player. Moving from a well-regarded (soundwise) player (the Q1) to the A55 didn't make me balk and think something was broken inside. The mod opens up the sound, enhances the foundation that was already there, and it does so very successfully.

I think Sony isn't out to deliberately gimp its entry level products. Instead, I kinda see it this way: if you were the general manager of the Walkman product group, would you rather delegate engineering hours to perfect something that is going to go to market for 200 bucks, or would you be caring more about perfecting something that you are going to demand that a niche audience of very cranky people pay literally multiple thousands of dollars for? Which one are you going to hang your reputation on?

I'm glad that it is even possible to mod the firmware in the first place, and I am grateful for the effort by @MrWalkman to make the most of hardware that already exists. After all, in this hobby, too often the route to improved sound involves either switching to a new thing or adding an additional dangly widget to the existing thing.

 

[fish1050]

I heard that some people had this idea/even tried doing it for a while in more Eastern parts of the world, but with some other type of mods, not firmware-wise like this one (still software related) and not as effective, in my opinion. I don't think it's really an ok thing to do...



As I was saying in the "Sony FW mods" thread, I think it would be wiser to look at this in a different way, and to just be grateful we have it available.

Yeah I get it, I was largely joking about it, from an ethical standpoint it would not be good. Certainly grateful you can do this, Sony leaned heavy into the whole HiRes player market. So it would be great if every model was maxed out sound quality wise if they want to produce the best "HiRes" sound quality. Shanling seems to follow this philosophy with all their DAP's sounding close in sound quality and differentiating models more on features and specs than on sound quality. The M5s and M2X sound very similar and the Q1 is very close to the M2X sound quality wise.

If Shanling ever gets another Canadian distributor their DAP's will be back in consideration for me.

 

[MrWalkman]

The A50R is here.

Features:
- sound signature resembling the one of the DMP-Z1, with awesome bass response and amazing soundstage holography and extension (apply the DMP-Z1 tuning package after the installation)
- 10 band equalizer
- DC Phase Linearizer with 6 selectable modes (Type A and B, each one with a LOW, STANDARD and HIGH variation)
- Vinyl Processor with 4 selectable modes (Standard, Arm Resonance, Turntable Resonance, Surface Noise)
- Visualizers: Spectrum Analyzer/Analog VU Meter/Digital Peak Meter
- progressive JPEG and interlaced PNG album covers are supported
- hardware accelerated rendition of the UI

Missing features in comparison with stock A50:
- FM Radio
- VPT Surround
- Language Study
- Noise cancelling
- NFC (not working)

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-fw-mods.943661/post-15900068

 

[akubukanaku]

Yeah I get it, I was largely joking about it, from an ethical standpoint it would not be good. Certainly grateful you can do this, Sony leaned heavy into the whole HiRes player market. So it would be great if every model was maxed out sound quality wise if they want to produce the best "HiRes" sound quality. Shanling seems to follow this philosophy with all their DAP's sounding close in sound quality and differentiating models more on features and specs than on sound quality. The M5s and M2X sound very similar and the Q1 is very close to the M2X sound quality wise.

If Shanling ever gets another Canadian distributor their DAP's will be back in consideration for me.

that was quick update for A50 Series. One question, this update will affect bluetooth function?

 

[MrWalkman]

that was quick update for A50 Series. One question, this update will affect bluetooth function?

No, Bluetooth works like before.

Also, the stock-based DMP-A50 is still available

 

[atr3yu]

Well, a firmware mod for the NW-A50Series was released here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-fw-mods.943661/post-15896939

I have removed the volume limit on my European version A50 with SonyNWDestTool, will the limit come back by installing the DMP-A50 mod? I really need that extra power for my headphones.

 

[MrWalkman]

I have removed the volume limit on my European version A50 with SonyNWDestTool, will the limit come back by installing the DMP-A50 mod? I really need that extra power for my headphones.

Nope, it will not.