[psikey]

So there's no high gain setting here at the volume control?



It does say the menu might not be available in some countries/regions

Nope

 

[gLer]

Using 3.5mm, volume limit warning comes in at 80/120. My listening level with my K10U needs to be 90-95/120 This playing a 24/192 MQA in Walkman player. Below 80/120 its too low to enjoy.

Using 4.4mm my level with K10U needs to be ~ 85-90/120. Full volume of 120/120 would not hurt your ears!

This should all mean driving headphones will be pathetic.

This is exactly the situation I found with the UK ZX507. With my SE846's with the UK version I would be at 85/120 while on the Japanese version 50/120.

Oh well, same me £3,300! Will do more testing for a few days but this will be going straight back to them next week.

Yeah you can't realistically drive headphones off the 1Z without high gain. I'm stunned they disable high gain in Europe. That's a basic function. Using low gain with sensitive IEMs will kill your hearing anyway, so it makes zero sense.

Edit: high gain should be enabled in output settings afaik.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

This is a clear signal to whether a product is from Sony or any other brand doesn't mean that the manufacturer is trustworthy. Just like Intel now fused out the AVX512 support from their 12th generation CPUs, not because it is not implemented but because they don't want their consumer level CPUs to support these instructions. It is there and it is implemented but it is disabled. Now this guy is writing a stupid story so that they can sell their premium sound micro SD BS.

"Oh my god, I am into audio business for so long time, but I just realised that there is a difference. I was scared and didn't know what to do. We tried everything that is scientifically known to us (you know, we don't know much and this is our first audio product) and nothing worked to prove its existence. Ohhh, this was such a revelation. Now, please go and buy our premium charged micro SD cards."

Not sure how you linked Intel being evil to Sony engineers discovering microSD cards having an effect on sound quality but whatever rocks your boat I guess?

 

[psikey]

Isn't AVLS volume limit the 'cap'. I don't think volume cap has anything to do with low/high gain.

The volume Limit isn't the cap, its for user to put a max on the already pathetic EU/UK top end!

The actual EU/UK volume cap we talk about is invisible to the user. You only know how bad it is when compared to the Japanese (non-EU) versions.

Going to ring Sony tech today and give them a grilling seeing as sales said it most definitely had High Gain.

Good news is we all know now and its just costing me a bit of return time and then refund to CC.

 

[Damz87]

The EU volume limit law is ridiculous! Hopefully it somehow changes but I’m guessing that’s highly unlikely. Well, if you want a unit from Sony Australia @psikey , just hit me up and I’m happy to help ship it to you but it won’t be till August unfortunately…

 

[psikey]

Yeah you can't realistically drive headphones off the 1Z without high gain. I'm stunned they disable high gain in Europe. That's a basic function. Using low gain with sensitive IEMs will kill your hearing anyway, so it makes zero sense.

Edit: high gain should be enabled in output settings afaik.

Its not just losing High Gain, they also cripple the actual volume output in Normal! As I say, with a UK ZX507 and my SE846 that are easiest things to drive it needed 80-85/120 while with Japanese ZX507 45-50/120. Its madness.

 

[GiullianSN]

The EU volume limit law is ridiculous! Hopefully it somehow changes but I’m guessing that’s highly unlikely. Well, if you want a unit from Sony Australia @psikey , just hit me up and I’m happy to help ship it to you but it won’t be till August unfortunately…

August? I almost said I wanted one.

 

[gLer]

Its not just losing High Gain, they also cripple the actual volume output in Normal! As I say, with a UK ZX507 and my SE846 that are easiest things to drive it needed 80-85/120 while with Japanese ZX507 45-50/120. Its madness.

That is downright stupid. You can get much higher volume out of a phone. Sony should refuse to sell their premium audio products in the EU with such restrictions. Thankfully it's not an issue with the M1 players thanks to @MrWalkman...here's hoping he magically finds a solution for M2 owners...or I can see most folks in the EU importing theirs.

 

[gLer]

August? I almost said I wanted one.

There's one in stock at Amazon JP right now. Go grab it...

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sony-dezitaruo-dyiopure-ya-WM1-Walkman-NW-ZX1-wm1z/dp/B01KL958RY

Edit: so sorry, that's the M1. My bad!

 

[psikey]

That is downright stupid. You can get much higher volume out of a phone. Sony should refuse to sell their premium audio products in the EU with such restrictions. Thankfully it's not an issue with the M1 players thanks to @MrWalkman...here's hoping he magically finds a solution for M2 owners...or I can see most folks in the EU importing theirs.

My Samsung S10+ via its internal 3.5mm at max volume would hurt my ears with my K10U but not the EU/UK 1ZM2 even with balanced.

 

[psikey]

There's one in stock at Amazon JP right now. Go grab it...

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sony-dezitaruo-dyiopure-ya-WM1-Walkman-NW-ZX1-wm1z/dp/B01KL958RY

That's the original and the seller won't ship new one to UK anyway (not all will). I want a DAP with streaming hence not interested in the original. The R5Gen2 is supposedly being deliver too so I can directly compare volume between the two later.

 

[GiullianSN]

There's one in stock at Amazon JP right now. Go grab it...

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sony-dezitaruo-dyiopure-ya-WM1-Walkman-NW-ZX1-wm1z/dp/B01KL958RY

Edit: so sorry, that's the M1. My bad!

First Gen in Aus is on sale for AUD2999 on MiniDisc.

 

[gLer]

That's the original and the seller won't ship new one to UK anyway (not all will). I want a DAP with streaming hence not interested in the original.

You can always drop ship from Sony HK. Or get someone in HK or China or Japan to send one to you. It's a small world and a tight community, I'm sure there are those willing to help.

 

[Liono]

My Samsung S10+ via its internal 3.5mm at max volume would hurt my ears with my K10U but not the EU/UK 1ZM2 even with balanced.

That's ridiculous. I have an S10. To say it has higher output than a £3k DAP is criminal.

Does high gain give an increased boost over the direct sound mode?

With my Japanese ZX1, disabling Sound enhancements app drives my headphones significantly better even at lower volumes, so its not just about maximum volume capability. Plugging high impedance headphones meant cranking volume up to near max to get any meaningful use. Goodness knows how bad the EU zx1 was. Acknowledge newer models have higher outputs.

 

[herovego]

Its not just losing High Gain, they also cripple the actual volume output in Normal! As I say, with a UK ZX507 and my SE846 that are easiest things to drive it needed 80-85/120 while with Japanese ZX507 45-50/120. Its madness.

And that's the biggest problem that even the standard low gain is cripple in the EU version. I use only low gain anyway, and with the MDR-Z1R balanced, volume 83-85 is enough to be loud enough with japanese model.

Apart from the disappointment you definitely feel, I still count on a few words about the comparison with the ZX507 and how you like the sound of the Z1M2 in general.