[Whitigir]

1A owner, just catching up with this thread, so apologies if it has been answered.

The Fiio DK3 dock was built for the FiiO M17 DAP / Mini-desktop (!!), which gets hot, especially under certain mode of operation. The M17 has its own cooling system / heat dissipation, but (apparently) still benefits from a fan at some times.

As we know most DAPs can get warm or even hot at times, especially in pockets, but the 1A is much better than most DAPs I have used for this. I have the DK3 dock, just as a useful stand for my desktop set up (used mainly with the M11 Plus) and I have never used / needed the fan.

And you are selling it ? If you do, let me know. Walkman with low power SOC, and low output class D amp, will generate zero to no heat. other DAP.

 

[INGRAMLI]

Have been reading this thread for some time, i would also share some of my personal experience regarding the correlation of sound quality and microSD cards.

DISCLAIMER : No responsibility is assumed for damage caused by any reliance on my personal opinion, and everyone could have different results based on their gears, environment and/or hearing capabilities.

The gears i used,
DAP: WM1A(mk1, with MrWalkman' latest CFW on WM1Z tuning)
Earphone: Sony Just Ear CIEM (monitor tuning), using balanced 4.4mm stock (new generation) cable
MicroSD card: SR-64HXA (the infamous so-called "snake oil")

[Skip this paragraph if you are too busy to read]
That is the setup I have been using for years, so it is not an initial impression. In my opinion, even the "snake oil" (SR-64HXA) is still not as good as the internal storage, if I rate the sound of internal storage to be 100/100, the "snake oil" would be somewhere between 95-98/100, close, but not identical. The difference, instead of the more objective measurement like SNR or FR, is something more subjective, I would say, the sound of the internal storage is just slightly more organic and pleasant to hear in extended hearing session, and while not mentioned in details, i have several cards from other major brands, they have slight variation in their sound characteristics among each others, but generally speaking they have a slightly higher noise level (the background is not as dark as internal storage or the "snake oil"), and generally speaking, the smaller capacity MLC NAND cards have subjectively better sound (some are pretty close to the "snake oil", at 90-95/100), however....


[CONCLUSION HERE]
Subjectively, to my ears, the difference is definitely there, but is it worth it?

Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. The reason is, the difference between these storage is nowhere as important as the software tuning, the wires, the resistors or the caps used in the circuit. I wouldnt call it "the last inch" of the pursuit of SQ, but the last couple of "millimeter" for those who are not going to settle for anything less than perfection, and I am not one of those (super rich) people.

If you have multiple cards in your disposal, having some free time for some experiment with your ears, feel free to give it a shot, but I couldn't recommend spending hundred of dollars trying different exotic cards unless you are super rich and have spent on almost everything else you could think of.

DISCLAIMER (again) : As always, YMMV.

 

[gLer]

I can not say and have no rights to judge how others are enjoying the hobby. I am glad they share my very same hobby, and I admire people who is willing to learn. So, @Sonywalkmanuser , you have my respect

If it’s minor variation in perceived sound quality then I can accept that there’s no need to pursue that differences.

But in my own listening test comparing a Lexar 633x 512GB microSD vs Walkman 1AM2 Internal memory vs Swissbit S-55U 256GB, there is big enough difference in how Walkman sounded between them for me to completely abandon the idea of using the bigger size Lexar card to store my music.

To my ears, the Lexar card has really hazy soundstaging and has unsmooth distortion to the vocals. Its really lacking in overall refinement and lacking in treble extension as well.

The Walkman internal storage has soundstaging and as well as a smoothness to the sound.

The Swissbit has better dynamics and as well as a more blacker background over the Walkman internal memory.

Oh absolutely agree Vince, everyone is in the hobby for different reasons. Nothing is 'better' or 'worse', just different. You engineers and technical enthusiasts have my utmost respect, because you bring a different perspective and give us 'simple guys' great insight into the tech that goes into making everything sound so spectacular when we hit play!

Thank you for all that, truly.

 

[Whitigir]

Have been reading this thread for some time, i would also share some of my personal experience regarding the correlation of sound quality and microSD cards.

DISCLAIMER : No responsibility is assumed for damage caused by any reliance on my personal opinion, and everyone could have different results based on their gears, environment and/or hearing capabilities.

The gears i used,
DAP: WM1A(mk1, with MrWalkman' latest CFW on WM1Z tuning)
Earphone: Sony Just Ear CIEM (monitor tuning), using balanced 4.4mm stock (new generation) cable
MicroSD card: SR-64HXA (the infamous so-called "snake oil")

[Skip this paragraph if you are too busy to read]
That is the setup I have been using for years, so it is not an initial impression. In my opinion, even the "snake oil" (SR-64HXA) is still not as good as the internal storage, if I rate the sound of internal storage to be 100/100, the "snake oil" would be somewhere between 95-98/100, close, but not identical. The difference, instead of the more objective measurement like SNR or FR, is something more subjective, I would say, the sound of the internal storage is just slightly more organic and pleasant to hear in extended hearing session, and while not mentioned in details, i have several cards from other major brands, they have slight variation in their sound characteristics among each others, but generally speaking they have a slightly higher noise level (the background is not as dark as internal storage or the "snake oil"), and generally speaking, the smaller capacity MLC NAND cards have subjectively better sound (some are pretty close to the "snake oil", at 90-95/100), however....


[CONCLUSION HERE]
Subjectively, to my ears, the difference is definitely there, but is it worth it?

Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. The reason is, the difference between these storage is nowhere as important as the software tuning, the wires, the resistors or the caps used in the circuit. I wouldnt call it "the last inch" of the pursuit of SQ, but the last couple of "millimeter" for those who are not going to settle for anything less than perfection, and I am not one of those (super rich) people.

If you have multiple cards in your disposal, having some free time for some experiment with your ears, feel free to give it a shot, but I couldn't recommend spending hundred of dollars trying different exotic cards unless you are super rich and have spent on almost everything else you could think of.

DISCLAIMER (again) : As always, YMMV.

Your finding is similar to mine . So, I am sure you will observe the differences with Micron Microsd. May want to give it a try

 

[Amber Rain]

And you are selling it ? If you do, let me know. Walkman with low power SOC, and low output class D amp, will generate zero to no heat. other DAP.

Ha, no!!

Well no intention to do so at the moment anyways... I use my 1A for going into the office (which has just started up again recently) and also sometimes at home.

I bought the Fiio M11Plus for the bigger screen, more power (for headphones) and streaming (which I am not using much, not signed up to any of the main sevices, only Bandcamp).

I had thought of selling both to fund the "2A", but probably won't...

I love the 1A, because it just works, great UI, almost never glitches. Easy to transfer Music onto, great battery life, sounds great (now has custom tunings ) and just about fits in a shirt top pocket!

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

@Whitigir

So far this is the most easy to understand video on jitter/phase noise which in layman’s term: unwanted background noise

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Voltage skew is one thing, clock skews is also another. Even though you don’t have EE degree, but you are willing to learn, to observe, and to seek out information, you will soon grab the whole concept and possibly be Better than some EE and or programmers that has decades of work experiences but refuse to learn...well, even among themselves, there are different tiers. Needless to say that those refuse to learn are just coolies tiers

nothing is perfect, and engineering is trying to achieve what is the best scenarios, while choosing to compromise others. That is why I kept on saying, there is no such thing as Bit-Perfect.....it doesn’t exist

Speaking of different tiers…



Even this famous YouTuber/earphone ranking site admin has the opinion that you don’t need an amplifier/dac/anything else and using just an iphone headphone dongle will do “fine”.

I am surprised that given his pedigree of reviewing so many iems, he has this opinion that audio sources and amplification don’t matter and that an amplifier’s only job is to make things louder.

I guess those of us who owns Walkmans/DAPs/amps must be just getting “marginal” improvements vs an iPhone headphone dongle according to him.

It’s quite contrasting to the earlier part of this thread where people here are debating if 250mW output of the Walkman is enough power to fully drive Dynamic driver iems.

 

[cFkoauvicGBK7o]

Voltage skew is one thing, clock skews is also another. Even though you don’t have EE degree, but you are willing to learn, to observe, and to seek out information, you will soon grab the whole concept and possibly be Better than some EE and or programmers that has decades of work experiences but refuse to learn...well, even among themselves, there are different tiers. Needless to say that those refuse to learn are just coolies tiers

nothing is perfect, and engineering is trying to achieve what is the best scenarios, while choosing to compromise others. That is why I kept on saying, there is no such thing as Bit-Perfect.....it doesn’t exist

I'm a software engineer (did hardware programming many years ago mainly on XMOS boards, now I'm purely doing high performance software) and in this industry you constantly have to learn new things all the time. 90% of people I work with pick up related skills outside of work time. You kind of have to.

This probably doesn't apply to electrical engineers but I've worked with many software engineers who don't have degrees who are exceptional at their job. Really just depends on the person.

 

[psikey]

In my very humble opinion, if you are listening intently for the most minor of variations in sound characteristics, undetectable to all but 'highly trained ears with perfect hearing' you are no longer listening to music for enjoyment, but rather analysing sounds. It's like looking for molecular variations in two batches of the same ice cream through a microscope, instead of just taking a lick and enjoying the sensation of taste. That's not to say analysing sound is not enjoyable - I'm sure at a cerebral and technical level it must be - but it's just not what I'm buying audio gear for, personally. I can't speak for anyone else, that's just my opinion.

Bet he's great at listening out for nuclear subs! Get him in the Navy

 

[nc8000]

Speaking of different tiers…



Even this famous YouTuber/earphone ranking site admin has the opinion that you don’t need an amplifier/dac/anything else and using just an iphone headphone dongle will do “fine”.

I am surprised that given his pedigree of reviewing so many iems, he has this opinion that audio sources and amplification don’t matter and that an amplifier’s only job is to make things louder.

I guess those of us who owns Walkmans/DAPs/amps must be just getting “marginal” improvements vs an iPhone headphone dongle according to him.

It’s quite contrasting to the earlier part of this thread where people here are debating if 250mW is enough to drive Dynamic driver iems.

For it’s price and for sufficiently easy to drive headphones the Apple dongle is quite good but one can do so much better

 

[INGRAMLI]

For it’s price and for sufficiently easy to drive headphones the Apple dongle is quite good but one can do so much better

Even I own some better gears, I still use the Apple dongle with my iphone when I have a brief walk for food or so, sure you can enjoy better sound, but there's nothing really wrong with its sound, for casual listening, pairing it with some easy to drive IEMs (such as Sony Just Ear), the sound isn't as bad as some people think, no crazy dynamics or ultra micro details, but it is not irritating/unpleasant to hear, just like some decent MP3 players in the early 2000s, those were much inferior gears by today' standards, but that isnt a deterrent for me to enjoy music.

 

[nc8000]

Even I own some better gears, I still use the Apple dongle with my iphone when I have a brief walk for food or so, sure you can enjoy better sound, but there's nothing really wrong with its sound, for casual listening, pairing it with some easy to drive IEMs (such as Sony Just Ear), the sound isn't as bad as some people think, no crazy dynamics or ultra micro details, but it is not irritating/unpleasant to hear, just like some decent MP3 players in the early 2000s, those were much inferior gears by today' standards, but that isnt a deterrent for me to enjoy music.

Exactly

 

[Whitigir]

Why do you need a dongle if a 3.5mm from a phone works just fine ?
oh that is right, you are used to “not having 3.5mm” from a phone !

 

[osiris1]

Why do you need a dongle if a 3.5mm from a phone works just fine ?

Apple phones don't have 3.5mm
in fact many modern phones don't have it either

 

[Whitigir]

Apple phones don't have 3.5mm
in fact many modern phones don't have it either

That brings us back to Sony Again ... the Xperia Pro 5G