[Whitigir]

OK, to summarize my battery test findings. Using Aroma Jewel, 4.4mm terminated, high gain, volume at 43, DSEE Ultimate on, DC phase on, Vinyl on, screen mostly off, just checking battery status, and starting from fully charged 100%.

Playing hi-res 24bit flac in the loop, locally in Walkman app with wifi/BT off - get 29.5hrs of playback time.

Streaming Amazon Music HD, with high res streaming enabled on ZM2 and all the same dsp effects, and volume/gain - get 10.5hrs of playback time.

Ok, so still a far cry from the claimed 40 hours.

Thanks Alex

 

[pdL389]

There’s a difference in sound field with

1. Headphones App Disabled
2. Headphones App Enabled

With headphones app disabled, the vocals and instruments are much more forward and louder sounding with less spatial sound

With headphone apps enabled, vocals and instruments sounds further away with more echo decays in the sound.

This change is very noticeable and not subtle at all.

Do note you have to pause and unpause your music for the sound changes of disable/enable to take effect.

Also, using non-Sony IEMs, with Headphone app enabled, you get darker tonality and about 20% less volume with this last updated app version 9.0.0.

 

[twister6]

Ok, so still a far cry from the claimed 40 hours.

Thanks Alex

I think 40hr playback time is based on the best case scenario with dsp off, low gain, lower volume, single ended, and probably playing mp3 in a loop locally, no streaming, no wifi, etc.

With an exception of keeping display mostly off, my test scenario is more realistic everyday use.

 

[gLer]

Ok, so still a far cry from the claimed 40 hours.

Thanks Alex

40h is with DSP off.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

@Sonywalkmanuser just a thought, but have you ever considered contacting Sony to ask if they need a rep on Head-fi? You already doing a fine promotional and support job for them, so might as well get paid for it

Btw, I'm being totally serious, man. I know a dozen of people on head-fi who started as fans on the forum, connected with manufacturers at CanJam shows, and now have "sponsor" badge under their avatar.

All the information I have gotten is sourced from the web(thanks to evil Google)or from my own tinkering around with the Walkman which can be done by anyone who owns the device and willing to experiment.

It may seem to many that I am promoting Sony or something but I think I see myself as a Sony product user like anyone here. An enthusiastic fan but not necessarily one who thinks that Sony is flawless and do no wrong.

My first priority is music enjoyment and to squeeze the maximum performance out of my devices by means of safe tinkering of the settings and other hardware changes. I am sharing my experience here not just for helping others but also as a notepad/diary backup of my own experience.

I don’t think Sony is going to have any headfi rep. It’s just not in their Japanese corporate culture. Just look at the way that Sony Singapore and Sony Japan handled the WM1ZM2 repair for @hstnasia. Totally no response even from their Japanese Corporate website feedback.

And also I am about to restart my busy work life soon given that Singapore’s Covid Safe Distancing Measurements has subsided and life is returning to normal by 2nd qtr of 2022

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Also, using non-Sony IEMs, with Headphone app enabled, you get darker tonality and about 20% less volume with this last updated app version 9.0.0.

I just tried booting into safe mode(with screen turned on, hold power button, tap and hold on restart button on the screen, it will prompt to reboot to safe mode)

it seems that this headphone app still has spatial sound effect in safe mode.

So in this case, to get the most unprocessed sound of your M2 Walkman, this is how you need to configure your Walkman:

Turn Hi-Res Streaming mode Off
Boot to safe mode
Disable headphone app
Set to Direct source mode on

In this configuration, it sounds to me there’s like almost zero Sony spatial sound processing.

Vocals are super forward and very intimate. Like the singer is singing directly into your ears. Same goes for the music instruments, they are played right next to your ears feeling.

Vocals will also likely to present more sibilance.

There’s like zero layering or depth to the soundstage. It’s really like holding your phone speakers beside your ears feeling.

I am not sure If this kind of sound is what other dap users have described as Hi-Fi bit perfect sound but frankly I don’t really enjoy listening to this kind of non-processed bit perfect like sound. It’s quite harsh and fatiguing to listen for long term listening due to much brighter sound signature and 2D flat stereo imaging and this is coming from my non-fatiguing, laid back ier-m9.

Though I recommend for those who like to experiment, to try this mode and to discover how much sound processing Sony actually does to your Walkman’s music output.

The polar opposite of this configuration, for Full Sony sound processing:

Non-safe mode, regular boot up mode
Hi-res streaming mode On
Headphone app enabled
Sony headphone app with sony iem/headphone selected(if you own Sony branded)
Ear photo upload to Sony
DSEE Ultimate On
DC Phase Linearizer On
Vinyl Processor On

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Also point to note:

I notice that switching Hi-res streaming mode On or Off seems to have an effect on spatial sound processing of the Walkman music app.

So even if you do not use streaming apps, I recommend to use hi-res streaming mode On for better spatial sound.

This spatial sound difference is felt on both my ZX507 and WM1AM2.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Also to note, I discovered that Taylor Swift’s Lover Album has quite a lot of spatial sound information.

Not sure if the album is binaurally recorded but I am hearing a lot of sounds coming from multiple directions.

This track: [The Archer] really has a 360 like soundstage even though it’s just a regular stereo flac I am playing from my Walkman music app.

Recommend giving this album a try on your m2 Walkman.

 

[Whitigir]

Also to note, I discovered that Taylor Swift’s Lover Album has quite a lot of spatial sound information.

Not sure if the album is binaurally recorded but I am hearing a lot of sounds coming from multiple directions.

This track: [The Archer] really has a 360 like soundstage even though it’s just a regular stereo flac I am playing from my Walkman music app.

Recommend giving this album a try on your m2 Walkman.

The Taylor version ?

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

The Taylor version ?

Yes. 2019 release

 

[Whitigir]

Yes. 2019 release

Good stuff !!

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

For those who wish to learn more on spatial audio like the 360RA tech found in your Walkman:

http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/34100/1/P Power_Thesis_Final.pdf

 

[Whitigir]

For those who wish to learn more on spatial audio like the 360RA tech found in your Walkman:

http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/34100/1/P Power_Thesis_Final.pdf

You should try RED “Taylors version”

 

[djricekcn]

I still don't know how people are getting differences with Headphone App with Walkman App. I hear 0 differences so there must be something that I am missing cause I hear no differences what so ever, not in the slightest.

 

[hstnasia]

I’m using these with the original and the M2, all set to direct source with high gain. To me they sound better than turning those DPS options on.