[Sonywalkmanuser]

Even with low bit rate mp3 and iTunes AAC, I find that Sony’s DSD Remastering makes these lossy files sound much more clearer, refined and smooth. It has a polishing effect of sorts.

It seems to my ears with DSD remastering mode, the original format(MQA,FLAC/PCM/AAC/MP3) of the music doesn’t play as important part of the equation for the level of music enjoyment that you can get out of your Walkman.

I can hear that MQA files upsample to DSD do not sound edgy compared to the regular PCM version of the same track after upsampling to DSD but these differences do not really impact the overall music enjoyment. Also with DSD remastering mode on, It sounds to me that MQA is trading off sharp transient response for a smoother rounded sound experience, it’s more of trade off of frequency resolution for less harshness rather than being superior to PCM.

To my ears, I find DSD Remastering to be better than MQA direct source playback if the benchmark criteria is to sound closer to analog/vinyl/tape.

I find that this conversion to DSD 1bit 11.2MHz achieves overall a better music enjoyment experience than what DSEE Ultimate offers as the Sony DSD upsampling has a better consistency when it comes to not highlighting the inherent flaws in the recording.

Is DSD remastering a cure all solution? No it is not. The heavy noise shaping still can muck up certain music recordings but to my ears, the potential muck up/more sterile sound of DSD is a form of lesser evil compared to the ringing and phase issues that PCM playback can have. MQA seems to better mitigate these PCM issues by pushing the pre-ringing to post ringing but it’s not as effective as DSD remastering in my opinion.

 

[emilsoft]

Even with low bit rate mp3 and iTunes AAC, I find that Sony’s DSD Remastering makes these lossy files sound much more clearer, refined and smooth. It has a polishing effect of sorts.

It seems to my ears with DSD remastering mode, the original format(MQA,FLAC/PCM/AAC/MP3) of the music doesn’t play as important part of the equation for the level of music enjoyment that you can get out of your Walkman.

I can hear that MQA files upsample to DSD do not sound edgy compared to the regular PCM version of the same track after upsampling to DSD but these differences do not really impact the overall music enjoyment. Also with DSD remastering mode on, It sounds to me that MQA is trading off sharp transient response for a smoother rounded sound experience, it’s more of trade off of frequency resolution for less harshness rather than being superior to PCM.

To my ears, I find DSD Remastering to be better than MQA direct source playback if the benchmark criteria is to sound closer to analog/vinyl/tape..

DSD remastering makes hardly any difference, if any. I’ve got fairly OK hearing and good headphones - Sony’s “remastering” is not magic. Maybe because the AM2 isn’t so resolving

I noticed in the Fiio M11 Plus, DSD upsampling setting made more of a difference - smoother more relaxed presentation. Sony’s changes are so tiny it might as well be placebo of the Sony fog

 

[jjss]

Focal clear og is rated at 104db/1mw at 55ohms so you should be fine:

In addition, Hiroaki Sato said that NW-WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2 are suitable for Sony's in-ear and earcup headphones, including Just Ear, with excellent performance. If you are originally used to be a user of Sony headphones, please feel free to use it. If it is Non-Sony-branded headphones. He personally recommends that products with impedance of less than 80 ohms and more than 100dB will perform well. If it is a high impedance and low-sensitivity product, the performance of DMP-Z1 may be better.

https://www.cool3c.com/article/175122/amp

Thanks for sharing the article.
I found this on the article, in Chinese, "除了可透過 USB Type-C 連接到外接 DAC 做為數位轉盤使用外", does it mean that the M2 can be used as a digital transport and connect it to a DAC?? Or I misread this?

Thanks

 

[karloil]

Thanks for sharing the article.
I found this on the article, in Chinese, "除了可透過 USB Type-C 連接到外接 DAC 做為數位轉盤使用外", does it mean that the M2 can be used as a digital transport and connect it to a DAC?? Or I misread this?

Thanks

Yes it can. (Well almost all Android based DAPs have this feature).

Last week, my 1AM2 was connected via USB to either my K7 and Modi+.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Thanks for sharing the article.
I found this on the article, in Chinese, "除了可透過 USB Type-C 連接到外接 DAC 做為數位轉盤使用外", does it mean that the M2 can be used as a digital transport and connect it to a DAC?? Or I misread this?

Thanks

It certainly can and it is quite a decent sounding digital source for your external usb dacs. You can further improve the already decent performance by using usb isolator in between the dac and the Walkman and achieve even better sound(if your ears are golden enough).

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Just for information, today I have done a factory reset on my 1AM2 Walkman. It reseted itself fine without any hiccups even after doing so much debloating(adb uninstall) previously. Here’s some interesting discovery:

I notice there’s a difference in sound between:

Factory reseted firmware 1.03 Walkman with unadjusted stock settings(DSP untouched, no apps updated, no profile added) Walkman music app playback

Factory reseted firmware 1.03 Walkman with Google playstore updated headphone app (DSP untouched, no profile added) Walkman music app playback

just by updating the headphone app, the sound of the Walkman has changed even in direct source mode on, hires streaming mode off. The differences I have heard is with the imaging and soundstage, with the updated headphone app sounding slightly better. The changes in sound will be in effect after the app store update even if you disable the headphone app afterwards.

Also the Stock Walkman UI performance before Google debloating is significantly slower, it’s like 15 to 20fps scrolling through the albums in the Walkman music app. After debloating, it feels like 60fps or more.

Also I can notice a slight FM radio like distortion with the stock Walkman when playing louder passages of music. This goes away after I debloated the Walkman once again.

It’s not necessarily for anyone to do the above reset as it resets your precious burn in counters.

@FreeTime i think you will find the above information interesting.

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

@FreeTime

You may want to do this as well:

Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Quick settings developer tiles > Sensors off

This will allow for a new sensors off button while you slide down the display to access the quick settings bar. It's like airplane mode but for sensors instead of wifi. I think this should technically prevent the internal accelerometer of the SOC from unnecessarily powering up(although by right the function is the same as: settings > display > Auto rotate screen).

more info:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/interaction/sensors/sensors-off

 

[Doug2507]

For anyone contemplating the Miter storage case (the boxy looking one) for ZM2 and a pair of IEM's, M2 doesn't fit...

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

@Whitigir

This is an interesting read. According to the inventor of DSD and the original sampling rate converter, DSD256 is technically more noisy than DSD128 and require more processing to get it right. It’s like the megapixels in the cmos sensor where the higher the pixel count, the more noisier the image gets, and to solve this requires more processing algorithms.

https://topaudio.tw/related-articles/playback-designs總裁-andreas-koch解放dsd的實力，除了1-bit解碼之外的秘密/

 

[FreeTime]

@FreeTime

You may want to do this as well:

Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > Quick settings developer tiles > Sensors off

This will allow for a new sensors off button while you slide down the display to access the quick settings bar. It's like airplane mode but for sensors instead of wifi. I think this should technically prevent the internal accelerometer of the SOC from unnecessarily powering up(although by right the function is the same as: settings > display > Auto rotate screen).

more info:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/interaction/sensors/sensors-off

Thanks, just added this besides airplane and do not disturb for the notification mode.

 

[FreeTime]

By the way, Sony going to release new products on Jan 4th at CES 2023, upgraders might better hold off for few weeks to see what's coming soon.

 

[justsomesonyfan]

1am2 users with full ba iems, how's the hiss? (andromeda, ier m9, etc)

 

[AudioAndCoffee]

1am2 users with full ba iems, how's the hiss? (andromeda, ier m9, etc)

dead silent

 

[Doug2507]

...

 

[emilsoft]

1am2 users with full ba iems, how's the hiss? (andromeda, ier m9, etc)

It hisses out of 3.5mm with andromeda, it's usable though. Even more hiss out of 4.4mm.. M9/M7 have no hiss - they're not sensitive though, they never hiss out of any source. Hiby RS6 has a lot less hiss.