[Sonywalkmanuser]

so... DSEE ultimate any good for flac?

assuming you mean FLAC(include MQA) files that are 24bit 192KHz or below DSEE maximum 32bit 192KHz. From what I have heard, there is still enhancement going on, even for 24bit 192KHz files as the M2 Walkman still applies Dynamic range enhancements to 32bit.

Is it any good? Well depends on your iem/headphone and listening preferences. Can’t answer for your taste.

But I would think that the DSEE works best in conjunction with Sony branded iem/headphones as the Sony engineers would have ensured that their DSEE pass their own listening taste checks with their own equipment.

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Not really, doesn't do much apart from sometimes make things sound a tiny bit polished and processed/fake.

have you tried it?

assuming you mean FLAC(include MQA) files that are 24bit 192KHz or below DSEE maximum 32bit 192KHz. From what I have heard, there is still enhancement going on, even for 24bit 192KHz files as the M2 Walkman still applies Dynamic range enhancements to 32bit.

Is it any good? Well depends on your iem/headphone and listening preferences. Can’t answer for your taste.

But I would think that the DSEE works best in conjunction with Sony branded iem/headphones as the Sony engineers would have ensured that their DSEE pass their own listening taste checks with their own equipment.

interesting, thanks!

 

[emilsoft]

have you tried it?

interesting, thanks!

Yes, I've tried very hard to hear obvious changes - it's very difficult.. at times I think it smooths out some overly bright tracks but then it also feels a bit plasticky and dsp'd - best use I can find for it is obviously bad recordings that are too bright or splashy, it can help a touch there.. but overall I wouldn't wast my time too much biggin' it up, it's no magic and Sony need to stop trying to sell us on some magic software and instead focus on putting little more money in their hardware

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Yes, I've tried very hard to hear obvious changes - it's very difficult.. at times I think it smooths out some overly bright tracks but then it also feels a bit plasticky and dsp'd - best use I can find for it is obviously bad recordings that are too bright or splashy, it can help a touch there.. but overall I wouldn't wast my time too much biggin' it up, it's no magic and Sony need to stop trying to sell us on some magic software and instead focus on putting little more money in their hardware

thanks

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

@justsomesonyfan
You should try it for yourself if you have access to any of the Sony current or previous dsee equipped products.

Try comparing the same music album encoded in
24bit 192KHz
16bit 44.1KHz pcm
Mp3/AAC files

Don’t listen to trolls.

In slang, a troll is a person who posts or makes inflammatory, insincere, digressive,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a forum, a chat room, a online video game), or in real life, with the intent of provoking others into displaying emotional responses,[2] or manipulating others' perception.

 

[emilsoft]

Dictionary placebo effect:

A placebo effect happens when a patient feels better after taking fake medicine, or when they believe they're taking medicine although they really aren't.

If certain people on this thread keep pushing the ideals that sd card make sound quality improvements, as well as debloating apps, humidity, alignment of stars and so on, eventually our brain might start believing it and thinking it's hearing these things = audio nervosa. Please don't do this - don't spend your time trying to hear minute changes with DSEE or "vinyl" setting - try it and if it makes a change for you fine, if it doesn't it doesn't - don't think there's something wrong with your hearing, because most likely it actually doesn't do much * - Sony are feeding our audiophile madness, it makes them money.

* it doesn't do much if anything. swapping out your cables to from litz to copper on your iems can do much more to give you a "vinyl" sound. I know because that setting sounds nothing like my vinyl setup, it still sounds digital. Similar story with DSEE

 

[andrewski]

This patient feels cured after taking 256G of Swissbit. Just one dose

Edit: Side effects might include irrational glee. Talk to your Head-Fi forum.

 

[ttt123]

Got around to changing the WM1Am2 internal 4.4mm wires. (My model is a Japan grey market, so did not worry about voiding the warranty)
I had extra Mundorf wire left over from a previous mod, so just labor involved for this change. This is a simple change if you are OK with soldering, and well worth the work involved.
Sounding good!

New wires: Mundorf SGW105WH $8.62 per ft. White PTFE-jacketed, solid 0.5mm / 24 awg. Silver and 1% gold

Original wires

 

[maceto]

Got around to changing the WM1Am2 internal 4.4mm wires. (My model is a Japan grey market, so did not worry about voiding the warranty)
I had extra Mundorf wire left over from a previous mod, so just labor involved for this change. This is a simple change if you are OK with soldering, and well worth the work involved.
Sounding good!

New wires: Mundorf SGW105WH $8.62 per ft. White PTFE-jacketed, solid 0.5mm / 24 awg. Silver and 1% gold


Original wires

So what are the sound changes when this is done? Also since you’re having this thing open… if I get a grey market one… how easy would it be to go to a random repair shop in 3-4 years and have a battery or something else fixed?

 

[ttt123]

So what are the sound changes when this is done? Also since you’re having this thing open… if I get a grey market one… how easy would it be to go to a random repair shop in 3-4 years and have a battery or something else fixed?

Stage/positioning more solid. More transparency and micro detail in voices/instruments. Voice timbre/inflection is seductive. Bass feels more solid. Early days, as it is still burning in.

Removing the back and accessing the battery is pretty simple to do. Any competent repair shop could solder in a battery. The biggest difficulty is in sourcing the battery. If you can source an OEM battery, then a change is straightforward.
If an OEM battery is not available, and needing to source a replacement battery, non-OEM , this has been the difficulty, as we saw from looking at this on the original WM1x walkmans.

EDIT: If any repair is needed, you need to either go to Sony, or find a shop that does mods on DAPs. A regular repair shop would not touch an expensive DAP that they are not familiar with. Even replacing the battery, a phone repair shop might do it, but would need to look around for a shop that would take it on. I'm guessing that many shops would not want to take the risk.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

What is Japan "grey market", may I ask?

I just bought a brand new, full price WM1AM2 from a (seemingly) reputable, many units sold Japanese seller on eBay. That's not what's considered grey market, right?

 

[ttt123]

What is Japan "grey market", may I ask?

I just bought a brand new, full price WM1AM2 from a (seemingly) reputable, many units sold Japanese seller on eBay. That's not what's considered grey market, right?

Assuming you are not in Japan, that would be grey market. Companies have authorized distributors for each country, and all products are supposed to go through them.
If you buy a product outside of regular channels, i.e. you import a Japanese Walkman to the US, then that is grey market, as you have bypassed the authorized distribution channels.
- Warranty is usually with the country that the product was distributed to. A Japan Walkman would have warranty in Japan, and grey market shops may take it and ship it back to Japan for the warranty, and then ship it back. They may charge for this, or may do it no charge, as a big grey market operation would be shipping stock back and forth regularly anyways.
- or the grey market shops would have their own repair shop. They will usually charge for parts.
- If the product has International warranty, then you could get local warranty. Some PCs may have this. DAPs, probably unlikely
EDIT: The other situation is that there is no warranty at all, or a very limited warranty to cover failure within a few days/weeks
In general, a grey market purchase is attractive if there is a substantial cost savings, or the product is only available grey market, or there is something you want from the grey market product. i.e. The Sony WM1xm2 from Japan has a different sound than the product released for other countries. This is probably true, as the original WM1x had different sounds for different Region Codes that were set in the firmware. This was a subtle sound difference, but it did exist.

 

[Ghisy]

Hey there,

How many custom EQs can you store on the WM1A M2? I use a Cowon Plenue R2 as my daily driver and it can store up to 16.

I'm considering the Sony at some point because it has one of the best battery life. I might pick one up when I get to go to Japan in a few months.

Thanks!

Anyone?

 

[Sonywalkmanuser]

Anyone?

Up to 10 custom settings, which not only saves EQ levels but also specific dsee or vinyl or dynamic normalizer and dc phase linearizer settings

 

[Benesyed]

Personally I don't know if I can really hear the most subtle of differences. I got the AM2 because of the battery life performance compared to other DAPs, design, and ease of use. I personally do a lot of streaming (helps me decide what tracks to actually buy and own) and these have the best battery life for that. It's my solution until I move and start my new job and build a nice office and listening room.

I already have a Hiby R6 2020 which is a fairly bright in comparison