[sanakimpro]

Happy new owner of the 1AM2 reporting in - I've had the NW-WM1A OG for about 3 years now and still gets regular use, likewise even the ZX300 from before that. Big Sony fan and happy to have the opportunity to now try the 1AM2.

Question - this is a 2nd hand Japanese unit, as such uncapped. I want to do a system reset but slightly reluctant as I'm in Europe - do I risk it switching to a local region or anything like that?!

Glad to see 1AM2 gets the nod from revered @Scuba Devils! Curious, what made you choose this over the 1ZM2 or other Sony DAPs?

 

[ttt123]

Happy new owner of the 1AM2 reporting in - I've had the NW-WM1A OG for about 3 years now and still gets regular use, likewise even the ZX300 from before that. Big Sony fan and happy to have the opportunity to now try the 1AM2.

Question - this is a 2nd hand Japanese unit, as such uncapped. I want to do a system reset but slightly reluctant as I'm in Europe - do I risk it switching to a local region or anything like that?!

No effect, other than the Audio Play time gets reset to "0". The Region is not changed by any kind of reset, or any other action. Even loading a different region FW does not change the region on the DAP.
My 1AM2 is a Japan model, and the play time was set to "0" when I got it, 2nd hand. So a factory reset had been done on it before it was sold to me.

 

[boodi]

No effect, other than the Audio Play time gets reset to "0".

Kinda hate it though

 

[boodi]

sure you can tell the difference from a burned-in 1am2 (used ) and an unburned one( pristine ) .. I had the luck to compare
The difference is >very noticeable
The first sounds > nicely refined ( and balanced )
The other sounds >meh ( or just borderline ok ..)

My ears ymmv etc

 

[boodi]

1zm2 out of the box sounds already quite decent.. 20 - 30 hours on it I began realize what the hype and quality was about..100 - 150 hours it appeared to me quite as a little monster for its hidden manners , subtlities and the ultra refined lush presentation

1am2 was not so dramatic
Significantly changing its behavior in burn-in but not to 'monster levels'

 

[Scubadevils]

Glad to see 1AM2 gets the nod from revered @Scuba Devils! Curious, what made you choose this over the 1ZM2 or other Sony DAPs?

1ZM2 out of reach at the moment but certainly one I’d love to try at some point, even the OG as I don’t stream a huge amount. I’m absolutely a Sony fanboy, have been since my first cassette Walkman in the late 80s. I also worked in consumer electronics and Sony was a brand I always had huge respect for.

An opportunity came up yesterday when I met a group of local audio nerds, one of whom had the 1A but prefers other brands such as Shanling - I had the M6 Ultra (which I’ve loved) and he was very keen on that so we did a deal and both very pleased!

I love the Sony Walkman design, build quality, UI, warm/musical tuning and overall aesthetics and ergonomics - they are just beautiful machines to behold! Sorry, fanboy getting carried away

Just back from a morning walk with ZX300 and the 1A stepping in while I catch up with Head-Fi…

 

[Scubadevils]

Kinda hate it though

Yeah I’ve enjoyed keeping track of the hours clocked up on my OG1A, it’ll be a mystery for me on this one with me being the 3rd owner - the 2nd owner reset once he got it but only had it a couple of weeks.

My precious 1A OG…

 

[boodi]

Sure this is one of the best 3d on head-fi for me ,

It talks love for gears sure, but talks in quality too , about sound aspects , about personal preference and sound research and science , it is polite well mannered helpful and consistent , full of informations , yet simple enough and well searchable ; and relies on audio items that show still after a time a particular design , ergonomical , easy if I may tell , a tell about quality and consistence again , which in my opinion mirrors the consistence of dialogue that developes here ( big big big thanks @Sonywalkmanuser )

I take some break from Head-fi at times like many but I can't see leaving one of top Sony DAPs ( 1am2 or 1zm2 or their next reiteration ) anytime soon .. In fact l will buy the 1am3 when it comes out or the 1zm3 if its not another major brick , or even better maybe I will mod and exploit at max my 1am2 like someone did or suggested and ..already happy too so..

I didn't want to celebrate but ..feels good to have a reference and find consistence in both Sony top products and Sony user base

 

[MudEnjoyer]

Kinda hate it though

What is the correlation between OCD and audiophilia?

 

[boodi]

You name it , I do not understand the quote though..
I don't know about it ( the correlation about "OCD" and audiophilia )..
being audiophile and music- educated and a music player , has been only **extremely** good for my life

 

[boodi]

Music is therapy for sure and it is a well known fact..

I wouldn't be surprised that if adopted as therapy , and in the right ways of course , it could help the ones affected by OCD

Being audiophile means to quest research and understand and ultimately love also the quality of what we listen and want to be fed with , on our music consume ..so it might be your "OCD" refers to something else . Pardon me then

 

[boodi]

I would be in the opinion that the 1ZM2 does not have major improvement over the 1AM2 but of rather offering a slightly different sound signature.

Comparing them on Direct source mode:

1AM2 has it's emphasis on the attack of the transient, and less decay/lingering of the tone.

1ZM2 has lesser emphasis on the attack of the transient and more decay/lingering of tone.

1ZM2 has a overall thicker bass sound over the punching bass sounding 1AM2.

I would think the 1AM2 has tuning that works better for music that has faster tempo/beats while 1ZM2 works better on music that focuses on refinement/smoothness of the sound. But again both will still sound great on all music, just the tuning side of it.

1ZM2:
Pros:
More refined smooth sound with more lingering/decay of tone, more weightier bass
Cons:
Slightly less attack/sharpness on the transient, more expensive

1AM2:
Pros:
Sharper transients, crispier, better engagement. Punchier bass Most value for $
Cons:
Less soundstaging elements(decay, echo), more long term digital glare/fatigue, more revealing of bad recordings & noise artifacts

Re-quote
Couldn't mime my findings better , if not for me feeling the 1zm2 is ultimately more refined in presenting some aspects of records : this eventually shows up more clearly ( more pleasurable and more involving too ) on classical/quartets/solos and foremost symphonic music , when well recorded of course , where both acoustical timbral attitude in exposing fine reverbs recorded in a hall , or body of some instruments and notes , and/or a more pronounced virtual stage depth and layering reconstruction , on z1m2 , makes it worth to understand the difference between the 2 daps ..I see how just this test would justify why a person could blindly choose the one over the other, depending on its musical taste and references the difference may be worth the added value

 

[boodi]

another example i am just playing now

comparison doesn't make much sense really -the two aren't much comparable here
There's a lot more going on and finely more discernible in the rendition of M9+ ; the thing that strikes the most attention is the quality and the analogue quality of the timbral fidelity of each instrument or each orchestra instruments session ;
on 1am2 you can sure understand be amused and like the gently fabulistic classical piece as a whole , it appears more as an ensamble though and frankly far from breathtaking in its parts.., on m9+ your attention is literally grabbed around in the stage from the portrays of parts .. one more easily understands of their place , of their reciprocal dialogue and reciprocal concert ( more alike it should be in a live concert and in a good concert hall, indid ) , and the dynamic contrasts , i.e. on chorus parts raising unexpectedly on climax parts - they definitely makes for some chills..only on M9+ though so. So more pleasure, emotion and brain activation too

One of the reason I preferred m9+ over 1zm2 is the sheer power of dynamic swings , I am not ashamed to tell there 's quite an abyss between the two , i.e. for classical music it is something you want or even need to have on your listenings.

 

[FreeTime]

An update on Sonywalkmanuser optimization guide on turning off the sensor, it has to be enabled in the developer option -> quick setting developer tiles -> turn sensors off.
Recently I have updated A306 to android 13 and it has a bug off turning the sensors on again after every restart. And I was wondering the SQ of A306 to wf-xm5 has dropped, I started to have doubt perhaps LDAC is the same throughout all devices as many has said. Before turning off A306, I realized the sensors off tile is disabled after every restart. Turning sensors off again instantly improve the mid and background.

I try it on ZM2 to MDR too, the vocal instantly improved, not as drastic as A306, think due to A306 has poorer internal EMI isolation.

If you have tried the optimization guide, try this too, it was pm to me by Sonywalkmanuser a year ago. Thanks man.

 

[boodi]

Interesting! thanks for sharing