[andrewski]

Having the M2 Z for a while now. I can say that the ability to have the music notes “pop” out of nothingness is the most amazing thing about the new Walkman M2. I have had many different setups, especially portable players. What places the high end away from mid tier nowadays is no longer the tonality or signatures alone, warmth, neutral, emphasized anymore, but rather the fidelity of the textures, the resolutions of the notes, the plays, the pitches, the overall presentations. The M2 has another aspect that is ahead of others, and that is the ability to make the music to just “pop” out from the nothingness.

The notes, the play, simply appears as if they were floating in spaces, which surrounds you, and it pops out like if you were in a Virtual Reality experiences. If a violin isn’t playing, that space is blacked out compare to the rest. Where as for other players, it simply faded/buried/veiled away, and not just being blacked out. Sometimes it gets very confusing. However, with the M2, there is a decisiveness in the play, the blackness of a certain instruments when is not playing.

Yes, I modified mine, and so is other stuff. When I compared, it is fairly modified vs modified stuff. But I also have been with everything from stock vs stock as well. There is no debates whether or not the modifications is an upgrade. The stunning facts is that Walkman M2 is a lot more potent than OG, and is totally a flagship products.

There is also no doubt that M2 has the signature and traits of R2R and analog systems. Those DSP are amazing, who knows algorithms and digital as good as Sony ?

Walkman M2 can boot up very fast and very efficient if you De-bloat it.

A phrase from promotional material that keep coming to mind is 'a sound that rises from nothing'. And this is what I feel. It's almost indescribable. I was chasing a HI-FI sound from the past, and have surpassed it. Now all I need is a ZM2

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Having the M2 Z for a while now. I can say that the ability to have the music notes “pop” out of nothingness is the most amazing thing about the new Walkman M2. I have had many different setups, especially portable players. What places the high end away from mid tier nowadays is no longer the tonality or signatures alone, warmth, neutral, emphasized anymore, but rather the fidelity of the textures, the resolutions of the notes, the plays, the pitches, the overall presentations. The M2 has another aspect that is ahead of others, and that is the ability to make the music to just “pop” out from the nothingness.

The notes, the play, simply appears as if they were floating in spaces, which surrounds you, and it pops out like if you were in a Virtual Reality experiences. If a violin isn’t playing, that space is blacked out compare to the rest. Where as for other players, it simply faded/buried/veiled away, and not just being blacked out. Sometimes it gets very confusing. However, with the M2, there is a decisiveness in the play, the blackness of a certain instruments when is not playing.

Yes, I modified mine, and so is other stuff. When I compared, it is fairly modified vs modified stuff. But I also have been with everything from stock vs stock as well. There is no debates whether or not the modifications is an upgrade. The stunning facts is that Walkman M2 is a lot more potent than OG, and is totally a flagship products.

There is also no doubt that M2 has the signature and traits of R2R and analog systems. Those DSP are amazing, who knows algorithms and digital as good as Sony ?

Walkman M2 can boot up very fast and very efficient if you De-bloat it.

does this apply to 1am2 aswell?

 

[FreeTime]

I could not describe what im hearing and feeling too. All i know is i got more than what i was expecting. It;s a magic box.

 

[andrewski]

does this apply to 1am2 aswell?

Yes. Without having heard the ZM2 myself, yes it does

 

[Whitigir]

does this apply to 1am2 aswell?

Yes, it does, but the 1Z M2 has a better depth of field to this pop

 

[pholcus1975]

I have the AM2 since august, only played 90 hrs ( I don't want to burn it in into a drawer) , but I can tell music "flows". Compared to my eccellent, musical and bassy Cowon pm2, it's like you don't "hear" so much differences, but you "feel" them. It's difficult to explain with words, but the Sony lets you enjoy music more.

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Yes, it does, but the 1Z M2 has a better depth of field to this pop

what about the modded 1am2?

 

[Whitigir]

what about the modded 1am2?

As in internal wires ? That will bring upgraded performances to the 1A M2 very obviously. By using the same upgraded materials, the mod 1A will outperform a stock 1Z (Kimber isn’t all that good, but definitely better than stock OFC). Then 1Z will pull ahead once more if applying the same mod materials.

 

[m4aone1]

There is a sensor on the 4.4 socket that will sense when a 4.4 is plugged in, and operate the output relay.
The relay at rest (not operated) sends the output to the 3.5mm. When the relay operates, it switches the output to the 4.4.

With nothing plugged into either port, music not playing, plug in the 4.4, and you will hear a small click from the DAP, which is the relay operating.
Unplug the 4.4, and you will hear another click, which is the relay releasing.
If you do not hear the relay operation, then the sensor may be defective, or the relay may be stuck in the operated position. and not releasing.
- With nothing plugged in, try tapping the back against some insulation, like a mouse pad. Not too hard, of course. Just try to knock the relay or contacts off their stuck position.
- Try leaving it playing a bit louder than normal on 4.4 for am hour or so. In case the relay contacts are stuck together, the current flowing through the contact may help to unstick them.

These are a few things to try, as there is not much that can be done otherwise, so worth a try, even though the chances are slim.

First of all, thank you.

After your recommendations i found something may be sound interesting.

When i try to reset device, after pressing reset button there is click noise i hear (probably relay shutdown)
While the home screen comes again there is a click noise and just after 5 seconds i hear another click noise

While after the device finish initiating, i pull the notification bar down. both sockets are empty now and i am starting to see the music app "wired headphone" for 10-15 seconds and it disappear. then again i am seeing again and disappear again. this happens 3-4 times. It is like Walkman detects a headphone by itself.

While i plug in or plug out both sockets, there is no relay click that i hear. i'm hearing relay clicks while i shut down or restart device (1), after the first initiation (2), and 10-15 seconds after initiation (3)


I am not an expert of these kind of device but its is likely malfunction of relay

 

[TonyStarks]

Yes, it does, but the 1Z M2 has a better depth of field to this pop

Not only 1ZM2 has better depth but the tuby mids cannot be replicate by 1AM2

 

[zephyrstar]

Walkman M2 can boot up very fast and very efficient if you De-bloat it.

Is there a lightweight de-bloat you recommend to reduce start up time? It's my one pet peeve with it, startup takes much longer than a device should nowadays.

 

[audionewbi]

Yes, it does, but the 1Z M2 has a better depth of field to this pop

I love the sound of 1ZM2 but knowing that for the price of 1ZM2 we can purchase M9+1AM2+amazing after-market cable the rate of return will be lower (or even the Z1R+1Am2)
Every time I listen to M9 and 1AM2, I'm amazed by how good it sounds. The DSD engine on it just remarkable. The only reason why I did not buy the ZM2 is my hope for DMP-Z2.

 

[TonyStarks]

Is there a lightweight de-bloat you recommend to reduce start up time? It's my one pet peeve with it, startup takes much longer than a device should nowadays.

How much faster do you want to reduce.
The walkman startup is not slower than the startup time of a typical mobile phone.

 

[ttt123]

First of all, thank you.

After your recommendations i found something may be sound interesting.

When i try to reset device, after pressing reset button there is click noise i hear (probably relay shutdown)
While the home screen comes again there is a click noise and just after 5 seconds i hear another click noise

While after the device finish initiating, i pull the notification bar down. both sockets are empty now and i am starting to see the music app "wired headphone" for 10-15 seconds and it disappear. then again i am seeing again and disappear again. this happens 3-4 times. It is like Walkman detects a headphone by itself.

While i plug in or plug out both sockets, there is no relay click that i hear. i'm hearing relay clicks while i shut down or restart device (1), after the first initiation (2), and 10-15 seconds after initiation (3)


I am not an expert of these kind of device but its is likely malfunction of relay

The symptoms point towards the 4.4 sensor malfunctioning, and it is keeping the output relay operated, which sends the signal to the 4.4 all the time, even when there is no 4.4 jack plugged in.
The relay is not stuck, as it operates during the reset.
This is a situation that is still workable, though, as most people only use the 4.4 balanced out, and rarely/never use the 3.5, so you can still enjoy the player on the 4.4 out. In fact, one of the Naparm mods removed the 3.5 socket to get more space for added capacitors, as the user never used the 3.5 anyways.

 

[andrewski]

I love the sound of 1ZM2 but knowing that for the price of 1ZM2 we can purchase M9+1AM2+amazing after-market cable the rate of return will be lower (or even the Z1R+1Am2)
Every time I listen to M9 and 1AM2, I'm amazed by how good it sounds. The DSD engine on it just remarkable. The only reason why I did not buy the ZM2 is my hope for DMP-Z2.

This was a dilemma for me. What sounds better? AM2 + IER-Z1R or ZM2 + 1more Triple Driver (with inline mic )?