[Vamp898]

No, 80 with High gain. Without high gain i needed volume at 100 or more. Certainly harder to drive than Sony headphones and IEMs. But its not only about volume.. the response was noticeably different and flatter without high gain on the headphones.

That doesn't sound good, that should absolutely not happen. There is no difference between Low-Gain and High-Gain with my WM1ZM2, with no Headphone. There is also no information from Sony that there is a change in sound, it should just be louder on High Gain, nothing more.

Maybe you're affected by the relay issue some people (including me) had.

First check if you have the latest updated and try to verify if this really happens when you volume match (68 low gain and 46 high gain should be the same volume) and if it still does happen, you should send your Walkman in to Sony for repair.

You should always have the highest sound quality, no matter what gain. If the device sounds different on Low-Gain, something is going wrong.

 

[Vamp898]

Hi need some opinion

I’ve been fans for Sony DAPs

WM1A, WM1Z , and currently my go to DAP is Sony WM1AM2

And my favourite IEM currently are Sony IER-Z1R and 64 Audio U4S



Here’s the questions,

I recently installed a proper car audio in my car, as i need to pick up and the kids to school everyday, and i need a proper music to company for the journey so that i won’t be sleepy early in the morning.



In my car I installed a Helix PSix Ultimate DSP which has several inputs, Bluetooth APTX HD, Digital Coaxial, Digital SPDI/F, and Analog RCA.



Currently i connect my Sony WM1AM2 to the Helix DSP using Bluetooth APTX HD since the helix can’t support LDAC. I tried connecting through cable to get better sound quality but since the sony don’t have optical output my inly best bet is using something like ddhifi tc100 usb-c to digital coaxial converter or make a 4.4mm balanced to stereo RCA cable.

Both which I don’t think are the best in terms of sound quality.

So I’m thinking maybe i need to change my DAP instead?



A lot of my friend who are also a car audio enthusiast are Using Astell and Kern SP 3000, and connect it to their DSP with a 3.5mm optical to Digital coaxial cable, and swear by the Sound quality it produce.





But from my personal experiences

I never like AK DAP, i never tried the sp3000 though , i tried the older sr25,sp2000, kann max and for me they sounded “thin” cold and less engaging to the sony dap that i had.



I don’t want to have several DAPs , i just want to have 1 that can follow me wherever i go , so my music collection is in 1 device .



can anyone here give inputs on how the AK SP 3000 perform compared to Wm1Am2 or Wm1Zm2

Thank you

Are we talking about an Car Audio System? So you're not using Headphones in the Car, you're using the speakers in the doors and so on?

Even the best car speaker system is not even remotely good enough to enable you to hear the difference between an 10$ DAC and an 3000$ DAC.

The best car audio system i've heard so far was an 14 speaker system from Krell in an 80k Honda Legend and even that sounded garbage. I would not invest any money into an DAC for an car audio system. The amp in the car is probably an Class D amp anyway, so it doesn't matter what DAC you use before it because it will convert everything back to digital and then amplify the digital signal again.

If the car audio system doesn't sound to your liking, i'd either replace the speakers or use an EQ (depending on what the issue is), but don't waste your money on an car DAC

 

[andrewski]

@Vamp898 your science is incomplete and is stuck in the theory phase. You're the only one in this entire thread that thinks high and normal gain sound the same. Please stop telling people what they can and can't hear. But I still appreciate most of your posts. Have a good day

 

[leylandi]

@Vamp898 your science is incomplete and is stuck in the theory phase. You're the only one in this entire thread that thinks high and normal gain sound the same. Please stop telling people what they can and can't hear. But I still appreciate most of your posts. Have a good day

I don't think it's a hobby for him. Sometimes I am amazed when I read what he writes. He must have poor hearing. Aquarium hobbyist may be more suitable.

 

[User9876]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if anyone doesn't agree please don't go on the attack, just don't click "like" and move on.

There is also a great ignore feature that I do use a lot BTW.

 

[Vamp898]

I don't think it's a hobby for him. Sometimes I am amazed when I read what he writes. He must have poor hearing. Aquarium hobbyist may be more suitable.

My hearing is above average, in all frequency ranges. Currently my hearing tops out at 18kHz which is pretty good for 33

 

[Amber Rain]

Hi need some opinion

I’ve been fans for Sony DAPs

WM1A, WM1Z , and currently my go to DAP is Sony WM1AM2

And my favourite IEM currently are Sony IER-Z1R and 64 Audio U4S



Here’s the questions,

I recently installed a proper car audio in my car, as i need to pick up and the kids to school everyday, and i need a proper music to company for the journey so that i won’t be sleepy early in the morning.



In my car I installed a Helix PSix Ultimate DSP which has several inputs, Bluetooth APTX HD, Digital Coaxial, Digital SPDI/F, and Analog RCA.



Currently i connect my Sony WM1AM2 to the Helix DSP using Bluetooth APTX HD since the helix can’t support LDAC. I tried connecting through cable to get better sound quality but since the sony don’t have optical output my inly best bet is using something like ddhifi tc100 usb-c to digital coaxial converter or make a 4.4mm balanced to stereo RCA cable.

Both which I don’t think are the best in terms of sound quality.

So I’m thinking maybe i need to change my DAP instead?



A lot of my friend who are also a car audio enthusiast are Using Astell and Kern SP 3000, and connect it to their DSP with a 3.5mm optical to Digital coaxial cable, and swear by the Sound quality it produce.





But from my personal experiences

I never like AK DAP, i never tried the sp3000 though , i tried the older sr25,sp2000, kann max and for me they sounded “thin” cold and less engaging to the sony dap that i had.



I don’t want to have several DAPs , i just want to have 1 that can follow me wherever i go , so my music collection is in 1 device .



can anyone here give inputs on how the AK SP 3000 perform compared to Wm1Am2 or Wm1Zm2

Thank you

I use a relatively cheap DAP (HIBY R5) as a "jukebox" for my car. I use the Line Out to Aux in on the car stereo, so at least I'm using the internal DAC of the R5.

But as stated in the post above, you're listening in a car, so it's never going to be the best listening environment and what you are considering might be overkill?

 

[andrewski]

My hearing is above average, in all frequency ranges. Currently my hearing tops out at 18kHz which is pretty good for 33

I assume that's better than mine (I'm 48). My ears probably go to 16khz. But there are other factors. Apparently my eyes can hear hyper-tweeters?

 

[Vamp898]

@Vamp898 your science is incomplete and is stuck in the theory phase. You're the only one in this entire thread that thinks high and normal gain sound the same. Please stop telling people what they can and can't hear. But I still appreciate most of your posts. Have a good day

I did assume he can hear it which means something is wrong with probably the relays, because that can cause an audible difference from high to low gain. I had that with my very own Walkman. So i do assume he is not wrong and he might be hit by that issue (that several people mentioned by now).

Sadly its not my science. I thank you for thinking so, but other people discovered the machanics and got famous by doing so and nobody knows who invented it. Whatever god you might believe in.

Even if you disagree with me, you have to admit that it is not in theory phase. I did several tests (blind and not blind) myself with a few people and i recorded songs on Low Gain and High Gain and uploaded them and let people see for themself.

Of couse they where not done in any way where i could like publish a paper or so, but i gave my best in the circumstances i had to make it audible for the testing people, and nobody heard it. Nobody was ever able to hear the difference. But speaking about theory, everyone who says there is a difference was never able to explain why and and how. Also the experience varies a lot.

Some people say the soundstage gets smaller on High Gain, others say the soundstage gets larger on High Gain. Some say the Bass gets stronger on high gain, others say the treble gets strong on high gain.

But on average the statements about the difference matches perfectly what you experience when you listen at louder volumes which could be the case here too. 100/120 on low gain is quieter than 80/120 on High Gain, so if he compared 100 Low Gain to 80 High Gain, he was listening to an higher volume on high gain.

So my current observation is the following

1. Nobody so far could hear the difference in an blind test
2. Nobody is able to explain why there is a difference at all
   1. The explanations given so far defy the laws of physics and so are easily disproofed
3. Everbody hears a different difference
4. On average, it maches exactly what you experience when you listen at louder volume

That is not very convincing, you have to admit that. There is not much reason why i should think i am wrong and change my perspective while others contradict their own findings about what the difference is in the first place. Also i am able to hear differences in the 1db range in mixes easily, in an blind test, proofen. So if there is an difference and i, or my ears, are the reason i can not hear it, it must be below 1db. But what people describe is a complete change of sound signature you should be instantly able to hear in way beyond the 5db range.

I can hear the difference between an Walkman without burnin and with burnin, tested two days ago, so its not like i can not hear small nuances

So wihle i understand why people think they can hear it, you have to agree that there is not much reason why i should think there is a difference

 

[TonyStarks]

Hi need some opinion

I’ve been fans for Sony DAPs

WM1A, WM1Z , and currently my go to DAP is Sony WM1AM2

And my favourite IEM currently are Sony IER-Z1R and 64 Audio U4S



Here’s the questions,

I recently installed a proper car audio in my car, as i need to pick up and the kids to school everyday, and i need a proper music to company for the journey so that i won’t be sleepy early in the morning.



In my car I installed a Helix PSix Ultimate DSP which has several inputs, Bluetooth APTX HD, Digital Coaxial, Digital SPDI/F, and Analog RCA.



Currently i connect my Sony WM1AM2 to the Helix DSP using Bluetooth APTX HD since the helix can’t support LDAC. I tried connecting through cable to get better sound quality but since the sony don’t have optical output my inly best bet is using something like ddhifi tc100 usb-c to digital coaxial converter or make a 4.4mm balanced to stereo RCA cable.

Both which I don’t think are the best in terms of sound quality.

So I’m thinking maybe i need to change my DAP instead?



A lot of my friend who are also a car audio enthusiast are Using Astell and Kern SP 3000, and connect it to their DSP with a 3.5mm optical to Digital coaxial cable, and swear by the Sound quality it produce.





But from my personal experiences

I never like AK DAP, i never tried the sp3000 though , i tried the older sr25,sp2000, kann max and for me they sounded “thin” cold and less engaging to the sony dap that i had.



I don’t want to have several DAPs , i just want to have 1 that can follow me wherever i go , so my music collection is in 1 device .



can anyone here give inputs on how the AK SP 3000 perform compared to Wm1Am2 or Wm1Zm2

Thank you

Hi, Get a quality 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect to the DSP.

 

[TonyStarks]

Are we talking about an Car Audio System? So you're not using Headphones in the Car, you're using the speakers in the doors and so on?

Even the best car speaker system is not even remotely good enough to enable you to hear the difference between an 10$ DAC and an 3000$ DAC.

The best car audio system i've heard so far was an 14 speaker system from Krell in an 80k Honda Legend and even that sounded garbage. I would not invest any money into an DAC for an car audio system. The amp in the car is probably an Class D amp anyway, so it doesn't matter what DAC you use before it because it will convert everything back to digital and then amplify the digital signal again.

If the car audio system doesn't sound to your liking, i'd either replace the speakers or use an EQ (depending on what the issue is), but don't waste your money on an car DAC

If you do not know anything about car audio please zip....

 

[Ethereal Sound]

Curious, just how good is the WM1Z in BT mode? In the event I want to stream music through qobuz, is it better to just get WM1A/Z-M2 or just stream out of my phone into the WM1Z via BT?

 

[Iggnasty]

Hi need some opinion

I’ve been fans for Sony DAPs

WM1A, WM1Z , and currently my go to DAP is Sony WM1AM2

And my favourite IEM currently are Sony IER-Z1R and 64 Audio U4S



Here’s the questions,

I recently installed a proper car audio in my car, as i need to pick up and the kids to school everyday, and i need a proper music to company for the journey so that i won’t be sleepy early in the morning.



In my car I installed a Helix PSix Ultimate DSP which has several inputs, Bluetooth APTX HD, Digital Coaxial, Digital SPDI/F, and Analog RCA.



Currently i connect my Sony WM1AM2 to the Helix DSP using Bluetooth APTX HD since the helix can’t support LDAC. I tried connecting through cable to get better sound quality but since the sony don’t have optical output my inly best bet is using something like ddhifi tc100 usb-c to digital coaxial converter or make a 4.4mm balanced to stereo RCA cable.

Both which I don’t think are the best in terms of sound quality.

So I’m thinking maybe i need to change my DAP instead?



A lot of my friend who are also a car audio enthusiast are Using Astell and Kern SP 3000, and connect it to their DSP with a 3.5mm optical to Digital coaxial cable, and swear by the Sound quality it produce.





But from my personal experiences

I never like AK DAP, i never tried the sp3000 though , i tried the older sr25,sp2000, kann max and for me they sounded “thin” cold and less engaging to the sony dap that i had.



I don’t want to have several DAPs , i just want to have 1 that can follow me wherever i go , so my music collection is in 1 device .



can anyone here give inputs on how the AK SP 3000 perform compared to Wm1Am2 or Wm1Zm2

Thank you

I woukd say it does not matter much since it will go through the DSP anyways. I’m assuming you will use the DSP to adjust the freq so it will sound best from the driver position, just like you would do in a home theather set up. I’ve never had the privilege to listen to an 80k car audio system ,but it takes a lot of trial and error to set a car audio equip correctly.

 

[Benesyed]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/study-headphone-amp-gains-low-or-high.5495/

It seems that max volume low gain has less noise floor and distortion then volume matched high gain.

So unless you need the extra power, use low gain.

it shouldn't change the sound signature radically but maybe any noise coming through taints the perception

 

[FreeTime]

Hi need some opinion

I’ve been fans for Sony DAPs

WM1A, WM1Z , and currently my go to DAP is Sony WM1AM2

And my favourite IEM currently are Sony IER-Z1R and 64 Audio U4S



Here’s the questions,

I recently installed a proper car audio in my car, as i need to pick up and the kids to school everyday, and i need a proper music to company for the journey so that i won’t be sleepy early in the morning.



In my car I installed a Helix PSix Ultimate DSP which has several inputs, Bluetooth APTX HD, Digital Coaxial, Digital SPDI/F, and Analog RCA.



Currently i connect my Sony WM1AM2 to the Helix DSP using Bluetooth APTX HD since the helix can’t support LDAC. I tried connecting through cable to get better sound quality but since the sony don’t have optical output my inly best bet is using something like ddhifi tc100 usb-c to digital coaxial converter or make a 4.4mm balanced to stereo RCA cable.

Both which I don’t think are the best in terms of sound quality.

So I’m thinking maybe i need to change my DAP instead?



A lot of my friend who are also a car audio enthusiast are Using Astell and Kern SP 3000, and connect it to their DSP with a 3.5mm optical to Digital coaxial cable, and swear by the Sound quality it produce.





But from my personal experiences

I never like AK DAP, i never tried the sp3000 though , i tried the older sr25,sp2000, kann max and for me they sounded “thin” cold and less engaging to the sony dap that i had.



I don’t want to have several DAPs , i just want to have 1 that can follow me wherever i go , so my music collection is in 1 device .



can anyone here give inputs on how the AK SP 3000 perform compared to Wm1Am2 or Wm1Zm2

Thank you

I took a browse on Helix PSix Ultimate DSP specs, it seems to have optional module Helix HEC HD-Audio USB-Interface. Do any of your friends have it installed? You can test your AM2 on their car with this usb interface. Though the usb cable is the headache part, it uses miniUSB, will need to find special cable or adapter for it. Thought you might want to explore this option too.

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