[Quadfather]

Not true at all, they definitely have the results to prove it.
One clear technological advantage is energy efficiency in the S-Master implementation. 250mW per channel from a 1820mAh battery providing 20+ hours of hi-resolution playback or 11 hours of DSD playback and not even warming up a tiny bit. PAW Gold has a 6000mAh battery and they can't get more than 11 hours with standard files, or 3800mAh in the AK380 but only 50mW for a 32ohm load and less than 10hours of playback (maybe 5 on DSD) and it becomes a tiny heater (I owned a AK380 but already sold it). If Sony keeps improving with the huge technical jump from the ZX2 S-Master to the WM1 S-Master in another 2-3 years time (16 folds jump in output power in balance and 4 folds in SE), they could get insane power as well as super energy efficiency in a very tiny and cool portable package and thus enabling them to make very sleek players but also powerful and battery efficient players, whereas the Class A implementation of the other DAPs would be hitting heat and size problems. Sony's tech had a slow start but their future for improvement is brighter, and this is the real competitive advantage and the real value of them doing their own R&D, especially when the sonics are now reaching the point where the objective measurements are getting so close that it's the subjective preference influencing the decisions more.

I LOVE my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana, and I love my Sony NW-WM1A. Neither DAP is going anywhere. My kids will inherit them someday!

 

[Piotr Michalak]

It's nice that some of you guys love Lotoo Paw Gold so much, since I have one and hope it'll sell on in the ads section (having that many fans on head-fi). Why? Because I don't listen to it since I've bought AK380SS, which is generally easily two classes above in terms of SQ than LPG. AK = much more information and culture; LPG = more "fun", faster punchier sound. And Ultima seems even better to me than 380SS, which by the way better than normal 380. So I would gladly read a direct head to head comparison of WM1Z to Ultima... Is Sony still competitive?

 

[Quadfather]

It's nice that some of you guys love Lotoo Paw Gold so much, since I have one and hope it'll sell on in the ads section (having that many fans on head-fi). Why? Because I don't listen to it since I've bought AK380SS, which is generally easily two classes above in terms of SQ than LPG. AK = much more information and culture; LPG = more "fun", faster punchier sound. And Ultima seems even better to me than 380SS, which by the way better than normal 380. So I would gladly read a direct head to head comparison of WM1Z to Ultima... Is Sony still competitive?

At this level, I think much boils down to sound signature preferences. I sent my AK240SS back, whereas I kept the Questyle QP1R and Lotoo Paw Gold Diana. I am sure the AK240SS was a great DAP, but it sounded thin and clinical to my ears. My Questyle QP1R is the most musical to my ears, whereas the Paw Gold is the aggressive detail and punch king. Sony kicks everything's butt on battery life. Digital audio players are like fishing lures, each one is designed to catch a certain breed of audiophile.

 

[Whitigir]

. Sony kicks everything's butt on battery life. Digital audio players are like fishing lures, each one is designed to catch a certain breed of audiophile.

Agreed, and would Wm1z be competitive ? Hell yeah...I would love to compare them for you if I had the chance

This is my Wm1z with upgraded silver-gold wires internally. This upgrades bring Wm1z up a notch in performances. Exotic all the way, in and out

And here is my Wm1z with Utopia and upgraded cables. My very best portable setup.

 

[purk]

I would have bought the LPG if it can function as a digital transport. The sound was quite punchy and fun. I personally think that the 1Z is more neutral, transparent, and detailed.

@ Vince,

Amazing work dude. Silver/Gold wire does go hand in hand with a golden walkman.

 

[Highbury73]

Any tips on artwork with the Wm1z? i converted all my hi res files to FLAC, have the covers in each subfolder as folder.jpg but a large proportion of albums come up as unkown with no artwork displayed. Firmware is 1.20. am i doing something wrong here amigos? my FIIO X5iii does a better job of displaying all the relevant info so im left scratching my head

 

[Quadfather]

Any tips on artwork with the Wm1z? i converted all my hi res files to FLAC, have the covers in each subfolder as folder.jpg but a large proportion of albums come up as unkown with no artwork displayed. Firmware is 1.20. am i doing something wrong here amigos? my FIIO X5iii does a better job of displaying all the relevant info so im left scratching my head

I embedded jpegs 500x500 using iTunes and album art shows perfectly. There were a dozen cases where I had to delete album art in iTunes, re-add it, and re-transfer the files in their corresponding folders to the Sony.

 

[productred]

Any tips on artwork with the Wm1z? i converted all my hi res files to FLAC, have the covers in each subfolder as folder.jpg but a large proportion of albums come up as unkown with no artwork displayed. Firmware is 1.20. am i doing something wrong here amigos? my FIIO X5iii does a better job of displaying all the relevant info so im left scratching my head

I embedded jpegs 500x500 using iTunes and album art shows perfectly. There were a dozen cases where I had to delete album art in iTunes, re-add it, and re-transfer the files in their corresponding folders to the Sony.

I also use iTunes for embedding data into files.

Re @Highbury73 about artwork it had been discussed before (and from there I learnt) that there are 2 types of jpeg files (baseline and progressive) and Sony would only recognize one of those. Dun ask me, I dunno how to know which is which from the file name or stuff - my artworks came from internet or my own pictures and for those coming from the net I gotta try and error - embed it in iTunes, transfer to my WM, disconnect, find the folder, and "SXXX the darn artwork won't show up" then repeat the process again with a new pic.

 

[Highbury73]

thanks for the replies guys. '2 types of jpeg file' - i think my headache just got worse . Itunes maybe not an option for me in this case. I do have an itunes library but 95% of the music i have put on the WM1Z is not part of of it, its all my HD tracks. I have Metadatics on my mac so maybe i could use that to try and embed the artwork. Lots of food for thought. Many thanks

 

[nanaholic]

Any tips on artwork with the Wm1z? i converted all my hi res files to FLAC, have the covers in each subfolder as folder.jpg but a large proportion of albums come up as unkown with no artwork displayed. Firmware is 1.20. am i doing something wrong here amigos? my FIIO X5iii does a better job of displaying all the relevant info so im left scratching my head

The Sony Walkman doesn't support reading folder.jpg file placed in the sub folder (that's not an actual standard of handling artwork BTW, it's just a hack that some DAP and software makers made and it is not universally supported method) - you have to embed the artwork into the file itself.

 

[asquare3376]

Any tips on artwork with the Wm1z? i converted all my hi res files to FLAC, have the covers in each subfolder as folder.jpg but a large proportion of albums come up as unkown with no artwork displayed. Firmware is 1.20. am i doing something wrong here amigos? my FIIO X5iii does a better job of displaying all the relevant info so im left scratching my head

Download Sony's own MediaGo

 

[Highbury73]

Thanks all, i found Metadatics worked well at embedding the fodler artwork to each track. I still cant explain why some albums end up in the 'unkown' but it looks like this little software gem will help me put them all right in the end. Quite time consuming but should be a permanent fix i hope. i will check out MedioGo also, cheers

 

[Quadfather]

Thanks all, i found Metadatics worked well at embedding the fodler artwork to each track. I still cant explain why some albums end up in the 'unkown' but it looks like this little software gem will help me put them all right in the end. Quite time consuming but should be a permanent fix i hope. i will check out MedioGo also, cheers

Make sure you have artist populated in metadata, rather than album artist. Consistency is key.

 

[eddie0817]

Does anyone has experience on pairing 1z to other device? I know this time 1z can’t use WM port as lineout, only for digital out.
I may use digital out to treat 1z as a transport to Aroma N10(as a DAC), and the output can be 2.5 trrs balanced signal to
Mass kobo 404 amp and drive HD800s.

Or has other suggestion that use 1z headphone output(3.5 single end or 4.4 balance) as a line out to the Amplifier，
and the signal from 1z need to choice high gain with maximum volume?

Thanks

 

[blazinblazin]

I think you should ask in the WM1A/Z thread. I think there are a few ppl that does that.