[Icekuma]

It is comforting to know it would last at least 3 years of use. Just hope no exorbitant charge to repair when it does.

On separate note. Just bought mdr-z7 and really love the sound with 1A. Now using SE. Decided on kimber because promo USD 125 ish. Waiting for my kimber bslanced MUC to arrive ( out of stock)

 

[gerelmx1986]

My friend from Hamburg, Germany has a desktop system from the early 90's and his jack is failing after 26 years of plugging and unplugging cycles

 

[davesday]

Yes, this is typical usages and logically so. But they can even last longer

Yes, that is true. A lot of engineering designs have safe margins built in. Also, I don't see an average user working that jack that hard (e.g. 5 times a day, every day). Maybe for people working in the industry but they would have access to repairs.

 

[pietcux]

One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...

Today I have auditioned the IE800s with my WM1A, and I have tried for the first time the balanced port. Up until now, I have only used the SE port, so these were my first 50 minutes with the balanced one. As we know, IE800s is not a terribly bassy headphone. However what I've heard was a disappointing outcome: a very bass oriented combination, which I didn't like at all...

I am wondering: could this be the result of the fact that I didn't burn in the balanced port? What is your experience, do the sound change in the direction I am hoping for with more burn-in hours?

Thank you all!

Even Sony states that each output stage needs 200 hours to really shine, so yes it is common sense here that over time it will get better and better. I own the IE800 and those are not bass light I find. On no player that I own. Not even on the Ipod classic.

 

[Lacevos]

Yes, my WM1A has a good battery (around 20 hours playing cd quality flacs), but at the same time a very poor management of it.
For every minute it remains disconnected (in standby mode) it takes more than two minutes to recover the lost load. Or does it just happen to me?

 

[Hanafuda]

Yes, my WM1A has a good battery (around 20 hours playing cd quality flacs), but at the same time a very poor management of it.
For every minute it remains disconnected (in standby mode) it takes more than two minutes to recover the lost load. Or does it just happen to me?

Are you saying it would take you 40 hours to fully recharge it from 'empty?'

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

I am running my 200 hours and noticed that the unit lasts very long but suddenly went from 4/5ths power to “plug me in or I’ll die” in a very short time comparatively. Have you folks seen this? The gauge is essentially not accurate and linear

 

[Lacevos]

Are you saying it would take you 40 hours to fully recharge it from 'empty?'

According to my tests: I unplugged it for one minute, it was full recharged 2:30 minutes later... then I tried for ten minutes, so it was full 25 minutes later...

 

[Darksoul]

Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just crappy customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:



It doesn't make sense, whatever little thing I know about physics tells me the sound has no reason to improve with a cable or balanced headphones. Maybe it's the extra power each headphone is getting, maybe it's confirmation bias, maybe it's my brain getting messed up looking for improvements where there are none. Whatever it is, when I hear my IEM with this, they don't sound like IEM. The sound feels "out of my head", not live performance "out of my head". But, It doesn't feel like it's coming from something wedged inside my ears. It's noticeable, it's there, I can't ignore it. More details, the bass it's still...settling.

I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output. There's also a tidbit that I find...odd. While connected to the balanced output; whenever I switch back and forth from a song that's FLAC 24 bit, to a 16 bit song or a 320 kps song (save it!) I hear a quick crackling noise on the headphones; not mechanical emanating from the device, but..."digital". That wasn't before on the SE output. One thing I really like about the switch to balanced is that the noise floor is gone; or at least, so low I can't tell it apart anymore.

On the SE output, before going to bed when everything is silent and on a particular quiet part of a song, I could feel a faint hiss on the headphones. That hiss is gone on balanced output. So far I'm loving the things I've gained on this thing on the balanced output. Maybe with more burn in time on the balanced output, the other things I've gained will go away.

Mandatory glamour shot:

(Boy, am I glad I don't make a living out of photography, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to feed my self)

 

[JeremyLaurenson]

According to my tests: I unplugged it for one minute, it was full recharged 2:30 minutes later... then I tried for ten minutes, so it was full 25 minutes later...

Devices like this don’t charge linearly. They “trickle charge” near the end to avoid battery issues. You’d be better off running it down and checking how long a full charge takes. Mine is just a few hours.

 

[Icekuma]

Hi Darksoul
I think the clicking noise is normal and is not something to worry about. I get it especially playing DSD.

Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just ****ty customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:
.....
I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output. There's also a tidbit that I find...odd. While connected to the balanced output; whenever I switch back and forth from a song that's FLAC 24 bit, to a 16 bit song or a 320 kps song (save it!) I hear a quick crackling noise on the headphones; not mechanical emanating from the device, but..."digital". That wasn't before on the SE output. One thing I really like about the switch to balanced is that the noise floor is gone; or at least, so low I can't tell it apart anymore.
(Boy, am I glad I don't make a living out of photography, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to feed my self)

The clicking

 

[waxiboy]

is there any reason why SONY doesn't support cue file?? I think people here are happy finishing the whole albums without skipping the ugly parts of an image or merged flac file. Or maybe they are happy using cue splitter that takes ages to split DSD or 24bit FLACS.

 

[PointyFox]

The 12 tone track analyzer for SensMe..I can't get Sony Music Center to do it without crashing. Anyone know how?

 

[davesday]

One question for all Sony WM1 owners (I also have the 1A). Is this a bassy player? I don't know if the question makes sense to you...
I am wondering: could this be the result of the fact that I didn't burn in the balanced port? What is your experience, do the sound change in the direction I am hoping for with more burn-in hours?

I don't think the WM1A is a bassy player at all. My first impression of it was 'meaty' and 'substantial' sound. The trebles were refined and not 'shouty'. This is me coming from an AK300. The WM1A made my AK300 feels lean. But I also realise my AK300 has a wider sound stage although not necessarily deep sound stage.

So got the unit and took it out of the box. First instant of listening on the SE jack, it does somewhat feels bassy. Not sure if its placebo, brain tricks, etc. But I did remember it wasn't as bassy. Obviously I am using the same IEM and cable, etc. I placed it on a 10 hour burn-in and it seems better. It was a completely different story for the Balanced jack though. My 64Audio U4-SE got a major 'uplift' going from SE to Balanced (I also changed from stock SE cable to EA Eros II Balanced cable). I did go back to SE on the same cable (via EA Balanced 2.5mm to 3.5mm SE converter) and was able to confirm that too. By the way 0 hour burn in on the Balanced jack. So I have no explanations for the Balanced jack.

When I got my WM1A new replacement unit, I placed both jacks on a 100 hour burn-in each just for the sake of it. Post burn-in, they sound just the same as my first WM1A player. Sounds great.

I am running my 200 hours and noticed that the unit lasts very long but suddenly went from 4/5ths power to “plug me in or I’ll die” in a very short time comparatively. Have you folks seen this? The gauge is essentially not accurate and linear

You do have to factor in power reserve. Lithium batteries does not like being over-drained. So the 'last bar' would go very quickly. It is basically how the firmware engineer programs the battery indicator. Some are 'big steps' while some are 'small steps'. Yes they can be non-linear because they are based on characteristics of a lithium ion battery.

I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output.

That is normal and from reading previous posts, it is due to sampling rate changes (dictated by the file you're playing). In some of my IEMs I can hear small 'clicks' and 'pops' while others are completely silent. However I kinda like that when changing tracks, its feels 'analogue' like putting in a record. LOL.

 

[nc8000]

Well..my balanced cable from LQi eventually arrived; not because of LQi, it's just ****ty customs in my country. I've been listening through the balanced output of this thing. And well, I mean:



It doesn't make sense, whatever little thing I know about physics tells me the sound has no reason to improve with a cable or balanced headphones. Maybe it's the extra power each headphone is getting, maybe it's confirmation bias, maybe it's my brain getting messed up looking for improvements where there are none. Whatever it is, when I hear my IEM with this, they don't sound like IEM. The sound feels "out of my head", not live performance "out of my head". But, It doesn't feel like it's coming from something wedged inside my ears. It's noticeable, it's there, I can't ignore it. More details, the bass it's still...settling.

I've noticed some other things when I turn on the WM1A, and the balanced output is connected, I hear a faint mechanical clicking noise coming out of the device. I'm not worried about it, it's just that didn't happen with SE output. There's also a tidbit that I find...odd. While connected to the balanced output; whenever I switch back and forth from a song that's FLAC 24 bit, to a 16 bit song or a 320 kps song (save it!) I hear a quick crackling noise on the headphones; not mechanical emanating from the device, but..."digital". That wasn't before on the SE output. One thing I really like about the switch to balanced is that the noise floor is gone; or at least, so low I can't tell it apart anymore.

On the SE output, before going to bed when everything is silent and on a particular quiet part of a song, I could feel a faint hiss on the headphones. That hiss is gone on balanced output. So far I'm loving the things I've gained on this thing on the balanced output. Maybe with more burn in time on the balanced output, the other things I've gained will go away.

Mandatory glamour shot:

(Boy, am I glad I don't make a living out of photography, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to feed my self)

The mechanical click is normal and due to swaps between the two clocks, the one for multiples of 44khz and the other for multiples of 48khz.

One scientific reason balanced can sound better is due to the elemination of the common ground wich eliminates possible bleed between left and right usually leading to a darker background.