[siruspan]

Both slightly brighter than neutral.
And don't get me wrong, WM1A is an awesome music player. But I couldn't get what sets it apart from $400 audio players yet.

Which 400$ players?

 

[Redcarmoose]

You need to listen for 1 week, at least 3-4 hours a day to realise that it is special.

Yes! Though it may be noticeable even sooner? Our hearing needs acclimate.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Which 400$ players?

I have $10 on the word “FiiO coming up. Lol

 

[gerelmx1986]

@Whitigir does Amazon Music HD, lets you puchase either 16/44,1 or Hi-res flacs as download-to-own like qobuz? Or for the downloads store from amazon only offer is crappy MP3{ or AAC)?

 

[Morbideath]

Both slightly brighter than neutral.
And don't get me wrong, WM1A is an awesome music player. But I couldn't get what sets it apart from $400 audio players yet.

Seems that u can settle yourself with a $400 player other than $1200. I envy u for that, since i can justify myself for a $2400 1Z, and the double price tag does not mean even 20% more performance than a $1200 1A. But it's my wallet that suffered.
If u can't justify it pls just don't buy it, and your wallet will thank u dearly.

 

[siruspan]

I have $10 on the word “FiiO coming up. Lol

M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.

 

[Redcarmoose]

M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.

I did give the M11 a quick listen. Though I think your grasp of it is much better than mine.

 

[gerelmx1986]

The only advantage i could see on the M11 is the double microSD slot

 

[Mindstorms]

I've been demoing a WM1A. Good device without any flaws. But so far I don't really get why it costs $1200. Does this device have impressive things I'm missing ?

I bought it new for 750US for me its a bargain even at 1200 yes it is a really good dap if weel paired dont know what you refer with your question (can you state what is a worth dap for you?) if you need a powerfull amp you hay consider SONY TA another excelent AMP have a nice day

 

[Mindstorms]

Just leave the player play until the low battery, please charge warning appears (icon with an empty battery) , usually the player shutdown self after this warning. qnd then charge it to full without disconnecting the cable from the charging source

Full 90% or full100%

 

[xenoVa]

M11 is 450$ I think, and the only thing comparable is detail retrieval which is outstanding indeed. However M11 overall sound is quite analytical, hard and tense. The frequency response isn't as extended on both ends as in WM1A. Midrange is both thinner and pushed forward and the same time. Soundstage is ok but not as wide and quite shallow. There isn't all that much when it comes to layering, and for the most part the most is happening on the foreground. It's not that M11 is bright or sharp it's just the sound is intense and robotic. It lacks the finesse and warmth. To me the M11, is not in the same league as WM1A.

I found WM1A not bright but quite analytical. Very unforgiving. If there is anything imperfect with the recording WM1A brutally exposes it. What do you think about this ?

 

[Whitigir]

@Whitigir does Amazon Music HD, lets you puchase either 16/44,1 or Hi-res flacs as download-to-own like qobuz? Or for the downloads store from amazon only offer is crappy MP3{ or AAC)?

Just MP3 ... lol

 

[Whitigir]

Last year our Chinese fellas found out how the firmware for 1A/1Z/Z1 works, and the tuning of Z1 can actually be used for 1A and 1Z. I'll write an explicit article about it and share the modded firmwares.
Do u know Japanese model actually sounds different than other regions! Japanese version is smoother and has a bit more bass. It can be achieved with some tricks.

I never had the Japan model , but I am glad that you will be writing an exclusive article in modifying the firmware. If you don’t mind, please join in my hardware DIY thread ?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/modifying-wm1z-a.856213/

 

[Vitaly2017]

Why no one ever mentioned pha-3 !
This portable dac amp is a steal!!! At 400$ usd used.

320mw output power !
Balanced
Optical in usb in

I wish Sony would release a new model pha-4!

 

[Whitigir]

All this sounds like sony plays with software eq rather hardware hmmm

No, and like I said, the DSP is actually done by Sony Exclusive IC. It isn’t the S-Master that does the conversions. The S-Master Job is the processor for Digital amplifications. Both of these chips can be effected by firmware. 2 prime examples of it matters

1/ the upsampling processing from DSP. Different digital filters with different noise generations and noises shaping, different interpolations or algorithms....etc....will sound different. This is why different Delta Sigma Chips sound different. The specialty here is that there is no such chip...it is Sony chip. It acts almost like an FPGA technology by Chord. I wouldn’t mind calling that Chord follows Sony and but can not engineer their own Chip, so they have to use general Altera FPGA.

Sony is a dedicated chip, it can be very precise and while not being noisy. Every other general FPGA chip out there are always Noisy

Simply put..it isn’t the digital-EQ, but it is Digital Processing Techniques that makes the sound being different

2/ Digital Amplification Rely on Low-High pass filters and Feedbacks with Ground as the references. Then it can responds accordingly....instead of the typical hardware Feedbacks that can not be co trolled, the S-Master by Sony...can be manipulated in the way how it responds and adjust to the signals.

This is why the ground is important in Walkman!!!! Why Copper chassis will sound different than Alumium. But remember, 1Z has Upgraded capacitors and resistors, internal wirings too!!