[nanaholic]

Please don't get me wrong
I never say WM1Z have noise floor higher than SP1000
I mean if he is looking for a player with low noise floor, neutrality and clarity
Overall SP1000 seems a better choice than WM1Z imo.

Today I tried my friend's SP1000SS and I feel the SP1000SS has better performance at clarity, also the sound signature is more neutral than WM1Z.
I didn't notice any noise while I AB test both machine.
Both machine sounds impressive but consider that the SP1000 is sooooo expensive (Priced around USD 3,850 in Hong Kong)
I'm gonna keep my WM1Z for now, thank you.

FYI, I'm using a Justear MH2 "listening model" with DITA the truth cable, both machine tested with balance plug.

I tested SP1000SS against my WM1Z using my Just ear MH1 and also DITA awesome cable (copper version) in balance mode for both. To me I found the difference is so small that it is almost certainly unnoticeable in non-critical listening condition. That said with the SP1000SS being also nearly as heavy as the 1Z but the 1Z surely winning on the battery life competition and I really hate those 2.5mm jacks now, personally I'll pick the 1Z over the SP1000SS.

EDIT: I also find that in general the user experience of the 1Z is superior to the SP1000SS. AK's insistence in using those tiny control buttons closely placed together is an issue for starters (the buttons on the SP1000SS is no bigger than those on my AK70 and previous 380, even though the device is MUCH larger). The volume dial which lacks a lock switch preventing it from accidental trigger is another. The dial looks good but lacks practicality, Sony's way of going with pure buttons is more utilitarian. At the summit-fi end of DAPs where SQ difference is now so tiny, to me it is much more important to look at the overall package from a user experience and software POV and that's where the differentiation comes out the most.

 

[animalsrush]

Allow me to share this portable system

Balanced with 3.5mm socket removable style, the very well known MDR-SA5000!!!!
3.5mm TRRS from my Zx2

Blasting away!!!!

One good pic deserves another.. Sony wm1z with Sony z1r with balanced Sony kimber kable

 

[nanaholic]

Since people are posting their rigs....

WM1Z with Denon AH-D7200 on balance, using the Z1R stock cable

 

[Whitigir]

How does the 7200 fare with Wm1a ? I wonder

 

[Whitigir]

Roughly 17,34%

And this is significant !

 

[nanaholic]

How does the 7200 fare with Wm1a ? I wonder

It's pretty fun with the 1Z, my issue with it is that the headband is not very comfortable with an obvious hot spot at dead top centre for me and that it sounds rather closed in when being listened to right after the Z1R. I'd assume with the WM1A with the colder signature it will tone the 7200 towards neutral a little bit more.

For the price I got them though (less than 700 dollars new) I think they are pretty good deal, the build is very good and the wooden cups look beautiful (though each with their unique grains so it's a bit of a lucky draw). They are also a lot smaller than the Z1R, combined with being fairly easy to drive for current DAPs which generally has decent amount of power on tap I think you can wear these outside but I'd hate to damage those beautiful wooden (walnut I believe?) cups.

 

[Quadfather]

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Lotoo Paw Gold Diana and Questyle QP1R, but my Sony NW-WM1A holds a special place in my heart. It is 100% fatigue-free listening with a killer user interface. Now I wonder about NW-WM1Z... The battery life is AWESOME!

 

[PCheung]

I tested SP1000SS against my WM1Z using my Just ear MH1 and also DITA awesome cable (copper version) in balance mode for both. To me I found the difference is so small that it is almost certainly unnoticeable in non-critical listening condition. That said with the SP1000SS being also nearly as heavy as the 1Z but the 1Z surely winning on the battery life competition and I really hate those 2.5mm jacks now, personally I'll pick the 1Z over the SP1000SS.

EDIT: I also find that in general the user experience of the 1Z is superior to the SP1000SS. AK's insistence in using those tiny control buttons closely placed together is an issue for starters (the buttons on the SP1000SS is no bigger than those on my AK70 and previous 380, even though the device is MUCH larger). The volume dial which lacks a lock switch preventing it from accidental trigger is another. The dial looks good but lacks practicality, Sony's way of going with pure buttons is more utilitarian. At the summit-fi end of DAPs where SQ difference is now so tiny, to me it is much more important to look at the overall package from a user experience and software POV and that's where the differentiation comes out the most.

The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind
Here is the playlist if you are interested,
1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
2. 'STYX HELIX [AAC 318kbps]' - MYTH & ROID
3. 'キミガタメ Special Place Recording' [DSD 5.6MHz] - Suara
4. '→unfinished→' [FLAC 44.1kHz/16bit] - KOTOKO

I really like the atmosphere and the strings how WM1Z performed on the 2nd and 3rd song
But love the sweet vocal with good separation while played the 1st and 4th song with SP1000.

Btw, the SP1000 will resize all artwork to a square shape, that's sucks
and the 2.5mm jack? Oh god, it was a disaster on my AK240
don't think AK gonna adopt the 4.4 standard though

 

[PCheung]

Here is my rigs

WM1Z with Fitear AIR, CreatOr cable with OFC Pentaconn plug

 

[kms108]

The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind
Here is the playlist if you are interested,
1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
2. 'STYX HELIX [AAC 318kbps]' - MYTH & ROID
3. 'キミガタメ Special Place Recording' [DSD 5.6MHz] - Suara
4. '→unfinished→' [FLAC 44.1kHz/16bit] - KOTOKO

I really like the atmosphere and the strings how WM1Z performed on the 2nd and 3rd song
But love the sweet vocal with good separation while played the 1st and 4th song with SP1000.

Btw, the SP1000 will resize all artwork to a square shape, that's sucks
and the 2.5mm jack? Oh god, it was a disaster on my AK240
don't think AK gonna adopt the 4.4 standard though

AK is like apple, they always want to lead, and be different.

i'm considering between the WM1a or AK70, i know it's not a fair comparing them, but I will be considering either one during december.

 

[blazinblazin]

Being using WM1A.

What i love about it.
Live recording, Jazz, strings, drums solo, cello, classical instruments, traditional instruments, sparkle, ambience. Thicker Lows on vocal.

 

[Quadfather]

Being using WM1A.

What i love about it.
Live recording, Jazz, strings, drums solo, cello, classical instruments, traditional instruments, sparkle, ambience. Thicker Lows on vocal.

I would love some detailed comparisons to Sony NW-WM1Z.

 

[nanaholic]

The difference is very small but it is there, of cause WM1Z have advantage over the SP1000SS in other aspect
Most songs I tested with are Anime songs so maybe the sweet female vocal how SP1000 performed do some trick to my mind
Here is the playlist if you are interested,
1. 'ようこそジャパリパークへ [FLAC 48kHz/24bit]' - どうぶつビスケッツ×PPP
2. 'STYX HELIX [AAC 318kbps]' - MYTH & ROID
3. 'キミガタメ Special Place Recording' [DSD 5.6MHz] - Suara
4. '→unfinished→' [FLAC 44.1kHz/16bit] - KOTOKO

I really like the atmosphere and the strings how WM1Z performed on the 2nd and 3rd song
But love the sweet vocal with good separation while played the 1st and 4th song with SP1000.

Btw, the SP1000 will resize all artwork to a square shape, that's sucks
and the 2.5mm jack? Oh god, it was a disaster on my AK240
don't think AK gonna adopt the 4.4 standard though

I tested with anime songs as well. My MH1 is tuned for female vocals and I always keep the songs I used for tuning the MH1 on my SD card so that whenever I test a new DAP I get to use tracks that I'm very familiar with and knows what they should sound like with my MH1, then add a few of my recent favourite tracks for good measure.

Songs I used are below:
1. whiz (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - TrySail
2. 細氷 (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - 如月千早(今井麻美)
3. ラストシーン (44.1kHz/16bit mp3) - 水樹奈々
4. プラリネ (44.1kHz/24bit FLAC) - ジュリア(愛美)
5. Catch my dream (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - 最上静香(田所あずさ)
6. 明日は君と。(96kHz/24bit FLAC) - 麻倉もも
7. 花に赤い糸 (96kHz/24bit FLAC) - 麻倉もも
8. adrenaline!!! ((96kHz/24bit FLAC) - TrySail
9. センパイ。(96kHz/24bit FLAC) - Trysail
10. ゼルダの伝説メインテーマ (44.1kHz/16bit FLAC) - 東京フィルハーモニー交響楽団

Tracks 1 to 5 are actual songs I used for tuning my MH1 when I ordered them.

It looks like a lot but of course I don't use the full songs, since even during my MH1 tuning I use very specific sections from these songs - for example track 2 I listen for the vocal extension during the chorus and the overall balance as the song itself is a very strong orchestral music piece and on lesser machines the vocal and the music will get mashed together, track 4 I listen to the beginning electric guitar solo introduction. I also deliberately include some pretty poorly mastered songs (track 3, track 9) to see how the machines will reveal the poor mixing.

I was at the shop for nearly 45 minutes comparing (I bought the WM1Z and Z1R from that shop, so they certainly weren't going to kick me out nor disturb my listening session but rather I'd say and hopefully walk out with the SP1000 as well lol) and I would still say the difference is very minimal to almost unnoticeable in a "sit-back-relax" non-critical listening conditions.

I really think AK should adopt 4.4mm as I don't see them having much business advantages holding onto 2.5mm. Firstly it's not like they hold any patents on the 2.5mm jack so they aren't getting any royalty payments, they also don't really make many cables/accessories as to benefit from owners buy AK cable/accessories. Plus audiophiles is not against cable swaps (in fact many loves the idea, especially starting at mid-level head-fi), so to think they can use a different size jack as a soft-brand-lock in just doesn't seem to work at all. Also with lots of reports of failing 2.5mm jacks on AK DAPs due to their fragile nature, I think AK should take a hard look at dumping the 2.5mm and adopting the much more sturdy 4.4mm jack. I have a Sony PHA-2A which I use with my laptop PC and I really love the fact that as promised by the designer of the 4.4mm standard it is suitable for both stationary and portable use - I can plug in my Z1R into either the PHA2A or my WM1Z and they both work with the same cable with no adapters utilizing the best output, and physically is sturdy enough to induce nearly the same level of confidence as a 6.3mm while easier to maneuver than a XLR plug, the 4.4mm standard is truly beautiful and elegant. Honestly speaking if the KANN had a 4.4mm jack I probably would've considered getting one as a in-between one-piece solution that sits between my WM1Z and AK70/mojo stack to drive my full size headphones considering the power it is capable of outputting, but now I'm waiting to see if Acoustic Research's M200 also with 4.4mm is going to have any pleasant surprises.

 

[Quadfather]

OMG! Sony NW-WM1A with a balanced 4.4mm ALO Reference 8 for my Shure SE846s is heavenly! Yes, I need to shave. LOL

 

[mw7485]

I would love some detailed comparisons to Sony NW-WM1Z.

Why not just go and audition one?