[gerelmx1986]

is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?

or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?

More punch but don't note soundstage reduction other than at high volumes on both gain modes

 

[Whitigir]

Low gain and high gain probably be affecting the sound some what different depends on the headphones or iems being used, I guess. I am testing high-low gain like you guys have been mentioning for a few days now. Lately I am addicted to 800s from Wm1Z

Anyways: low gain gives the 800s more finesses on timbres, there are sweeter edges and lines. Also the soundstage appears to be even deeper. In the mean whiles the sound ofcourse became lower that I have to crank up higher. Beside the soundstage being deeper, the panning effects of music flows now have no abruptiveness from left to right. It is rather very smooth and fluidly

High-gain, the timbres becomes a little more rough or grainy. Soundstage appears more intimidating as the depth is reduced a bit. The volume becomes louder that I have to turn down a bit. The panning effect or flows of music now have some mini abruptiveness from left to right that I can not clearly keep tracking it.

*the player does automatically turn the volume down* just high gain has louder volume at a given values in comparison

High gain does gives more punch.

But the sound will become more like a 2D flat than 3D sound, when i use my IEM, so i choose to use low gain.

I don't know about other headphones.

Perhap soundstage get affected. Strangely, I did not notice it with Utopia before. Even stranger, I now prefer Hd800s out of low-gain due to these findings

is it my idea or does the sound seems to be more hard-hitting when in High Gain ?

or let me put it another way , does Low Gain keep the sound more mellow/mushy ?

In a sense, yes. Low gain keep the sound sweeter and more fluidly rather than mushy. High-gain does appear to be more rough and grainy from my experiences, not exactly harder hitting

It is crazy but I still listen to 800s Low-gain at 90-95.

 

[blazinblazin]

Low gain and high gain probably be affecting the sound some what different depends on the headphones or iems being used, I guess. I am testing high-low gain like you guys have been mentioning for a few days now. Lately I am addicted to 800s from Wm1Z

Anyways: low gain gives the 800s more finesses on timbres, there are sweeter edges and lines. Also the soundstage appears to be even deeper. In the mean whiles the sound ofcourse became lower that I have to crank up higher. Beside the soundstage being deeper, the panning effects of music flows now have no abruptiveness from left to right. It is rather very smooth and fluidly

High-gain, the timbres becomes a little more rough or grainy. Soundstage appears more intimidating as the depth is reduced a bit. The volume becomes louder that I have to turn down a bit. The panning effect or flows of music now have some mini abruptiveness from left to right that I can not clearly keep tracking it.

*the player does automatically turn the volume down* just high gain has louder volume at a given values in comparison


Perhap soundstage get affected. Strangely, I did not notice it with Utopia before. Even stranger, I now prefer Hd800s out of low-gain due to these findings



In a sense, yes. Low gain keep the sound sweeter and more fluidly rather than mushy. High-gain does appear to be more rough and grainy from my experiences, not exactly harder hitting

It is crazy but I still listen to 800s Low-gain at 90-95.

I think you described what i heard on the soundstage depth reduction.

 

[torifile]

should i save up to get one of these or should I just get a mojo?

1. first things first, i primarily use sensitive iems, does the wm1a exhibit any hiss with them?
2. second, what I'm currently looking for is a replacement for my old desktop dac/amp, can the wm1a be used as a dac for a computer? if so, does it exhibit any lag (i may game with it )
3. lastly, and most importantly, how does it compare to the mojo in terms of resolution?

A little late to this question, but I’m extremely hiss sensitive and I’ve got a pair of hiss monsters in the Andromeda. I had a FiiO Q5 and I had to send it back because the hiss was unbearable. On the WM1A, there is no noticeable hiss when Music is playing. That’s with both SE and balanced cables.

 

[colonelkernel8]

A little late to this question, but I’m extremely hiss sensitive and I’ve got a pair of hiss monsters in the Andromeda. I had a FiiO Q5 and I had to send it back because the hiss was unbearable. On the WM1A, there is no noticeable hiss when Music is playing. That’s with both SE and balanced cables.

Maybe an ifi iematch is the product for you? I use one with my dynamic driver/balanced armature hybrid IEMs and it does a great job.

 

[torifile]

Maybe an ifi iematch is the product for you? I use one with my dynamic driver/balanced armature hybrid IEMs and it does a great job.

I would have probably gone that route if the Wm1a hadn’t solved the problem for me. I was able to score a great deal that put it at just a couple hundred $ more than the Q5 + IEMatch would have been. And I get to play lossless without having to encumber my iPhone with it. I am really liking having 2 separate devices even if it means I have to manually move music over.

 

[colonelkernel8]

I would have probably gone that route if the Wm1a hadn’t solved the problem for me. I was able to score a great deal that put it at just a couple hundred $ more than the Q5 + IEMatch would have been. And I get to play lossless without having to encumber my iPhone with it. I am really liking having 2 separate devices even if it means I have to manually move music over.

Oh! I misread! I thought you said you were having the hiss issue with this WM1A.

 

[torifile]

Oh! I misread! I thought you said you were having the hiss issue with this WM1A.

No worries.

 

[Whitigir]

Oh wow! I just got a confirmation from Sony engineering team, sir Sato. Below is the quote

Hi, Thank you. We have also HD800S/HD660S and HD800/HD650/HD600 also. Our player was difficult to drive old type of HD series, but HD800S/660S is good combination with our WM1Z. Old type of Sennheiser headphones has bad sensibility of headphones driver with hi-impedance, but recent new model become good sensibility driver with more low-impedance. It's welcome for portable player.

I was curious as of why the 800S was being driven so beautifully and musically out of Wm1Z ! There is the answer . Again, the Dx200+amp4 just can not do it . We will see if Amp4S and Dx200 is capable soon, but so far WM1Z is awesome with it

Now, there is new HD820 ! soon ! W000000!

Oh ghost! Now I am hyped up for the next Walkman anniversary ! Oh ghost.....*Hyper ventilating*....gotta control myself !

 

[Rchandra]

I prefer the low gain over high gain in the wm1a... I dunno the sound to me is just much more cleaner. I do wonder using the balanced connection without the high gain enabled do you get those extra mw of power

 

[Redcarmoose]

If anyone is curious, though I would recommend flac and higher resolution files, I will say that if you have lower quality files that the wm1a still plays the track effortlessly, as a matter of fact I was listening to some tracks at 320kbs and to be honest I could be perfectly happy listening to lower compressed music files. So don't feel the need to have to upgrade this right off the bat if you're a new owner. Just enjoy the awesome journey this player will take you on over time

I listen to a bunch of 320 MP3s. And even though I have handful of DSD files as well as a bunch of 24/96, and they do sound better. My greatest joy with the Signature Series is how they make low quality files musical. I have sold off a rather substantial vinyl collection, so there’s nothing better than finding a system which brings back much of that warmth. Also at times it’s hit or miss on the digital master. Basicly vinyl is mastered for vinyl and CDs are mastered for CDs. But so much of a bad master can be beautifully braught back to life in playback.

Now this concept originally sounds easy. Just get the clearest most high-end equipment and call it a day. But much of the time even the best equipment money can buy simply amplifies the digititus.

 

[pietcux]

Oh wow! I just got a confirmation from Sony engineering team, sir Sato. Below is the quote

Hi, Thank you. We have also HD800S/HD660S and HD800/HD650/HD600 also. Our player was difficult to drive old type of HD series, but HD800S/660S is good combination with our WM1Z. Old type of Sennheiser headphones has bad sensibility of headphones driver with hi-impedance, but recent new model become good sensibility driver with more low-impedance. It's welcome for portable player.

I was curious as of why the 800S was being driven so beautifully and musically out of Wm1Z ! There is the answer . Again, the Dx200+amp4 just can not do it . We will see if Amp4S and Dx200 is capable soon, but so far WM1Z is awesome with it

Now, there is new HD820 ! soon ! W000000!

Oh ghost! Now I am hyped up for the next Walkman anniversary ! Oh ghost.....*Hyper ventilating*....gotta control myself !

The HD800 is electrically identical to the HD800S. They only changed the sound by adding a Helmholz resonator in the center of the donut shaped driver. And the colour of course. That is why my WM1A can drive the my HD800 even on the unbalanced 3.5 mm outlet.

 

[zardos]

The HD800 is electrically identical to the HD800S. They only changed the sound by adding a Helmholz resonator in the center of the donut shaped driver. And the colour of course. That is why my WM1A can drive the my HD800 even on the unbalanced 3.5 mm outlet.

I own HD800, HD800S, IE800, IE800S and I also think the old HD800 is driven as good as the newer HD800S from my WM1Z (or WM1A). The HD800S is the more balanced sounding one though. Besides I think IE800S tops both. WM1Z + IE800S is my favourite Sony/Sennheiser combo.

 

[Whitigir]

I own HD800, HD800S, IE800, IE800S and I also think the old HD800 is driven as good as the newer HD800S from my WM1Z (or WM1A). The HD800S is the more balanced sounding one though. Besides I think IE800S tops both. WM1Z + IE800S is my favourite Sony/Sennheiser combo.

That is awesome and good to know. I do love 800s out of the Wm1Z , and I can’t deal well with iems. So I can’t go with ie800s iems. It is understandable that Ears bud does better

 

[zardos]

IE800S is one of the least physically invasive highend IEMs I know. You might have luck with those. Soundstage from HD800/S is of course better, but the bass from IE800/S is much better I think.