[Qnapper]

Well, did the "rockbox" hack today and boy does it make a differance to the UK model. This also allows me to use the sony remote and added gain control, all be it I have not used the extra gain as of yet. This little machine is so much better than the HiBy R6 I bought only a few weeks ago and now I'm ready to sell it soon.

Qnapper

 

[Hinomotocho]

I sometimes find it a lot easier to compare two products, by not A-B them together. I mean, I listen to one product for a while, like a day or a week. Then listen to the other for the same amount of time. When you move to the second device, if there is a difference, it can be often be clear.


(E.g. Ages ago I tried JRiver month trial. I was previously using MediaGo which was not bit perfect. After using JRiver and bit perfect with it for a month, going back to MediaGo was a nightmare. The music with MediaGo had a cold feel to it, and soundstaging was not as clear or spacious. ... However if I did a direct A-B test, I could not easily pick out any difference. I tried to A-B: swapping one player then quickly to the other, with the same music. I saw no clear change; there was a slight difference but I could not pin it down.)

I agree. I have recently spent many hours at e earphone in Japan (50+ iems to try) over the past 2 weeks trying to find some new iems - upon hearing something different I feel my attention goes to an aspect I like or perhaps don't like, but at the same time get distracted by another detail like soundstage or a frequency that is slightly maybe slightly boosted, so I get overwhelmed trying to tell for me which is the 'better' one. If I were to spend at least a day with each one I think it would be more easy to get that overall feel for each one, then more easily notice which is the one for me. Honestly it did my head in, then you got factors like fit and design to consider.

 

[Malevolint]

I sometimes find it a lot easier to compare two products, by not A-B them together. I mean, I listen to one product for a while, like a day or a week. Then listen to the other for the same amount of time. When you move to the second device, if there is a difference, it can be often be clear.


(E.g. Ages ago I tried JRiver month trial. I was previously using MediaGo which was not bit perfect. After using JRiver and bit perfect with it for a month, going back to MediaGo was a nightmare. The music with MediaGo had a cold feel to it, and soundstaging was not as clear or spacious. ... However if I did a direct A-B test, I could not easily pick out any difference. I tried to A-B: swapping one player then quickly to the other, with the same music. I saw no clear change; there was a slight difference but I could not pin it down.)

Interesting. I'll give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion!

Funnily enough, I had my girlfriend listen to them both back and forth for a few songs and she said that she could tell hear the difference and the wm1a sounded clearer

 

[CoryGillmore]

Are you using the DSEE HX? The sound enhancements do make a difference and are interesting to play around with. I use the Percussion setting on the DSEE HX, with type a low dynamic normalizer on and vinyl processor set to standard. The zx300a is an incredible bargain!

Man I was using high gain and type B low on the DC Phase. Yesterday I was dicking around with different settings and last night I had decided I liked high gain with direct sound on the best. As of today I've settled back on low gain and direct sound on...I don't even know anymore lmao. I do know I love the ZX300 though.

 

[Hoka Hey]

Man I was using high gain and type B low on the DC Phase. Yesterday I was dicking around with different settings and last night I had decided I liked high gain with direct sound on the best. As of today I've settled back on low gain and direct sound on...I don't even know anymore lmao. I do know I love the ZX300 though.

For me, it seems to depend on the recording. Most, but not all high quality recordings sound better to me on direct sound. I like hitting the effects for average recordings, and some things that were basically recorded for radio, i.e. limited frequency range. The extra body helps, and the minimal loss of detail is unnoticed.

 

[Kitechaser]

The WM1A has better instrument separation, a deeper and wider soundstage.
When tested on the RHA CL2, which is hands down the most transparent iem I have ever heard, the differences are stark.
It is not subtle.
The difference in sound quality between the WM1A and ZX300 is very obvious, so much so that I have the ZX300, and will be spending another 1000 dollars to buy the WM1A.

How clearly you hear the differences depends on the gear you are using to test them.
I did AB testing between all 3 Sony Daps, and the WM1A came out on top, even over the WM1Z.

 

[CoryGillmore]

The WM1A has better instrument separation, a deeper and wider soundstage.
When tested on the RHA CL2, which is hands down the most transparent iem I have ever heard, the differences are stark.
It is not subtle.
The difference in sound quality between the WM1A and ZX300 is very obvious, so much so that I have the ZX300, and will be spending another 1000 dollars to buy the WM1A.

How clearly you hear the differences depends on the gear you are using to test them.
I did AB testing between all 3 Sony Daps, and the WM1A came out on top, even over the WM1Z.

Ugh you're making me want a 1A!

 

[Kitechaser]

Ugh you're making me want a 1A!

Trust me, I wish it wasn't true either. Don't wanna spend money unless I absolutely have to.

 

[Malevolint]

The WM1A has better instrument separation, a deeper and wider soundstage.
When tested on the RHA CL2, which is hands down the most transparent iem I have ever heard, the differences are stark.
It is not subtle.
The difference in sound quality between the WM1A and ZX300 is very obvious, so much so that I have the ZX300, and will be spending another 1000 dollars to buy the WM1A.

How clearly you hear the differences depends on the gear you are using to test them.
I did AB testing between all 3 Sony Daps, and the WM1A came out on top, even over the WM1Z.

Perhaps the zx300 and wm1a were on different FRs than what I'm using. I'm on 3.01 on the 1A and 2.01 on the zx.

They're may be some slight clarity differences that I'm missing because I'm 31 and my ears aren't as good as in my younger years, but the difference for me is not stark whatsoever. I own both and have no reason to say other than that I really hear. Sometimes I think I can hear differences, but then I go back and forth and I'm not sure.

If the difference is there, it's far less pronounced than you're making it sound like, at least on the firmware versions I'm using. I've listened to both with an Andromeda S, Rhapsodio Solar, and ZMF Eikon, all 3 very well regarded pieces of gear.

I will leave room for error because I don't know how good my ears are, but I remain firm otherwise and wish someone else can listen to see if I'm crazy, preferably someone else that owns both because IMO, a quick stop in a shop isn't enough to give you a good picture.

Before you spend The money, be sure that both players are updated to the newest FRB and listen again .

The last thing I wanted to say is that I bought the zx300 expecting it to have an inferior sound to the wm1a. It was supposed to be a companion device for the gym and snowboarding and such. now that I'm seeing that there isn't much of a difference it might be a replacement. I'm going to give it more time, but I'm not anticipating huge changes in my opinion .

 

[Kitechaser]

Perhaps the zx300 and wm1a were on different FRs than what I'm using. I'm on 3.01 on the 1A and 2.01 on the zx.

They're may be some slight clarity differences that I'm missing because I'm 31 and my ears aren't as good as in my younger years, but the difference for me is not stark whatsoever. I own both and have no reason to say other than that I really hear. Sometimes I think I can hear differences, but then I go back and forth and I'm not sure.

If the difference is there, it's far less pronounced than you're making it sound like, at least on the firmware versions I'm using. I've listened to both with an Andromeda S, Rhapsodio Solar, and ZMF Eikon, all 3 very well regarded pieces of gear.

I will leave room for error because I don't know how good my ears are, but I remain firm otherwise and wish someone else can listen to see if I'm crazy, preferably someone else that owns both because IMO, a quick stop in a shop isn't enough to give you a good picture.

Before you spend The money, be sure that both players are updated to the newest FRB and listen again .

The last thing I wanted to say is that I bought the zx300 expecting it to have an inferior sound to the wm1a. It was supposed to be a companion device for the gym and snowboarding and such. now that I'm seeing that there isn't much of a difference it might be a replacement. I'm going to give it more time, but I'm not anticipating huge changes in my opinion .

I wouldn't call the andromeda transparent. It's a colored BA, don't know much about the solar.
I am just reporting what I heard on the CL2 which is a single driver planar, and scales up very very well. I also tried it with a Sony TA-ZH1ES amp, and boy that was a sound to behold.
Like I said it all depends on the gear you use, for me, the difference was very obvious, not subtle in the least.
Wider deeper soundstage, better separation, just on a level above.
I will still be using the ZX300 for the gym, but the WM1A will be my player everywhere else.
And yes both players had updated software.
Also to add, it wasn't just me who thought this was the case, I had two other people that independently came to the same conclusion.

 

[Malevolint]

I wouldn't call the andromeda transparent. It's a colored BA, don't know much about the solar.
I am just reporting what I heard on the CL2 which is a single driver planar, and scales up very very well. I also tried it with a Sony TA-ZH1ES amp, and boy that was a sound to behold.
Like I said it all depends on the gear you use, for me, the difference was very obvious, not subtle in the least.
Wider deeper soundstage, better separation, just on a level above.
I will still be using the ZX300 for the gym, but the WM1A will be my player everywhere else.
And yes both players had updated software.
Also to add, it wasn't just me who thought this was the case, I had two other people that independently came to the same conclusion.

Fair enough. I think I'm gonna annoy my gf tonight and blind test her lol. I know she has better ears and discernment than I do.

 

[CoryGillmore]

I wouldn't call the andromeda transparent. It's a colored BA, don't know much about the solar.
I am just reporting what I heard on the CL2 which is a single driver planar, and scales up very very well. I also tried it with a Sony TA-ZH1ES amp, and boy that was a sound to behold.
Like I said it all depends on the gear you use, for me, the difference was very obvious, not subtle in the least.
Wider deeper soundstage, better separation, just on a level above.
I will still be using the ZX300 for the gym, but the WM1A will be my player everywhere else.
And yes both players had updated software.
Also to add, it wasn't just me who thought this was the case, I had two other people that independently came to the same conclusion.

Now that I think about it, I'd spend that money on the TA-ZH1ES before I'd get another DAP. I'm up to my ears in DAPs as it is! Haha. But I lack what would be considered even a decent desktop setup. Currently the best non-mobile source I have is a gaming PC with a Creative ZxR soundcard in it.

Guys what is a cheap desktop amp/DAC combo with 4.4 balanced output? Say under 1k.

 

[Kitechaser]

Now that I think about it, I'd spend that money on the TA-ZH1ES before I'd get another DAP. I'm up to my ears in DAPs as it is! Haha. But I lack what would be considered even a decent desktop setup. Currently the best non-mobile source I have is a gaming PC with a Creative ZxR soundcard in it.

Guys what is a cheap desktop amp/DAC combo with 4.4 balanced output? Say under 1k.

Not gonna lie, I thought about doing that myself.
But will be going down the route of the WM1A, and am right now building a world class 2 channel Floor speaker system.
Might get the Sony amp later down the line. Haha. As far as Iems go, sticking with the CL2 for the foreseeable future.
Bottled my dragon, now just dressing it up properly.

Keep a close eyes on the classifieds, might get that amp for about 1300 or so, great deal if you can spot it.

 

[ailean]

Not gonna lie, I thought about doing that myself.
But will be going down the route of the WM1A, and am right now building a world class 2 channel Floor speaker system.
Might get the Sony amp later down the line. Haha. As far as Iems go, sticking with the CL2 for the foreseeable future.
Bottled my dragon, no just dressing it up properly.

Keep a close eyes in the classifieds, might get that amp for about 1300 or so, great deal if you can spot it.

Another thing to keep in mind is did you test both units using balanced output with both units burnt in? The single ended outputs are reportedly much better on the high end models and at least on the zx300 burn in does a lot to improve the sound on both single and balanced outputs.

 

[Kitechaser]

Another thing to keep in mind is did you test both units using balanced output with both units burnt in? The single ended outputs are reportedly much better on the high end models and at least on the zx300 burn in does a lot to improve the sound on both single and balanced outputs.

Yes it was balanced out on both 4.4mm
Both players had over 600 hours.