[515164]

Could you mod the software to remove as much sound processing as possible, as in, try get as close to what the hardware on it's own sounds?

Unfortunately we're not that far into modding yet

I think that, most probably, there needs to be DSP processing in order to produce the sound. And from here on, I am not sure that a pure hardware sound can be obtained this way. This is just my thought, no idea about core functionality of the device.

By virtue of Bluetooth, it's already pretty much as close to the metal as possible. The fact that none of the DSP settings work when you're in Bluetooth says that it's pretty much handing off your music to the converter to be quantised without any processing done prior to it.

For normal audio, that's why you have the 'direct sound' feature.

This is what I was thinking about Bluetooth as well - that audio is just converted to the BT codec of choice and just transmitted.

In this case it seems to apply the base sound of the firmware (which is altered by the mod, if you're gonna use it).

By the way, I personally like that it uses the sound signature over Bluetooth.

You can think of it as actually having wired headphones plugged into the device

Though the receiver device might not reproduce it as well. Well, oopsie - however the sound signature is not too overpowered so it should be fine.

 

[Lookout57]

By the way, I personally like that it uses the sound signature over Bluetooth.

You can think of it as actually having wired headphones plugged into the device

That is good to know.

So instead of loading a SDCard with compressed files I use my WM1A via Bluetooth in my one car that only supports MP3 or AAC media playback. So it's better but not as good as my other cars that support FLAC 24/96 playback from a SDCard.

 

[515164]

That is good to know.

So instead of loading a SDCard with compressed files I use my WM1A via Bluetooth in my one car that only supports MP3 or AAC media playback. So it's better but not as good as my other cars that support FLAC 24/96 playback from a SDCard.

Hehe, probably something like that, but it would also depend on the overall capability of your car's "dac" as it takes that data and converts it into sound.

For example, I was able to hear the improved soundstage with the more present details.

 

[Lookout57]

Hehe, probably something like that, but it would also depend on the overall capability of your car's "dac" as it takes that data and converts it into sound.

The cars that can handle the FLAC files have Bang & Olufsen system's. The problem is it's very hard to figure out what DAC they use since they are OEM designs for Audi.

 

[dazzerfong]

Unfortunately we're not that far into modding yet

I think that, most probably, there needs to be DSP processing in order to produce the sound. And from here on, I am not sure that a pure hardware sound can be obtained this way. This is just my thought, no idea about core functionality of the device.



This is what I was thinking about Bluetooth as well - that audio is just converted to the BT codec of choice and just transmitted.

In this case it seems to apply the base sound of the firmware (which is altered by the mod, if you're gonna use it).

That's the thing - if there's a 'base sound' of a firmware, that means that the processing must have changed. After all, hardware is still the same. Which leads to my next question, what has changed and why? Only thing I can think of is that it's applying further DSP to the PCM prior to being sent off. If it's SBC, you can change the encoder properties (mainly the sub band level): AptX and LDAC AFAIK are not flexible at all.

Shame I don't have a Bluetooth sniffer - would be interesting to compare the raw bits sent over the air between different firmware versions............

 

[all999]

@morgenstern09 Thanks for Your great work. I know You tuned autumn+ on WM1A with J region, but was it originally from WM1A? Are there other seasons available for ZX300?

 

[515164]

@morgenstern09 Thanks for Your great work. I know You tuned autumn+ on WM1A with J region, but was it originally from WM1A? Are there other seasons available for ZX300?

All Seasons are also available for ZX300, they are in the same root folder.

 

[Maxx134]

OK, if you can't hear differences why do you care about the differences in capacitors?

Not sure what the original debate was specific to, but I have worked on many amps, and found specific placement of capacitor types matters.

Also, in many circuits, voltage rating matters as well. Too high on some electrolytics is a loss in capacitor performance.

Yet I find in most cases, in tube gear is where parts quality and specific voltages matters more than the capacitance value.

For instance, I always get an improvement when replacing cathode caps with slightly higher voltage.

Coupling caps are another minefield, with huge variances of sound signatures.

Anyways I know by now I am off topic, but I have a Sony 1z k-mod, which I directly compared to a stock unit, and can verify the changes in sound.
Yet the caps were only shielded. It was the battery/ wiring/ sockets that were upgraded.

Everything seems to make a difference on this unusual circuit.

I expect the output caps to play a bigger role than the PSU section, normally, but then again, the Sony unit uses these PSU caps integrally into its dap processing, as it is not a normal dac, so I cannot say the other caps won't make a difference as well...

 

[shady1991]

That's the thing - if there's a 'base sound' of a firmware, that means that the processing must have changed. After all, hardware is still the same. Which leads to my next question, what has changed and why? Only thing I can think of is that it's applying further DSP to the PCM prior to being sent off. If it's SBC, you can change the encoder properties (mainly the sub band level): AptX and LDAC AFAIK are not flexible at all.

The fact is that firmwares affect the sound of DSD playback as well. As far as my limited understanding goes, there are no DSPs for 1-bit (at least real-time). So we have to assume changes have nothing to do with DSPs as we know them.

 

[dazzerfong]

The fact is that firmwares affect the sound of DSD playback as well. As far as my limited understanding goes, there are no DSPs for 1-bit (at least real-time). So we have to assume changes have nothing to do with DSPs as we know them.

Which makes all these changes all the more suspicious..................

I mean, for all I know, they implemented a CRC so that end-to-end parity is achieved. But those errors are not going to sound like a better soundstage: it will sound like a radio being cut out.

Not sure what the original debate was specific to, but I have worked on many amps, and found specific placement of capacitor types matters.

Also, in many circuits, voltage rating matters as well. Too high on some electrolytics is a loss in capacitor performance.

Yet I find in most cases, in tube gear is where parts quality and specific voltages matters more than the capacitance value.

For instance, I always get an improvement when replacing cathode caps with slightly higher voltage.

Coupling caps are another minefield, with huge variances of sound signatures.

Anyways I know by now I am off topic, but I have a Sony 1z k-mod, which I directly compared to a stock unit, and can verify the changes in sound.
Yet the caps were only shielded. It was the battery/ wiring/ sockets that were upgraded.

Everything seems to make a difference on this unusual circuit.

I expect the output caps to play a bigger role than the PSU section, normally, but then again, the Sony unit uses these PSU caps integrally into its dap processing, as it is not a normal dac, so I cannot say the other caps won't make a difference as well...

Amen. Dealing with non-discrete components is the height of analog design. There are so many more considerations when dealing with tubes, especially heat management as well as enclosure design. There's a reason why tube amps are so hard to get audibly transparent.

 

[Ryokan]

Is 2.01 available for download anywhere?

 

[shady1991]

Is 2.01 available for download anywhere?

I had it, here..
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SUSPkwEPQQRQbcW74kXhFO4vEZiRj1V9

Sony keeps removing the old versions from their website after a while.

 

[ttt123]

I had it, here..
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SUSPkwEPQQRQbcW74kXhFO4vEZiRj1V9

Sony keeps removing the old versions from their website after a while.

These were posted by another user. Click on it, and it downloads the file. Sony does host the files, but they just don't tell you where they are.
V1.10: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V1_10.exe
V2.00: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V2_00.exe
V2.01: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V2_01.exe

 

[Whitigir]

These were posted by another user. Click on it, and it downloads the file. Sony does host the files, but they just don't tell you where they are.
V1.10: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V1_10.exe
V2.00: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V2_00.exe
V2.01: http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/ZX300/NW-ZX300_V2_01.exe

Do they host DMP-Z1 ? I am looking for something more ancient than 1.01

 

[ttt123]

Do they host DMP-Z1 ? I am looking for something more ancient than 1.01

This is the location for the V1.02 firmware. It works for the V1.02 FW. It is the same format as for the ZX300 fw locations. Substitute the older firmware version numbers, and see if it can access them. I did try using V1.01, and did not find anything, so Sony may not be storing any older versions, though...
http://walkman.update.sony.net/fw/pc/Z1/DMP-Z1_V1_02.exe