[fish1050]

 
I have quite a few  but i pefer FLAC Over mp3, my bare minium is 16-bit, if i was professional i would have encoded the 24-bit albums to 16 but because i am a bit clueless better leave them as 24/88. I can hear the difference between 15 and 24? well sometimes yes but is very subtle

I use a free program called Audacity for all my conversions.  It actually gives you 8 levels of quality for your flac conversions with 8 being the slowest conversion but highest quality.  I also use the amplify affect to increase the volume on some older tracks that were recorded at really low levels.  I hate constantly having to adjust the volume up or down depending on the tracks I am listening to on my DAP's.  I don't like using the normalize feature because I find it colors the sound on some tracks.
 
You can even play around with the pitch, bass and treble and a ton of other stuff.  I sometimes play around with some of my older stuff from the 60's to try and make it sound better (add bass etc...) results are mixed but it is fun to play with.

 

[heatofamatch]

  it could also be a matter of processing power, or just a change in whatever chipset that does the EQ(if it's not software), that could be limited to 16/44? (I'm fishing here, I really have no idea).
but of course it could also be a way to justify the evolution of the products. I ended up paying 100£ more for an equalizer just because the cheap one was lacking some silly basic but useful feature I could almost have coded myself. it sucks for the consumer, but it's in the game for a business

.

 
Processing power? I don't believe that for one second, if Fiio can do it on a measly Rockchip chipset... 

 
I used to do that, pay for each time the thing I own lacked something, but audio and gadgets have not given me enough to justify it. The disappointment is far worse than the money spent. So I talked myself out of it.

 

[doniethegreat]

Dear all,
 
I have been browsing the A20 series thread for a while but I still haven't found something about it's sound quality.  I would like to ask if there are users here of A25 ( A20 series) since I am planning to buy one today or tomorrow as it is already available here in the Philippines.  How is the sound quality? (clarity, is the sound signature neutral or warm?, sound stage?, is backgorund hiss still present the same way in A10 series)? I am currently using Sennheiser CX215 and it sounds good to me. The Sony Centre here in our place does not have a demo unit for me to audition the device.  Please give me some light if I would buy it or not. Thanks. 
 
PS. I am planning to use the headphone out only since I currently does not have  or own a portable DAC  with me.

 

[heatofamatch]

  Dear all,
 
I have been browsing the A20 series thread for a while but I still haven't found something about it's sound quality.  I would like to ask if there are users here of A25 ( A20 series) since I am planning to buy one today or tomorrow as it is already available here in the Philippines.  How is the sound quality? (clarity, is the sound signature neutral or warm?, sound stage?, is backgorund hiss still present the same way in A10 series)? I am currently using Sennheiser CX215 and it sounds good to me. The Sony Centre here in our place does not have a demo unit for me to audition the device.  Please give me some light if I would buy it or not. Thanks. 
 
PS. I am planning to use the headphone out only since I currently does not have  or own a portable DAC  with me.

 
My local Sony Centre has the A20 in all five colors, displayed with matching h.ear on and h.ear in products. So I've had the opportunity to audition them extensively over the last few weeks (no customers!), and as an A10 owner, I always end up rolling my eyes at the A20.
 
They're the same thing, separated by one minor facelift that Sony tries to blow up into "we've done X Y and Z refinements" like filled via on the A20, but how do we know that's not just done for production line convenience and has no bearing on sound? 

 Anyway, enough with my old fart angst.
 
Sony has a very warm, very narrow signature sound, bassy but more contrived and sculpted than other bass-centric brands. The A10 and A20 are a departure from that. Meaning, they're pretty neutral and open "for a Sony." But for example, a Fiio X3 II may sound even more neutral and open, even more resolved, because it's a different signature sound. Or if you're used to Apple's sound, then Sony would not feel as neutral or as direct. The Walkman range would also have recessed mids compared to these other brands.
 
I do not comment on hiss, but I hope the rest of this is helpful in some way.

 

[doniethegreat]

Thank you. I am using iPhone 4s as my portable music player now and it doesn't sound as neutral as everyone is saying. Maybe it was just my headphone.  However, thank you for the inputs. Make me think of getting fiio x3ii instead. But sadly there are no local stores for fiio products here in our city. 

 

[Jackson 6]

'Very narrow signature sound'? I just caint let that pass. 

 

[heatofamatch]

  'Very narrow signature sound'? I just caint let that pass. 

 
So what's your contribution to his question? the unfortunate typo of caint?

 

[Jackson 6]

I was pretending to be an enraged southern hillbilly, at this woefully slanderous poppycock misinterpretation of the joyous A10 sound stage. Quite obviously I thought. 

 

[Gosod]

Which amplifier advise him?

 

[Gosod]

 

[fish1050]

  'Very narrow signature sound'? I just caint let that pass. 

When my E12A amp is charging I will listen to my A17 sans amp and the soundstage is fairly decent.  But when running it through my E12A I really notice limitations in the A17's soundstage as it is definitely wider and deeper with the E12A.  I could get by without an amp but I would miss the obviously bigger soundstage and the additional power when needed.
 
I will say this the soundstage is certainly better than the Fiio DAP's but still not great  If your experience is limited to say Sony A10 series and Fiio DAP's without amps then your idea of a big sound stage may be quite narrow.  But if you compare it to a wider range of DAP's that is when you will really appreciate the A10 series soundstage for what it is.

 

[Jackson 6]

Well with sony 'phones and iems it's a perfect synergy for the price, and I have no complaints. Of course it has betters, but nowhere near the price level. Might step up to the AK JnR one day though, but for now i'm happy.

 

[doniethegreat]

Hi Sir,
 
What about the separation and the details of A10  or A20 series, since they will exactly sound the same considering they have the same hardware? Is the separation good enough (of instruments) as a standalone player (without DAC and AMP)? How about the details? I am currently using Sennheiser CX215 which is fairly decent for my taste (I can hear every instrument in Bond's Explosive) using my iPhone 4s.  Please give me your inputs regarding the A series sound quality as a standalone player. Thanks.

 

[doniethegreat]

 
When my E12A amp is charging I will listen to my A17 sans amp and the soundstage is fairly decent.  But when running it through my E12A I really notice limitations in the A17's soundstage as it is definitely wider and deeper with the E12A.  I could get by without an amp but I would miss the obviously bigger soundstage and the additional power when needed.
 
I will say this the soundstage is certainly better than the Fiio DAP's but still not great  If your experience is limited to say Sony A10 series and Fiio DAP's without amps then your idea of a big sound stage may be quite narrow.  But if you compare it to a wider range of DAP's that is when you will really appreciate the A10 series soundstage for what it is.

 
Hi Sir,
 
What about the separation and the details of A10  or A20 series, since they will exactly sound the same considering they have the same hardware? Is the separation good enough (of instruments) as a standalone player (without DAC and AMP)? How about the details? I am currently using Sennheiser CX215 which is fairly decent for my taste (I can hear every instrument in Bond's Explosive) using my iPhone 4s.  Please give me your inputs regarding the A series sound quality as a standalone player. Thanks.

 

[god-bluff]

Not sure why you are asking these questions when t you seemed to have an opinion yourself 10 months ago.

F886 sounds better but more expensive and battery is weak. When I say better, the sound is more detailed as compared to A15 using the same headphone. 

I found the A15 to have a very airy sound.More expansive and greater seperation than the older Walkmans and the Fiio x3.