Sony Walkman custom firmware (non-Android)

[Damz87]

I love Sony IEM's in general. They're all amazing in their own way and great value considering how expensive high end IEM’s have become. I only have the Z1R now but used to have a handful. Kinda miss the others now

 

[seanwee]

I find the N3 vs Z5 (vs Z1R) discussion very entertaining (don't care if it's off-topic btw.)
here is my take on that, so if you don't like off-topic pls don't read this spoiler-post ....

Spoiler: My take on N3 vs Z5

I'm also in the Z5 camp .. had the the two side by side for a longer time and the Z5 just crushes the N3 for me, there is nothing that the N3 does better (for me), except for sounding brighter. Sorry for being harsh to the N3, it's indeed very very good for its price, but the Z5 is unique and just the best I heard (you have to like its tonality though, otherwise you won't like it at all). The N3 can however sound great with the firmwares of our good man, Mrwalkman, as they make the highs softer and less harsh.

I totally agree with @Redcarmoose and what he mentioned in his lengthy and on-point comparison a few posts ago! It was a great post to read, thanks for that btw.
Also think like @aceedburn , the Z5 has a unique tonality, which if you happen to like then you're in love forever . At least I have a romantic relationship with my Z5.
I did not listen to the Z1R but as I read that it is the better N3, I guess I'll prefer the Z5 due to its tonality, like aceedburn mentioned
I envy Redcarmoose however for the nice balanced Kimber Kable, i will try the Z5 balanced one day, guess I'll buy the ZX300 and fit it with Mrwalkmans firmware, just to get balanced sound on my Z5.

Someone here also asked about the difference between EX800 and EX1000... the EX800 is more neutral, the EX1000 more U-type and (maybe just a tiny) bit better sounding, however there is a treble spike which can become annoying for some. I have both and if you already have the EX800 you really don't need to buy the EX1000 I would say, the difference is very minor

Really enjoying the a45 with reloaded+ now and will as soon as possible upgrade to the DMP-40!
I am also thinking about buying the ZX300 for the balanced output, is the DMP-300 also affecting the balanced out of the ZX300? Does anybody have the WM1a and ZX300 with both DMP-firmwares side-by-side and can say if there is big difference in sound in balanced mode? I may also go for the WM1a if its worth it then (price difference is huge though)

And here I was thinking that the XBA N3 sounded warm.

That said its been 3-4 years since I last heard it

 

[Redcarmoose]

I find the N3 vs Z5 (vs Z1R) discussion very entertaining (don't care if it's off-topic btw.)
here is my take on that, so if you don't like off-topic pls don't read this spoiler-post ....

Spoiler: My take on N3 vs Z5

I'm also in the Z5 camp .. had the the two side by side for a longer time and the Z5 just crushes the N3 for me, there is nothing that the N3 does better (for me), except for sounding brighter. Sorry for being harsh to the N3, it's indeed very very good for its price, but the Z5 is unique and just the best I heard (you have to like its tonality though, otherwise you won't like it at all). The N3 can however sound great with the firmwares of our good man, Mrwalkman, as they make the highs softer and less harsh.

I totally agree with @Redcarmoose and what he mentioned in his lengthy and on-point comparison a few posts ago! It was a great post to read, thanks for that btw.
Also think like @aceedburn , the Z5 has a unique tonality, which if you happen to like then you're in love forever . At least I have a romantic relationship with my Z5.
I did not listen to the Z1R but as I read that it is the better N3, I guess I'll prefer the Z5 due to its tonality, like aceedburn mentioned
I envy Redcarmoose however for the nice balanced Kimber Kable, i will try the Z5 balanced one day, guess I'll buy the ZX300 and fit it with Mrwalkmans firmware, just to get balanced sound on my Z5.

Someone here also asked about the difference between EX800 and EX1000... the EX800 is more neutral, the EX1000 more U-type and (maybe just a tiny) bit better sounding, however there is a treble spike which can become annoying for some. I have both and if you already have the EX800 you really don't need to buy the EX1000 I would say, the difference is very minor

Really enjoying the a45 with reloaded+ now and will as soon as possible upgrade to the DMP-40!
I am also thinking about buying the ZX300 for the balanced output, is the DMP-300 also affecting the balanced out of the ZX300? Does anybody have the WM1a and ZX300 with both DMP-firmwares side-by-side and can say if there is big difference in sound in balanced mode? I may also go for the WM1a if its worth it then (price difference is huge though)

While many of us have parallel ideas comparing the N3 and Z5 there can also be numerous points of confusion. We try and isolate these areas as they can be the exact areas which give others opposite opinions. The one main one is volume testing levels. I actually failed at matching volume and noted it. The only way is with a testing device. Basically stuff is totally different and different levels. Also of course it’s almost impossible to compare two IEMs at different volumes.

With that said, the biggest point of confusion for the Z5 has been getting it power. If balanced from the DAPs, or desktop single ended juice their is a cure to how so many missed with the Z5 was about in 2014. A chronically misunderstood IEM, that just by it’s good attributes gets known still all these years later.

Now I will be totally honest, I feel the N3 is easier to drive. Yet out of confusion I left the volume alone in my listening tests and didn’t try and figure a way to get both IEMs to match. It may have been my test music as consistent drums in EDM would have been easy. Still the music I chose was to try and delineate what the lower midrange detail in the Z5 was about. I knew in that critical area it would show me what was missing with the N3. There is that maturity and completeness there that shows better technicality with the Z5.

 

[Redcarmoose]

And here I was thinking that the XBA N3 sounded warm.

That said its been 3-4 years since I last heard it

That’s the whole thing. That’s the different outcome that changed with firmware! That I always called the XBA-N3 warm and a too slow of response, and having more bass than the Z5 and IER-Z1R.

But if you read my N3 review; it was MrWalkman MK2 which took the N3 out of it’s understandable qualities. It became a different IEM. It started to have qualities like the IER-Z1R, yet still didn’t beat the Z5.

The N3 has just reacted more than any IEM with MrWalkman DMP-Z1MK2?

The firmware raised the soundstage imaging and detail, which is what the N3 was missing. IMO

 

[psund70]

Have anyone done a comparison of NW-A45 and Sony mobilephones ex. Sony experia II? Suond wize that is.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I find the N3 vs Z5 (vs Z1R) discussion very entertaining (don't care if it's off-topic btw.)
here is my take on that, so if you don't like off-topic pls don't read this spoiler-post ....

Spoiler: My take on N3 vs Z5

I'm also in the Z5 camp .. had the the two side by side for a longer time and the Z5 just crushes the N3 for me, there is nothing that the N3 does better (for me), except for sounding brighter. Sorry for being harsh to the N3, it's indeed very very good for its price, but the Z5 is unique and just the best I heard (you have to like its tonality though, otherwise you won't like it at all). The N3 can however sound great with the firmwares of our good man, Mrwalkman, as they make the highs softer and less harsh.

I totally agree with @Redcarmoose and what he mentioned in his lengthy and on-point comparison a few posts ago! It was a great post to read, thanks for that btw.
Also think like @aceedburn , the Z5 has a unique tonality, which if you happen to like then you're in love forever . At least I have a romantic relationship with my Z5.
I did not listen to the Z1R but as I read that it is the better N3, I guess I'll prefer the Z5 due to its tonality, like aceedburn mentioned
I envy Redcarmoose however for the nice balanced Kimber Kable, i will try the Z5 balanced one day, guess I'll buy the ZX300 and fit it with Mrwalkmans firmware, just to get balanced sound on my Z5.

Someone here also asked about the difference between EX800 and EX1000... the EX800 is more neutral, the EX1000 more U-type and (maybe just a tiny) bit better sounding, however there is a treble spike which can become annoying for some. I have both and if you already have the EX800 you really don't need to buy the EX1000 I would say, the difference is very minor

Really enjoying the a45 with reloaded+ now and will as soon as possible upgrade to the DMP-40!
I am also thinking about buying the ZX300 for the balanced output, is the DMP-300 also affecting the balanced out of the ZX300? Does anybody have the WM1a and ZX300 with both DMP-firmwares side-by-side and can say if there is big difference in sound in balanced mode? I may also go for the WM1a if its worth it then (price difference is huge though)

This talk of equipment is in many ways not off topic. Obviously there are more on-topic firmware posts; but......we use equipment with the firmware, so it’s inseparable in my eyes. Also the firmware decides which equipment we use in the end at times.

 

[Hinomotocho]

This talk of equipment is in many ways not off topic. Obviously there are more on-topic firmware posts; but......we use equipment with the firmware, so it’s inseparable in my eyes. Also the firmware decides which equipment we use in the end at times.

Sony synergy is definitely something worth discussing, especially as these firmwares have taken these daps to new levels, particularly the older ones that were otherwise destined to have been eternally limited by the older firmware sound signatures.
After buying the MDR-Z1R this year I had almost dismissed my Oriolus iems for convenience listening only as I had found them to be fairly flat sounding - these firmwares have almost had the biggest impact on my iems and are getting much more use as they now have like a new dimension added to them.

 

[seanwee]

That’s the whole thing. That’s the different outcome that changed with firmware! That I always called the XBA-N3 warm and a too slow of response, and having more bass than the Z5 and IER-Z1R.

But if you read my N3 review; it was MrWalkman MK2 which took the N3 out of it’s understandable qualities. It became a different IEM. It started to have qualities like the IER-Z1R, yet still didn’t beat the Z5.

The N3 has just reacted more than any IEM with MrWalkman DMP-Z1MK2?

The firmware raised the soundstage imaging and detail, which is what the N3 was missing. IMO

Yeah, others have found success with tip-rolling and cable rolling as well, anything that makes it brighter.

 

[nc8000]

This talk of equipment is in many ways not off topic. Obviously there are more on-topic firmware posts; but......we use equipment with the firmware, so it’s inseparable in my eyes. Also the firmware decides which equipment we use in the end at times.

Seems there is a new version of the N3 on the way that includes a BT cable

 

[akubukanaku]

Seems there is a new version of the N3 on the way that includes a BT cable

is it xba-n3bp the new version of this one?

 

[Redcarmoose]

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/nc8000.54845/

So Sony really were not discontinuing it, but repackaging it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Seems there is a new version of the N3 on the way that includes a BT cable

 

[superuser1]

Most of us come to this particular thread for updates re: the firmware and while OT discussions once in a while are natural, I personally feel that dragging the OT discussion is a discourtesy to fellow members... However, its just my opinion and can be termed OT

 

[Redcarmoose]

Most of us come to this particular thread for updates re: the firmware and while OT discussions once in a while are natural, I personally feel that dragging the OT discussion is a discourtesy to fellow members... However, its just my opinion and can be termed OT

Your are right in a way. It's that many of us have the same gear, or are interested in the same gear. We should find a way to re-rail the train?

 

[seanwee]

People who have both the DMP-WM1 and DMP-A, have you noticed any difference in sound?