I’m sure I downloaded the latest version of DMP-A50R because I downloaded it from the links MrWalkman provided at the start of this thread. I didn’t know there was a corrupt version. When was the latest update released?
I’m sure I downloaded the latest version of DMP-A50R because I downloaded it from the links MrWalkman provided at the start of this thread. I didn’t know there was a corrupt version. When was the latest update released?
A big part of the day was going back and a short “re-investigation” of the Sony MDR-Z1R and Sony 1A/1Z. I may not fully qualify for these tests as it needs to be disclosed I’m a MDR-Z1R owner but not a daily MDR-Z1R user. It’s my favorite full-size and I love what it does, I’m just more of an IEM listener?
The question of the day was how close could the 1A be to the Sony TA desktop. As well as what could even happen to try and side step the Sony TA by sending the signal 3.5mm to the Schiit Asgard One via an RCA cable and using the DAPs like the DACs they kinda truly are.
There will obviously be variations in everyone’s own personal subjective tastes and listening levels. It should be noted too, that the 1A was in (old-school) 1A/1Z+ switched into 1Z in “J” region with the 1Z living in “J” region code along with MrWalkmans stylish and fancy new DMP-Z1 emulation magical dust application!
End results:
The difference between the 1A and TA desktop has been made much more narrow. The best learning was using the DAPs 4.4mm output with the Kimber to the MDR-Z1R as a way to truly get better 3D imaging, than the Asgard. The Schiit Asgard while offering a new tad more authoritative tone, was still out smoothed by the Walkmans, with the Asgard just becoming more 2D as a soundstage. If the bass was slightly better, the rest of the signature was given noticeable grain. It was both this grain and lack of 3D imaging that made going back to the Walkmans that much more rewarding and real?
Much of these tests also involved an intermediary step of simply joining the 3.5mm included MDR-Z1R cable as included into the DAP 3.5mm output, before going full Kimber 4.4mm again. Even 3.5mm single ended seemed to show a nice shimmer of gloss not offered by convoluting the signal past the mini-to-RCA splitter into the (old-school-audiophile) Virtual Dynamics Master Series RCA interconnection cable....thus finally ending at the Schiit Asgard.
Once again the 1A became the preferred player with MrWalkman magic firmware!
So I take that as a yes I downloaded the latest version of the DMP-A50R firmware? Cool! I will reinstall the DMP-A50R firmware again.
I have installed the DMP-50 and I am kind of liking it. The Clear Audio functions sounds a lot better on the DMP-A50 custom firmware than the stock firmware as it improves the bass and dynamics.
A big part of the day was going back and a short “re-investigation” of the Sony MDR-Z1R and Sony 1A/1Z. I may not fully qualify for these tests as it needs to be disclosed I’m a MDR-Z1R owner but not a daily MDR-Z1R user. It’s my favorite full-size and I love what it does, I’m just more of an IEM listener?
The question of the day was how close could the 1A be to the Sony TA desktop. As well as what could even happen to try and side step the Sony TA by sending the signal 3.5mm to the Schiit Asgard One via an RCA cable and using the DAPs like the DACs they kinda truly are.
There will obviously be variations in everyone’s own personal subjective tastes and listening levels. It should be noted too, that the 1A was in (old-school) 1A/1Z+ switched into 1Z in “J” region with the 1Z living in “J” region code along with MrWalkmans stylish and fancy new DMP-Z1 emulation magical dust application!
End results:
The difference between the 1A and TA desktop has been made much more narrow. The best learning was using the DAPs 4.4mm output with the Kimber to the MDR-Z1R as a way to truly get better 3D imaging, than the Asgard. The Schiit Asgard while offering a new tad more authoritative tone, was still out smoothed by the Walkmans, with the Asgard just becoming more 2D as a soundstage. If the bass was slightly better, the rest of the signature was given noticeable grain. It was both this grain and lack of 3D imaging that made going back to the Walkmans that much more rewarding and real?
Much of these tests also involved an intermediary step of simply joining the 3.5mm included MDR-Z1R cable as included into the DAP 3.5mm output, before going full Kimber 4.4mm again. Even 3.5mm single ended seemed to show a nice shimmer of gloss not offered by convoluting the signal past the mini-to-RCA splitter into the (old-school-audiophile) Virtual Dynamics Master Series RCA interconnection cable....thus finally ending at the Schiit Asgard.
Once again the 1A became the preferred player with MrWalkman magic firmware!
The interesting thing I didn’t mention was the discovery if somehow the detail now gifted to the 1Z with DMP-Z1 emulation firmware could in fact be ported into another amplifier?
This would be the dream to have happen. To somehow amplify the detail and add power making in a sense a “Ghetto DMP-Z1”
Well, dreams or wild attempts at such random speculation do fall short, in actual use! Don’t get me wrong I have never heard the DMP-Z1, yet with this simple test I can say it’s not just hooking up random RCA cords to the output of the 1Z and going to town. There is maybe not such a simple 1Z unit inside the DMP-Z1 hooked with some miniature hardware store jumper cables in place. Yet the common folk like me would wonder if that’s a distant reality of actually happening here.
I guess with all these firmware Christmas Gifts we have got our hopes up and become spoiled beyond measure?
To land back grounded here. Going 4.4mm to the MDR-Z1R is of course less convoluted and realistic. The old saying of getting closer is in-fact somehow (way-way more) real here. The simplistic additive of full-size headphones to a simple DAP is yet the best solution even if it gets daily arrows shot at it for somehow being inept or worse underpowered. Truly with the new firmwares the 1A/1Z is anything but inept or underpowered? Of course there is that last 10% which can be found if you somehow rob a bank, or are lucky enough to have a rich uncle leave you some spending money for a DMP-Z1. And while I can believe the reports of the DMP-Z1 emulation taking place with IEMs and the Walkman 1Z; there is still much to proven to me to believe the 1Z and DMP-Z1 will be equal with full-size headphones no matter what firmware they use.
Edit:
To add to the above post it should maybe be mentioned that small additives of volume amounts via firmware seem to add big differences when using full-size headphones.
The added robustness seems to be a big deal with full-size, like the new sound signature is filling out the full-size headphone. This must be a quality either not needed or not listened for as much with the Walkman players and IEMs?
The interesting thing I didn’t mention was the discovery if somehow the detail now gifted to the 1Z with DMP-Z1 emulation firmware could in fact be ported into another amplifier?
From the discussion thread of DMP-Z1, it was suggested that DMP-Z1 was designed around a concept,
"The ideal sound of Walkman, if portability and budget (cost) is not a concern",
Making it simple, DMP-Z1 was mean to sound similar to the WM1 walkman, but (much) better, at the cost of portability (it is barely "transportable", but not "portable"), my 1st speculation is, the digital signal of DMP-Z1 is pretty much untouched before sending to its AKM DAC, all sound tuning are done by post-DAC circuit design and parts selection.
My 2nd speculation, by adopting the tuning of DMP by MrWalkman means the tuning (fixed EQ) by Sony applied on WM1 series is removed (let's face it, there is no way to make the sound so different for product differentiation by just the selection of enclosure material, a few resistors and caps, plus a pair of wire). For market segmentation reasons, WM1A and WM1Z have sort of EQ applied into the digital signal processing which cannot be disabled by user (Before the release of FW by MrWalkman, chinese forums have discovered there are different tuning files for 1A/1Z in the package of the official firmware files by Sony, applying a hack to make the player think it is another model does indeed change the sound), so different "tuning" for 1A/1Z applied by Sony is NOT a myth.
Removing the EQ is good for sound, at least on a purist perspective, just a simple fact.
They just assumed that, as nobody was able to unpack an UPG file at that time to see what's inside. It's ok for them to speculate, but they seemingly speculated and then presented those speculations as facts, which is not really ok.
The "hack" consists in modifying the SWUpdate.xml file that can be found in a folder of the Software Update Tool from Sony. This is also why I once said we should make a difference between tuning mods (SWUpdate.xml mods) and actual firmware mods, once firmware mods became available. It's like having a chair and a table, and we're calling them both tables or something
Also, firmware mods are using the stock SWUpdate.xml tuning.
A big part of the day was going back and a short “re-investigation” of the Sony MDR-Z1R and Sony 1A/1Z. I may not fully qualify for these tests as it needs to be disclosed I’m a MDR-Z1R owner but not a daily MDR-Z1R user. It’s my favorite full-size and I love what it does, I’m just more of an IEM listener?
The question of the day was how close could the 1A be to the Sony TA desktop. As well as what could even happen to try and side step the Sony TA by sending the signal 3.5mm to the Schiit Asgard One via an RCA cable and using the DAPs like the DACs they kinda truly are.
There will obviously be variations in everyone’s own personal subjective tastes and listening levels. It should be noted too, that the 1A was in (old-school) 1A/1Z+ switched into 1Z in “J” region with the 1Z living in “J” region code along with MrWalkmans stylish and fancy new DMP-Z1 emulation magical dust application!
End results:
The difference between the 1A and TA desktop has been made much more narrow. The best learning was using the DAPs 4.4mm output with the Kimber to the MDR-Z1R as a way to truly get better 3D imaging, than the Asgard. The Schiit Asgard while offering a new tad more authoritative tone, was still out smoothed by the Walkmans, with the Asgard just becoming more 2D as a soundstage. If the bass was slightly better, the rest of the signature was given noticeable grain. It was both this grain and lack of 3D imaging that made going back to the Walkmans that much more rewarding and real?
Much of these tests also involved an intermediary step of simply joining the 3.5mm included MDR-Z1R cable as included into the DAP 3.5mm output, before going full Kimber 4.4mm again. Even 3.5mm single ended seemed to show a nice shimmer of gloss not offered by convoluting the signal past the mini-to-RCA splitter into the (old-school-audiophile) Virtual Dynamics Master Series RCA interconnection cable....thus finally ending at the Schiit Asgard.
Once again the 1A became the preferred player with MrWalkman magic firmware!
Yes and No? I mean there is an overall smoothness which could be described as the deep personality of the Sony sound. It’s this milky almost dark overall sound that the TA and DMP-Z1 emulation touches on with both DAPs. Still it’s difficult to try and stretch a over-all tone character description across both the 1A and 1Z. They each have a way of reacting to the firmware their own way. Same as 3.01 and 3.02 was a different experience on each 1Z and 1A player ..........this new DMP-Z1 emulation is different. To me it’s too smooth in the 1A, yet closest to heaven in the 1Z. Absolutely historic in the 1Z and could be said to be better than the TA with detail retrieval; especially with IEMs. The TA will always have it’s DSD remastering that makes stuff slightly different. As far as I know that’s not a feature in the DAPs. Yet all the signature series has a kind of blanket sound. The wildcard is the 1A having that topped up electric-crazy 1A/1Z+ midrange crunch which neither TA or 1Z have going for it. The 1A has missed that tone with the DMP-Z1 emulation here. Though that character of midrange was transferred over now to the 1Z in DMP-Z1 emulation.
The DMP-Z1 with the 1A expands a different bass tone section into stratification in the soundstage, where the 1A/1Z+ leaves the 1A with a more concentrated point of deep fast bass. We all know the DMP-Z1 emulation left out a small segment of that bass grunt in the 1A which was loved in 1A with 1A/1Z+. Though crazy enough that bass midrange spectacle was carried over and placed right in the middle of the 1Z DMP-Z1 emulation yet then had even more added on top and bottom which was characteristic 1Z. So the TA kind of sits back not exactly being better better but slightly different. Some may think the 1A is even better with 1Z/1A+ if you became addicted to those mids? Those mids don’t exist in the TA at all? Also strangely enough if you were to listen to the 1A with 1Z/1A+ all day long the TA can almost sound slow in the bass department. Still that quick bass has always been tell-tale 1A from day one!
Also don’t forget the TA will always have the ability to overcome the two DAPs in driving power which helps full-size get just slightly better imaging and focus due to damping power. Yet as posted above............the 1A and 1Z has extra power now to drive full-size better, so the wedge between the 1A and 1Z in comparison to what the TA could do with full-size headphones became a narrower canyon.
To answer your questions on different regions; no. Only U and J regions. You’ve always asked me to travel the regions yet I’m happy with “J” on both players. Though remember too........I decline using DMP-Z1 emulation with the 1A, so maybe a change of region would make a difference? I’m really stuck using J region in the 1A with the 1A switched to 1Z and 1A/1Z+? I’m now using the first public release version of that still? Lol
Yes and No? I mean there is an overall smoothness which could be described as the deep personality of the Sony sound. It’s this milky almost dark overall sound that the TA and DMP-Z1 emulation touches on with both DAPs. Still it’s difficult to try and stretch a over all tone character across both the 1A and 1Z. They each have a way of reacting to the firmware their own way. Same as 3.01 and 3.02 was a different experience on both players this new DMP-Z1 emulation is different. To me it’s too smooth in the 1A, yet closest to heaven in the 1Z. Absolutely historic in the 1Z and could be said to be better than the TA with detail retrieval; especially with IEMs. The TA will always have it’s DSD remastering that makes stuff slightly different. As far as I know that’s not a feature in the DAPs. Yet all the signature series has a kind of blanket sound. The wildcard is the 1A having that topped up electric-crazy midrange crunch which neither TA or 1Z have going for it. That 1A sound sits on-top of a more nimble bass section. The DMP-Z1 expands that bass section into stratification in the soundstage, where the 1A/1Z+ leaves the 1A with a more concentrated point of deep fast bass. We all know the DMP-Z1 emulation left out a small segment of that bass grunt in the 1A which was loved in 1A with 1A/1Z+. Though crazy enough that bass midrange spectacle was carried over and placed right in the middle of the 1Z DMP-Z1 emulation yet then had even more added on top and bottom which was characteristic 1Z. So the TA kind of sits back not exactly being better better but slightly different. Some may think the 1A is even better with 1Z/1A+ if you became addicted to those mids? Those mids don’t exist in the TA at all? Also don’t forget the TA will always have the ability to overcome the two DAPs in driving power which helps full-size get just slightly better imaging and focus due to damping power. Yet as posted above the 1A and 1Z has extra power now to drive full-size better, so the wedge between the 1A and 1Z in comparison to what the TA could do with full-size headphones became a narrower canyon.
To focus on what happened with the 1Z was pretty much the small character of treble boost the 1Z has always had over the TA. Remember the TA and 1Z are made by two different wings of Sony. The TA wing has made amps since the late 1970s early 1980s. It’s the DMP-Z1 firmware which is now going in and taking what was before a 1Z characteristic brick-wall treble experience and expanding it out into treble textures which are not exactly there with the TA. So it is detail that was before borderline hot in the 1Z. Which before was looked at like treble detail simply bright to synthetically add detail; to now actually using that detail area to create the smoothest and most golden warm (realistically expanded and detailed) agreeable treble?
Yes and No? I mean there is an overall smoothness which could be described as the deep personality of the Sony sound. It’s this milky almost dark overall sound that the TA and DMP-Z1 emulation touches on with both DAPs. Still it’s difficult to try and stretch a over-all tone character description across both the 1A and 1Z. They each have a way of reacting to the firmware their own way. Same as 3.01 and 3.02 was a different experience on each 1Z and 1A player ..........this new DMP-Z1 emulation is different. To me it’s too smooth in the 1A, yet closest to heaven in the 1Z. Absolutely historic in the 1Z and could be said to be better than the TA with detail retrieval; especially with IEMs. The TA will always have it’s DSD remastering that makes stuff slightly different. As far as I know that’s not a feature in the DAPs. Yet all the signature series has a kind of blanket sound. The wildcard is the 1A having that topped up electric-crazy 1A/1Z+ midrange crunch which neither TA or 1Z have going for it. The 1A has missed that tone with the DMP-Z1 emulation here. Though that character of midrange was transferred over now to the 1Z in DMP-Z1 emulation.
The DMP-Z1 with the 1A expands a different bass tone section into stratification in the soundstage, where the 1A/1Z+ leaves the 1A with a more concentrated point of deep fast bass. We all know the DMP-Z1 emulation left out a small segment of that bass grunt in the 1A which was loved in 1A with 1A/1Z+. Though crazy enough that bass midrange spectacle was carried over and placed right in the middle of the 1Z DMP-Z1 emulation yet then had even more added on top and bottom which was characteristic 1Z. So the TA kind of sits back not exactly being better better but slightly different. Some may think the 1A is even better with 1Z/1A+ if you became addicted to those mids? Those mids don’t exist in the TA at all? Also strangely enough if you were to listen to the 1A with 1Z/1A+ all day long the TA can almost sound slow in the bass department. Still that quick bass has always been tell-tale 1A from day one!
Also don’t forget the TA will always have the ability to overcome the two DAPs in driving power which helps full-size get just slightly better imaging and focus due to damping power. Yet as posted above............the 1A and 1Z has extra power now to drive full-size better, so the wedge between the 1A and 1Z in comparison to what the TA could do with full-size headphones became a narrower canyon.
To answer your questions on different regions; no. Only U and J regions. You’ve always asked me to travel the regions yet I’m happy with “J” on both players. Though remember too........I decline using DMP-Z1 emulation with the 1A, so maybe a change of region would make a difference? I’m really stuck using J region in the 1A with the 1A switched to 1Z and 1A/1Z+? I’m now using the first public release version of that still? Lol
I think it will be awesome if you see how fw interacts with more regions dough it can be confusing for some... I recall the 1A with 1A/1Z+ to be VERY GOOD and liked a little better over the new DMP-Z1 emulation I dont know why... but the newemulation sounds weird on my 1A in fact I stated with no tuning applied its just sounded better... so thats my humble oipinion now im back to good old 3.00 for the hate of the avid reader.
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