Sony Walkman custom firmware (non-Android)

[NoClue48]

The unfortunate reality is theres a chance because theres a timeframe here, but theres also a chance hes just butthurt because he hasn't got help, and on that case shame on him for lying about something so serious. I get being frustrated I do. But its still negligence

But the simple fact of the matter is even if he is being truthful, nobody forces you to mod. A ZX300. Its good enough of a DAP for Sony to sell as such is still considered high end by corporate standards. This is not fault of Sony, this is fault by user negligence, any action you take to modify or alter a device you are knowingly taking said risk and you are responsible for anything that goes wrong. MrWalkman is not accountable for another users negligence, I even vaguely remember that message being included somewhere on firmware.

Moving on. MrWalkman didn't owe it to anybody. If you read over the instructions everything is pretty well documented and if you do everything by the book you are almost guaranteed to not have complications. Many of us have changed countless times, and even been booplooped several testing betas and he had helped me, but he simply could have walked away. MrWalkman has always done it out of his own kindness.

He could have never gave us firmware that has changed the whole playing field, or he could have charged people for it and we never would've known any better. It shpuld be well understood though the user is at fault for their actions any not anybody else.

Let me say this about that...

From MrWalkman on down to the least knowledgeable users in this forum; they are all here to help. But, there is an immutable and time-honored tenet in these forums (all, really)--we are all here to help each other, but it works best when those requiring help understand that they have to help themselves along the way. Tossing out an "I have a problem..." and expecting everyone to jump to your aid isn't going to go far. When I did telephone technical support back in the day, my first question to callers was, "What page of the manual are you on?" I was telling the user(s) that I expected that they'd done some research and tried to help themselves. (If you guessed that very few had cracked a manual, you'd be correct...)

And on the topic of Sony's ZX300--I just looked at eBay and there are many units for sale there for around $250.00 - $350.00 USD. If I'd been waiting this long for aid and got none, I'd consider purchasing a used device and cutting my losses. I'd think long and hard about modding it--perhaps I'm not understanding the process well enough, so just use it stock.

These are just my opinions... I could be wrong.

 

[Excavation]

Let me say this about that...

From MrWalkman on down to the least knowledgeable users in this forum; they are all here to help. But, there is an immutable and time-honored tenet in these forums (all, really)--we are all here to help each other, but it works best when those requiring help understand that they have to help themselves along the way. Tossing out an "I have a problem..." and expecting everyone to jump to your aid isn't going to go far. When I did telephone technical support back in the day, my first question to callers was, "What page of the manual are you on?" I was telling the user(s) that I expected that they'd done some research and tried to help themselves. (If you guessed that very few had cracked a manual, you'd be correct...)

And on the topic of Sony's ZX300--I just looked at eBay and there are many units for sale there for around $250.00 - $350.00 USD. If I'd been waiting this long for aid and got none, I'd consider purchasing a used device and cutting my losses. I'd think long and hard about modding it--perhaps I'm not understanding the process well enough, so just use it stock.

These are just my opinions... I could be wrong.

Absolutely. Everyone in this forum is here to help one another and also celebrate other people also rediscovering their music which they may have had for years in new ways when they upgrade or get new equipment.

Truly nobody here wishes problems on anybody, and I do understand wanting to get incredible value out of a device when we talk about modding them, because they really have improved substantially, the A55 is a pretty good example of that, but obviously every model blessed with MrWalkman FW support is quite a bit better than their stock original counterparts. (apart from the few who wish to remain on stock, but to each their own, at the end of the day its all about preference, our ears are the greatest determining factor) which is something firmware has massively expanded on because we have options, and options are a music lovers dream apart from the music itself.

We are just in a different time than say 4 years ago. We had firmware dropping left and right, it was a glorious time, but this truly has just been a side project for MrWalkman. Many of us know he had personal issues for a while and financial situations which caused him to have to sell his WM1, at which point NP mods kindly sent him another. Life is tough, and it won't always be a smooth road. Im sure since then alot more has happened.
I know he worked along side a few other people, and then some testers, which i was for a couple of FWs, but for the most part, he is the one that did most of what we have, and then of course release it. Theres nobody abundantly clear (at least still around) that anybody else could contact for help with such issues.

Thats exactly why its important for people to be informed before deciding to take on a task like this, and as far as Walkman ONE, if its not in clear writing, its probably not a good idea, especially if you dont know how long the firmwared been around, if its dated and its community has moved on from it, etc.. you could be setting yourself up for a situation you may not get out of, like we see here. I feel sorry for anybody that has issues, i do, but tech in one of those things. You either get it done right, or you break it. There is no in between. Its oftentimes not very forgiving.

 

[NoClue48]

Absolutely. Everyone in this forum is here to help one another and also celebrate other people also rediscovering their music which they may have had for years in new ways when they upgrade or get new equipment.

Truly nobody here wishes problems on anybody, and I do understand wanting to get incredible value out of a device when we talk about modding them, because they really have improved substantially, the A55 is a pretty good example of that, but obviously every model blessed with MrWalkman FW support is quite a bit better than their stock original counterparts. (apart from the few who wish to remain on stock, but to each their own, at the end of the day its all about preference, our ears are the greatest determining factor) which is something firmware has massively expanded on because we have options, and options are a music lovers dream apart from the music itself.

We are just in a different time than say 4 years ago. We had firmware dropping left and right, it was a glorious time, but this truly has just been a side project for MrWalkman. Many of us know he had personal issues for a while and financial situations which caused him to have to sell his WM1, at which point NP mods kindly sent him another. Life is tough, and it won't always be a smooth road. Im sure since then alot more has happened.
I know he worked along side a few other people, and then some testers, which i was for a couple of FWs, but for the most part, he is the one that did most of what we have, and then of course release it. Theres nobody abundantly clear (at least still around) that anybody else could contact for help with such issues.

Thats exactly why its important for people to be informed before deciding to take on a task like this, and as far as Walkman ONE, if its not in clear writing, its probably not a good idea, especially if you dont know how long the firmwared been around, if its dated and its community has moved on from it, etc.. you could be setting yourself up for a situation you may not get out of, like we see here. I feel sorry for anybody that has issues, i do, but tech in one of those things. You either get it done right, or you break it. There is no in between. Its oftentimes not very forgiving.

I totally agree about the firmware dropping left and right. I didn't find out about the Walkman ONE until just recently--as in the past three or four months. So, when I started down the path to update my device I immediately found that there is no, one linear path from when the first versions were released to the current version. That is why one must do the research and find out how the firmware arrived at its current state.

 

[Queen6]

I'm with you Q. I spent hundreds of hours reading and studying this and related threads re: modding my NW-WM1A with MrWalkman's firmware. I accepted the risk that I may brick my device, but I was also certain that I could work it back to health should that happen. I'm fortunate in that I've been in this electronics/computers/systems game since the late 60s (yes, I'm THAT old) and I have the confidence and understanding that I may brick a device and that I can and will un-brick it if required--been there, done it.

I studied and read and asked questions (go look, I asked many)--some good, but most just probing and confirming my understandings. THIS IS A HUGE THREAD and it isn't easy to find things. But, many members answered my questions and many, many more helped just by their posts here.

I agree, an individual must accept some responsibility, show some initiative and be willing to work on issues should they arise.

Mods are what they are and especially with firmware risk will aways be apparent. Simple is your HW, your $$$$, your choice. I dont see any significant risk with @MrWalkman firmware, however one must explicitly follow the instructions to install and revert...

These days I follow Sony's tune as dont want to be over analysing the sound, I just want to play my music. Even with Sony's FW there are countless permutations. Walkman One could take years to evaluate all. Becoming a creature of simplicity that and I bought the WM1A for the Sony sound at the end of the day...

Q-6

 

[NoClue48]

Mods are what they are and especially with firmware risk will aways be apparent. Simple is your HW, your $$$$, your choice. I dont see any significant risk with @MrWalkman firmware, however one must explicitly follow the instructions to install and revert...

These days I follow Sony's tune as dont want to be over analysing the sound, I just want to play my music. Even with Sony's FW there are countless permutations. Walkman One could take years to evaluate all. Becoming a creature of simplicity that and I bought the WM1A for the Sony sound at the end of the day...

Q-6

I tend to listen to my music flat, with no EQ and the treble and bass at "0" these days myself.

 

[conceptcar3]

I tend to listen to my music flat, with no EQ and the treble and bass at "0" these days myself.

But which firmware tuning do you use ?

 

[NoClue48]

But which firmware tuning do you use ?

I know it's "Walkman One (WM1Z) Firmware mod by MrWalkman" from my "Unit Information" page, but I don't know the code word for it and don't much care. I found some settings a few months ago that sound pretty good to me and left it at that. I know it is NOT the latest, greatest, but that's okay because I like the sound now.

From my latest settings file (30-JUL-24):

SIG=3; REG=MX3; REM=0; PMV=2; PMD=1; GMD=0; DIM=1; COL=0​

I think most of the settings are the defaults except the PMD and DIM; and I can't explain why they are not the defaults. All I know is that the settings are what they are and my WM1A sounds good to me.

[DISCLAIMER] You need to understand that I suffered hearing loss while serving in the US Navy and my high frequencies drop significantly above 13 kHZ. That means that you can't rely on my settings to sound the same to your ears as they do to mine. If you read the posts on Walkman One in this forum and others, you will see that much of the discussion is about the higher frequencies and I'm just not in that part of the game.

Stated another way--what sounds good to me may sound like rubbish to you.

I yield the Soap Box...

 

[TazedMarquis]

Yes, but with whom? The problem is that I sent thousands of emails to the guy but he never answered me anything, as if the email was no longer in use, and I can't find any other way of social network communication with Mr. Walkman or with any other person and I didn't found another alternative than here, so it seems like a dead end.

​

As others have said, Mr. Walkman owes us nothing. He very kindly worked on and released this firmware on his own, for FREE, to the entire community. He may have offered to help, but if you really just sat and waited for 18+ months for a stranger on the internet to magically fix your music player, that's on you, friend. You have every right to feel disappointed in the loss of your player, but you seem to be avoiding any personal responsibility for your situation. As others have said, you could have easily purchased a replacement in that time for a few hundred bucks; not ideal, but neither is waiting 18 months and still not having a working music player.

Posting here repeatedly to complain that someone who has already done tons of free work for the community hasn't helped you personally is doing no one any favors.

Pestering someone to help you for free on their own time with thousands of emails is a sure-fire way to ensure that they never help you.

Blurting out that you're only 17 years old and suffering from terminal cancer, and then asking for money in that same person's thread to replace the device that you yourself haven't bothered to replace in over a year and a half is borderline psychotic.

Take a step back, reevaluate your behavior, and then either deal with your problem or move on. No one else wants to read your complaints, and if you really have bothered Mr. Walkman to the extent suggested then I don't think he can be blamed for not helping you either. Frankly, if you're really suffering from terminal cancer, I'd say you have much more important things to be worrying about than a Sony music player, like spending time with your loved ones. Just my two cents.

And also, because I haven't said so before, a very sincere thank you to Mr. Walkman for Walkman One and all the other iterations of his firmware over the years. It has helped bring countless hours of musical enjoyment into my life. I wish him the same happiness that he has helped to bring to others.

 

[WilcoRoger]

If someone sent me thousands of emails, he'd be on the top of my spam filter after the first 20. Just saying.

 

[Bigbeat]

If it’s oxidizes it’s oxidized. I doubt it helps the sound but works because conduction is what makes that sound it but probably cleans of the oxidation which is good.

Rubbering Alcohol 67 cents a bottle. Every technician uses it because its cheap and works. Haha

Rubbing alcohol can corrode the metal.

 

[NoClue48]

Rubbing alcohol can corrode the metal.

As a former US Navy electronics technician we only used isopropyl alcohol as a last resort. Rubbing alcohol (typically 70% concentration) was purported to leave more scum and film on electrical contacts than merely cleaning with DI water; except that DI water couldn't lift some contaminants--these were the days in which many submariners smoked cigarettes and pipes (cigars=verboten) on board leaving that familiar yellow, smoke residue on everything.

Our doctor/corpsman held a few ounces of 190 proof grain alcohol for our contact cleaning requirements and also had some 90+% isopropyl alcohol should we exhaust the Ever Clear. The fumes of both compounds were considered "atmospheric contaminants" and we had to obtain permission prior to their use. After use, the auxiliary gang monitored the atmospheric monitoring and airborne contaminant system for anomalies. And forget about using aerosol contact cleaners--aerosol propellants were considered the worst.

 

[RiseFromYourGrav]

How does the NW-A55 compare to the NW-WM1A with Walkman One? I have the former and I'm considering getting the latter, mostly for the balanced port so I don't have to use it with a separate amp. I'm just wondering if there's any other benefit to upgrading.

 

[yatik44]

I have both and both on Mr Walkman firmware too. But my WM1A is a NPAUDIO one. So, can't compare as I fin a much better definition on WM1A. All is more define, clear.
But using my A55 everytime on car or for a quick walk. Find it very nice to keep a good quality in ears

 

[Excavation]

I haven't yet upgraded my WM1A but compared to the A55 it is still a very worthwhile upgrade in my opinion. The A55 is still very very good and has great value but the WM1A definitely has an edge in sound quality, even sounds pretty good on stock FW.

I generally speaking just like using the WM1 more in general compared to the A55 despite its increased size and weight. Its just so ergonomic. The flat sides and beveled sides make it just sit so comfortably in the hand. The A55 in comparison i was struggling half the time to get a good grip and now have the corner digging into my palm.

 

[baskingshark]

How does the NW-A55 compare to the NW-WM1A with Walkman One? I have the former and I'm considering getting the latter, mostly for the balanced port so I don't have to use it with a separate amp. I'm just wondering if there's any other benefit to upgrading.

I have 2 sets of A55 and 2 sets of WM1A with Mr Walkman mod installed.

Basically, the WM1A modded has better technicalities - imaging, soundstage for example - but there are huge diminishing returns going from the A55 to the WM1A.
Of note, on balanced, WM1A has much better power output - 250 mW versus the single-ended A55's 35 mW.

WM1A has slightly less battery life ~ 20ish hours compared to the 32+ hours I get on the A55.