Sony Walkman custom firmware (non-Android)

[MrWalkman]

My A55 with R fw and the qJays V2 are a very, very competent rig

I'll be curious what you think about the future update of the A55 firmware

It should arrive this week, same as for the ZX300.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, like @Redcarmoose was saying, the DMP-WM1 MK2 really improved his experience with some cheaper IEMs.

Yeah, the IEM/headphone is also important, but the source that drives them may be even more important.

When it comes down to it of course all elements combined make the end sound. And for us enthusiasts, we are just as amazed (always) at improvements no matter where they are from; especially from firmware.

At times random mid-fi IEMs make a SUPER MrWalkman Firmware jump. The jump was due to the firmware adding the detail and spaciousness only found at TOTL levels.

In a way these firmware updates are like getting new IEMs.

Still......
While there are probably no perfect IEMs....I still think the more expensive IEMs are better. YouTube has folks making a living pushing $40-$400 IEMs as the next big thing. The pages of Head-Fi get filled with happy people who have found budget thrills on the cheap. And while I am the first person to report on mid-fi happiness, real TOTL IEMs seem to always be slightly better. Though it’s also a little genre dependent. To me it’s simply easier to make electronic music great than to replicate recordings or real live instruments or vocals? I just wish for old-days......2014 prices again on TOTL IEMs.

I have always thought IEMs should max out at $999. It’s crazy how prices are. Though at the same time people are in agreement that mid-fi has improved dramatically. So in a way we are getting TOTL for middle price, it’s just that the top has moved to even another place both in quality and prices asked. IMO

 

[seanwee]

I downloaded the original DMP-A40 not the reloaded tuning. Not sure what the tuning is but, I always eq the 2K-8K below 0db because these entry portable players always have some sibilance in those frequencies which are always sound harsh and unpleasant to listen to especially on vocals for me. I also raise the 125K-500K up a bit but I always keep the eq below 0db and active the Dynamic Normalization. The reason is if you use all the dsp (or some) along with eq up to 0db there's no headroom and there's a lot of digital clipping!

IMHO its ok to listen at 100-105ish when the levels are lower to avoid distortions and harsh treble in the high frequency.

Here's what it's at right now but it changes slightly depending on the music genre and track!

I'm pretty sure you're just eqing the sound of your iems to your liking. Nothing wrong with the player.

Yeah, I was able to afford the ones in my signature at some point, but right now I'm not actually - bad times

I recommend the Shure SE215, which can be even cheaper than $150, and they sound awesome for their price!

Chi-fi has far surpassed the SE215 at a lower price for years now though. I suggest asking in this thread https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bes...and-impressions-sharing-reference-list.805930

 

[nc8000]

I'll be curious what you think about the future update of the A55 firmware

It should arrive this week, same as for the ZX300.

My best pairing with the A55 and R is my 10 years old JH13 customs. This combo is so good that I’m almost not missing my 1Z

 

[seanwee]

When it comes down to it of course all elements combined make the end sound. And for us enthusiasts, we are just as amazed (always) at improvements no matter where they are from; especially from firmware.

At times random mid-fi IEMs make a SUPER MrWalkman Firmware jump. The jump was due to the firmware adding the detail and spaciousness only found at TOTL levels.

In a way these firmware updates are like getting new IEMs.

Still......
While there are probably no perfect IEMs....I still think the more expensive IEMs are better. YouTube has folks making a living pushing $40-$400 IEMs as the next big thing. The pages of Head-Fi get filled with happy people who have found budget thrills on the cheap. And while I am the first person to report on mid-fi happiness, real TOTL IEMs seem to always be slightly better. Though it’s also a little genre dependent. To me it’s simply easier to make electronic music great than to replicate recordings or real live instruments or vocals? I just wish for 2014 prices..........again, when TOTL IEMs didn’t cost what a used car cost.

I have always thought IEMs should max out at $999. It’s crazy how prices are. Though at the same time people are in agreement that mid-fi has improved dramatically. So in a way we are getting TOTL for middle price, it’s just that the top has moved to even another place both in quality and prices asked. IMO

Well, while the best TOTL iems are exceptional, there are TOTL price tier iems that sound worse than a good pair of budget iems as well. Granted I'm lucky to have heard a lot of iems and what going TOTL has to offer, none have really been that much better for me to warrant spending extra. The most expensive iem I own is the IER-M9 and I only got it because it was going for less than 500 bucks.

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

I have always thought IEMs should max out at $999. It’s crazy how prices are. Though at the same time people are in agreement that mid-fi has improved dramatically.

Yep, especially when the hardware cost relatively cheap and yet the profit motive is like 1,000% more than cost production. But to be fair a ton of their cost comes from R&D and advertising...

I'm pretty sure you're just eqing the sound of your iems to your liking. Nothing wrong with the player.

Absolutely! But I’ve never stated somethings “wrong” with the player.

it’s all about finding the right rig for yourself.

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

Chi-fi has far surpassed the SE215 at a lower price for years now though. I suggest asking in this thread

Chi-fi is promising and upcoming. No doubt!

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, while the best TOTL iems are exceptional, there are TOTL price tier iems that sound worse than a good pair of budget iems as well. Granted I'm lucky to have heard a lot of iems and what going TOTL has to offer, none have really been that much better for me to warrant spending extra. The most expensive iem I own is the IER-M9 and I only got it because it was going for less than 500 bucks.

You got the M9 for 1/2 price.....or less!

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

For those who are fortunate to have both DMP-A40/A50.

What are your thoughts???

I find that the DMP-A40 has a much more pleasant sound and is more intimate while the DMP-A50 had a nicer wider soundstage with slightly more details.

 

[nc8000]

For those who are fortunate to have both DMP-A40/A50.

What are your thoughts???

I find that the DMP-A40 has a much more pleasant sound and is more intimate while the DMP-A50 had a nicer wider soundstage with slightly more details.

I no longer have the A40 so can’t comment on sound differences. One major difference though is that the A55 can handle more tracks than the A45. The A45 gave up around 36-38.000 tracks while the A55 has no problem handling my near 50.000 tracks. Don’t know though if this has to do with changes from the modded fw or is model/hw dependend

 

[gerelmx1986]

Dmp 40 has this spaced soundstage that i love from the wm1a, i just keep going back for this player cause its so practical and the sound never disappoints, i think ill leave my wm1a home for today, funny that the bass imo had an improvement in detail, though I’m playing with a home made filter for my zeniths and it might have something to do with it... i feel instrument separation (mainly voices in baroness yellow and green) way better, all the choruses feel like they are in front me singing and i can differentiate all of em

And your XBA-Z5?

 

[Pelayo]

I'm very pleased with the a30 mod. I've just listen to the Eurythmics "Greatest Hits" on my modest Grado SR60e and it's like listening their songs for the first time. Sounds like It was made yesterday, the drums and the synths hit hard. Amazing!

 

[AlexCBSN]

You got the M9 for 1/2 price.....or less!

Less than half, such luck

 

[seanwee]

You got the M9 for 1/2 price.....or less!

Yeah I got it from a friend in pretty good condition. No box tho.

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

The Prisoner’s Dilemma (Not really)

To buy the NW-ZX507 or To wait to buy the WM1A predecessor??

Also, received my Thieaudio Voyager 3 iems and they sound good pre burn.