[Szadzik]

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Why? Have you ever compared a Sony A729 with a newer EU capped Sony DAP? Have you?
 
I bet if you were to try out an older Pre-EU capped Sony DAP like the A729/A829 you will find that the sound is alot more richer and fuller than the newer EU capped Sony DAPs.

 
I did have A818 back in the day. The richer and fuller sound you ar talking about is sound signature. X series had richer and fuller sound even though it was 'capped'. A867 has a completely different sound signature and that has nothing to do with the cap.

 

[Artmuzz]

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I did have A818 back in the day. The richer and fuller sound you ar talking about is sound signature. X series had richer and fuller sound even though it was 'capped'. A867 has a completely different sound signature and that has nothing to do with the cap.

I own a Sony X1060 and the SQ is just as good as (if not better) than the A700/800 series. My three favourite Sony DAPs I own are the Sony A729, S639 and X1060.
 
Anyway, if you are saying the cap has nothing to do with the SQ of the A860 series then why are other people on this forum claiming that the SQ on the EU capped models are brighter sounding than the SQ on the Asian/US models which have fuller sound and better bass?

 

[OK-Guy]

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I own a Sony X1060 and the SQ is just as good as (if not better) than the A700/800 series. My three favourite Sony DAPs I own are the Sony A729, S639 and X1060.
 
Anyway, if you are saying the cap has nothing to do with the SQ of the A860 series then why are other people on this forum claiming that the SQ on the EU capped models are brighter sounding than the SQ on the Asian/US models which have fuller sound and better bass?

I loved my A639 only ever used it with the stock buds (pre head-fi days)... I bought the A865 at Xmas it was on its way back to Amazon before the New Year, I was real disappointed with it.
 
I then discovered head-fi and read about the WM-Z... then bought one

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

I own a Sony X1060 and the SQ is just as good as (if not better) than the A700/800 series. My three favourite Sony DAPs I own are the Sony A729, S639 and X1060.
 
Anyway, if you are saying the cap has nothing to do with the SQ of the A860 series then why are other people on this forum claiming that the SQ on the EU capped models are brighter sounding than the SQ on the Asian/US models which have fuller sound and better bass?

 
Because A860 was designed to sound brighter than previous walkmans. Volume matching, accompanying gear used, too many variables. I am sure though, that cap does not make SQ different.

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

 
Because A860 was designed to sound brighter than previous walkmans. Volume matching, accompanying gear used, too many variables. I am sure though, that cap does not make SQ different.

according to others on the WM-Z thread it appears it does.

 

[Szadzik]

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according to others on the WM-Z thread it appears it does.

 
Urban Legends.

 

[elfary]

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I am convinced that the EU volume capping not only reduces the volume but also the SQ as well. My old Sony A729 (which came out before the EU volume capping law) sounds more fuller and richer with better bass and soundstage than my new EU capped A845 and A865. On my old A729 I can comfortably listen to music at 10 on the volume where on the newer EU Sony DAPs (A845 and A865) I have to listen to music between 18 and 25 and the newer EU Sony DAPs lack bass and warmth.

That is compliant with my idea that Sony caps UE by raising the output impedance which ruins the quality of the signal frequency response. It would be better if they'd cap devices via firmware.
 
On the main Sony Z thread i've posted data that attest tha European Z's have a crippled headphone out due to high output impedance.

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

That is compliant with my idea that Sony caps UE by raising the output impedance which ruins the quality of the signal frequency response. It would be better if they'd cap devices via firmware.

 
Another piece of unconfirmed speculation that 90% of readers will take as a fact.

 

[OK-Guy]

Quote:

 
Another piece of unconfirmed speculation that 90% of readers will take as a fact.

 
it's his 'idea'... he fails to provide any form of links to 'official data'
 
ps.... another Apple fan-boy by the looks out to troll

 

[Dyaems]

i tried comparing a Z1060 and an A865 a few months ago using their respective headphone out and paired those with a  Sony MDR CD900ST and Sony MDR EX800ST, i find that the Z1060 sounds bigger and livelier compared to A865. this is both set to flat and all enhancements set to OFF. to make the A865 on par with the bass of the Z1060, I still need to enable the "Clear Bass" enhancement of the A865. Treble of the Z1060 gives better separation possibly because of its soundstage and gives more sparkle as well.
 
maybe the Z1060 sounds "colored" than the A1060, and i still find that the A865 sound "boring"-- it always remembers me of a cowon J3 set everything to OFF with EQ set to normal. I didn't compared both with an amp since it adds another "color" to the chain and I didn't bring an amp that time.

 

[Jeremypsp]

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i tried comparing a Z1060 and an A865 a few months ago using their respective headphone out and paired those with a  Sony MDR CD900ST and Sony MDR EX800ST, i find that the Z1060 sounds bigger and livelier compared to A865. this is both set to flat and all enhancements set to OFF. to make the A865 on par with the bass of the Z1060, I still need to enable the "Clear Bass" enhancement of the A865. Treble of the Z1060 gives better separation possibly because of its soundstage and gives more sparkle as well.
 
maybe the Z1060 sounds "colored" than the A1060, and i still find that the A865 sound "boring"-- it always remembers me of a cowon J3 set everything to OFF with EQ set to normal. I didn't compared both with an amp since it adds another "color" to the chain and I didn't bring an amp that time.

 
Do you know what country version of the A and Z you have?

 

[tds101]

Louder volume is perceived as having better sq and sound stage. it's placebo, as my S639 (USA no volume cap) sounds just as good as the EU volume capped A867 I sold to my bro. The only difference is about 5 clicks of the volume switch. The Z Walkman I tried at the mall is the same, no difference in sq. It's placebo.

 

[Jeremypsp]

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Louder volume is perceived as having better sq and sound stage. it's placebo, as my S639 (USA no volume cap) sounds just as good as the EU volume capped A867 I sold to my bro. The only difference is about 5 clicks of the volume switch. The Z Walkman I tried at the mall is the same, no difference in sq. It's placebo.

 
 
Yes, but it is worth noticing that some felt that the Z sounded cold and bright and even found something like a galaxy note sounding better, which is because it is warmer. Whereas there are many with the non capped ver. who found it far from cold.

 

[Achmedisdead]

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Louder volume is perceived as having better sq and sound stage. it's placebo, as my S639 (USA no volume cap) sounds just as good as the EU volume capped A867 I sold to my bro. The only difference is about 5 clicks of the volume switch. The Z Walkman I tried at the mall is the same, no difference in sq. It's placebo.

Placebo in the audio world.....who woulda thunk it? 

 

[Dyaems]

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Do you know what country version of the A and Z you have?

pretty sure the Z is from US (bought from sonystyle) and the A is from japan.
 
i also need to mention that both daps i compared were matched to my listening volume more or less 90-95% difference