[Nostoi]

A cassette walkman… LOL outdated as a

I was born in the year of our Lord 1934, so this is new technology for me.

 

[gerelmx1986]

I was born in the year of our Lord 1934, so this is new technology for me.

I had a cassette walkman for two uears before my father gave me CDs and a discman.

For me new tech was the MP3 player

 

[Nostoi]

The Sony glory days are right now, in this very moment.

"ZMF VC via the Cayin C9"

You see. You like the Sound of the Cayin C9 which doesn't sound even remotely close to the WM1Z. Its a completely different sound signature and it is a completely different technology too. Its Tube vs Digital Amps, they could not be any more different/distant from each other. I personally don't consider ZMF Headphones to be good either but that is, again, a matter of taste. My personal taste and not a fact or general statement. I do understand why people like them and that's fine, why not.

But i prefer the sound of the MDR-Z1R, the reason why i bought it and own it. For what i am looking for in sound, after testing several headphones from almost all brands, the MDR-Z1R is, to me and my taste, the best. And the WM1Z pushes (beside the TA-ZH1ES which is not portable, so different story) the most out of the MDR-Z1R of what i like about it.

I know some other people who also use the USB Out or the 4,4mm to connact portable tube amps to "refine" the sound or to change it to their liking and thats absolutely fine.

But i personally would say, if someone doesn't like the Sound straight out of the WM1Z, there is no real reason to buy it.

I don't have a preference for one giving tuning. I like warm, cold, analytical, smooth, linear, bloated, thin, thicc (sic) etc. Depends on my mood and what I've had for lunch. Nor do I have any loyalty to any given brand.

Cayin C9 is rather transparent, FYI.

 

[Nostoi]

I had a cassette walkman for two uears before my father gave me CDs and a discman.

For me new tech was the MP3 player

I still have the gramophone my own father gave me from the 1930s. This is a photo of me from last week listening to Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls."

 

[psikey]

However you look at it, the limited output renders the player very restricted. I had the WM1A/Z, and frankly they paired horrendously with most headphones except especially easy ones. Even the Sony headphones sounded bad with the Sony DAPs.

250mw is only for hardcore Sony lovers. But for the rest of us, it's a bit of a joke especially given recent releases from FiiO (3w in the M17) plus impending releases from Cayin.

Or, you only use sensitive IEM's like me! So long as at drives my K10U and SE846 its fine for me. Not happy with EU volume cap yet again so would have to look at importing. Not being bit-perfect is no deal breaker in its 192 mode for streaming.

 

[purk]

IMHO there is nothing wrong with a 250mW output for a high end DAP. The earphone IS the problem, NOT the DAP. If that earphone have problem to perform reasonably well at 250mW input, the chance is you are unlikely to enjoy its full potential while maintaining portability with other sources anyway.

Sorry but I dont buy the idea of "other chinese high end DAP is a 1000mW powerhouse" argument, you are not going to get >15 hours (at most 10 hours, if barely) from those bricks (they usually weight nearly a pound already), adding up an external power brick isnt doing any favor on their portability, if you want those hefty setups, I guess Sony is just not for you, I afraid.

I don’t know but if I spend that kind of money, it better drive my HD800 as well. I am a big Sony fanboy but I was secretly hoping that the new Walkman would come with a new and more powerful version of the S-Master with about 500 mW/channel at 16 ohms minimum. Owning a modded 1A/1Z already, I am a bit disappointed with what they have advanced in the last 5 years. Sure I will buy the 1AM2, but definitely not the 1ZM2. I wish they have kept the footprint the same.

 

[psikey]

I still have the gramophone my own father gave me from the 1930s. This is a photo of me from last week listening to Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls."

Lovely chair

 

[kumar402]

I don’t know but if I spend that kind of money, it better drive my HD800 as well. I am a big Sony fanboy but I was secretly hoping that the new Walkman would come with a new and more powerful version of the S-Master with about 500 mW/channel at 16 ohms minimum. Owning a modded 1A/1Z already, I am a bit disappointed with what they have advanced in the last 5 years. Sure I will buy the 1AM2, but definitely not the 1ZM2. I wish they have kept the footprint the same.

Not sure how much power 1Z has for 300ohm but 800 doesn't need that much power anyways. I can't even go beyond 8or 9’ on dial with 800s out of my desktop amp. All we need is low noise floor and smooth sound signature out of amp for 800 to shine.

 

[Nostoi]

Lovely chair

Thank you.

It also contains a 12 inch subwoofer.

 

[denis1976]

I don't get why this comes up again and again, even if several people disproved it as wrong so many times.

That is totally unrelated to its output power. If you don't like the Sony sound, you don't like the Sony sound. Its a matter of taste but its unrelated to output power.

If you prefer other devices which sound very different from the Sony Sound (but also happen to have higher output power), they sound different because they sound different, not because they have higher output power.

Take the M17 vs WM1Z as an example. 3000mW @ 32Ω vs. 125mW @ 32Ω
M17: Boring, flat, lifeless. Makes acoustic life recordings sound like Monitor Recordings.
WM1Z: Exciting, unique and fun sound that makes acoustic sound like you're actually there in the concert hall

The M17 does have 24 times the power and sounds extremely boring, especially when paired with the MDR-Z1R. The MDR-Z1R+M17 is not a good combo. The M17 completely fails to make the Z1R shine. The HD800S or HD820 are much better matches for the M17 than the Z1R. I would not get this headphone owning that DAP.

You see? With 1/24 of the power you can make the Headphone sound better.... if you like the sound. Some people don't like the Sony sound and that is absolutely okay. Its a matter of taste and not everyone is into this exciting/life like sound. I personally don't understand why, maybe some people just hate how instruments sound in real life, but thats a different topic. It is no use to discuss about taste.

But, and that is the important thing here, this is totally unrelated to output power. The WM1Z would not sound any different with 2500mW.

M11 Plus LTD --> 588mW
M17 --> 3000mW

They sound almost the same. In a blind test, its pretty much impossible to pick them apart.

You see, your issue isn't power, your issue is that you don't like its sound (no matter the power).

M17 boring and 250mw Sony concert all, you must be joking, but I understand, sony is joking with us too, creating such expectations and them meeeehhhh, but don't let this frustrating feeling turn to unfair thoughts about other great really great devices, I had the 1z for 3 times so I know what I am talking about

 

[gerelmx1986]

I don’t know but if I spend that kind of money, it better drive my HD800 as well. I am a big Sony fanboy but I was secretly hoping that the new Walkman would come with a new and more powerful version of the S-Master with about 500 mW/channel at 16 ohms minimum. Owning a modded 1A/1Z already, I am a bit disappointed with what they have advanced in the last 5 years. Sure I will buy the 1AM2, but definitely not the 1ZM2. I wish they have kept the footprint the same.

Yep specially SE at 60mW is dissapointing considering DMP-Z1 can do almost 10 times that at 570mW

 

[purk]

Not sure how much power 1Z has for 300ohm but 800 doesn't need that much power anyways. I can't even go beyond 8or 9’ on dial with 800s out of my desktop amp. All we need is low noise floor and smooth sound signature out of amp for 800 to shine.

Yes, it has enough power to drive it okay but not optimally. I own the 1A and 1Z and HD800. I have been super impressed with my Ibasso DX300MAX Ti and DX300MAX SS tuning and it’s ability to drive full size headphones. The Max Ti is able to drive my HD800S almost as good as Headamp GSX mini. The new WM1A/Z M2 are not that much smaller than my 3Max so it is likely a semi-portable device anyway given the weight of the 1Z M2. I am sure Sony will sell many but I was really hoping for more driving power with that special Sony sound tuning.

 

[chinaman8]

Boycott sony, they know we want power. They didn't improve at all

 

[gerelmx1986]

Yes, it has enough power to drive it okay but not optimally. I own the 1A and 1Z and HD800. I have been super impressed with my Ibasso DX300MAX Ti and DX300MAX SS tuning and it’s ability to drive full size headphones. The Max Ti is able to drive my HD800S almost as good as Headamp GSX mini. The new WM1A/Z M2 are not that much smaller than my 3Max so it is likely a semi-portable device. I am sure Sony will sell many but I was really hoping for more driving power with that special Sony sound tuning.

And the DMP-Z1 drives them well?

 

[purk]

And the DMP-Z1 drives them well?

Awesomely well!