Donny Donster
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2015
- Posts
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- 15
It would be very interesting if you were to compare the quality of your XZ Premium to your Walkman A26 WITHOUT DSEE HX (DHX) or Clear Audio+ (CA+) being in the mix. If you were ever to do that, I would love to read about it and see if the exclusion of them both did anything to make the XZP sound better (or worse) vs. the Walkman A26, but that's up to you.
Actually I just did just that while at work while wearing my Phillips SHP9500 headphones (I always leave my equalizer on neutral). I used two songs, "長い夢" by monochrome-coat as my MP3 file and "Seven Songs for Seventh Saga: II. Water" by Sebastian Freij as my FLAC file. Here's what I got:
- Walkman A26 (No DHX and CA+) vs XZP (No DHX, CA+, and no automatic optimization) = Walkman wins
- Note: If I leave automatic optimization off, the Walkman will always win.
- Walkman A26 (No DHX and CA+) vs XZP (No DHX, CA+, and automatic optimization on) = XZP wins
- Walkman A26 (With either DHX or CA+ on) vs XZP (With either DHX or CA+ on and automatic optimization on) = XZP wins
- Note: With automatic optimization on, the XZP will always win; unless the walkman has both DHX and CA+ on.
- Walkman A26 (With both on) vs (With either DHX or CA+ on and automatic optimization on) = Walkman wins
Overall, I still think the Walkman is better at music. It makes sense, the smartphone is like the jack of all trades; master of none, whereas the Walkman is a one trick pony. Personally, I think you shouldn't get the XZP and go straight for that new one you said.
Just keep in mind that I'm no audiophile; I just like good headphones/mp3 players/eargasms and everyone has different opinions on sound.
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