[psikey]

Unfortunately some of us have a more limited budget for toys like DAP's. If I don't want to overspend on the A105 that may not have enough power I sure as heck won't for the even more over priced (4 to 5x more) for the ZX507 for more power and same features. Quite frankly the M9 has more power than the ZX507 SE and I don't want to have to buy new balanced headphones to get enough power out of it. Thankfully I have self control and use common sense when buying gear. The M9 was a Black Friday deal, and I wouldn't pass that great deal up to maybe be able to demo a possibly inadequate A105 at some unknown point in the future. Pretty sad that a huge company like Sony can't seem to sell or market their DAP's here as well as a tiny company like Fiio does. Fiio has like 40 dealers in Canada and I can barely find one or two that carry Sony DAP's and they don't carry the A series. If Sony DAP's are so much better why don't they sell more of them here?

Why are you in here if your happy with the M9? You've made your decision, enjoy it.

Ref your: "Thankfully I have self control and use common sense when buying gear" << Again, the rude, condescending tone ?

I started with sub £50 Klipsch S4i 10 years ago and even though I can afford it I have no interest in +£1,000 DAP's or headphones. We all have our limits, not always based on what we can afford.

Who has more sense & self control? The person who buys a nice piece of kit once every couple of year or the person who uses drugs, fags, alcohol each week and/or spends silly money on cloths because they have some label on them? I do none of these.

I know people at work on below average wages but spent over £2K just on tattoos for their arm on credit !! Another had a Boob job at 21 costing over £4K !!

As a final comment, if you heard a pair of KEF LSX speakers* you'd save the £1K and buy them (or £2K for KEF LS50W if needed more power)

Oh, and my Shure SE846's are 2nd & 3rd hand at under 50% retail. (US > Sweden > Me in UK for one set)

* In the correct room for them.

 

[abitdeef]

I'm in the same boat, I can afford flagship daps but just can't bring myself to cough up that much money for a dap. I do like to try new daps though, and honestly I wasn't expecting much out of the A105 since I had the A45 and it was really nice sounding but lacked in a couple of areas.

I like smaller daps myself, probably from the tiny transistor radios I used to have - I had one that fit in the ear, well behind it. Anyways the A105 really surprised me with it's sound, so I'm glad I tried it out.

I no longer abuse chemicals and alcohol like I used too. I'm clean and a teetotaler so this is one of my vices besides soft drinks I'm also trying out the hiby R3 pro just for the fun of it. But I love the A105. I do.

 

[psikey]

I'm in the same boat, I can afford flagship daps but just can't bring myself to cough up that much money for a dap. I do like to try new daps though, and honestly I wasn't expecting much out of the A105 since I had the A45 and it was really nice sounding but lacked in a couple of areas.

I like smaller daps myself, probably from the tiny transistor radios I used to have - I had one that fit in the ear, well behind it. Anyways the A105 really surprised me with it's sound, so I'm glad I tried it out.

I no longer abuse chemicals and alcohol like I used too. I'm clean and a teetotaler so this is one of my vices besides soft drinks I'm also trying out the hiby R3 pro just for the fun of it. But I love the A105. I do.

Not forgetting I nearly always sell my old kit to buy new. I'm not a hoarder! I have one phone, one DAP, two set IEM's, one SET headphones (Audeze Mobius).
I also take advantage of Amazon to try stuff & return.

* I do still have my old set of Klipsch X10i. No one really wants them! S10+ is work phone

 

[abitdeef]

Not forgetting I always sell my old kit to buy new. I'm not a hoarder! I have one phone, one DAP, two set IEM's, one SET headphones (Audeze Mobius).
I also take advantage of Amazon to try stuff & return.

* I do still have my old set of Klipsch X10i. No one really wants them! S10+ is work phone

Haha I still have an ipod 5th gen somewhere and a 2nd generation nano, and a couple of old cowons. I hope that doesn't make me a hoarder Oh, and an old walkman that still works.

 

[psikey]

Haha I still have an ipod 5th gen somewhere and a 2nd generation nano, and a couple of old cowons. I hope that doesn't make me a hoarder Oh, and an old walkman that still works.

If my old kit not sellable it normally ends up with my lad, wife or a friend.

 

[abitdeef]

If my old kit not sellable it normally ands up with my lad, wife or a friend.

I think my son has my ipod actually, 'retro' stuff you know

 

[djselbeck]

I had a look into the kernel source code provided by Sony. The good thing is, it looks like it contains the complete source code for the CXD3778GF s-master chip. So in theory modifications might be possible. It exposes several gain values to set and volume knobs internally. The interessting thing now would be, if the bootloader is unlockable. The source code of the bootloader itself is also opensource, it uses u-boot. However, I did not receive my nw-a105 yet, so I can not poke into it deeper.

If the bootloader is unlockable, I am very certain, that volume limitations of EU models can be removed.

 

[asquare3376]

I had a look into the kernel source code provided by Sony. The good thing is, it looks like it contains the complete source code for the CXD3778GF s-master chip. So in theory modifications might be possible. It exposes several gain values to set and volume knobs internally. The interessting thing now would be, if the bootloader is unlockable. The source code of the bootloader itself is also opensource, it uses u-boot. However, I did not receive my nw-a105 yet, so I can not poke into it deeper.

If the bootloader is unlockable, I am very certain, that volume limitations of EU models can be removed.

Awesome, look forward to hear more from you ...

 

[linxeye]

I had a look into the kernel source code provided by Sony. The good thing is, it looks like it contains the complete source code for the CXD3778GF s-master chip. So in theory modifications might be possible. It exposes several gain values to set and volume knobs internally. The interessting thing now would be, if the bootloader is unlockable. The source code of the bootloader itself is also opensource, it uses u-boot. However, I did not receive my nw-a105 yet, so I can not poke into it deeper.

If the bootloader is unlockable, I am very certain, that volume limitations of EU models can be removed.

Sounds like great stuff ! If I can help, let me know

 

[djselbeck]

If anyone is interessted, the DAP uses the following components internally (derived from the kernel device tree, so no guarantee that they are correct)

• Ti bq25898 charge controller http://www.ti.com/product/BQ25898
• Bosch BMA422 sensor https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bma422
• Maxim mx1704x battery gauge https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/datasheet/index.mvp/id/6546
• NXP PN7150 NFC https://www.nxp.com/products/rfid-n...-integrated-firmware-for-smart-devices:PN7150
• Himax hx83102d panel controller
• Rohm bd71837 PMIC https://www.rohm.com/products/power...sumer-applications/nxp-imx/bd71815agw-product
  
• NXP microcontroller https://www.nxp.com/part/MKL17Z32VDA4
• Lattice LIF-MD6000 FPGA https://www.mouser.de/ProductDetail/Lattice/LIF-MD6000-6MG81I
• Micron mt25qu256aba Flash

The next step to test would be to get into fastboot mode. Usually it is done by plugging the device of and pressing either vol+ or vol- and plug in USB. But since this device has more physical buttons a different button combination might be required.

 

[psikey]

If anyone is interessted, the DAP uses the following components internally (derived from the kernel device tree, so no guarantee that they are correct)

• Ti bq25898 charge controller http://www.ti.com/product/BQ25898
• Bosch BMA422 sensor https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bma422
• Maxim mx1704x battery gauge https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/datasheet/index.mvp/id/6546
• NXP PN7150 NFC https://www.nxp.com/products/rfid-n...-integrated-firmware-for-smart-devices:PN7150
• Himax hx83102d panel controller
• NXP microcontroller https://www.nxp.com/part/MKL17Z32VDA4
• Lattice LIF-MD6000 FPGA https://www.mouser.de/ProductDetail/Lattice/LIF-MD6000-6MG81I
• Micron mt25qu256aba Flash

The next step to test would be to get into fastboot mode. Usually it is done by plugging the device of and pressing either vol+ or vol- and plug in USB. But since this device has more physical buttons a different button combination might be required.

I bow to your knowledge. Just wow.

 

[djselbeck]

From reading the u-boot source code the following keys are defined as magic keys

• Vol- : Recovery
• FF (Fast forward): fastboot

if anyone wants to try.

Also looks, like the key needs to be released before having it pressed for 8 seconds after the button detection starts

 

[linxeye]

From reading the u-boot source code the following keys are defined as magic keys

• Vol- : Recovery
• FF (Fast forward): fastboot

if anyone wants to try.

Also looks, like the key needs to be released before having it pressed for 8 seconds after the button detection starts

How would you test ? Pressing fast forward when device is off/on and plugging USB ? What should happen ?

 

[djselbeck]

Recovery should be a graphic interface. Fastboot might be usb only.

 

[davidcotton]

Great design, size, weight but absolute most important aspect of any DAP... The Sound Quality. I've had plenty of the Chinese DAP's and they are great value for money but just don't have the "Goose Bumps" raising audio signature/quality of the Sony. Obviously has to be coupled with great IEM's/Headphones too.

If I needed the power to drive headphones I'd have gone ZX507.

I have to have a DAP that supports streamed & offline Tidal or Amazon HD too.

I hit my sweet spot vs cost for IEM's/Headphones two years ago and now just stick with Shure SE846's
I hit my sweet spot vs cost for home speaker system this year with my KEF LSX & Kube 8b
I've now hit my sweet spot vs cost for portable audio DAP without having to go £750 for the ZX507.

Might as well cancel my Head-fi membership now Certainly save me some cash & temptation !

Or just head over to the music section and stay there