[gLer]

If it's warm, does that mean it can't be detailed?

Cheers!

Not at all. It's just that warm/smooth/full sound generally isn't the focus of detail monster IEMs like Ragnar that go for maximum detail extraction.

I still don’t quite understand how differently we perceive the Z1R

Z1R is a slight exception in that it's more clarity-focused and definitely isn't warm/thick in the traditional sense (like Nio/N8 or Xe6 for example). But it has an analogue tilt to its tone and some lushness from the bass too.

 

[MatW]

First days with my WM1ZM2 : I'm repeating myself because I've waited so long to get a Sony DAP .
This DAP ( my first Sony DAP in my life ) literally shocked me, in a very positive way.
I'm using it both with my Jewel with Orpheus, and with my Thunder with Pwa First Times.
All through Qobuz . The sound I immediately heard is really incredible, so engaging, natural, musical, rich in details and with that warmth in tube style.
Amazing !
The various DSPs are all superb, adding each of the nuances to an already simply fantastic sound. You would never stop listening to your favourite music
The battery has a much longer life than the DAPs I've had in the past and the DAP also recharges very quickly. Super !
I think I found the DAP with the sound I've been looking for for some time.
And I think I'm now officially a fan of Sony sound . Now I understand why a lot of people love it
Last thing: the WM1ZM2 is simply beautiful !

Can’t wait to hear mine when I get back from traveling! These types of comments are the reason why I decided to get one too. I never heard a Sony player so far. Looking forward to trying it with my Jewel, sounds like a lovely combination. I don’t know anything about the DSPs etc. I guess I’d better read up on this player.

 

[Sajid Amit]

First days with my WM1ZM2 : I'm repeating myself because I've waited so long to get a Sony DAP .
This DAP ( my first Sony DAP in my life ) literally shocked me, in a very positive way.
I'm using it both with my Jewel with Orpheus, and with my Thunder with Pwa First Times.
All through Qobuz . The sound I immediately heard is really incredible, so engaging, natural, musical, rich in details and with that warmth in tube style.
Amazing !
The various DSPs are all superb, adding each of the nuances to an already simply fantastic sound. You would never stop listening to your favourite music
The battery has a much longer life than the DAPs I've had in the past and the DAP also recharges very quickly. Super !
I think I found the DAP with the sound I've been looking for for some time.
And I think I'm now officially a fan of Sony sound . Now I understand why a lot of people love it
Last thing: the WM1ZM2 is simply beautiful !

Absolutely.

To me, nothing comes close to the WM1ZM2. Sometimes, I feel some owners aren't even aware of how good it is, lol.

Yes, it won't drive an Anni or Storm perfectly, but for the widest range of IEMs, it has given me my favorite replay.

With the right bi-amping support (e.g. PB5 / Tsu / MK 475), the WM1ZM2 > DMPZ1

 

[slumberman]

Hello friends!

Anyone thinking for parting with their PWAudio Orpheus Shielding, please hit me up!

 

[PinkyPowers]

Areola Trailer

That's my favorite move!

 

[drftr]

How loud do you listen to music, especially for shorter (1-2 album) sessions?

The cheeky answer: Just loud enough to outdo my tinnitus.

The real, albeit less believable answer: Every album has a certain perfect loudness level to me. When I play it less loud the musical engagement is totally missing and it's like I'm listening to some kind of boring registration. When I play it slightly too loud though I can't stand it as some instruments start to shout at me and I get annoyed, nervous, whatever the right word is. When the loudness level is juuuust right everything seems to fall into place and it simply becomes part of my heartbeat and what I breathe.

I have noticed early in the morning I need to turn the volume ever so slightly higher for this to happen. I'd have thought it would be the opposite as the ears are a bit more "fresh" and sensitive early morning. Perhaps they're still asleep.

But yeah, turn my DAP just one tiny little notch too low or high and the experience is "ruined". Weird...

drftr

 

[pradiptacr7]

low volume listening isn't really telling me anything about the maximum performance of an IEM and other parts of the chain.

I beg to differ, a good AMP, IEM or any part of a chain should produce linear sound irrespective of the volume (I mean at fairly audible). Even if it's a very subjective thing in which volume anyone should listen.

I personally prefer listening to comparatively lower volume levels, say between 70 to 80 dB

 

[Tanalasta]

The cheeky answer: Just loud enough to outdo my tinnitus.

The real, albeit less believable answer: Every album has a certain perfect loudness level to me. When I play it less loud the musical engagement is totally missing and it's like I'm listening to some kind of boring registration. When I play it slightly too loud though I can't stand it as some instruments start shouting to me and I get annoyed, nervous, whatever the right word is. When the loudness level is juuuust right everything seems to fall into place and it simply becomes part of my heartbeat and what I breathe.

I have noticed early in the morning I need to turn the volume ever so slightly higher for this to happen. I'd have thought it would be the opposite as the ears are a bit more "fresh" and sensitive.

But yeah, turn my DAP just one tiny little notch too low or high and the experience is "ruined". Weird...

drftr

Everyone’s hearing is and perception is individual and subjective. Hearing audiometry (de)volves over time.

However, I’m mindful hearing and music is a much loved aspect of my quiet time. And preserving the ability to hear it and hear it well is important to me.

And as an attending physician I’ll politely link below

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=A whisper is about 30,immediate harm to your ears.

 

[rickles]

Has anyone measured the Mason FS Soleil Tombé, ideally on a 5128? Interestingly enough, they sound really different on the Cayin NE30LE than they do on the DX320 Max Ti. Which is fascinating to me.

Also- Does anyone have a direct comparison of the power output between the Cayin NE30LE and the iBasso DX320 Max Ti? I cannot seem to find credible reviews with the same units of measure. Perhaps my Google-fu is weak.

 

[drftr]

I personally prefer listening to comparatively lower volume levels, say between 70 to 80 dB

From eye-balling the table in @Tanalasta's link I don't consider that a low music level to be honest. Unless the table is wrong.

Everyone’s hearing is and perception is individual and subjective. Hearing audiometry (de)voices over time.

However, I’m mindful hearing and music is a much loved aspect of my quiet time. And preserving the ability to hear it and hear it well is important to me.

And as an attending physician I’ll politely link below

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=A whisper is about 30,immediate harm to your ears.

I take it I listen at about 75-80 dB based on the descriptions in the table. To me that is loud. Will try to find some other tables to see if it holds true (as in: whatever you search for on the web, you can find any answer you like).

Tnx for the link!

drftr

 

[rickles]

Has anyone heard the Laiv Harmony DAC? Allegedly a contender in the high-end R2R DAC space occupied by the Holo May and Denafrips Terminator but at a fairly inexpensive cost, and good looking (imho) build.

https://www.laiv.audio/harmony-dac

 

[gLer]

I beg to differ, a good AMP, IEM or any part of a chain should produce linear sound irrespective of the volume (I mean at fairly audible). Even if it's a very subjective thing in which volume anyone should listen.

I personally prefer listening to comparatively lower volume levels, say between 70 to 80 dB

I'll put it another way - I don't find music emotionally engaging until it's a certain volume level. That level is probably 'normal' for me, but given I have some mild hearing loss, likely 'loud' for others. Then again, I generally listen at 75-85dB, which I consider normal to slightly above normal, but by 80dB that's already too loud for most people. Unless you're measuring wrong, 80dB is definitely not low volume, although 70dB is lower than what I'd consider engaging (probably enough for meditation/sleep though).

Everyone’s hearing is and perception is individual and subjective. Hearing audiometry (de)voices over time.

However, I’m mindful hearing and music is a much loved aspect of my quiet time. And preserving the ability to hear it and hear it well is important to me.

And as an attending physician I’ll politely link below

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=A whisper is about 30,immediate harm to your ears.

Based on this chart I listen at 75-85dB which for me is normal/slightly louder than normal. I think most people will find 85dB too loud for them, but I can listen at 85dB all day long without any issues (unless there's too much spiky treble or shouty upper mids in the music/in the IEM).

 

[Rockwell75]

A note to everybody in this thread: Please DO NOT reply to, address, or post about PixelSquish here as he is no longer able to post in this thread. Doing so would be very rude - as he cannot respond - and I will summarily delete any such posts. Thanks!

 

[PinkyPowers]

Listening to the Drive (2017) soundtrack on the Jewel. God, I'll never get tired of this album.

 

[Simpeler]

Has anyone heard the Laiv Harmony DAC? Allegedly a contender in the high-end R2R DAC space occupied by the Holo May and Denafrips Terminator but at a fairly inexpensive cost, and good looking (imho) build.

https://www.laiv.audio/harmony-dac

Youtube is flooding with reviews, so they play the marketing game right