[silverfishla]

   
There was a period of time of about a month or so when the walnut factory switched to soldered SOIC8 opamp (OPA2604), but recently they have switched back to socketed DIP8 opamp due to feedback.
 
As has been mentioned there has been a few changes in the pcb, the extra usb port simply allows to load songs directly to the walnuts sd card, the new jacks are less secure and more prone to stress failure, but they are otherwise better quality jacks, gold plated with better contact prong design, the through hole rectifier diode has been removed and replaced with a smd voltage regulation. No significant changes really. I hear Nick says the pcb is wider, that''s good to hear, the old walnuts pcb wouldn't properly fit in the rails and would be lopsided in the case half the time.

I was wondering how you know all this stuff?  I was wondering if there was a store that you know of for sure that has the absolute newest version of the Walnut, because if my Walnut that is coming in the mail is an older version, I would like to buy a newest one too.  Is there a store that you know will ship the latest version?

 

[flamesofarctica]

Thanks!  I was wondering what size card to order for my Walnut, which should be arriving before too long.

I use fat32format from Ridgecrop (free, others have used this also, doesn't seem dodgy) and am using 64gb cards but you can format bigger I think. This gives room for about 100 albums WAV format, about my limit before it gets silly to skip through

 

[DBaldock9]

I use fat32format from Ridgecrop (free, others have used this also, doesn't seem dodgy) and am using 64gb cards but you can format bigger I think. This gives room for about 100 albums WAV format, about my limit before it gets silly to skip through

Thanks!  If I can figure out the settings in JRiver MC22, I'm planning to convert the FLAC files I've already got from ripping individual CDs, into single WAV files - so I should be able to skip Fwd/Back album by album on the Walnut.

 

[flamesofarctica]

Thanks!  If I can figure out the settings in JRiver MC22, I'm planning to convert the FLAC files I've already got from ripping individual CDs, into single WAV files - so I should be able to skip Fwd/Back album by album on the Walnut.

Yep, whole album WAVs is the best option, still 100 is a fair few presses. Everything sounds good though, which reduces the skip factor!

 

[DBaldock9]

Yep, whole album WAVs is the best option, still 100 is a fair few presses. Everything sounds good though, which reduces the skip factor!

 
My plans are to create groups of WAV files that are basically my Playlists of Genres - so they will be in the order that I normally listen to them, anyway.  I don't foresee having to skip around too much.
 
I've just looked back at the first few posts, and don't see the Amp power rating listed.
How much output power does the stock Walnut v2 have?

 

[waynes world]

I use fat32format from Ridgecrop (free, others have used this also, doesn't seem dodgy) and am using 64gb cards but you can format bigger I think. This gives room for about 100 albums WAV format, about my limit before it gets silly to skip through

 
Same, same, same and same! I also have a note (accessible on my phone) of the card's directory structure so that I can skip around faster. What we'll do to accommodate the mighty walnut lol!

 

[nick n]

  nick n, please see marking of R7 and R8 in your newest Walnut. I'm not sure but it seems there is 120 Ohms. This is a fragment of a photo of the renewed Walnut from taobao. Also R18 200kOhms not 240.

R7 = 121
R8 = 121
Yes 121 not 120 here
 
R18 seems mounted with the value on the board side so I will need to see if they are doing that on purpose or just randomly.
Will open another.
 
yeah seems the same one on the second one I checked , R18  was mounted so only white backside shows.
 
So until I unsolder and look no luck. Will see if i can remember to do so when I swap opamps
 
 
Ridgecrop is the best , used it so much over the years I donated.
Have formatted up to 2tb FAT in one block for a couple backup HDD's

 

[heraleks]

R7 = 121
R8 = 121
Yes 121 not 120 here

Thanks. 121 it's 12*10^1 = 120 Ohms, 1200 it's 120*10^0 = 120 Ohms too)
In the intermediate version with the serial number, but still with the dip8 opamp, these resistors are 47 Ohms lol
http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=183568&p=2163386&viewfull=1#post2163386

 

[Byfrost]

Well I just purchased my second Walnut V2 player from CKLewis. I got the new version with no hold switch. Purchase was made on 30 March 2017.

Pictures for comparison.

Left - First generation with socket NE5532 opamp
Right - Recent version. Somehow the printing / engraving isn't so clear and sharp. Looks faded.

Top - New version with data port.
Bottom - Older version with Hold switch

Left - Older nut
Right - New nut with the supposedly not as strong 3.5mm jack.

I can confirm that you are able to write data directly onto the MicroSD card. It is however, writing painfully slow at roughly 400KB to 600KB per second (Yes, it's not even 1MB per sec write speed). I am using a Class 10 Sandisk 32GB MicroSD card.

Just got back from work and I did a brief listening test. I got to say I kinda liked the newer version more with the OPA2604 opamp. This is just a brief listening test to see if my new set is working. I will do a proper listening test once I have the time.

 

[Byfrost]

Ok I did a quick listen and here are my findings:

Test song - It's over - Fight or Flight.
Test earbud - VE Monk Plus

Fight or Flight - A Life by Design? is my personal favorite album to audition any music players or IEMs as I feel that it is one of the best mastered album for a rock album.


Honestly both version of the Walnut player sounds very very close and almost the same. However if you close your eyes and focus hard enough, there are very subtle differences in the male vocals. I would say the differences is so minor... Let's compare the taste of regular table salt and sea salt. You get the idea. Cymbals, bass guitars and lead guitars sounds the same. However I would note that the newer Walnut player did a better job in reproducing the bass drum. A tad more "controlled thump" with very slightly better bass. The older Walnut Bass reproduction is good but sometimes felt a little lifeless (probably more netural?). The bass differences between these two Walnut is also very very minor.

One thing to note, the new Walnut DOES NOT REMEMBER your digital volume setting. Once you turn the knob to off and turn it back on, the digital volume GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO MAXIMUM. Which means every time you want to use the new Walnut, you got to hold the "previous" button to lower the digital volume down before you can safely turn the knob to adjust the volume to your liking. Or else, your ears will be in for a shock. Booms.

The older Walnut does not have this issue. I can safely plug my VE Monk or Senheisser HD598 in and turn the knob knowing my volume settings is retained in the player.

 

[macky112]

There was a period of time of about a month or so when the walnut factory switched to soldered SOIC8 opamp (OPA2604), but recently they have switched back to socketed DIP8 opamp due to feedback.

As has been mentioned there has been a few changes in the pcb, the extra usb port simply allows to load songs directly to the walnuts sd card, the new jacks are less secure and more prone to stress failure, but they are otherwise better quality jacks, gold plated with better contact prong design, the through hole rectifier diode has been removed and replaced with a smd voltage regulation. No significant changes really. I hear Nick says the pcb is wider, that''s good to hear, the old walnuts pcb wouldn't properly fit in the rails and would be lopsided in the case half the time.

Do you mean factory switched back to dip8 opamp while keeping other new hardware changes? (No hold switch, data port, new jacks and pot fix)? Also is it back to dip8 ne5532 opamp? Or dip8 2604?

Thanks

 

[rendyG]

LOL I can say to myself RTFM, because in the datasheets on the opamp there are recommendations for bypassing. For example, for lm6172, 0.01 μF ceramic and 2.2 μF tantalum capacitors are recommended from V+ and V- to GND. In our case, V- is GND, so you can simply increase their capacity.

Can you please help me with choosing a cap to bypass my LM49720NA?
I really like its sound, but the bubbling noise is really loud and annoying.. Is 0.22uF some general recommended value or does it vary from opamp to opamp? Also what about the material and brand of the cap?
Thank you

 

[heraleks]

Can you please help me with choosing a cap to bypass my LM49720NA?
I really like its sound, but the bubbling noise is really loud and annoying.. Is 0.22uF some general recommended value or does it vary from opamp to opamp? Also what about the material and brand of the cap?
Thank you

You can use ceramic capacitors of 10μF type X7R + 0.1μF type NP0 produced eg Murata. It is possible and more capacity of course Better before soldering to attach and listen to the noise in sensitive headphones with a minimum rotation of the potentiometer with different capacities.

 

[macky112]

Surface mount 3.5mm jacks, which may not be as secure as through-hole jacks.

Agreed, I am having issue with my Zishan dsds HO jack, no sound from left channel. It has surface mounted jack

 

[weedophile]

Saw this in the obscure DAP thread. Wondering if anyone's interested