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Post by NPAudio on Mar 27, 2023 20:10:17 GMT
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Post by peter19500 on Mar 29, 2023 21:25:22 GMT
I admire you. Beautiful work!
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Post by peter19500 on Mar 30, 2023 11:58:39 GMT
How does it sound in comparison Sony wm1z mod, vs FIIO M17? Has anyone compared the two? I don't mean the performance, but mostly the sound quality. I have sensitive (116dB) 32 ohm headphones and the performance of the WM1Z is sufficient for me. On some tracks that are poorly recorded, the performance could be higher, but you can live with it.
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Post by justsomesonyfan on Apr 2, 2023 11:12:44 GMT
"It's a few months now, I got my WM1A modded by Nayparm with M Walman Wlakman One firmware... And I can be clearer about my experience with this type of mod.. Maybe some elements can help other people in this way.
I use it mainly with a Vision Ears EXT and sometimes with an external Amp (Centrance Ampersand) and a Sony Z7M2. My main source is no more the WM1A internal memory or the SD card, but mainly my Samsung Smartphone (with a BT LDAC connection) using Qobuz, Bubbleupnp and doing some PEQ adjustments with Poweramp EQ.
In the past months, I made some A/B comparison between the Nayparm WM1A and 2 other of my DAP's .. a FIIO M17 and A&K Kann Alpha.
In the end, I think I just regret, I haven't modded the WM1A much earlier. As I would say, the WM1A with the special Sony's DSP features is really an interesting versatile basis to use : -> With Nayparm's battery, a real extra long life playing is there (20/25 or more hours playing hires music even with DSP activated) the M17 and Kann Alpha can never reach more than 10 hours (Even a Centrance M8V2). -> When I am travelling, as I need in any case my smartphone (at least as a Wifi Access Point or even as a WD P50 4Tb SSD music server), with the WM1A it becomes the "lightest" combo which is still pocketable (The Kann Alpha is thicker but is still rather compact, The M17 is really more bulky) -> Sound Quality with my headphones and IEMs is, at least, on par with the much more powerful M17 or Kann Alpha. -> Sony's DSP stays a real model to improve older music recorded in the 70's, 80's and 90's which is worth with MrWalkman cooked firmwares -> Clearly, Nayparm + Walkman One mods really helps to bring clear and fast impacts (100hz to 500hz) and it seems to allow ultra low frequencies to be there more deeply. -> Before the mod, quite often, I couldn't really use the Z7M2 at the max Sound Quality due to some lack of power, now it's as if power was increased too, though I imagine that it's just the new Special Caps that are helping to avoid ultra low frequencies to fall down too quickly, if not being just clipped. -> With the Centrance Ampersand as external additional amp, though there is no real line out on the WM1A, the combo can drive quite easily such a terrific Headphone as the DCA Stealth. The M17 can do it too (the Kann Alpha can't without clipping in ultra low frequencies 10 to 100 hz). In this aspect, the WM1A + Ampersand + Smartphone + VE EXT + DCA Stealth makes a very versatile combo for more than one week travel with being able to have amazing SQ in any situations (train, plane, street, hotel, family ..)
As I said before, maybe I should have asked Nayparm to mod my WM1A 2 years ago, and I wouldn't have probably bought the Kann Alpha or the Centrance M8V2. The M17 is maybe still a bit more versatile as it has a real full Wifi possibility, which makes it quite more comfortable to use at home and office (when smartphone is not used as Wifi Access Point or as 4TB SSD server).
I am no more in a hurry to switch to a WM1ZM2, as I think the modded WM1A is already impressive as it is (when used with a smartphone as access point)." - Head fi user
He also specified a ranking list with his very hard to drive headphones, and fiio m17 with normal plugged cable (so no upgrade cable) was on par with his modded wm1a, I could imagine that anything that isn't a hard to drive full size will either be a tie or a win for the wm1a, especially considering size and battery.
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Post by peter19500 on Apr 3, 2023 9:56:05 GMT
Thank you very much for the information. I'll ask again. I use WM1z and Gjallarhorn-gh50 (they don't need much power) only at home. I don't need to carry it. Battery life is enough for me 4, max 8 hours. I never listen longer and then I can charge the battery. So the Fiio M17 would suit me. The question is, is it worth investing the money for me? Is the difference in sound quality that big in favor of the M17? It is still possible to buy the Fiio Q7 and pair it with a suitable smartphone.
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Post by nc8000 on Apr 3, 2023 10:35:57 GMT
Thank you very much for the information. I'll ask again. I use WM1z and Gjallarhorn-gh50 (they don't need much power) only at home. I don't need to carry it. Battery life is enough for me 4, max 8 hours. I never listen longer and then I can charge the battery. So the Fiio M17 would suit me. The question is, is it worth investing the money for me? Is the difference in sound quality that big in favor of the M17? It is still possible to buy the Fiio Q7 and pair it with a suitable smartphone. I have not tried the M17 nor any other tol dap the last 6 years since I got my 1Z, but my guess would be different sound sig rather than outright better sq, so it would probably come down to personal preferences
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 3, 2023 17:41:14 GMT
This also belongs here: nc8000 The foil mod is a like going from 1080p to 8k. It refines the sound and gets rid of distortion completely. Th resolution is the best I have heard so far outside of the full size DMP. The added foil and tantalum capacitors get rid of electrolytic ripples in current delivery. I'm not just hyping it up, it's the real deal. If you can, send it back to Nayparm..I promise you it's worth the money and the effort. Ask for 18 gauge Mundorf Solid SilverGold 4.4mm cables, and SilverGold Battery cables 24 gauge. Your player will beat anything out on the market. I'm using .o1uf mkp1837 capacitors as a bypass, Steve might have something better. Anyhow, it's amazing what he's done with this 6 year old player, and it's also amazing how much headroom Sony left on the wayside in it's stock configuration. Next step for me is to do the mods on my full side Speaker system. I'm going to do a similar mod on every electrolytic capacitor in my entire audio chain. All my inside cables going to the electrolytic capacitors are 20 gauge neotech solid copper cables. 22 gauge on the balanced capacitors sounded thin, at least in that position.
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 4, 2023 13:29:36 GMT
Foil mod with silver Gold wire for the balanced capacitor leads. Caps are only connected on 1 solder pad on each side. And 1 foil cap and 1 tantalum capacitor bypassing the electrolytic on each side. In my experiments, the wire used for the balanced capacitor has just much of an effect on sound as the wire used on the 4.4mm outs.
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 4, 2023 17:44:07 GMT
Took the foil capacitors out from the front position. It's too much of a good thing, and I prefer the sound with only a Tantalum bypass. Oh well. Last update for those interested..... Tried Silver Gold cables for Balanced Capacitors, 20 gauge Neotech Legenburg Flat cables, 22 solid copper, and 20 gauge solid OCC Copper... 20 gauge sounds the best to my ears, SilverGold sounded a bit smeared and washed out. 22 Gauge sounded thin, Flat cables pushed the treble up too high and timbre was saturated.
20 gauge and no foil bypass works the best for my listening preferences and gear synergy.
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Post by NPAudio on Apr 5, 2023 0:09:25 GMT
Took the foil capacitors out from the front position. It's too much of a good thing, and I prefer the sound with only a Tantalum bypass. Oh well. Last update for those interested..... Tried Silver Gold cables for Balanced Capacitors, 20 gauge Neotech Legenburg Flat cables, 22 solid copper, and 20 gauge solid OCC Copper... 20 gauge sounds the best to my ears, SilverGold sounded a bit smeared and washed out. 22 Gauge sounded thin, Flat cables pushed the treble up too high and timbre was saturated. 20 gauge and no foil bypass works the best for my listening preferences and gear synergy. You have been busy 😅👍
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 5, 2023 1:15:21 GMT
went overboard
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 7, 2023 21:16:08 GMT
I have (2) 220uf 25V capacitors coming in and they are going to replace the (4) 100uf 25V capacitors that I have currently installed. In the new iteration I should be able to use the stock plastic covers and the leather backing that comes with the players.
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 7, 2023 21:20:29 GMT
Absolutely love the foil bypasses in this configuration. Player sounds stunning It's still settling in, but I have a massive smile on my face.
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Post by DietKokaine on Apr 11, 2023 20:02:43 GMT
share imagesFinal iteration. (2) 220uf 25V capacitors. one for each side. 3.5mm connectors are out...cap slides into the empty slot. Silver Gold wire is out, I couldn't get it to sound right no matter what I tried. 20 Gauge solid copper is in instead. Battery cable is still SilverGold 24 gauge. Burn in commences
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Post by NPAudio on Apr 11, 2023 20:43:03 GMT
share imagesFinal iteration. (2) 220uf 25V capacitors. one for each side. 3.5mm connectors are out...cap slides into the empty slot. Silver Gold wire is out, I couldn't get it to sound right no matter what I tried. 20 Gauge solid copper is in instead. Battery cable is still SilverGold 24 gauge. Burn in commences Cool, is this the final final final or the final final, final final, final 😅👍 On the balanced out caps, I see you have the mkp1837 bypassing just the top kemets. I know the resistance is low and will fool a continuity tester but the bottom kemets aren't a direct short, I measure 0.2543 ohm so 1/4 of an ohm. What did you finalise on the other side, did you piggyback another supercap?
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