[stevenojobs]

Don’t know what it worth but chatgpt chose a team Frankly, if it’s true, it’s really not worth getting this DAP if you use streaming app (well for me)

Any thoughts on that ?

 

[pinkbecca]

hi, do you all think a new Walkman will be released in the near future or the A300 was the final?

 

[ttt123]

hi, do you all think a new Walkman will be released in the near future or the A300 was the final?

If the question is whether Sony will get out of the audio DAP market, and stop producing Walkmans, NO, have not heard anything about that.
New Signature models are typically introduced 3-4 years apart. Though the A series was more frequent
- A100 - Release date: Nov 2019
- A307 - Release date: Jan 2023

- ZX507 - Release date: Nov 2019
- ZX707 - Release date: Jan 2023

 

[ttt123]

Don’t know what it worth but chatgpt chose a team Frankly, if it’s true, it’s really not worth getting this DAP if you use streaming app (well for me)

Any thoughts on that ?

It's a DAP for playing music. Try it, and see if you enjoy music from it. And it is the right size, and you like the User Interface.
If you don't enjoy the music from it, then nothing else matters.
Conversely, if you do enjoy the music from it, then nothing else matters.

Though I can also understand if the way the bits are handled is a showstopper for you. We each have our preferences, and do not have to justify them to anybody else.

 

[stevenojobs]

It's a DAP for playing music. Try it, and see if you enjoy music from it. And it is the right size, and you like the User Interface.
If you don't enjoy the music from it, then nothing else matters.
Conversely, if you do enjoy the music from it, then nothing else matters.

Though I can also understand if the way the bits are handled is a showstopper for you. We each have our preferences, and do not have to justify them to anybody else.

You’re right, sounds matter. But I like to understanding what’s happening and what I’m buying. Technically, I can buy a 9$ dac and have the same 48khz output on my iPhone with Qobuz.

But I found out USB audio player can play Qobuz files directly, just not the native app…

 

[rlw6534]

Don’t know what it worth but chatgpt chose a team Frankly, if it’s true, it’s really not worth getting this DAP if you use streaming app (well for me)

Any thoughts on that ?

I don't believe it does a double conversion. Pretty sure ChatGPT got this one wrong.

 

[ttt123]

Hello guys !

Spent an awful time reading those page to find the answer but I couldn’t.

I want to buy this DAP but there’s something I can’t figure if someone got the answer.

The « music player » uses the external Dac so no problem getting 192khz. But others app have limitation of android which resampled everything at 48khz, except if you turn on « high res » on the option right ?

Until here, we’re ok !

But here on the help page it says that it’s does upsampling, so does it means that it’s firstly downsampled to 48khz then upsampled to 192khz… which is complet bull then ! Like reducing the size of a picture to re-hance it afterwards is really not the same as getting the full quality directly…

Do you guys have an explanation ? I will use Qobuz (I’m using roon in the house so library is on Qobuz, but the roon arc doesn’t get the high-res option I read)

Thanks !

I interpret the description in the manual as follows:
1. High-Res Streaming ON: Up-convert to 192 kHz/32bit (from source bit rate, There is no mention of needing to down-convert first, and then up-convert)
2. High-Res Streaming OFF: Down-convert to 48 kHz/16bit (from source bit rate)

The up-convert or down-convert is done from the source bit rate.
High-Res Streaming ON does not down-convert, and then Up-convert.

Previous discussions of this topic have the same conclusion.

EDIT: You will also see that the ChatGPT description has a contradiction, which makes it incorrect, and even more confusing than what it is explaining.
My understanding of AI is that it is like an intelligent child. Sounds good, but has no experience or common sense to modify it's conclusions.
So I would not depend too much on the ChatGPT explanation.

***********************************************​

https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/1301/v1/en/contents/TP1000735013.html

Using the High-Res streaming function​

You can enjoy music streaming from online music services in high sound quality.

1. Swipe the [WALKMAN Home] screen upwards.
2. Tap the menu items in the following order.
   
   
   [Settings] － [Sound] － [High-Res streaming].
3. Tap the switch to turn on the [High-Res streaming] function.
   Music streamed using apps other than “Music player” is played in the following quality.
   • [Use High-Res streaming] is on:
     Up-converted playback at 192 kHz/32 bit
   • [Use High-Res streaming] is off:
     Down-converted playback at 48 kHz/16 bit

Note​

• The [High-Res streaming] function does not support all online music service apps.

 

[andrewski]

Can't it also do 44.1khz natively?

I'm very attracted to this player. I have an AM2 and a ZM2 and am thankful that they play back 44.1khz, and have gapless playback for that matter. Not having gapless could be a deal breaker for me, but not having 44.1 definitely is.

I was recently wishing they could put the ZM2 sound in the A306 form factor, but of course I would wonder what they could do with more space

I enjoy Bluetooth too much to justify getting one of these (and I'm broke for life), but I really want all the Walkmans

 

[ttt123]

Can't it also do 44.1khz natively?

I'm very attracted to this player. I have an AM2 and a ZM2 and am thankful that they play back 44.1khz, and have gapless playback for that matter. Not having gapless could be a deal breaker for me, but not having 44.1 definitely is.

I was recently wishing they could put the ZM2 sound in the A306 form factor, but of course I would wonder what they could do with more space

I enjoy Bluetooth too much to justify getting one of these (and I'm broke for life), but I really want all the Walkmans

I only use the Sony Music App, so don't have any of these issues. I believe other apps must be able to do 44.1khz. But have never looked into it, so this is just an assumption.

 

[andrewski]

I only use the Sony Music App, so don't have any of these issues. I believe other apps must be able to do 44.1khz. But have never looked into it, so this is just an assumption.

So the Sony music app does gapless playback on the A306? I was under the impression it didn't. Disappointed my Xperia has micro gaps on Sony's music player.

 

[ttt123]

So the Sony music app does gapless playback on the A306? I was under the impression it didn't. Disappointed my Xperia has micro gaps on Sony's music player.

Nothing in the manual. I've run across comments saying gapless was OK, and others saying no, so don't know what is the truth.

 

[tomll]

Nothing in the manual. I've run across comments saying gapless was OK, and others saying no, so don't know what is the truth.

Live albums are gapless on my A307, as played from the stock Music app. For what it’s worth.

 

[Mightygrey]

Roon Arc doesn't seem to want to work for me for some reason - it just stays on the logo/loading screen indefinitely.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling but no joy.

Any ideas?

 

[andrewski]

Live albums are gapless on my A307, as played from the stock Music app. For what it’s worth.

Thank you! I was either misinformed or more likely misunderstood. I'm relieved it has gapless. Probably the same app on all Walkmans. It's a different app on their phones (different division of Sony) and live performances you get that little gap between each track. Of course there's UAPP but Sony's app sounds a little better. I'll shut up now.

I do want one of these, but this is my first time facing the cap in Canada. Probably still loud enough but still. I'll get a used uncapped from one of you next year. I'll shut up now.

 

[thr4]

Hello guys !

Spent an awful time reading those page to find the answer but I couldn’t.

I want to buy this DAP but there’s something I can’t figure if someone got the answer.

The « music player » uses the external Dac so no problem getting 192khz. But others app have limitation of android which resampled everything at 48khz, except if you turn on « high res » on the option right ?

Until here, we’re ok !

But here on the help page it says that it’s does upsampling, so does it means that it’s firstly downsampled to 48khz then upsampled to 192khz… which is complet bull then ! Like reducing the size of a picture to re-hance it afterwards is really not the same as getting the full quality directly…

Do you guys have an explanation ? I will use Qobuz (I’m using roon in the house so library is on Qobuz, but the roon arc doesn’t get the high-res option I read)

Thanks !

Here's a pic of A306 playing a hi-res Tidal track to external DAC, which confirms audio is output as hi-res (green light = 88.2kHz-192kHz). It didn't change when I switched to a CD quality track so it looks like Tidal might be upsampling. This is with hi-res streaming turned off.

Edit/add: when using native Walkman app, the resolution changed to align with the resolution of the file that was being played, confirming that the native app outputs bit perfect audio.

Edit/add 2: (source) "Tidal (after the version 2.90.0 for Android) STOPPED using an external DAC. Tidal requests permission to use USB DAC - BUT (!) transfers audio to the Android audio path."