[Witcher]

No hiss but i hear voices and its not even switched on !

I have a natural hissing in my left ear after the surgery. But it goes away when I turn the WM1A up loud enough!

 

[blazinblazin]

In a way I'm not really surprised CEOs from JH and 64 are WM1Z users.

The team behind the 1Z not only captured good sound, but the interface is also spot on. It is well put together and more importantly it also feels less of a smartphone (especially compared with DAPs running skinned Android) and more of its own category of device, especially with the analog touches the designers put into the package such as the layout or the spectrum and volume meter which aims to mimic the action of actually turning a knob. I believe the 1Z team and the headphone CEOs are from the same generation - the ones which had fond memories growing up at the peak of analog era listening to vinyls and tapes and playing with tube amps and FM radios then transitioned into the digital age of CDs, so I believe they speak the same "language", and thus the 1Z appeals to them on that sort of emotional level which people from the same generation usually shares. Whereas a lot of the other DAP makers are purely products of the digital age and appeals to a much younger crowd.

I find older songs to have more emotions in them than modern songs.

Also i felt older songs requires better singing/vocal technics than the songs now. More depth and vocal tonal/volume control.

I enjoy listening to older songs a lot.
Especially those past my age.

 

[ttt123]

From my previous experience with Sony zx2 I know the sound signature on Sony DAPs fluctuate a lot till the sound settles down. I see similar performance with Sony wm1z. I am about 300 hrs in (200 balanced, 100 SE).. about upto 150 hrs balanced I enjoyed the sound with Sony enhancements. I used DSEE HX "strings" and D.C. Phase linearizer set to "Type A Low". However after 180 hrs in on balanced I don't like the sound with enhancements anymore , I feel like they are masking details a lot. Now I absolutely love source direct.. so all you users of wm1z can you share your experience during burn in.. just curious to see how many use just source direct ..

PC

I have been using DSEE: HX strings, and PL: Type B high on a well burned in WM1Z. A couple of days ago, I revisited the settings, as I got a Dita Truth copper cable for the Z5, and was doing a quick check, using the song IN THIS ROOM by Leslie Tucker. A lot of emotion comes through on this track, and I wanted to check which setting was the best for this. With the settings on Direct, I was getting just a little more detail on the voice, which I did find communicated emotion more. Very small differences in a very specific area, which I might have gone with a different choice, if I was comparing for different things. So I would say that from my observation on this combination of 1Z/Dita/Z5, Direct setting gives just a little more micro detail, and I liked how it presented voice and space more. Though for other kinds of music, the tone settings on may be better, depending on what the listener is looking for. So I guess it is still a "try and see if you like it" situation. There is no one setting that is best for every type of music.

 

[ledzep]

Direct all the way for me.

 

[preddd]

Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;

1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?

Thanks!

 

[ttt123]

Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;

1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?

Thanks!

If you have not turned on High Gain for SE, turn that on and see if you get enough power. Should go to 4.4mm balanced anyways, for more power, better SQ. But no idea whether the power from 4.4mm is adequate. Some of the other users with experience on that planar headphone , or similar power hungry headphones would be the ones to give you a more definitive idea.

 

[preddd]

If you have not turned on High Gain for SE, turn that on and see if you get enough power. Should go to 4.4mm balanced anyways, for more power, better SQ. But no idea whether the power from 4.4mm is adequate. Some of the other users with experience on that planar headphone , or similar power hungry headphones would be the ones to give you a more definitive idea.

Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.

 

[Witcher]

this is very odd indeed. I listened to mine with the HD800S, which has 300 ohm impedance, and it's perfectly fine on high gain on the SE output.

 

[ttt123]

Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.

I don't believe running 4.4 at max 120 is bad for it. I believe the instructions for using it for analog out are to max it. However, this may be a situation where you would need more power to drive the 400i to it's best potential. But if 120 is acceptable, then it beats carrying an extra amp around for mobile use.

 

[ledzep]

Yup I already enabled high gain on both outputs. I once tried the he-400i on 4.4mm balanced and got a decent listening volume at 110/120. I'm just worried that pushing the DAP to that levels may be bad for its dac/amp section.

Won't do any harm , but you obviously need more juice which will do justice to your phones so it's either amp it or get a more efficient planar like the oppo pm3 if it's portability is a must. Will drive my alpha's and Aeons but not anywhere near to same quality when they are juiced up via my ember.

 

[denis1976]

Hi! I just recently blind bought a Hifiman HE-400i to pair with my wm1a, but I'm forced to crank up the volume to 120/120 in SE output (i know it's not good) to get a decent listening volume. My questions are as follows;

1. Do I need to get a separate amplifier for the he-400i or just terminate it to 4.4mm balanced to slightly boost the volume?
2. Since the wm1a/1z doesn't have analog line out, can I just use the SE and balanced output as line out?

Thanks!

hello i have a pair of 400i too and they are low sensitive headphones, with the 1Z in SE with high gain i listen at 100 most the time, in balanced i listen at 80/85 in high gain too,so i don't have any lack of power problems , but i admit that the 400i are not easy to drive, but the 1Z Is a great match for them, the bass is delicious, not even paw gold or dx200 with huge declared power can make this powerfull sound

 

[preddd]

Thanks for sharing infos. I decided to get a simple desktop amp (topping a30) for my he-400i.

 

[Decreate]

Would anyone recommend the se5u with the wm1z for listening to metal / rock or would I be better off with something else? Currently using the Tia Fourte.

 

[Blommen]

Would anyone recommend the se5u with the wm1z for listening to metal / rock or would I be better off with something else? Currently using the Tia Fourte.

Is the Fourte too harsh or hot in the highs?

 

[Decreate]

Is the Fourte too harsh or hot in the highs?

Yes, I personally found it a bit too much at times....