Campfire Audio Andromeda Review: Holy Cow, This is a Dream, Awesomesauce!

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by purr1n, May 13, 2016.

  1. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    To really kill Sound Enhancements/Adjustments on ZX2, you actually have to...

    1. Disable everything in the Sound Adjustments menus, meaning nothing should be checked.
    2. Root the device (necessary for Tasker)
    3. Use Tasker to disable com.sonyericsson.soundadjustments <- IIRC

    Going through the menu works but it'll be forced to come back on if somehow the device is restarted (like say, you run out of battery).

    The other non-root method is:

    1. Disable everything in the Sound Adjustments menus
    2. Make sure everything is disabled in the menus, but Sound Adjustments process is enabled in all tabs.
    3. Restart device
    4. Now go to the "all" tab in the Apps menu and scroll all the way down, select Sound Adjustments, delete all cache and disable it. If you do it right, the Sound Adjustments icon should be gone and whenever you try to click on the option in either the Music app or the Settings app, they should restart without doing anything.

    If device is restarted due to battery running out or you do it manually for whatever reason, then upon boot up:

    1. Enable Sound Adjustments in the "all" tab
    2. Restart the device
    3. Follow the non-root method above

    Yeah, it's a big hassle. Every time you restart the device, you will end up having to restart at least one extra time in order to get everything in order again. If you rooted the device, you could use Tasker to automate the whole enable/restart/disable sequence. I suspect what's happening is that upon forcing Sound Adjustments to turn off, something else within the driver is also turned off, but when you boot up again, the driver would turn that thing back on again. It's maddening.

    I guess I can purchase the WM1A again to compare to ZX2 since I'll probably have a bit more breathing room next month to do that, but the last time I tried it, there was no way to get WM1A to sound like ZX2 with Andro. There was always a bit more transient smoothing going on.

    But I seriously do prefer the interface of WM1A to both AK120 and ZX2, as well as the overall profile/shape of the player. ZX2 is the worst player/interface to me, but so far, it's the best sounding of the bunch. Maybe I also need to borrow 1Z from someone else to see... but last time I heard it, 1Z was very dark, even darker than stock ZX2 to me.
     
  2. smileraidcall

    smileraidcall New

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    I can see why the Andromeda is a pair that so many people love and hate. There is literally a dozen of used Andromeda that is still under warranty on sell in my local shop. It is so sensitive to the source output z. It sound totally different from a few of my phones, Dr. DAC2 DX with zero output impedance, Schiit stack and my friends Onyko DP-X1 / S1 variant. The effect of changing cable is also relatively significant to the Andromeda. Compared to my SE846, even the Dac on phones are really bad, listening with SE846 on different sources does not have much audible difference in the sound signature itself, they are still the SE846 but on a bad dac/amp source. But with the Andromeda, it can sound like a completely different earphones....
     
  3. Muse Wanderer

    Muse Wanderer Friend

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    With respect to tonality, is the balanced out more neutral? Does the bass especially the dominating midbass and that homongous subbass that drove me crazy when I paired WM1A to Andromeda unbalanced fade away with balanced connection? I ask this question because the OI of both outputs is the same at 0.9 Ohm. Thus this sound signature is unlikely to change from horizontal J shaped to neutral with just a balanced connection. I don't care about clarity, hiss, resolution, without a neutral sound that the Andromedas ARE capable of once paired to a proper source. The Yggdrasil-Rag SE out is the best tonally correct source I listened to despite the hiss.

    The low level listening you undertake may show off the hiss more than I am used to. I tend to listen at higher volumes... 50 clicks on high gain on WM1A. This was also probably to compensate for the recessed mids.

    @Marvey did pair the Andros with WM1Z and underlined that the sound was similar in character to ZX2 with sound processing ON.

    Here's his quote:
    "The WM1Z's tonal and timbral characteristics are very much like the ZX2 with the Sony Soundmanager (or whatever) process turned on instead of being disabled in Android. I know that this may not be to everyone's tastes as several members here run their ZX2 with the process disabled."

    Given the general agreement of a dramatic improved sound quality once ZX2's sound processes are off, the WM1Z doesn't seem like a good pairing with Andros.

    Last question: Have you disabled the Sound Adjustments according to @Bill-P 's instructions? Otherwise any conclusions you have are erroneous and misleading. Your description of ZX2's sound as being 'romantic and lush' are certainly at odds with so many other reliable impressions of ZX2 with sound adjustments OFF but similar to those with the sound adjustments ON.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2017
  4. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    I feel like I'm repeating what has already been said.....and adding noise, but I will try to add some content.

    I know the balanced 4.4 termination is pita, but I feel you should have tried it out when you had the player to form your own impressions. @likearake already mirrored my thoughts that its not fair to evaluate the player on unbalanced. Because of your complaints, I've actually done more SE vs Balanced listening and I would never choose the SE over Balanced(much like the GO v2+), I've heard both the 1Z and the 1A......You would have died from the 1Z if you already loathe the 1a for its tonal balance. From your questions, I feel like you are consolidating opinions deciding whether or not the ZX2 is worth the shot after your disappointment with the WM1A.
    I've heard the Yggdrasil-Rag stack with the utopias. From my memory, I felt the presentation was on the leaner side compared to the sony players paired with the andromedas. I know you have darker sounding Utopias from the earlier serial # that may have sounded different. Have you fiddled with the tonal balance by eqing? Though I listen mainly direct source, the eq is quite good on the wm1a. You could also enable their DSEE HX processing on strings if you want a crispier sharper sound. EQing is not possible on the ZX2 because the SA app really kills the sound. I know you are looking for a tonal balance of the samsung galaxy s5.....I never compared them so I can't give you a definitive answer.

    The answer is in Marvey's post.....The players do share the same heritage and sound more similar than not. He describes the Sony sound as more organic and lightly syrupy. The Sony sound leans towards more onthe darker side than the bright and will never sound as analytical or lean as a GO v2+ or QP1R(which I really loathe....it sounds so thin and sterile for me). That said I feel the WM1A is in fact closer to the tonal balance of the GO V2+. I think sony made an effort to bring their sound closer to the analytical. The WM1A sounds quicker to me and the decay is a bit shorter than the ZX2....In fact I miss the ZX2 in some ways. So from darker to brighter(None of them are actually dark where its syrupy and slow) Sony ZX2, WM1A, Go V2+ Inf, QP1R. I'm not sure but I have a feeling you would lean towards the QP1R. All this being said, I think you'll like the mids better on the ZX2 as i feel they are thicker and not as recessed.

    I loved actually love everything about the ZX2, especially the explosive transients. I actually like the darker sound compared to the WM1A. I also like the way it looks and it is thinner and smaller. However....the hiss was the deal breaker for me. Without the hiss, I probably would have just stuck with the ZX2. WM1A was on sale for a good price on amazon UK, so for me it was worth it to solve this problem while keeping some of the sony house sound.

    Regardless, I still think they are the best pairings with the Andromeda in my opinion. I still vastly prefer the ZX2, and the WM1a, over the GO v2+(said this since day 1).

    As for SA on ZX2, I am quite sure I've done everything correctly. I was so disappointed with the ZX2 sound(I didn't have andros but 1964 v6s ciems back then) with SA, I thought about selling it right away. I am glad I kept it and fiddled around until I got the right sound. Also my first ZX2 was EU region, so everytime you shut of the SA completely, the player would also have a very huge spike in volume. Can't remember if it was the same on the NA version because I took care of the settings before even listening.

    I think perhaps its better to get @Bill-P to add some impressions. Bill I can let you borrow my WM1A with a balanced cable next week so you can add some longer term impressions to the thread. I need the player this week as @Kunlun will send me the loaner tia fourte and A18.
     
  5. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Yeah, if you can do that, that'd be super! I was thinking I'd have to grab a WM1A + at least a 4.4mm jack so I could replace the jack on one of my cables.

    I had the WM1A very briefly before moving on to ZX2. I didn't want to write "oh, it's good-ish but darker than my AK120, which is not a good thing because I tend to prefer a bit brighter sound", but that was what I would have written about it back then. Maybe new firmware + the 4.4mm connector will change my mind.

    On that note, ZX2 has about 1-2 ohm of output impedance from the last time I measured it (1.7?) so if WM1A is 0.9 ohm, it's got lower output impedance. Would explain why ZX2 without the sound processing stuffs that Sony put in actually sounds a bit brighter/airier. But that's just my guess. I didn't measure WM1A when I had it (didn't even have the DMM back then) so I had no idea what OI it was.

    If you can loan me your WM1A again, I can also bring it over to @brencho so we both can give impressions on it.

    -----------------------

    On that note, I had the chance to play with @CEE TEE's AK240 last time I met him, and... I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't like AK100ii or AK120ii but the 240 was... good with Andro. Kinda like a slightly less warm AK120, but treble was smoother than iPhone. In fact, it was very similar to a "super iPhone 6" sound. It might have also helped a bit that I had the no.5 cable at the time.

    So for those who are looking for another potentially good combo, I'd also recommend AK240 + No.5 cable. It's basically a more detailed iPhone 6 sound with no treble harshness (iPhone 6 is still a bit harsh/grainy with no.5). I also liked the interface responsiveness better than my AK120. Size-wise, it's on the same level as ZX2.
     
  6. MellowVelo

    MellowVelo Friend

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    I haven't had any problems with Sound Adjustments coming back on after my ZX2 restarts, but your post makes me curious to know more about rooting. Can you tell us how you rooted the ZX2?

    Also, I don't see anything by the name of com.sonyericsson.soundadjustments. Is this only visible when the device is rooted?
     
  7. smileraidcall

    smileraidcall New

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    Got the iFi ieMatch. Such a great little device. I can plugin my Andro into the Mjolnir 2 single end / balanced with no hiss. Very little change in the sound signature with the 1omh output impedance.
     
  8. Muse Wanderer

    Muse Wanderer Friend

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    My Utopias are actually a tad less bassy, with a tad more pronounced 500Hz to 3K and flatter mids (up to 5K) when directly compared with 4 new Utopias . It may be a result of pad wear, driver burn in or variance. However their tonal sound signature from Yggdrasil Rag is just right. When I compared Utopia (via Yggdrasil Rag) with Andros (via WM1A) the celli, double basses, lower harpsichord strings and lower organ were too dominating on the rest of the spectrum with Andros.

    It looks like our tonal sound preferences are different. I actually did not mind the leaner character of the QP1R with Andros but unfortunately could not use my own music to compare. That would explain our polar opinions which is perfectly fine.

    I tried EQ but direct sound was my preference. I am not a keen advocate of EQ in general. Tonal balance of the S5 is not great as treble is sibilant. The mids are however fuller and not recessed whilst bass is under control.

    If mids are better rendered on ZX2 than it should do the trick for me. WM1A has recessed mids that are a deal breaker personally. However I wonder how dark sound can coexist with nonrecessed mids.

    Great idea! I will probably buy a ZX2 myself and add a bit of signal to my impressions.

    Edit: ZX2 Japan edition inbound :)
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2017
  9. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    I've tested the Andros on the Sony PHA3 but unfortunately it's not as nice as the ZX2 combination - it's leaner presentation, probably because the PHA3 output impedance is higher, shame...
     
  10. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Sorry, I've been busy so I couldn't respond earlier. I've started a ZX2 tweak thread in the modding section. Will add more info to it over time.

    Rooting ZX2 may potentially also introduce more bloatware to it and make the player even slower so I'm gonna have to provide photos and some clear instructions on how to uninstall/disable/turn off the bloatware afterward. If you root the device, you should know full well what's happening, or at least that's how I believe things should go.

    And the actual package name is com.sonyericsson.soundenhancement. Sorry, I mixed things up. The crazy thing is that this process is basically the same thing as the Sound Enhancement process in ZX1, just renamed to Sound Adjustments after some internal revisions, I think.

    Oh, I should note that Andro has a bit of a tendency to change quite drastically with fit and tips type. In general, I've found that...

    1. Foam tips are "shoutier" per se, or they make mids more forward by a good amount, while keeping bass in check. Basically, if they fit you, they're the best IMO.
    2. Silicone tips are more V-shaped sounding. Bigger bass, sharper treble, etc... need special considerations with Andro, and I think you can get some more info from my ear tip rolling post from a while ago.
    3. Perforated silicone tips potentially can bring out a bit more mids so if you like big bass and sharper treble, but you also want your mids, this might be the way to go.

    I think I'll post my current Andro mods some time soon. Hopefully they will help others.

    I have also noticed that my Andromeda now sounds... more docile in the treble than before. It used to be sharp and ringy, but now it sounds actually just about on par with my HD580 in treble smoothness. Burn-in maybe? Or maybe I'm going deaf? I don't know. But the stock SPC cable is no longer too bright/sharp. It's just "bitey" now, which could be good or bad depending on what configuration you have on your ZX2. Will update the ZX2 tweak thread now so please head on over there and check it for more info. :)

    Oh, and congrats on your ZX2 purchase! @Marvey heard my AK120 at one point in the past and commented on it not being as airy as ZX2, and I'd agree. ZX2 to me sounds like it's still one level above the rest of the other sources once configured right. Or at least it's the better fit for Andro than any other DAP.

    Still need to try WM1A again now with all configurations of Sound Adjustments (or none of it) to be able to tell... but I think ZX2's sound sig fits Andro the best so far.
     
  11. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    fixed
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  12. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I finally got my No. 5s back and the extra layer of heat shrink has helped reduce the microbionics by about 1/3 to 1/2. They now gently grip the back of the ears and provide mechanical damping, as well as stay clear of the arms of my glasses.

    Here's what they look like now at their approximate relaxed position, next to the Copper 28s (wearing @deafdoorknob's cockrings).
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    So @Cellist88 lent me his WM1A, as he has promised, and I have had about two hours with them now.

    Some quick first impressions:

    1. @Cellist88 is right. His WM1A is significantly quieter than my ZX2. It doesn't have discernible hiss even out of the single-ended connector, it's basically on the same level as my AK120 in terms of hiss, and both are better than ZX2 in this regard. This is just hiss when Andro is plugged into the device without any music playing, and no, it's not the same "flare" of hiss that happens whenever ZX2 tries to cycle its capacitors. After about one hour of continuous music playback, ZX2 is better than its initial cold state, but WM1A is basically still more quiet throughout.

    2. WM1A's SE output even at high gain and with Direct Output enabled still does this "weird" thing that I notice where the music sounds way too rounded/constrained, like something is holding it back. ZX2 despite the hiss level being higher sounds more... unrestrained, like it just lets go. If you plan to stick to SE-only output (basically, stock Andro, stock cable), then I think ZX2 is still the better choice here. My modded Andro with the more relaxed upper mid also would prefer ZX2 because it sounds like it has more "edge", more "transient" or whatever. ZX2 is not brighter here, but it's just... I dunno, more "edgy"? It's not the sibilant/sharp/annoying kind of brightness. ZX2 just sounds like it's between an iPhone 6 and Chord Mojo, I guess... Like it takes the best of both of those devices into one single thing. WM1A has its own sound signature.

    3. Things get more interesting with balanced output. The 4.4mm connector on WM1A really does "unchain" the DAP a little, giving it a bit more of everything... power, impact, speed, details, etc... and basically, it just sounds more dynamic/alive/unrestrained compared to SE. The difference is not very subtle to my ears, but then again, I'm known for exaggerating shit, so please take this with a healthy grain of salt. Interestingly enough, since @Cellist88's 4.4mm cable is not very comparable to the stock Andro cable, which I'm using with my ZX2, it's kinda hard to tell if the resulting sound is due to the cable, or the DAP. What I can tell is this: relative to the 3.5mm output, the balanced 4.4mm output with this other cable sounds like it has a bit of an upper mid boost. Female vocals sound a bit more... bright, not shouty, but just brighter overall. Maybe this is why this output sounds more "alive" to me? I dunno. With some tips (especially foam tips), it does have a pretty cool "boosting" effect that kinda makes Andro sound neutral-ish, but with silicon tips, I'm getting mixed results.

    Worth it to note that this time, I do agree that the 4.4mm balanced output of WM1A is very competitive against ZX2 sound-wise, and the tonality is probably the cable/personal preference at play more so than anything else. To me, ZX2 is still a bit more laid back using its SE output, and it almost sounds "tubey" this way, whereas WM1A has a bit more of a solid-state, neutral-ish sound that's not necessarily worse, but just... different. Other than that, the two DAPs sound more similar than not.

    Summary:
    Andro + ZX2 = still my preference, more relaxed upper mid, very good air and staging and speed
    Andro + WM1A SE = basically sounds like my AK120, lacking a bit of air, staging, and speed relative to ZX2, this is at high gain, Direct Out mode
    Andro + WM1A BAL = much more unrestrained, basically sounds like ZX2 but with a hint of extra upper mid (not really shouty or sharp, tho) that kinda elevates the stage a bit more, but other than that, very similar to ZX2, plus with the added bonus of having zero hiss. This is high gain, Direct Out mode

    Nitpicky:
    These are not really faults, but just my observations of the differences between the DAPs:
    1. WM1A "seems" heavier than ZX2. Maybe it's the form factor and weight. ZX2 is the more pocketable DAP to me. Maybe it's because of the skinny jeans I wear.
    2. From the time I press the power button to when the screen comes on, ZX2 still beats WM1A. Scrolling long lists in WM1A's interface is now better than before (and very comparable between the two devices), but the little things like turning screen on, going from screen to screen, etc... still feel just a tiny bit more (split second) responsive on ZX2. Still, this is better than how I remember WM1A a while ago when I bought one for myself. Hopefully Sony can improve interface responsiveness even more. Note that if WM1A is in active use (like music is playing), I can see that it's much more responsive than when it's just powering up from sitting there for about a few minutes, so it's not like the device isn't capable of it. I'm guessing Sony powers it down a lot to conserve battery life.
    3. The 3.5mm connector should be killed on WM1A, or else Sony should make it a hybrid connector like what they did with ZX2. In either case, it's so much behind ZX2 and the 4.4mm connector that I don't even think it should exist.
    4. ZX2 needs a gazillion tweaks to get to this stage, WM1A just needs a 4.4mm connector and Direct Out mode and high gain. Basically, if I didn't already have a tweaked ZX2 and I was in the market for a no-fuss DAP, and I didn't wanna fuzz around with the software, I'd get WM1A for Andro.

    So kudos, @Cellist88! I think I can finally hear what you've been talking about. Personally, I really like the way your WM1A sounds like with the 4.4mm connector. And maybe, just maybe, the upper mid emphasis is due to the cable. Campfire is selling their own Litz stock cable for Andro with 4.4mm connector, and that's got me thinking a little, too.

    Edit: yeah, 2 hours later, still the same as first impressions. Maybe I need to let my ears rest for a day and come back to the DAPs tomorrow to see. Basically, still very close with some slight tonal balance differences like WM1A is a bit more accentuated in the upper mid through 4.4mm output, and ZX2 is a bit... almost U-shaped sounding in comparison, but it's very slight. Think like... that last 1%. I need to get a TRRS connector for ZX2 now to see how that would compare. Super curious!

    Oh, and I forgot to note: my ZX2 has Sound Adjustment force shutdown every time the screen turns on (you need to root the device for this, and you'll have to find this info somewhere else since this isn't ZX2 mod thread) plus DSEE HX enabled. WM1A has like... 5 different DSEE HX modes (Standard, Female Vocal, Male Vocal, Percussion, Strings) so I don't think I'll be able to try them all, plus I'm betting they'll sound very different from DSEE HX on ZX2 anyway. Sorry if this seems like an apples to oranges comparison due to the software settings, but... what I can describe of the ZX2 tweak above is this: it makes ZX2 brighter (think like... EQ 20KHz up but not really, it's just the effect) with some songs but not really with some others, while keeping tonality almost the same as with DSEE HX off.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2017
  14. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    This kinda falls in-line with Nathan's (ohm image) Sony 1Z measurements. Balanced is noticeable cleaner and measures better than SE.
     
  15. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    It is. It has the 2 separate grounds like in the only single ended operation ZX2. The 3.5mm TRRS jack on device works exactly the same way on both.
     
  16. likearake

    likearake Acquaintance

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    Thanks for the impressions @Bill-P ( and @Cellist88 for the loan).

    Impressions seem to generally match up with mine rather than others who tried it single ended only. Agree as well with the tips, on my AK120 I quite like the spiral dots but they don't work with the WM1A, foam is far better.

    What cable did you guys use? I have the Sony/Kimber 4.4mm.
     
  17. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    12 hours of playing music today....finally some sbaf time.

    @likearake i just bought it from surf cables because they didnt have a wait time like other cable companies.

    @Bill-P glad we got your impressions and also glad you like it. For the wm1a, there is an improvement in trrs, though not as much as the 4.4 balanced. I tried the alo litz balanced cable at canjamnyc. It wasnt a good pairing from what i remember.

    You can perhaps get it closer to your zx2 with dsee-hx sound with the wm1a dsee-hx on strings and dc phase linearizer on type a low. I also have marveys eq settings from the wm1z.

    I wish sony would just focus on making their players sound the best out of the box without needing extra accessories like a 4.4 balanced cable.

    I also wish the andros werent so sensitive.

    I think the 3.5mm on the wm1a is still good as it sounded great and scaled well with the 64 u18s and tia fourte....the tia fourte sounded better than the andromedas on balanced.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
  18. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    Oh cool, I didn't know. Maybe I should finally shell out some extra pocket money, eat more ramen, and see if TRRS on ZX2 makes any difference. I suspect if WM1A gets close enough in that case, that it would pull me over, too.

    Oh cool! Yeah, I'll try that.

    Honestly, the WM1A is growing on me. For quiet classical and female vocals, it's really marvelous, and it's just that little bit ahead of the ZX2. ZX2 still excels for bass and male vocals, and loud rock, but WM1A is not that far behind in those regards. Both are close enough that I have to admit that... yeah, WM1A might turn out to be a better alternative for those who don't want to deal with the constant Android process weirdness on ZX2. Also WM1A's interface does feel more "complete" than ZX2, save for the responsiveness that I think Sony can address later if they decide to update the DAP.
     
  19. Muse Wanderer

    Muse Wanderer Friend

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    I aim for a completely neutral sound as I believe that it is the only way to listen deeply to recordings in the highest fidelity possible. My ultimate reference is live classical music with the seat chosen carefully to reduce any bias towards the lower or higher instruments. I listen mostly to classical music of all eras from medieval to avante-guarde experimental music. The fine balance between bass, mids and treble can be tricky to achieve but I am mostly there with my headphone system - Yggdrasil-Rag-Utopia (note that my Utopias sound different to brand new stock ones with mids that are somewhat lifted and smoother up to 5K with resulting minimally less bass). My speaker system (Yggdrasil-Rag-PAP AC-Pi-Fe Vox) is otherworldly magnificent and my new reference but it is too new to my ears to make a valid judgement call.

    Pairing the Andromedas has been a challenge since I got it in June last year. My phone (Galaxy S5) is surprisingly good in the midrange tonality but the treble was harsh, etched and too pronounced. The bass is present and finely tuned to the mids so the wait for a proper DAP or portable DAC/Amp was bearable despite the horrid resolution and brittle harsh digitised sound especially painful in low volume passages. Since I lived in London at the time, I got to Canjam in August last year and listened to some DAPs. My impressions (here and here) were unremarkable. I felt incredulous that these IEMs could not pair well with so many sources. QP1R was possibly fine but too polite. Mojo was good enough except for the bass. So I continued listening through my phone and spent a great weekend at the London Indulgence show with fellow @Kattefjaes and @pedalhead. By this time I was almost dead set to get the Utopias but I had this nagging feeling that the Andromedas were not served well. Too good a transducer to feed from my phone. So the search continued further with impressions that were again unremarkable! QP1R had peaky treble that was a bit carefully hidden with their carefully chosen playlist. RHA was boring, Mojo had subdued treble and pronounced bass, AK320 woolly and fuzzy. The sabre driven Pioneer and Onkyo DAPs were shockingly sibilant as expected. Luckily I was spared another listen from the truly horrid Opus #1 DAP.

    Andromedas were also paired with the Yggdrasil-Ragnarok SE out with 3 ohm OI at home and they really shined. Neutrality was a notch towards a lean presentation. Kind of flat bass to mids without that slight bass prominence of a good live venue or neutral speaker monitors. Technicalities were amazing with high resolution and microdynamics to die for. The Yggdrasil-Rag is not ideal as a portable setup though and the hiss was a bit tedious but not a deal breaker.

    There was a general feeling in the air that the Sony ZX2 was the DAP to get but the WM1A was an alternative that could possibly match well. So I purchased the WM1A (Japan edition) and lived with it for 3 months earlier this year. My impressions driving the Andros from SE out were with time completely underwhelming. This is NOT a neutral sound signature, certainly not life-like. The sub and mid bass are elevated shifting everything else down to the gutter. Lower mids took the hit and the treble was too polite with none of that brilliance the Andromedas are known for. Granted that brilliance may be a notch away from neutrality but it is such a good feature to listen to when done right. The balanced out was not used and I cannot pass judgement about such a configuration. I still feel that the OI being the same on SE as balanced, that the perfect bass to mids tonality will be difficult to achieve. @Bill-P 's impressions that ZX2 is better with bass and male vocals is all I need.

    I have now listened to the Sony ZX2, burnt in used Japan edition, with Andromedas for these past 3 weeks driven through stock cable TRS connector and with sound adjustments off. Now THIS is a neutral sound signature for me. The bass in all its incarnations is just right with perfect flow into the mids. Mids are lifted with not much variation between the lower and higher mids. The treble is NOT boring as the WM1A (SE out) or Mojo. It is not bright as the S5 or QP1R. It shimmers and is brilliant without any added brightness. There is some minor hiss but I listen to moderate to loud levels and this is not much of an issue. The resolution, microdynamics and nuance is not top notch compared to Rag as expected from a DAP. The bass is a tad more present for that nice room effect that the Rag shelves off. Staging is impressive with great layering of instruments.

    Music on the ZX2 sounds 'analog' for lack of a better word. Everything fits right and the notes are rounded and not analytically etched with contrast. The organic sound of the WM1A (SE ended) is also present but the more neutral sound signature of the ZX2 brings added clarity to instruments. The mids are served well. Listening to Bruckner 9th conducted by Skrowaczewski and Minnesota orchestra yesterday was an unforgettable goosebumpy experience to say the least. Choosing musical pieces be it Bruckner, Prokofiev, Handel, Mozart, Gubaidulina, Stravinsky, anything from my library is such a treat, as now I can finally listen to music rather than the equipment on the go.

    Andromedas & the ZX2 feels like Music, nothing but music, that is all.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2017
  20. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    Glad to see you found your pairing! I would suggest a trrs cable for it. I honestly couldnt listen to the zx2 trs only. Everything was a bit hazy for me. For example, anything with a cello sounded a bit diffuse and the timbre was not correct. It also did not have enough clarity. I know people say its the last 1% but for me i never liked the zx2 until i went to trrs. Its a shame that you never tried the balanced out of the wm1a when you were dissatisfied for 3 months. I think it excels for classical and jazz with a touch more clarity than the trrs of the zx2.
     

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