Sony NW-WM1Z/WM1A DAPs

MY MIND could be playing tricks on me, but I think the battery its draining about 20-30% faster than standard firmware. Using balanced, volume about 90.

 

Battery life is worse than regular firmware. If running Plus mode on current firmware, it is even worse. All come down to trade offs.

 

Yeah, I would not use plus on that firmware if you’re taking a long trip or something. Using it at home where I can top it off, no problem.

 

Perfect - thank you all. I'm on DMP-Z1 FEv2 Plus and It sounds great with the Denon. I'm not going to lie - I wasn't expecting a massive difference from my Fiio Q3 but it definitely is. I still haven't tried Dawn and Midnight - FEv2 sounds so good that I dont even have any urge to.

I mainly use it on USB DAC mode at home so it constantly trickle charges - no issues with battery life.

 

I have just started burning in the single end of the an output on my NW - WM1A.

 

MrWalkman released updated Midnight and Dawn firmware for the WM1A/Z players the other day. The updated firmware includes a bunch of new options including a text-based configuration file stored on the player that can set player region, boot into Plus mode by default, and more. There's a "new" Plus mode and "different" DAC initialization setting as well. Not much detail on exactly what is different about either of these.

Also, the firmware files include the the previous FEv2 (Dawn) and Project Z (Midnight) tunings. So, lots of options to try, maybe too many.

Midnight V2 Firmware Page
Dawn V2 Firmware Page

The download on both pages is the same, and contains both sets of tunings. No impressions yet compared to the older versions, just installed last night.

 

Sweet, I'll try this out later in the week.

 

I have finished single ended burn in on my Sony NW-WM1A, and it sounds like a different DAP. I use AKG K812 headphones and the sound fantastic. No treble peaks.

 

New Mr Walkman firmware available: https://www.nwmods.ml/p/sony-wm1a-wm1z-custom-firmware.html

It’s called Walkman One and it allows with one install multiple sound options and more.

 

After f'ing forever I finally got this FW installed. However, I had to do a factory reset and try out different methods before the Walkman One FW actually installed correctly on my WM1A.

However, it is super worth it since you have access to the four different audio tunings. I wished you can do do everything on the fly, but process isn't easy. To change the sound sig, you first go into the settings.txt file within you WM1A/Z and adjust the number setting to the sound sig you want, then restart. Then within the WM1A/Z you go into the Sound Signature Turning Folder and install it, then restart. That would do the trick.

So far I prefer the WM1Z sound tuning sig, since it is a warmer than the Warm/Midnight tuning but not too much. Bright makes things too noisy with my CA IEMs and neutral was not my preference on the WM1A for some reason. If you are a DD IEM whore, I bet the neutral/bright sound sigs will work better.

 

Just got a WM1A and got the Walkman firmware installed and it's sounding pretty good. I plan on getting a 4.4mm to dual female XLR to try and use it as a DAC into an external amp as I'm curious as to how it compares to a desktop DAC (The Matrix XSP, in my case). If anyone else is able to comment on the WM1A/Z vs a desktop DAC, that'd be much appreciated as well.