Tuesday 14 November 2023

Wednesday 12 July 2023

MDR Proxy - app update



The Headphones app in the MDR Proxy download is now a recent version.


2023-07-12 - Added a more recent version of the Headphones app, that will work with MDR Proxy if the instructions are correctly followed (just updated my WF-1000XM4 to the Japanese version of the firmware, using option #3, "Install a certain firmware").
2023-02-28 - MDR Proxy stopped working after the last update. It's been fixed now.
2023-02-11 - Added the latest Headphones app (9.3.0).
2022-12-09 - Added the 1.6.1 firmware version for WF-1000XM4 to the firmware library.





The next update for the Walkman players should arrive soon :)

Wednesday 8 March 2023

LDAC support on Windows 10/11


Some days ago I found out about a Windows app/driver combination, that allows Windows 10/11 users with a BT computer to play audio to their buds/headphones via LDAC. This should work with most BT transmitters that your laptop/computer may have (or an USB BT adapter - Class 1 recommended).

The app can be found at: https://www.bluetoothgoodies.com/a2dp/

I am not affiliated in any way with them, I just thought that it's something awesome which many may not know about, so here I am. I tested it with the WF-1000XM4, as well as with the WH-1000XM5.



This is the app part of the package. The app allows you to select what codec to use (between SBC and LDAC), and you can set additional settings below. For LDAC you can select which samples rate are made available in the Sound control panel.



This allows you to use a playback software that can use the audio interface exclusively, switching sample rates based on the sample rate of the audio source. For example, having the 88.2 kHz sample rate enabled in the app and then playing a 88.2 kHz audio file will result in the audio data being sent unmodified to the LDAC encoder. On Android devices the audio is always upsampled to 96 kHz.

Of course, some care more or less about this stuff. However, I find that the sound quality greatly improves. I took advantage about the multiple sample rates by using Tidal, selecting my XM5 as the playback device, then enabling "Exclusive mode". I was then able to see the sample rate that is streamed via BT in the app.





Your buds/headphones don't have LDAC support? The app also supports SBC, and enables you to set certain parameters that enables sending audio at higher bitrates, which it seems that can make SBC sound almost as good as aptX HD (link).



All this is achieved by replacing the default Windows driver that is used when playing sound via BT, with a custom one wrote by the person who made this.


More info can be found on their FAQ page.

Unfortunately you can only try this for free for 10 days. After that, it requires a license (which I bought happily). Normally it's $9.99, but if you buy a license before the trial expires, it's $5.99.

Have fun listening!



Saturday 1 October 2022

MDR Proxy - firmware sidegrade tool for Sony bluetooth headphones/earbuds



Here you can find a tool which allows us to install previous firmware versions to our Sony bluetooth headphones/earbuds.

Please read the guide carefully!


2023-07-12 - Added a more recent version of the Headphones app, that will work with MDR Proxy if the instructions are correctly followed (just updated my WF-1000XM4 to the Japanese version of the firmware, using option #3, "Install a certain firmware").
2023-02-28 - MDR Proxy stopped working after the last update. It's been fixed now.
2023-02-11 - Added the latest Headphones app (9.3.0).
2022-12-09 - Added the 1.6.1 firmware version for WF-1000XM4 to the firmware library.



Saturday 17 September 2022

New web address & some info about the next update


Hello,

I've updated the domain name from nwmods.ml to mrwalkman.com. 
When accessing the old address, you will be automatically redirected to the new one.


An update to the Walkman One firmware will come at some point. Highlights of this update would be (at least) a new region, called J3, which in my opinion sounds very good (I'm using it for some time already), and a low latency USB DAC mode, enabling us to use our players for watching movies or other real time applications with delay between the video and audio so low that it becomes unnoticeable.


In the meanwhile you can try the J3 region on the WM1A/Z players. You can download a version of Walkman One with the J1, J2, and J3 regions here.

In order to install this you must first use the StockRevert package for the Walkman One firmware in order to get back to the stock firmware. Afterwards you can install this version. The settings file's contents won't be updated, so you won't see J1, J2, and J3 in the list of regions, but you can set it to one of these (it should look like REG=J3, for example). You can also delete the settings file. It will be recreated at the next reboot, and the list of regions will show the new regions.

There are no other builds for other devices at the moment.


Take care.

Friday 7 January 2022

The stock playback icons are now available!


Hello,

If you tried the "Love Live! Sunshine!!" playback icons but now you want to get back to the stock ones, they are now available here.

I'd like to also take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me so far. You're awesome, and I really appreciate the support!

Happy new year!

Sunday 19 December 2021

The "Love Live! Sunshine!!" edition icons are now available


You can find installers for the "Love Live! Sunshine!!" edition icons, here. They will only work while you are on the stock firmware for your player. Check out more details on the page linked above.

Installers for the stock icons will be available in the next few days!