• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Sony NW-WM1A Review (Digital Audio Player)

A Surfer

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 1, 2019
Messages
1,125
Likes
1,230
Sony does not make an adequately powered DAP in terms of driving power. You must listen at pretty quiet levels if you find it adequate for any full sized headphone. I like Sony products and have owned many of them, but output power on their DAPs is a joke.
 

Peter19500

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
7
Likes
2
Sony does not make an adequately powered DAP in terms of driving power. You must listen at pretty quiet levels if you find it adequate for any full sized headphone. I like Sony products and have owned many of them, but output power on their DAPs is a joke.
Greetings. Yes, the HD800 would need about 20% more power, especially on quieter recordings. Since I needed closed headphones so as not to disturb other family members, I bought the Gjallhorn 50JM. They have a sensitivity of 116dB. Sony will wake them up to max. volume (120 steps) to such a level that it hurts my ears. I mostly listen to about 100 to 109 (steps). I agree with you that at this price the performance could be higher, many who have less sensitive headphones would benefit from this. The performance numbers are confusing, as several admitted that they were surprised by the performance and especially the sound quality when trying this dap. A sound that doesn't get tiring when listening for a long time and is straight analog.
 

A Surfer

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 1, 2019
Messages
1,125
Likes
1,230
Greetings. Yes, the HD800 would need about 20% more power, especially on quieter recordings. Since I needed closed headphones so as not to disturb other family members, I bought the Gjallhorn 50JM. They have a sensitivity of 116dB. Sony will wake them up to max. volume (120 steps) to such a level that it hurts my ears. I mostly listen to about 100 to 109 (steps). I agree with you that at this price the performance could be higher, many who have less sensitive headphones would benefit from this. The performance numbers are confusing, as several admitted that they were surprised by the performance and especially the sound quality when trying this dap. A sound that doesn't get tiring when listening for a long time and is straight analog.
There is little doubt that Sony has the chops to make nice sounding DAPs, it is just a power thing pure and simple. Not enough and I have been following this Sony DAP/power issue for years now. Still, if for you the sound is everything that you want and the power is adequate, there is no problem at all. Good for you for sure.
 

MyCuriosity

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2023
Messages
83
Likes
41
Interesting set of measurements. Nevertheless, still after several daps this has been my favourite digital audio player for the past 3 years. It just trouble free and plays my own music regardless. The battery life is also a very very strong benefit. All in all several daps have come and go but the Sony is still here.
 

Billy Budapest

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Messages
1,810
Likes
2,674
What did you compare it to?
A8F9639A-D714-48DA-96E9-805B27BAD710.jpeg
 

Billy Budapest

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Messages
1,810
Likes
2,674
I didn't mean any graphs, but have you actually listened to the sound of the product you are publicly criticizing.
I am not engaging in subjective impressions, I am stating a fact. It is expensive and has pretty bad distortion measurements, and much better performance can be had elsewhere for less money.
 

Rottmannash

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Messages
2,969
Likes
2,606
Location
Nashville
I am not engaging in subjective impressions, I am stating a fact. It is expensive and has pretty bad distortion measurements, and much better performance can be had elsewhere for less money.
Where are the DAP measurements showing better performing DAP's? I believe Amir has only reviewed 2 or 3? I would send in my Fiio M11 Plus but just got it and new hasn't worn off yet. I could send my Hiby R5 but it would probably be months, if not years before he could review/measure it.
 

Billy Budapest

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Messages
1,810
Likes
2,674
Where are the DAP measurements showing better performing DAP's? I believe Amir has only reviewed 2 or 3? I would send in my Fiio M11 Plus but just got it and new hasn't worn off yet. I could send my Hiby R5 but it would probably be months, if not years before he could review/measure it.
I’m focused on portable DACs. For example, use the Apple USB dongle with your phone. Or the Samsung dongle for that matter.

Heck, you could use a USB dongle with the Sony DAP and get better performance.

That all being said, I own a lot of Sony products but I’d never purchase their DAPs. Very expensive with middling performance. Really, the opposite of my Sony OLED TV.
 
Last edited:

threni

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,277
Likes
1,519
Location
/dev/null
I didn't mean any graphs, but have you actually listened to the sound of the product you are publicly criticizing.
Can you please clarify whether you're suggesting some of the better measuring ones sound worse, or that the worse measuring ones sound better? I'm not sure how that would work.
 

Rottmannash

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Messages
2,969
Likes
2,606
Location
Nashville
maybe so but this is a thread on the Sony NW-WM1a.
 

Peter19500

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
7
Likes
2
I don't want to offend anyone, but judging any dap... by measurements without actual testing is ridiculous. I listened to several dap and NV wm1z impressed me the most in terms of sound. Of course I used the same headphones. I bought it used for less than half the price of new. The sound is brilliant, long hours without feeling tired. No measurements convinced me, I know what I heard.
 

_Piotr

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2021
Messages
35
Likes
36
Location
Cracow
I don't want to offend anyone, but judging any dap... by measurements without actual testing is ridiculous. I listened to several dap and NV wm1z impressed me the most in terms of sound. Of course I used the same headphones. I bought it used for less than half the price of new. The sound is brilliant, long hours without feeling tired. No measurements convinced me, I know what I heard.
This is an audio science forum and measurements are exactly how an audio equipment performance is judged. What you believe you've heard has no scientific value. Even if you'd do a controlled blind test, it would still be just your subjective opinion.
 

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,333
Likes
2,535
I don't want to offend anyone, but judging any dap... by measurements without actual testing is ridiculous. I listened to several dap and NV wm1z impressed me the most in terms of sound. Of course I used the same headphones. I bought it used for less than half the price of new. The sound is brilliant, long hours without feeling tired. No measurements convinced me, I know what I heard.
I just bought a used wm1a. No regrets whatsoever. I do detect lesser power ie loudness need to be cranked up compared to other DAPs but the player's sound imho has more detail and its soundstage is better than other players. The original owner upgraded the fw to Mr Walkman's One wm1z variant. The about page now shows nw-wm1z instead of nw-wm1a . :)
 

A Surfer

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 1, 2019
Messages
1,125
Likes
1,230
This is an audio science forum and measurements are exactly how an audio equipment performance is judged. What you believe you've heard has no scientific value. Even if you'd do a controlled blind test, it would still be just your subjective opinion.
If somebody did a controlled blind test (assuming it was done correctly and had enough trials) and then reported the results, that would not be subjective, certainly not exclusively. It would be objective testing of a subjective experience. You can never fully remove the subjective experience/element, but it is tested objectively.

We can't tell people to use blind testing because it is objective and then tell them that if they do that, it is just subjective. Which is it then?
 

Peter19500

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Messages
7
Likes
2
I just bought a used wm1a. No regrets whatsoever. I do detect lesser power ie loudness need to be cranked up compared to other DAPs but the player's sound imho has more detail and its soundstage is better than other players. The original owner upgraded the fw to Mr Walkman's One wm1z variant. The about page now shows nw-wm1z instead of nw-wm1a . :)
These DAPs have many satisfied owners because of the beautiful and faithful sound. I wanted to buy a Topping 4 years ago, but after 7 days of constant comparison with the Sony wm1z, I sold the Topping. His sound is boring, flat. It has no life. Sony has low power, especially for such a high price, it should not have 2 x 280mW, but at least 2 x 1W at 32 ohm. It is true. Fortunately, I have 33 ohm headphones with a sensitivity of 116 db, so the balanced output has plenty of power in this connection. Everyone should try several devices in terms of sound before buying anything. Numbers aren't everything. I don't need to argue with anyone, I've tried it for years.
 

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,333
Likes
2,535
These DAPs have many satisfied owners because of the beautiful and faithful sound. I wanted to buy a Topping 4 years ago, but after 7 days of constant comparison with the Sony wm1z, I sold the Topping. His sound is boring, flat. It has no life. Sony has low power, especially for such a high price, it should not have 2 x 280mW, but at least 2 x 1W at 32 ohm. It is true. Fortunately, I have 33 ohm headphones with a sensitivity of 116 db, so the balanced output has plenty of power in this connection. Everyone should try several devices in terms of sound before buying anything. Numbers aren't everything. I don't need to argue with anyone, I've tried it for years.
I agree. Luckily I have a 16ohm impedance iem... the Fiio FH3. With this iem, I don't have to crank up the volume that high. I have also started to use wires with 4.4mm termination with some of the higher impedance iems. Right now, I have avoided using high gain of the wm1a but I might have to use it when I go to headphones such as hd6xx or Sundara. Before the wm1a, I have been enjoying the sound from the dac/amp Sony lineup such as pha-2a and pha-3 but these are chunky...with the wm1a I can now have pocketable player with the sound of pha-3.
 
Top Bottom