Sony NW-WM1A Review (Digital Audio Player)

[phrwn]

I did not try it in high mode but that should make a good difference.

Seems like an odd omission.

 

[Oukkidoukki]

How is it possible that mega brand like sony fails so hard in numbers , boat is leaking while small chinese topping ands gustards sails to dac horizon?

 

[phrwn]

How is it possible that mega brand like sony fails so hard in numbers , boat is leaking while small chinese topping ands gustards sails to dac horizon?

"Mega brand". You answered your own question. They can make these at reasonable volume and stick them in the flagship store in Ginza and provide an experience that'll sell them. The Shenzhen brands can't compete with this (yet) so have to beat them with quality of output.

 

[Redcarmoose]

If I could inject some ideas? While maybe the Walkman 1A does not measure well it has garnered a huge fan base.

There must be something to the 1A. It's my favorite piece of gear I have ever purchased? I'll be on my way now. Cheers.

 

[Xyrium]

You wonder how such an expensive device falls so far short on power. If they didn't get anything else right you would think they would have given it ample power. I wonder what the sign off on a product like this is for it to get to market.

Sony has fallen a long way from their high quality ES line days. I don't believe they've produced anything of significant quality for the money in 20 years now. I'd say, it doesn't take much to get product signoff over there lately.

 

[YSC]

]
Fair enough, but I'm still surprised it makes so much difference. If it did, I would use a battery-case or carry a separate charge bank.

tbh I used to use that with a Oppo HA2, but hey, after Apple ditched the 3.5mm socket the dongle is making a huge strain on the lightening port, with currenly basically no phones left with a 3.5mm it's a pain to either charge the phone or use the earphone, that's when I bought the Sony ZX300 to do the listening. One plus is the battery is just very long lasting, one charge can make 4-5 hrs BT streamed movies or use internal memory 12+ hrs, it's especially useful when I am on trip where charging the DSLR+phone is enough of a burden every night..

And for someone who DL quite a lot of movies and takes tons of work photo on phone the internal memory of a phone is precious

 

[julian_hughes]

On the superiority of hardware buttons: any IEM or headphone with detachable cable can be used with a headset type cable with easy volume up/down, play/pause, ff/rw & next/previous controls.

Sony quality: I have a Sony XZ1 phone. It's the most nicely made, well constructed phone I ever owned (mostly LG & Samsung) and I much prefer its metal build over any glass backed Android or iPhone. Their implementation of Android is excellent, as are their own additions (superior audio, video, colour management, camera, gallery etc) It's odd how they get their smartphone software so right and their DAP software & UI so wrong.

 

[jasonq997]

This year's LG phone (V60) seems to have a more powerful amp (or a less crippled amp) than past LG models that have always had ultra clean DACs (an ESS implementation) like my previous phone the V30. The V60 runs the hd650 with ease. So at this point why isn't Sony implementing technology like that? And why when a product like the V60 exists would I buy a DAP?

 

[pavuol]

Btw. love the song playing (panther picture), hope it is not some hidden message

 

[F1308]

It is kind of Ironic that Sony was the co-inventor of the CD and some 40 years later, they still can't produce a portable product that provides transparency to its format!

It happens nearly everywhere, now and then: see NASA using russian spaceships.

 

[witchdoctor]

As far as OS I prefer android because vendors like mixclour aren't available on some propriery OS.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

Yup. I have this. From my pre ASR days. Sad face

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, it’s interesting that he went to such an effort to measure the device, but yet didn’t seem to even take a small research in-sight into how users feel. I mean considering that a nifty “smart” review like that could be of importance when a new radical device has been placed on the market, yet here we have 4 years of history?

The audio world is filled with people using graphs to somehow undermine a time honored tradition of poetry and romantic explanations. Probably the best place would be somewhere in the middle with short and correct audio jargon and measurement to give clues? IMO

Still I wonder how a writer of that can truly envision themselves? The myopic judgments are all laid-down as absolute law? Where are the other side of the tests? Surly all these people who love the product can’t be all wrong?


Somehow the 1A is compared directly to a phone dongle in all of quality. Then hordes of “other” co-member “audio-scientists” jump on board in the comments to follow......seemingly in agreement with the author? Haha.

So funny. Sadly the scientists will not have any Walkman fun due to the ultimate reality bestowed upon them by that testing regime!

Links to other sites removed.

The 1A has opened doorways for thousands and thousands of listeners offering a tremendous value. It's not the most powerful DAP, yet powers the IER-Z1R perfect, the XBA-Z5 fine. It does not have streaming but most want it just for files. No worry about Android Update compatibilities or loss of support. In fact new firmware from MrWalkman has breathed new life into what is possible with the players. 20-30 hour battery life. 4.4mm balanced output support. Perfect OS which acts like a Bluetooth receiver, DAC or simply using your 1TB internal card. I can honestly say I'm no expert on DAPs, yet I have a bunch of desktop units......Woo 5LE, Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus, Schiit Asgard One, Sony Walkman 1Z, as well as others and I use the 1A the most. Measurements are only half the story. As far as power output it's fine. It's nothing even remotely like a phone

 

[threni]

Well, it’s interesting that he went to such an effort to measure the device, but yet didn’t seem to even take a small research in-sight into how users feel. I mean considering that a nifty “smart” review like that could be of importance when a new radical device has been placed on the market, yet here we have 4 years of history?

The audio world is filled with people using graphs to somehow undermine a time honored tradition of poetry and romantic explanations. Probably the best place would be somewhere in the middle with short and correct audio jargon and measurement to give clues? IMO

Still I wonder how a writer of that can truly envision themselves? The myopic judgments are all laid-down as absolute law? Where are the other side of the tests? Surly all these people who love the product can’t be all wrong?


Somehow the 1A is compared directly to a phone dongle in all of quality. Then hordes of “other” co-member “audio-scientists” jump on board in the comments to follow......seemingly in agreement with the author? Haha.

So funny. Sadly the scientists will not have any Walkman fun due to the ultimate reality bestowed upon them by that testing regime!

It's like what they say about religion - you can't really do a satire about it because it's all so ridiculous in the first place it just comes across like more of the real stuff.

 

[Redcarmoose]

This review here about the Walkman 1A is the only one on the internet with this opinion? I respect the author for his effort, but it needs more reality. It's one persons opinion. That's fine. But when you post something on the internet you open yourself up for criticism. If the writer can't handle that........well.....maybe they shouldn't do reviews. His points are valid yet many aspects are simply stupid. Find another review in THE WORLD and link it here. This seems to be the single understanding of the device this way. Does it make the writer smart or somehow influential? Does it?


Guess what? No one has written such silly comments abut the 1A. So?

 

[Billy Budapest]

If I could inject some ideas? While maybe the Walkman 1A does not measure well it has garnered a huge fan base.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/
The above thread has 40,000 pages before being closed and started as a new thread. So even with the most narrow minded of vision there must be something to the 1A. It's my favorite piece of gear I have ever purchased? I'll be on my way now. Cheers.

So you just joined the forum today to make this one post and then state “I’ll be on my way now.” Way to abuse the forum. Let me guess—you are a Sony dealer and sell these things?

 

[highpurityusbcable]

Meltdown is real.

 

[Billy Budapest]

It happens nearly everywhere, now and then: see NASA using russian spaceships.

Not anymore! (Re: NASA). Although I gotta give the Soyuz props. That’s one hell of a spacecraft.

 

[Redcarmoose]

From Review:
Quote:

Conclusions
Sony nails the look and feel of a digital audio player with NW-WM1A. It is the Sony that I know (which I worked for years ago) which sadly lost that touch for years. Alas, software execution could be better and performance simply is not there. You can do better with a used LG phone or many dongles. I realize some people like DAPs due to better usability. The Sony has that but not the requisite performance for what they are asking.

If you are going to buy the Sony, I highly recommend getting balanced cables for your headphones to get the much higher power (and lower distortion) it produces.

Overall, I can't recommend the Sony NW-WM1A. It gets a few things right but is far short of what a perfect DAP should be. And at $1000, I expect perfection.

------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

End of Quote:



The writer obviously doesn't know the product at all.


I haven't done a review on the Walkmans because even though I've put 3000 hours of listening in............ I'm not sure I could do an accurate review?

 

[Redcarmoose]

So you just joined the forum today to make this one post and then state “I’ll be on my way now.” Way to abuse the forum. Let me guess—you are a Sony dealer and sell these things?

No just a humble person with a product I truly love. Redcarmoose on Head-Fi. You could tell if you read my posts I'm not a Sony Dealer.