Nothing beat SD card feature on Sony. I own few Sony and i hate no SD on them.
@popcornwonk87
9 жыл бұрын
+ battery life.
@JadedGothButterfly
6 жыл бұрын
... and the FM Tuner.
@miceblue425
10 жыл бұрын
A few notes about HD audio. 1) Yes, the HD resolutions themselves don't matter for playback, and CAN be harmful during playback IF... 2) DACs have digital filters to cut-off frequencies above 22.05 kHz. HD audio is perfectly fine IF they go through these filters to get rid of ultrasonic frequencies, which pretty much all DACs do. You mentioned minimum phase filter in your Pono Player video, and that's exactly what the filter does, or one feature of that filter: it cuts out audio after ~22 kHz. If these signals DON'T get filtered, then your amp might respond non-linearly and your headphones will likely create aliased distortion, unless you have the 100 kHz Sony MDR-Z7 headphones. XD 3) Although HD resolutions are pretty much meaningless for playback, albums in HD resolutions are more often than not different masters of the albums, which in of itself can be worth the few extra bucks compared to a CD pressing. HD music distributors like to advertise the resolution though....which saddens me. I'm still boycotting HD Tracks though because they are not transparent at all when it comes to how they obtained their music. An absolutely terrible way to run a music distribution business in my opinion. 4) In nature, ultrasonic frequencies aren't uncommon in musical instruments. The percussion instruments used in gamelan music are a famous example. Recording such audio with HD sampling rates isn't a bad idea in this case and is one benefit for the higher sampling rates; namely it better captures the original analogue signal. Analyze your Chesky Ultimate Demonstration Disc in a spectrum analyser, specifically tracks 30 and 42 which use percussion instruments and you can see natural sounds up until about 40 kHz. 5) Most DACs these days use a Delta-Sigma modulation method to decode PCM files. Your music files actually get oversampled (e.g. 64x oversampling) and processed in a multi-bit DS-modulation section to create a bitstream similar to that of DSD (except DSD is 1-bit instead of multi-bit). 44.1 kHz x 64 times oversampling = 2.8224 MHz = DSD64 sampling rates. 6) Speaking of DSD, you're partially correct about your points. The DSD layer of SACDs are likely DSD converted from PCM. However, it isn't impossible to work with. The Sonoma workstations can handle DSD natively, making it DSD the entire pathway with no PCM conversions. DSD is probably the best format to digitise analogue tape recordings too, which Sony has a lot of, because DSD is essentially an analogue waveform and only a low-pass reconstruction filter is needed to get back the original analogue audio. Also, some recording studios still use analogue mixing stations, so you can edit DSD files natively. Blue Coast Records is one example of a studio that does this. I have a DAC capable of playing back DSD files, so I've been slowly inquiring DSD distributors about how they obtain/create their DSD files. I'm completely avoiding anything related to SACDs unless the original DSD masters were created from native DSD sources.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Thanks as always for your insight! I definitely am aware of the things you have mentioned, though unfortunately I haven't had the chance to lay out better video explanations of this stuff yet. I think DSD is tremendously interesting from a conceptual point of view, but pretty much everything I have learnt about DSD suggests that it are tremendous obstacles to its use, and inherent flaws to the format which make it a fairly silly format for little gain. I try not to overreach or oversimplify too much in my videos, but at the same time I do really want to get across simply and directly to people how misleading the marketing is and have them do their own research after...
@miceblue425
10 жыл бұрын
***** Yeah, native DSD recordings are hard to come buy apart from Native DSD and Blue Coast Records unfortunately. From the few albums I do have in DSD, I think they sound absolutely fantastic, and I actually enjoy them more than any PCM album I have (whether ripped from a CD, or different masters from HD resolution sources). I just e-mailed HD Tracks about their Michael Jackson "Thriller" album and I received a really disappointing, not useful reply. Still not going to buy stuff from them. Pretty much everything said on Head-Fi was regurgitated in the e-mail: "We are only a retailer. We also provide as much information as we can about a release that has been provided by the label in "about this album" section, on the album page. If this is a factor in your decisions, then you might want to forgo a purchase, as we do have limited reason for returns." Okay then.
@zamuz
9 жыл бұрын
Hey, awesome video! Just wanted to share something with you regarding the downsampling setting: When you set it to OFF, the audio effects (equalizer, DSEE HX, ClearAudio+) will not apply to Hi-Res tracks. When you set it to ON they will be applied to Hi-Res tracks, but for that to happen the device also needs to downsample the tracks to CD quality. That's the purpose of the setting, although I suppose it still works for the experiments you want to try on people (do share your findings!). Cheers!
@sdjklsdjksdjklf
9 жыл бұрын
When you said that the IPhone 5s was a high quality audio device... You seriously lost me
@sdjklsdjksdjklf
9 жыл бұрын
Schrödinger Catboy I'm debating between the A15 or one of Fiio's offerings. Did you buy this by the way?
@frankdrebin2747
9 жыл бұрын
Schrödinger Catboy really you pair it over bluetooth for your high resolution audio experience ? #FacePalm
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
Schrödinger Catboy i agree,,this guy is defo an apple fan boy,,i picked up this player today and can say it sounds AMAZING,,,ive listened to quite a few 24bit hi res tracks and the difference compared to mp3 is easy to hear,,,big step up!! anyone who says otherwise must have something wrong with there ears,,,to say an iphone has as good sound quality is laughable lol even my old e series walkman sounds better than my iphone 4
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
im using my sony mdr 10rc which are also hi res and sound is great with them,,,ive also tried my sennheiser momentums which also sound very good,,,i hate beats lol
@frankdrebin2747
9 жыл бұрын
Schrödinger Catboy "any iPhone is as good high resolution audio player as pigs are good flying" next time you said you pair it over Bluetooth. How do you know that your A15 sounds better than an iPhone ? I bet you cant pick the iPhone or the A15 in an ABX test !
@audioman6007
9 жыл бұрын
so if you want a dedicated music device the sony wins over a ipod or iphone. i dont want my music to pause when i get a phone call, i don't want a ping when i get a email or a facebook message etc when im playing my music. weather you want a music player for mp3 files or hi res files this sony is still the best bang for your buck. £150 in the uk with 16gb storage and £10 for a micro sd 128gb card on amazon, or £250 for a 64gb ipod touch. hmmm i still think sony wins. if i want play games and take pics etc then i will use my smartphone but for music this sony for the money is about the best there is i think.
@afrog2666
8 жыл бұрын
Many many words there about how high res is BS, but not much about how it actually sounds, batterylife, bluetooth connectivity, radio signal, screen brightness etc etc..
@tumpingoogle
9 жыл бұрын
I have the NWZ-A15. I got it just for the convenience of being able to play all of my tracks without needing to run conversions. I have many different file formats. some 24bit, some high sample rate that I get from many different sources. This Walkman is able to play any file just from a simple drag and drop. I find that impressive, it makes the whole sync job very fast and straight forward. The Sony Media go sync software is pretty good too. I like how it scans in the background and updates the music tags. That's useful when using Wav files that don't have any tag info. As for whether you can hear the difference between these files on the player I would say mixed results. It really depends on the individual track in question and also the standard of your headphones. This player is especially picky with what headphones you use, some sounding terrible some sounding great. I find this player is a little underpowered. Its not capable enough to power over ear cans but in-ear its fine. Make sure you have in-ears with a wide frequency response to get the most out of this player. Another plus is this player supports Apt-X Bluetooth standard. It makes Bluetooth an acceptable method for me to attach up wireless to the Hifi. It sounds really good, for the price Im happy.
@Llucius1
9 жыл бұрын
I am surprised that media go works for someone as my A15 is not supported in HK (but that's not really a big deal). I am using a 34 ohm headphone , and there is no hissing on my experience. The clear+ is amazing. About the 24 bits thing , I think Sony really means what they mean "upsampling the listening experience by coverting 24bits to 16bits" , 24bits music might sound bad if your headphone is not up to par. Some might say 24 bits music is pointless , all that HDCD is all BS , but I think we are just missing the point about HR music or 24 bits music. I think they are there to ensure you get the most hearing experience, and helps you to get the perfect 16 bits files , not to enhance what you can't hear. If I am a studio guy , I would definely go for a higher resolution then normal files , in that way I am ensure what I want is there. This is just my view , and I do not have any real knowledge of every I just said.
@bleepbleep1961
2 жыл бұрын
I've had my NWZ A-17 about 5 years and it's the Best piece of ELECTROICS I ever owned ! Of course I still remember first getting into music with my little am transistor radio under the pillow , middle of the night with super reception picking up stations from Chicago , Detroit , Buffalo , Rochester , Toronto , in the 70's ... I kept up with all the newest media , 45's , LP's , 8 track (naw , had 2 tapes!) .... Sony Cassette Walkman ! Then a NEW Sony CDP-70 CD Player in 1986 ! Next a 200 Sony Disk Player ...in 96 ! Inbetween there is a Portable CD/MP3 disc player with Sony ATRAC System {allows 500 tracks on one CD} ....... then digital got better and easy to share/dwnld ... got an Archos 20 GB Player The Worlds smallest at the time ..... and NOW with this Sony that has NWZ A17 with 64GB internal and a 258GB external sd card (that is twice the size of the manufacturers suggested max size allowable , works A1 ! } ..... I have my own opinion on "Hi-Resolution" ... and that is : the difference is really in the bitrate of each recording I have some as low as 98bps and Hi-Res Tracks in FLAC 3200bps+ ... There is a satisfying difference noticable to these 60 year old ears !! \\m//
@jaquino6786
10 жыл бұрын
I love how you debunk all the audiophile bullshit and snobbery that goes around among audio enthusiast circles. Keep up the good work.
@elijahmodnar1
9 жыл бұрын
RE: the high resolution audio rant. I think you should review/compare a album such as daft punks' album in hi res before you make sweeping statements like "hi res audio is a scam"... Hi res does not exclusively equal high frequency... A good analogy is that hi res audio fills in the gaps. As in instead of "hearing" 44thousand samples per second you now are hearing double. As like watching a video in 60fps instead of 30fps, the result is smoother.
The context of your argument is a complete fallacy. The difference between 30fps and 60fps is highly apparent to the human eye. No one would debate otherwise. But considering barely any human can hear anything above 20KHz, the difference between 22KHz and 44KHz is utterly meaningless to us. If you were to quantify your argument evenly it would look more like arguing the difference between 240fps and 480fps, to which the difference would be, you guessed it - negligible if anything at all. Regardless of your completely unfair comparison, if was really 'smoother' or whatever other buzzword you have lying around, why do so few ever pass a volume matched blind test?
@syn010110
10 жыл бұрын
I'm not as forgiving as you when it comes to the hissing. This is a premium product, a digital music player that costs $250. It should be dead silent on the output even on low-impedance IEMs, especially when the Clip is dead silent for under $50.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
I need to try a Clip one day... but I definitely take your point!
@syn010110
10 жыл бұрын
***** I really consider the Sansa Clip+ to be the baseline digital audio player and the one to which all others must compare. The only metric where the Clip doesn't really shine is battery life... you can only get so much juice out of a Li-Ion cell the size of your thumbnail, after all. Actually I could see this being competitive at the same price point as the iPod Nano, which I actually quite like as well except for its lack of an sdcard slot. The A15 should be ~$150, not $249.99 (the A17 could probably do okay at $250).
@nihontoman
10 жыл бұрын
the clip does have some background hiss :) I've had clip + for about 2 years and have heard clip zip. both had same background hiss that was noticeable with low impedance high sensitivity iems (well, the clip couldn't;'t really drive anything else :D ). maybe I wasn't lucky with mine and the zip I've listened was also defective, ut I highly doubt it... Now iBasso DX50 also has some hiss, but only at low and medium gains and almost disappears (but not fully) on high gain...
@syn010110
10 жыл бұрын
nihontoman My partner's Clip Zip doesn't hiss with either my 10 ohm ATH-IM70s or the previously owned 13 ohm UE Super.fi 5vi. No hiss at all. My Nexus 4 also does not hiss.
@SummersSnaps
10 жыл бұрын
nihontoman I think the point is the clip might also suffer minor hiss on certain iems, but it costs $40. :|
@RikiBuckingham
8 жыл бұрын
Interesting, I have recorde my own albums and the quality change from 44,16bit to 48,24bit is large enough to be quite noticable. Everything sounds more alive and open :)
@RikiBuckingham
8 жыл бұрын
Yes, Do you reccomend any software to do double blind ? The material you listened to higher res files, do you know it was actualy originaly recorded above CD quality ? Mine was as I recorded it with my own equiptment. most music out there is originaly recorded in CD quality then mastered Higher, so most of us have never really heard a Hi Res file.
@RikiBuckingham
8 жыл бұрын
Perhaps another reason for the better quality could be that my sound card's chips recorded better at the higher sample rate and bit depth. Its only really my own songs ive noticed the difrence with, but then mostly any hi res file you download is not actualy hi res so you wont notice any change.
@RikiBuckingham
8 жыл бұрын
You have to ask yourself too why do studios mostly recorder higher than CD quality ?
@samsonzou5027
10 жыл бұрын
Not easily to find a honest reviewer these days, and seems have scientific way of reviewing it. Good
@ib0093
9 жыл бұрын
Lachlan, I don't know why people are being so harsh for stating your opinion. It is possible to state a contrary opinion and not be rude. I like watching and reading opposite opinions for contrast and realize that reality is usually somewhere in the middle. I haven't done testing but sometimes I prefer my X5 and sometimes my iPhone 5. What I enjoy is the ability to use both whenever I feel like it. The fun part about the iPhone's is the sound can change dramatically depending on the music app one is using. Lastly, I just don't watch or read one review and purchase based on it unless I know that the reviewer has similar taste to mine by observing their opinions over time.
@EvilStreaks
8 жыл бұрын
I have a different walkman... and I've noticed that turning on the EQ, even if it's flat, the quality is noticably reduced because of the extra processing. Hope this model is better. The difference was even noticable on cheapish headphones.
@JWapologist
10 жыл бұрын
Thanks for including the bit on album art. I really like your reviews. Very thorough
@Ibysjunior
9 жыл бұрын
I wouldn't trust this guy, he's using a mac.. >.>
@lachlanlikesathing
9 жыл бұрын
Ibys Junior
@alekslekic27
9 жыл бұрын
Lol that is so true, it looks so much professional when you walk in on a meeting and place your beautiful carbon fiber Vaio z series in black, all other apple fans with same color macbooks look like kidds that would like to play with grown ups around you. You never see spy movies with spy that use macbook hehe
@lachlanlikesathing
9 жыл бұрын
Alex Lekic You might be interested to note that Sony Pictures distributes the James Bond films. The product placement got really silly in Casino Royale. kzitem.info/news/bejne/z5d4uK5nkmKUlm0
@aaDee008
9 жыл бұрын
Did u ever own a Cowon player?? If yes then please compare. If not then its a must have DAP.
@jeezyman1871
9 жыл бұрын
I like the clear audio+!
@Sigmatechnica
7 жыл бұрын
some points: The reason for >~44kHz sample rate is that you can move the DAC output filter (and its associated phase change) cut off further away from the audio band. the advantage 24 bit gives you over 16 bit is it allows for things like doing the volume control purely in digital. both of those things are fine on super high end full hifi systems. I agree those are mute points on a portable player, though the ability to play 24/196 back does give one advantage though... not having to resample your entire collection and maintain two libraries of the same music!
@AmbientoftheFel
9 жыл бұрын
Great review. You get a sub for a very well illustrated review. I was going to buy this but I think I will save my money.
@benm9009
9 жыл бұрын
thank you so much for making this. finding info on this player is pretty tough and i wanna get one.
@David-iw1yj
8 жыл бұрын
"ClearAudio+" just sets the Equaliser to Unique and VPT to Studio. "Hi-Res Audio Effects" allows the Equaliser and VPT to work on hi-res audio files. Agree that if there is a difference between Direct Source and Downsample it is hard to see if Equaliser and VPT are both off.
@tumpingoogle
9 жыл бұрын
That hiss mentioned in the review. That sound is actually present in the track you are playing. Its only because this player is able to pick it up and your iphone5 cant that you notice it. This Sony player has a frequency response up to 40kHz. That seems way over the top! but what it does mean is the Sony will produce up to 20khz+ without any problems whereas your iphone (or most other standard players) will tail off as they aproach 20kHz so the higher end of that background hiss is hidden. Some tracks will have more hiss and some less depending on how well its made etc. You cant really remove the hiss completely without also removing some of the music so thats why its there. If you can hear the hiss then it means you have a very sensitive DAC and headphones/speakers, so that actually goes to show the quality of this Sony player compared to a phone. I hear the same hiss when using studio headphones and a dedicated DAC/Headphone amp. I do think the hiss seems slightly exageratted on the NWZ-A15 but its not due to some fault with the player. You mention there are some headphones with the hiss present and some its not. Well the headphones that you can hear the noise are simply able to pick up this sound. Get hold of some AKG K240 (15 to 25000 Hz) or something of that range of studio headphones and a decent DAC/headphone amp and you will hear that same hiss. Also your explaination of 16bit vs 24bit is way to simple and not just a matter of lowest and highest volume levels. Though whether you can hear the difference between the two is, as usual, very debatable. But hey, if its created in 24bit then why not play it in 24bit if its available, instead of listening to a dithered down 16bit version..
@lachlanlikesathing
9 жыл бұрын
I understand that some songs have hiss, so this is something I checked first. The hiss on the Walkman is not from the music files. The hiss does not change with volume and the hiss continues even if playback is paused. This tells us that it is hiss from the electronics. The iPhone also produces the same kind of hiss but to a much lesser degree.
@colombia6668
9 жыл бұрын
Isn't it incorrect to say that being able to hear the difference between 16bit and 24bit is debatable? I am quite sure 100% of human beings will fail a double blind test using the two. I also think it's silly to say that someone could hear a hiss because the audio player produces above 22khz. Lachlan put it softly. No one can hear above 22khz except maybe a handful of mutants on this planet, and they probably wouldn't happen to also be audiophiles.
@tumpingoogle
9 жыл бұрын
Colombia I didn't say anything about being able to hear above 22khz. If u read it again I said its able to produce all the way up to that level whereas most others drop off and debatable is exactly what it means.
@maplesyrup76
7 жыл бұрын
Great Review. I just ordered Sony Walkman NWZ-A17B 64 GB and Sony MDR-1ADAC Headphone to go with it. I'm old school and like CD's so I rip to flac with EAC. I did however buy an album from HDtracks today in 24bit for shits and giggles. I'm definitely going to try to toggle and see if I notice a diff.
@Malangsufi
10 жыл бұрын
I purchased the A15 and for its price I am happy however coming from calyx M and HUGO it lacks a lot of micro-detail that I am used to but boy this thing is not even 1/4 of what they cost! However as a digital source this thing rocks! I am officially done with my search for a digital source for my chord HUGO and Denon DA-10.
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
i didnt want to comment on this until i got the player which i did today,,,i have to say and im not trying to be rude here,,but,,you must have something wrong with your ears if you cant tell the difference between hi res audio and standard mp3,,,ive listened to ALOT of tracks on it in both hi res and mp3 and there is a BIG difference to my ears!! and NO its not subliminal,,there IS a difference and its easy to hear,,,tracks have a MUCH warmer,,darker and more live/raw sound to them,,,i even think the upscale is pritty good and can hear a difference when using it with mp3s,,,this player is AMAZING imo,,,the only slight minus point is that when playing true hi res tracks the volume is too low imo and i have to turn it all the way up as far as it will go for it to be reasonable and i would still like it a little higher,,,this player BLOWS the iphone away and hi res DOES work and make a difference
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
syks oh and ive tried it with 4 different pairs of headphones and get no hiss at all so i dont know what your on about there either? im starting to think you are defo an apple fan boy like i said in another of your vids,,theres no other explanation
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
ive tried many 320kb mp3s,,its all i use in mp3 format and even the best quality mp3s dont and cant match up to hi res audio,,,they dont sound as good at all,,,there is a definite difference which is quite large to my ears,,,after listening to hi res flac files mp3s sound digital and not natural sounding,,,i find the difference quite large,,,to say mp3 sounds as good as lossless is just a silly comment imo but if your ears cant tell a difference then i guess thats not your fault lol peace
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
im telling you there is a difference,,,mp3s no matter how good the source is sound more digital,,hi res sounds warmer and more raw,,,i can easily tell a difference,,,thats just like saying theres no difference in sound between cd and vinyl which there is a big difference,,,same with hi res and mp3
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
we could argue all day but im telling you there is a big difference to my ears between mp3 and hi res flac files,,,for a start mp3 is 320kb and hi res flac is over 3000kb,,,mp3 is much more compressed which gives a much different sound,,,all i can say is i wish i had ears like yours if you cant tell the difference,,,i could go out and buy a cheap crappy mp3 player and be happy with my sound lol have you even tried a hi res player?
@djsyks1
9 жыл бұрын
me too and i can tell a big difference,,if you cant then im sorry you forked out for it,,,let me ask you a question,,,can you tell the difference between a low quality say 128kb mp3 and a high quality 320kb mp3? because i can and its quite a big difference because the higher quality mp3 is less compressed,,,well now take hi res music which is WAY WAY higher quality and less compressed than the highest quality mp3,,its obvious there is going to be a difference,,,then again not everyones ears are the same so maybe you genuinely cant tell the difference,,,hell some people think there no difference between cd/vinyl and mp3 and even think the mp3 sounds better
@Digiphex
9 жыл бұрын
How about an iPhone with Onkyo's app which plays all these HD formats? Amazing that people will use the term "spacious" with HD. Spaciousness comes from psychoacoustic properties such as delays, reverb, etc., not the definition.
@SummersSnaps
10 жыл бұрын
Good review, I always prefer more info than less, I'm not surprised it came in at around 30mins. I feel well qualified to talk about mp3 players (or DAPs as I prefer to call them), having reviewed a number of them for anythingbutipod. I'll upload a vid in the next couple of weeks showing why I think Cowon make the best DAPs.
@12happycamper
9 жыл бұрын
Its good to see if you could show some visual audio measurement comparing hi res audio vs ordinary audio quality, Just a thought.
@anastasiaz._pt
9 жыл бұрын
I must disagree! I matched up my Sony MDR1RBTMK2 with NWZ-A17 and turned on the Hi Res tuner to play my flac musics and BOOOOM! I'm in heaven, try it and you'll know for sure the difference between those n iphone (i got 6+ btw). If you just wanna play mp3s, no need to buy these of course.
@alexprach
9 жыл бұрын
Downsampling shouldn't really affect the volume. Think of a line graph where the x-axis is 0 to 100 but that are 10 points which we can consider as 10 samples, so a sample of the music between these frequencies are sampled, like you were doing a questionnaire, so although there maybe infinite tones in between 0 and 100, we haven't got the time or in music's case the equipment to measure every tone. But some equipment can sample at a greater frequency, so instead of 10 points maybe this equipment can measure 100 points so it is more accurate and the line generated by this is usually less jagged, unless recorded/mastered badly/by design. In graphic cards we can think of this more simply 1 bit of colour e.g. black and white only like really old pcs. 2 bit colour e.g. black, dark grey, light grey, white like the original game boy, 4 bit colour are 16 colours, 16 bit colour is 65,536 colours, 24 bit colour is 16 million colours and 32 bit colour is 4 billion colours. Notice I that the maximum colour white and minimum colour black don't change, so maximum volume and minimum volume should never change, its only the variations of sound in between when you increase sampling rate. So you should hear more variations of midrange sounds rather than increasing the loudness or quiet sounds, but due to greater number of variations you should be able to distinguish the quiet and louder sounds but also the sounds in between also. But as human hearing gets worse as you get older especially if you blast music into your ears you start to hear fewer and fewer variations as your ears aren't repairing itself fast enough, so maybe this is the reason you didn't hear a difference, also because you were focusing on the loudest values and quietest values you didn't actually consider the midrange to improve which is a kind of anti-placebo. I do agree that any frequencies above 22 kHz are probably pointless though, although some kids may be able to hear it as younger people e.g. under 10 years old have very sensitive hearing, why chalk on a blackboard is more intense.
@peterphillips245
8 жыл бұрын
found this vid very informative and clear to understand.
@rohanes
10 жыл бұрын
Took Lachlan 23:40 to mention the magical Hi-Res switch and 27:08 to say bouleschiit. I honestly expected those to be in the introduction.
@EdwardElric6464
8 жыл бұрын
This has the same interface as my NWZ-E464 but with Blue tooth and 16gb instead of 8. Plus all the high res the micro sd and it comes in 64gb. I so want the A17.
@davidb4192
7 жыл бұрын
I have now had a good chance to listen to this device properly using Sony MDR ABN100 headphones, with both MP3 files (325 kb per second bit rate and 126 kb per second bit rate) and wav uncompressed files. The difference in sound between the different qualities is noticeable but not dramatic. The difference between the lower and higher quality mp3 files is that the sound is a little smoother and there is a bit more detail to be heard. When jumping from mp3 to wav file (cd quality bit rate) there is a further similar improvement in sound, but again not dramatic. I decided that the highest quality mp3 files provided the best compromise between quality and the size of the file. I am not interested in using high res, although I might try it someday. My opinion on the general sound of this player is that it provides a decent soundstage with a reasonable amount of detail to be heard in the instruments. However the lower bass sounds stodgy and the overall sound distribution is a bit too laid back for my taste. You get the best sound out of this player by playing it reasonably loud to hear the detail and get a decent bass. It has a neutral sound.
@Didibotts
8 жыл бұрын
I watched the whole review and just bought one. Thanks!
@antunkatona5674
9 жыл бұрын
Hi Lachlan! Generally I do agree with your thoughts on high-resolution audio and portable players. The devices simply cannot offer a sufficiently low noise floor to offer an audibly superior performance most of the time. Quite honestly, I have a few of Sony walkmans from the 1980s. These are all cassette players of course. They jave been reconditioned and are better than they were when they came out and with good headphones will deliver a wider dynamic range (not signal-to-noise obviously) and greater extension in both direction as well as more natural breathing of acoustic instruments. Yet, there is no „high-res“ sticker on any of these! The point I am trying to make is that what manufacturers are now doing is selling their products according to specification alone, not substance. In the prospect of this, an average consumer could conclude that high-res is high-res and that a 50 Euro convertor sounds as agood as a 2500 Euro one. This is obviously not the case. However, I must say that high-resolution executed well will generally sound „better“. Frequencies higher than 20kHz (though in a practical sense, this is closer to 16kHz with an average adult) cannot be heard but psychoacoustics dictates it has other benefits and moves HF distortion along with unwanted harmonic artefacts into a region well above 22.05kHz. All of this is nice of course but the thing is, all modern convertors are delta-sigma modulation devices and they do work more reliably with 24bit stream. This is also the reason why most of commercially available chipsets employ internal up-sampling algorythm that fills in the extra 8bit word making the word 24bit long. It is there whether you want it or nor and it cannot be disengaged. A manufacturer of a 50 Euro or even a 2500 Euro DAC will not be able to provide an explanation because they did not make the chipset themselves. So there are a lot of misconceptions like this. Technology is available and it is affordable and this is why there are so many manufacturers out there and they do not or even need to understand how something works because the semiconductor industry has already done the research. This is why agree with you that high-resolution is marketing-inflamed. But I do not agree that there is no practical use for it. Unfortunately, it takes effort and yes, this includes money and time, to assemble a system that is good enough to be able to appreciate (fora lack of a different word) the difference. In absolute terms, a high-resolution version of a classical piece by Stravinsky (The Firefly Suite for instance) will sound more layered in instrumentation with more clearly defined instruments and insttrument groups, a generally quieter background that reveals that the musician has just tunred over the page on his note stand, or that those two violins are of a different type. I can also say which „meister“ built that Croatian national folk instrument just by listeing to how the harmonics form after the initial tone. None of this was possible with 44.1kHz versions of these melodies. But to conclude this rather unusually long comment, I'd venture to say that you are correct on the portable players as well as the way high-resolution is advertised. If a person is buying hi-resolution -capable equipment just for the sheer compatibility or specification, then it is a waste of time. But if one is serious enough to invest resources, the results can be rewarding. Cheers! Antun
@alexoreo2
9 жыл бұрын
I'm feeling lucky after watching this
@shazk.557
8 жыл бұрын
This is an excellent video! I hung on to every word you said, when generally I am very impatient with tech reviews. Clear, well spoken and honest. Btw, I have been using Cowon and nothing seems to rock my boat. Which mp3 player would you recommend which comes close? Thanks!
@heroicmonkey714
10 жыл бұрын
Awesome rant. Ive struggled hearing the difference between CD quality and hi res audio and it's good to know that I'm not crazy haha. By the way, is anyone else extremely bothered by the alignment of the option and back buttons on this device? They're just ever slightly off and I can't unsee that
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Haha. I think I noticed that unconsciously...
@rvbsoundfactory
8 жыл бұрын
Thank for the info. Lach.
@phattvids
10 жыл бұрын
I've got an older 16 gig Walkman mp3 player. While it doesn't have a ton of bells & whistles it sounds really nice,and is built well. I find a stand alone player to be a much more viable way to listen to media vs. a phone due to my use. Cutting grass,on a mower,push mowing sweating my butt off or in my material hauling work truck which is often off road in dirty dusty conditions. To me it just seems a safe insurance to have a stand alone player and keep my phone out of harms way,to conserve it's life. I like to run things to their death,so keeping a phone for it's multitasking intended purpose minus media playback means I'm not flipping a coin each time I go out to cut some grass.
@travelinben1966
2 жыл бұрын
This worked well in one of my cars, but is not accepted by my Honda Ridgeline or Harley touring.The dealer couldn’t pair it either.A shame.
@Dan-iy8ig
7 жыл бұрын
Smart kid!! Great review. I have the A26 and I cannot hear any difference b/w Hi Res audio and 320kbps. Do you have a favorite player under $500?
@Tintop
7 жыл бұрын
maybe get decent headphones/in-ears/loudspeakers? The difference in audio quality is very obvious, at least with the files I compared. Even only 16 bit 44.1kHz FLAC sounds much better than 320kbps mp3
@volkerarends7203
10 жыл бұрын
I have a problem with this review. It doesn't help with my decision whether to buy this device or not because it doesn't give enough information. When announced, I was looking forward to it due to size and battery life. Unfortunately, although this video is half an hour long, it is not a review but just an description. Some key features are not mentioned: - Can I sort library after album artists or just by artists (answered in my previous comment) - Is the output impedance low enough to drive MultiBA IEMs properly or would I need a portable amp to do so? - How is the sound signature compared to the competitors from iBasso or Fiio? - Does the media transfer work smoothly if done through software like MediaGo or MediaMonkey etc. - Can I switch between headphone and line-out mode? - Does it play gapless properly over all audio formats or only for flac and.or wav-files? In the unboxing video the reviewer complained that the device has a Walkman port instead of Micro USB (although he obviously likes Apple products where proprietary connections for some reason seem to be ok) but does not mention that this can be used as digital line out. I appreciate the efforts in describing this device, unfortunately it doesn't help me in making a decision. Also the rant about HighRes Audio does not belong in this product "review".
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Volker Arends Thanks for your comment. There were indeed several things I could not address in this video because I either lack the capability to do so (measuring output impedance, or comparing against competitor products, which I state repeatedly I didn't have the chance to do). Some of your other questions are highly specific requests that indeed might be important to you, which is why the comments sections and forums are useful for following up on additional information. The key points I wanted to address in this video are - does it sound significantly worse than the flagship ZX1, does it still produce the underlying hiss from the ZX1, and is the form factor and interface convenient for a portable player? I think this is useful information for viewers. And again, if anyone needs more information they are always welcome to ask. Regarding Apple proprietary ports, I can walk into any major electronic store and find dozens of products that are compatible with the a Lightning port connector, and most likely find nothing that uses WM-Port. This might be construed as Apple's monopoly, but the fact remains that the Lightning port is more broadly compatible with various charging devices. The cable itself offers a few advantages over micro USB, which is why I carry around a micro-USB cable with a small Lightning adaptor so I get the best of both worlds - I can charge a camera, phone, etc etc. on the go. I can tell you I thought the old 30-pin dock connector was pretty dumb in comparison. I appreciate that some people like the line-out functionality of the Walkman, which is why I would suggest it would be nice if there was a WM-Port *and* a micro-USB connector in that case.
@volkerarends7203
10 жыл бұрын
***** But some key issues like gapless capabilities for different audio formats should be mentioned as the target audience for this product would like to know this. This product is assumed to be a serious DAP and not a kids toy like ipods are.
@AliBekirKlckaya
7 жыл бұрын
Thank YOU very MUCH! Really good, detailed and explanatory compared to most others! Thanks again! I have watched half of your video and I agree with everything you say 100%. Agreed with your thoughts about HR audio 100% again. DUDE! WELL SAID WELL MADE REVIEW! Could have explanied how It's sound quality differs or equals from your iPhone in terms of soundtage quickness etc. but still really nice REVIEW!
@davidb4192
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your review, I have just got one of these because it was reduced to £100, not bothered about Hi Res, just want loads of memory to put my Cds into it, and blue tooth. My old player was an NWZ a816 and i tested it by putting two versions of the same album onto it, one sampled at standard mp3 bit rate, and one at Cd quality WAV file lossless. Listening through a pair of Sony MDR 100 ABN headphones I found it hard to hear a difference, except that the lossless file probably sounded a bit smoother with a tiny bit more detail. I concluded that higher bit rates will make an appreciable difference, but probably when listened to through a proper hi fi system, and not a tiny mp3 player. Seen as I just want a bit of background music in the gym, I don't think i'll bother with lossless files, or even Hi Res. BTW I don't agree with your comments on higher sampling rates, saying that it means that higher frequencies above 22 khz can be reproduced, which is a waste of time. Yes it's true we can't hear frequencies above 20 khz, but higher sampling rates means that the high end frequencies in music up to 20 khz will be reproduced in a more accurate way, in other words sampled 4 times per second rather than 2 times a second (44 khz sampling applied to a 20 Khz wave form means it is sampled just over 2 times per second; 90 khz sampling rate means the same wave form is sampled just over 4 times a second.
@dvamateur
9 жыл бұрын
The truth is, that Sony, even though it is about business, it won't rip you off for their product as much as Apple does these days. Matsushita Electric was far more about quality products, but I don't think they are doing that well today business-wise, because people don't care about quality. Sure, Sony had some bad products in the past, like the 501 MiniDisc recorder which eventually failed mechanically. However, the design was fantastic. You could record audio into it, edit, it was a fantastic product otherwise. So, I don't feel ripped off. I bought an iPhone 5, it lasted me 3 months. So, I am not planning to buy an Apple product in any near future. I am looking forward to upgrading my mobile device with Sony ZX2 Walkman media player. And not sure why you keep on ranting on uncompressed audio. Everybody knows that data compression has only one purpose, to save memory and money. That's it. If Sony wants to up bit resolution and sampling rates, or go for 1-bit mode with ultra high sample rates, I am all for it, as long as it's uncompressed. And besides, music is not sine wave that is used for hearing testing. I can't hear sine wave about 15kHz. But everybody with basic music theory knowledge knows that high harmonics influence the timbre of the sound. That's because we don't hear multiple pure frequencies (sine waves) separately, we "perceive" them as uniform timbre, with the frequency of only the lowest and loudest fundamental. So, a basic course about harmonic series should enlighten your mind a little bit. I highly recommend some reading for your.
@polaris911
8 жыл бұрын
Thanks for making an intelligent review! What other MP3 players do you recommend in the price range of $200 - 300?
@ZacharyT94
10 жыл бұрын
Very glad I bought an iPod Touch 5G, pairs very well with my XBA-4's, very clean audio with no hiss. I wonder if Apple will ever bring out a 6th Gen iPod Touch and what audio quality improvements it will bring. Not very fussed with "Hi-Res" audio support as there is a negligible difference between lossless and 256kbps AAC or 320kbps MP3.
@BalboaBaggins
5 ай бұрын
In the last 5 years I've been replacing most of my music collection from mp3 to hi-res (bitrates above 1500 etc.). You're telling me I did that all for no reason? 😢
@speedyspin
8 жыл бұрын
sounds similar to an iPhone 5S?.... that's sad
@ChaosAngel209
9 жыл бұрын
I loved your video. Very informative and detailed. I have a question for you tho. Suppouse I want to replicate the DSEE effect in a non sony equipment. How would you tweak the EQ in order to do it?? Thanks for everything. Great video.
@bloojkl4520
6 жыл бұрын
Would you say it’s worth buying in 2017? I used to have this back in 2010 but broke it after a month. I’m thinking of buying it again but I’m scared that it’s gonna be disappointing quality comparing with today’s standards. Your opinion?
@MarceloTezza
10 жыл бұрын
The downsampling Is probably To let You use THE audio enhancements.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
A number of people have pointed that out to me, that's certainly a logical reason to have the switch!
@demonkogure99
8 жыл бұрын
I'm replacing my Zune HD 32gb since it's finally dying on me so thanks to your review I'm considering this device as a replacement
@Cube189
8 жыл бұрын
After
@demonkogure99
8 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah, mine has lasted well for me until this year so before then I saw no reason to upgrade my mp3 player. Basically, it turns off automatically every 49 minutes or 1 hour when I play music. Then getting it to startup again is a pain until I put it on the charger.
@Cube189
8 жыл бұрын
demonkogure99 Maybe replacing the battery is enough. I don't remember if there is an easy way to access it though. And getting parts for a Zune may be relatively tough.
@demonkogure99
8 жыл бұрын
Jakub Gmur I talked to a local repair shop and they said they would order a battery for me and solder the battery onto the board of it but if that doesn't work I ordered the Sony NWZ A15. I looked online for a replacement but Zune HD is the most expensive mp3 player I've seen online lol . When I bought mine in late 2008 it costed me about 90 USD new
@Cube189
8 жыл бұрын
demonkogure99 Late 2008? Are you sure it's the HD?
@ChaosAngel209
9 жыл бұрын
I loved your video. Very informative and detailed. I have a question for you tho. Suppouse I want to replicate the DSEE effect in a non sony equipment. How would you tweak the EQ in order to do it?
@iangferg
8 жыл бұрын
A top up after 3month solid use of NWZ-A15 and MDR1A. Rating overall. AWESOME PURCHASE!!!!!!!! for music and audio lovers. Bonus FM tuner is excellent and unlike streaming FM does not disappear while buffering and no compromise sound quality like over compressed streaming. Don't download so don't care about Hi Res just the benefit of knowing you are getting top quality componentry and this is proven with higher volume playback for long periods. If it sounds crap then you will just keep turning it down. Don't expect modern fluff sound to be any good as the tracks are contrived as opposed to being recorded. A15 produces beautiful playback of faithful recordings. Yummy.
@Marstalgic
10 жыл бұрын
do you have a public music playlist i could give a listen too?? p.s great review, been here since the beginning :D, you've improved alot
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
***** Thanks, and I do have this public playlist :) kzitem.info/door/PLDp6fyvziq0jIFlKRxhZJW7E2sZpXW1Wr
@G3Number
10 жыл бұрын
thanks for the review and info bro!, keep it on!
@phroshvontortur3618
8 жыл бұрын
This is an interesting video. I'm gonna get this player for christmas and stumbled upon your video now. The review about the user interface is quite cool, but I think you missinterpreted the technical background of high-res audio. A sample rate higher than 44.1 kHz does not mean, the audio plays frequencies beyond this. This would be complete bullsh*t, as you pointed out correctly ;). The sample rate just says how often the source signal is recorded. So if you had a sample rate of - let's say - 6 Hz, the source signal would be recorded 6 times in a second, so each sound signal remains for 1/6 second. The higher the frequency of recording, the "smoother" the audio sounds, because the signals do not have to remain the same for quite that long time. Moving on to the bit-depth: it's not affecting the dynamic range at all. You can't make it louder. Imagine a picture and it's resolution. The higher the resolution, the more pixels you have. So more pixels equals higher soundwaves? No. Audio resolution is not like when you display a picture on the monitor. It's more like when you print the picture: When you increase the resolution of a picture and still print it to the same size, it's not getting any bigger but stores more information in the same space and thus has a better quality. In the case of audio resolution, you also do not have "bigger sizes", like more dynamic range. You stay in the same dynamic range, but "squeeze" more information into the same place (sample). More information means a higher amount of different states the audio wave can have, also resulting in a higher quality. You know this from years ago, where you had to choose between 8-bit color, 16-bit color and so on. The 8-bit (256 colors) palette is not cut off somewhere on the rainbow - it's still across the whole rainbow, but has less states (colors) than the 16-bit color palette, resulting in a less natural looking image. So, when you have your waveform and put it on a graph, you have the amplitude on the x-axxis, which is quanized into a number (which is stored in bits) and the time on the y-axxis. The sample rate determines, in which intervalls a new state is assigned to the x-axxis, so an increase in the sample rate results in a more exact copy of the real wave on the y-axxis, where a higher bit-depth results in more possible states on the x-axxis, also resulting in a more exact copy of the real wave, but on the x-axxis. Increasing each, makes the song sound less artificial. If you can hear the difference or not is always up to you. If you can't, why waste money on high-res stuff? ;)
@MichaelSmith-tf6gw
8 жыл бұрын
I think that is right. The mp3 in lower sampling rate is interpolated or extrapolated to fill in the info gap of higher sampling rate, but its accuracy is questionable. If you cut holes of a cloth, you cannot know what the hole contains, unless guessing it. It is hard to upgrade from a cd quality, unless it is from the analog source itself. This technology is meant for the audio engineers to sample sounds, but not for the consumers. The Lachlanlikesathing get the 'high bit-rate quality' audio file, it is just like recording an 8kbps audio into 512kbps using audacity. The audio quality is worsen. If the audio file is sampled from the original analog source, then it makes sense. That is why Lachlanlikesathing cannot hear any difference. It is like the quantised info is redundant and repeated although there is an 'upgrade' from low bitrate to high bitrate
@OneBriefLife
9 жыл бұрын
Hi - thanks for the review which answered a lot of Qs for me! I'm looking to change from ipod classic and have loads of CDs ripped in apple lossless format - and also use for podcasts obtained via iTunes. my outstanding reservation from reading other reviews is the ease of transfer/sync of these from iTunes to the Walkman. I don't think I could be bothered reloading them all or spending ages every time I add a new album. some reviews say iTunes works fine others say no way?!. I'd welcome your comments on this and on podcasts management. cheers!
@Paullebbon
9 жыл бұрын
Good review in general, BUT...I disagree with some of the things you said. I love Apple and have many Apple products inc iPhone6, iPod, Macbook etc. If you listen to two tracks on the Sony Eg; BEP hey mama in MP3 and then in Flac, the difference is hardly noticeable. BUT if you listen to the song on your iPhone in MP3 then listen to the track on the Sony the difference is incredible. I cannot even go back to my iPhone anymore! By the way I use the Bang and Olufsen 3i earphones or Apple Pods for listening to both players. Hi-res earphones from Sony make the flac tracks even better.
@djhmax09
10 жыл бұрын
While we're on the topic of hi-res audio...... Since you said you have some hi-res tracks, what sound settings on your mac/pc do you have? ie. do you select the highest supported settings (24, 96) or do you just leave it at cd quality? How do you rip your cd's? ie.Rip them straight from iTunes in a lossy format or Apple Lossless format? Also, since all portable Apple products do not support hi-res audio, do you create a downscaled audio file, check that little box in iTunes that converts it to 256AAC, or not put any of the hi-res files to your phone at all? Just to let you know that this is out of my curiosity. Finally, great job on the video! Totally agree with the marketing scheme of hi-res audio.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
I leave sampling rates at 44 kHz but have but depth at 24bit because there is no harm in doing so and it allows for more headroom with digital volume controls :) I have no high res tracks that I keep on my iPhone except some 24 bit albums which transfer fine anyway, though nowadays everyirging is 256k AAC on my phone with iTunes Match!
@djhmax09
10 жыл бұрын
***** I see. Great! Thanks a lot! =)
@bobblack5495
9 жыл бұрын
Hi! Nice video! Can you give me a piece of advice, what player should I choose, if I'm choosing between iPod nano7 and Sony NWZ A15? Do they have a big difference in sound quality? and which one is superior in sound quality? thank you
@agamaz5650
9 жыл бұрын
Nano is shit buy nwz
@Mickice
10 жыл бұрын
On point with the rant Lachlan. A few things tho, you need a screen protector, Clear Bass + is down right godly, It seems to me rather sub-bass centric with nothing else touched. With the down sampling I believe that is for use when connecting it to a DAC that does not support 192, there is a special cable for this unit. What you need to do is go on eBay and buy a line out dock for this thing and try listening to it through a dedicated amp with your IEMs. I think you will find Heaven, I have I'm calling done on my search. NWZ-A15 > Flat / Clear Bass + 2 > LOD > PHA-1 amped > MDR-V6 > Faux leather ear pads. Done. Game over.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Haha congrats on finding your end of the line! I'll have to try it one day when I get the chance.
@Mickice
10 жыл бұрын
MDR-V6 might be a bit bright for you, but I find it plays off well against an actual hearing test of my ears.
@LookRainy
9 жыл бұрын
clear bass is freaking amazing! cant agree more haha
@DWAINBOELTER
8 жыл бұрын
I very much appreciated the range of information you have provided here, but am still left with as many significant questions (but different ones) than I had before watching your video: First, why, with all the limitations and apparent lack of sonic advantage, did you buy this unit? Second, while I thought that one advantage of "high res" mp3 players was that they have superior DAC's to an iPhone. But your comments about background hiss makes me wonder if I am incorrect on that. Third, Would this benefit from the addition usage of an external DAC like a Dragonfly? Lastly, it was my belief that a reason for high res audio is that you can hear better sound staging (i..e., separation of the individual instruments and their placement in the room where the recording was made. I have definitely noticed this in my high end audio system (cds, good DAC, good preamp, amps, and speakers). But again, your mentioning of the background hiss on this unit makes this unlikely. Your comments would be welcome.
@lachlanlikesathing
8 жыл бұрын
Basically, I bought this unit because I wanted a small standalone unit with a decent interface and physical controls. And I was curious to see how the hiss on this unit compared to the ZX1. You can get a lineout cable to go to an amp from these Sony players, but I have no real idea if that will lead to any kind of improvement at all.
@DWAINBOELTER
8 жыл бұрын
thanks..
@designdrama
8 жыл бұрын
If any guy says he can't make out difference between mp3 vs lossless or high res.....he automatically looses all qualification to talk about audio or audio gadgets.....
@AngelGomez-if5un
7 жыл бұрын
designdrama you seem to be a very stupid person, tell me how's that working out?
@sitstandnow
7 жыл бұрын
That's like saying if you have terrible grammar (which you do), you lose all qualification to comment on youtube
@nationfirst4281
7 жыл бұрын
@ designdrama , you are correct, but you tube has many waste guys who could not do anything on their own , so they called themselves " expert review guys" , and then there are hundreds of donkeys who follow them. It is very easy to become hero among zeros........
@widM_
7 жыл бұрын
You guys don't know shit. I'm audiophile and the best way to listen music is on KZitem.
@pikkyuukyuun4741
7 жыл бұрын
If you guys are actually open minded enough to go check his other videos, he goes more in-depth in reviews than just about any other headphone reviewer on youtube, second only to Tyll of innerfidelity but Lachlan has a much better presentation. This is exactly the kind of self-centered audiophile snobbery I want to avoid in my music journey
@adrianinnavan3910
7 жыл бұрын
1. You believe that an iPhone 5s is high end audio. 2. You believe that encoding to higher than 44.1 khz is simply about the highest frequency response that's achievable. 3. I believe, and I don't mean this in a derogatory way, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Thank you.
@pikkyuukyuun4741
7 жыл бұрын
Adrian Brown well he has quite a number of reviews up if you are open minded enough to check. If you want to see someone with absolutely no credibility in audio, check Computing forever where he calls this thing a mere mp3 player that was released too late into the market
@gfferre302
7 жыл бұрын
I noticed that the sony nw walkman series are extremely sensitive to charging in general.. If you overcharge the device, say maybe 4x, the battery is good as cooked. But everything else is good
@TheNeers71
8 жыл бұрын
Nice music taste, thanks for the review!
@StormInc1498
10 жыл бұрын
Hello Lachlan, Another comprehensive review as always. Now my only question is, since I was waiting to buy this player, should I go ahead or not? I currently own an old Cowon C2 and an older iPod Classic (80 GB), both of which are poor in battery life now. Also I use the FiiO E07k for portable amping through Line out from the Classic, which IMO gives a clean output. Just thought this new little Sony would reduce the size while maintaining the all important Sound quality. Do help out, thanks in advance! Cheers
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Shreyas Muralidharan Go ahead, it sounds like you have the right idea about it :)
@StormInc1498
10 жыл бұрын
***** Well alright, thanks & cheers! Now for the troublesome task of importing it to India without hurting the wallet too much, especially with customs duty charges. Thanks again, & keep the reviews coming!
@cplays8572
9 жыл бұрын
***** , the issue with album art not showing up has existed on past Sony Walkman players and I'm sad to see that they still haven't fixed it. Basically, it doesn't depend on the resolution but rather on the type of jpeg file used for the album art. Past and apparently current Sony Walkman MP3 players (not the ones based on Android) cannot show progressive jpegs. In order to fix those mp3 files you have to extract the Album Art from the MP3 - save it as a baseline Jpeg (using any imaginable photo editor - I use Gimp / Pixelmator on a Mac - In Gimp the option to use is called "optimized") and re-embed the Album Art. I was able to fix the Album Art on my entire Library which included Album Art with resolutions of up to 1024x1024. A quick run-down of the differences between baseline and progressive jpegs: A simple or "baseline" JPEG file is stored as one top-to-bottom scan of the image. Progressive JPEG divides the file into a series of scans. The first scan shows the image at the equivalent of a very low quality setting, and therefore it takes very little space. Following scans gradually improve the quality. Each scan adds to the data already provided, so that the total storage requirement is roughly the same as for a baseline JPEG image of the same quality as the final scan. (Basically, progressive JPEG is just a rearrangement of the same data into a more complicated order.) A progressive JPEG file is not readable at all by a baseline-only JPEG decoder, so existing software will have to be upgraded before progressive JPEG can be used widely.
@lachlanlikesathing
9 жыл бұрын
CGaming -___- Ugh thanks for the tip!
@spike2000uk
9 жыл бұрын
+lachlanlikesathing If you use sony's media go software and click the 'artwork' tab (under song/album properties), you can drag & drop the image file in and it'll convert it for you. In regards to the screen, apart from reducing the price having high res is pointless if its in your pocket 95% of the time.
@Lionspel
7 жыл бұрын
I'm very particular with the album art too and its disappointing that its not showing when its higher resolution
@boffyrox02
10 жыл бұрын
Lachlan are you planning to make some more Audio File videos? I loved the very first one.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
CaffeLatte~ I am, I am :3
@AB1111_
8 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the nice review! and the rants ! : D I was wondering if I can view my songs metadata (comments/lyrics) that i've added with iTunes on this walkman? I'd really appreciate an answer. Been looking for an answer everywhere.
@lachlanlikesathing
8 жыл бұрын
+Alireza Behzadnia yes, except that some metadata like Disc Number isn't properly recognised!
@JackLim927
8 жыл бұрын
Just wondering, will you consider reviewing the A25 and see if it's been better? I'm considering a walkman recently but your review held me back a bit. Would be great to hear about the successor from you :)
@zhikaihahas
10 жыл бұрын
WHEN WILL THE HAVI B3 REVIEW BE DONE??? I REALLY WANNA BUY THEM BUT I WANNA HEAR YOUR OPINIONS ON THEM FIRST!!!
@LennyCooke636
9 жыл бұрын
Very good review, thanks !
@MFSRV
9 жыл бұрын
Have you tried any of the lower tier sony models? How does it compare? And older models like the Z,X,F? Have you tried any Cowon?
@mcbgrrr
8 жыл бұрын
Very informative! Thanks!
@cloudstrife7349
8 жыл бұрын
I really wish you would have reviewed the noise cancelling version instead.
@YPO6
9 жыл бұрын
Would be interesting to know how much "better" expensive audio equipment sounds to listener compared to regular cheaper hifi components, when hardware specs are similar and listener sees both devices. In other words: placebo and it's effect to listening experience.
@1Know1tHurts
10 жыл бұрын
Does this player allow to delete songs without connecting it to PC? My current Sony does not allow it and it is really upsetting. Thanks in adavance.
@purky.7617
10 жыл бұрын
I respect your take on the Hi-rez audio scandal. However, the biggest sonic advantage of going for hi-rez is not about the extra bit depth & higher sampling rate but due to much better mastering quality and a great care in mastering does make all the difference. That alone makes it worthwhile to actually audition these formats. Good stuffs on the DSD vs. hi-rez PCM though. I'm with you all the way on DSD unless one can get the original DSD recordings, but even then additional noise above 22khz can be problematic. I hope one day you will give hi-rez audio a serious try again as the ended results (due to better mastering quality) can be quite remarkably wonderful especially on a highly resolving system such as my Sennheiser HD-800 & GS-X MKII amplifier. On a side note, the sonic improvements b/w the ZX1 vs. iPhone 5s are easier to discern if you are using a more resolving headphones/earphones. I personally use the original JH13pro with my ZX1 with great results.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
Purk Yotakhong I agree, but if you want to advertising a better standard of mastering, than advertise that. This entire marketing push is just to sell more hardware.
@purky.7617
10 жыл бұрын
***** It is marketing but everybody else is also doing it so why only blame Sony? BTW, I now have the A17 in hand and I quite like it a great deal. I love its size, battery life, excellent UI, storage expansion (now with 192GB on mine), and very good sound quality. Also, I was able to discern the difference between direct source vs. downsampling hi-rez files so maybe with better earphones you should be able to do this as well (I'm using my JH13pro). I would pay close attention on imaging, overall size of the soundstage, and space between each instrument b/w stock vs. downsampling. Compared to my ZX-1, the A17 has similar sound signature but with less sense of power to the sound. All in all, I quite like my A17 and would recommend it to anyone if the features fit his/her needs.
@Satko000
8 жыл бұрын
Hi. I'm planing to buy this walkman. Now which earbuds do you recommend. I'm looking between: Sennheiser cx 5.00, Sony MDR-EX650 and Sony MDR-XB70 or some like this. I like a sound "v" shape (good bass & treble). The big deal for me is how will they stay in ear (not to fall off) because I'm an invalid person and therefore I cant rejusting them. I like your reviews so I value your opinion. Thx for answer.
@micahpbt9638
10 жыл бұрын
Hi Lachlan, thanks for the review! I have been looking for a portable music player to replace my Cowon C2...I don't know if you have had any experience with them, but how do you think it fares against the Cowon C2? Thanks again!
@MrBLWK
9 жыл бұрын
Trying to decide if I should get the A15s or just a normal iPod as a bulk of my files are 320kbps and maybe have a few albums of FLAC file songs. Considering the fact that high-res audio is pretty much non-existent, which would you recommend, given that the price is about a 100ish apart? Thanks a lot!
@Amillionyawn
10 жыл бұрын
up till now I think the ipod still has the best interface along with itunes...I was excited when I first heard NWZ-A series came out, but it seems hard to use if you have thousands of songs.
@sambam007
9 жыл бұрын
Good review. I'd say save your money and invest In a phono amp, record player, needle and monitors. Records are true uncompressed music and will probably notice a difference in sound quality. Not very portable I know.... But you have your smartphone for that.
@BookClubDisaster
8 жыл бұрын
And there are people who still say 4K TV's are overkill. And people initially said Apple's retina displays were pointless.... People just don't like admitting that what they've been seeing and hearing for years is (relative) crap.
@BookClubDisaster
8 жыл бұрын
Get your eyes checked.
@harveytrevino2257
8 жыл бұрын
With player such as the Fiio X7, Cayin N5 or Shanling M5, do you still feel like a lot of these Hi-Res players are worthless? I personally have noticed a difference when using these aforementioned players when compared directly with my iPhone 6. Primarily due to the power of the internal amps and lack of congestion found in busy passages of the music. Just wanted to hear your opinion, if it's changed since you did this video or even the Sony Nw-Zx1 vs iPhone 6..
@digital00101
9 жыл бұрын
You at least need to have a good pair of high quality studio headphones ($250 and up) to be able to hear any noticeable differences in audio quality when using HiRes audio formats. A regular iTunes AAC music file compared to 24bit/192kHz FLAC file is this: (1) ear fatigue on prolonged listening on AAC file, not on 24/192 file. (2) There is more detail, clarity and sound is more realistic on a 24/192 file. Blu-Ray is better than DVD, why? Because there is much more information on the digital file. Placebo effect? I don't think so. When doing test please don't use Apple's ear-buds or even $100 headphones when comparing HiRes and Non-HiRes, that won't work, you need to spend more money on headphones that deliver more detail and spatial sound quality. An iTunes AAC 256kbps file, sounds more washed out compared to the 24/192 file. More expensive headphones ($500 and up) are more revealing sound-wise, 24/192 file will shine there, AAC 256kbps file not so much, you will start to hear artifacts. Further more, you also need to listen carefully when doing comparisons. Just a quick listen won't do, because you can overlook very easily, a quick A / B comparison won't cut it. I should mention, my PS Vita sounds better than my iPhone 6, there's a dullness on the iPhone and a liveliness on the Vita that is more enjoyable to listen to, specially if you use the 'Unique' setting on the EQ, it's very enjoyable, more dynamic. The instruments are more separated and clearer on the Vita. I'm not happy about my iPhone sounding like that, but it's true.
@ramkishankohli5947
9 жыл бұрын
I see your video like others. I am Not a sony fan. But I don't know... Why everytime you say wrong and misleading reviews about sony. It's a good company spl. In sound. In your other reviews...everytime you say wrong about sony. Maybe it's a negative publicity.behave like a man not like a kid.
@GroovisticoTRD2
10 жыл бұрын
In comments to your video about bit depth I had to agree with it because subtraction 16bit file from 24bit gave only noise as a result. But since then I figured out, that the program I used for down converting used dithering even when it says it doesn’t. When I found a program that can down convert bit depth without dithering, it turns out that lower resolution really has distortion that is NOT noise. I don’t know if that makes any practical difference, since it looks like dither eliminates (or just masks?) that distortion. But now I’m not 100% sure that increased bit depth makes no sense. The down converting switch is there perhaps because with some headphones inaudible frequencies may cause intermodulation distortion on lower frequencies which could be quite audible. Anyway, that switch is useless for any blind tests. Humans sound memory is very short, about few seconds. And if any blind tests can make any true results it only possible if one can switch immediately and seamless between A, B and X.
@lachlanlikesathing
10 жыл бұрын
The dithering had been indeed been added to mask the quantisation noise. But essentially no one ever masters something in 16 bit without dithering, though even the harmonic distortion without dithering is typically below the noise floor in 16 bit. I suggest the best way to settle this for yourself is to perform an ABX using Foobar! :)
@GroovisticoTRD2
10 жыл бұрын
***** I have ABX comparator plug-in, but the transition between different resolution files is not absolutely seamless, so it is possible to guess without necessary hearing any difference. Don't know if that is a problem only with my computer, or the plug-in works like that.
@adamcain4603
9 жыл бұрын
I love your take on hi-res I bought the Fiio X1 but was looking at the X5 but there is no need for me to spend that much money when the X1 is more then enough.
@martinphillips8464
8 жыл бұрын
really informative vid. keep goin bro.
@AndresYatesCohen
9 жыл бұрын
Where do you download hi res files? theres one site called HDTracks but is not available in Australia yet. Regards.
@NaihanchinKempo
9 жыл бұрын
i'm into photos and Up sampling a Photo, can really screw a photo up..I'd say, Up sampling a Sound file is the same ..it makes a guess of what to add... and the GUESS is wrong most times
@ozzieburt2350
6 жыл бұрын
Awesome have you reviewed the a35?
@Prophet293
9 жыл бұрын
give me a reason why I should buy this to play music over my smartphone
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