Value
As a Walkman, this made it to the mainstream press – something the overpriced Astell & Kern devices will never manage. Pricing was typically mentioned as a con. However, when you compare this to Astell & Kern devices, it represents good value, especially outside the EU, where prices tend be higher. There are also several other competitors on the market now. I've tried the FiiO X7 for a couple and found it disappointing, especially the battery, and it restarted several times for no obvious reason.
Audio Quality
Clean, with great detail, separation, and soundstage. Slightly dark. To me, it beats both the FiiO X7 and the AK120. Most of these differences are quite easily heard when compared to a lesser device, like my S6 Edge smartphone, but the step down (in my opinion) to the FiiO X7 is not so big.
There is a system-wide equalizer with the option of adding Sony's special effects. DSEE HX is supposed to restore dynamic range and ClearAudio+ makes makes low quality recordings sound better, apparently. My music isn't low quality so, I don't use these adjustments,
There is considerable talk in the device thread about using a balanced cable with TRRS. I haven't tried this, so I will not comment. Some are calling it a significant upgrade. Others are sceptical.
Design
Very good, all round. It looks expensive, according to people who didn't know what it was.
It's heavier than a smartphone but also smaller than newer 5"+ Android flagships. It feels substantial rather than bulky.
The pebbled leather back is a premium touch that looks and feels nice, even though I'm not always keen on this. I liked this about the better BlackBerry devices, but not on last year's LG G4.
I also wish the screen had an oleophobic coating like most phones, and would have preferred a microUSB port instead of the proprietary WM-Port.
Battery Life
Fantastic! Far better than any comparable device. It lasts several days, using a mixture of Spotify (online and offline) and hi-res FLAC files.
The one downside is that battery life does some to drain away when idle, so flight mode (etc.) are helpful. Additionally, there are various battery-saving apps you can use, because it's Android OS.
User Interface
Android in general is a positive, as you can install your own apps. However, for a flagship device to remain on Android 4.2 is disappointing. It won't bother many, but I don't like the unchangeable cyan coloured icons and text in the notification bar.
I'm also not very impressed with the stock music/Walkman app, which is simplistic in views and sorting options. I wish I could album artist and composer, for example.
As a Walkman, this made it to the mainstream press – something the overpriced Astell & Kern devices will never manage. Pricing was typically mentioned as a con. However, when you compare this to Astell & Kern devices, it represents good value, especially outside the EU, where prices tend be higher. There are also several other competitors on the market now. I've tried the FiiO X7 for a couple and found it disappointing, especially the battery, and it restarted several times for no obvious reason.
Audio Quality
Clean, with great detail, separation, and soundstage. Slightly dark. To me, it beats both the FiiO X7 and the AK120. Most of these differences are quite easily heard when compared to a lesser device, like my S6 Edge smartphone, but the step down (in my opinion) to the FiiO X7 is not so big.
There is a system-wide equalizer with the option of adding Sony's special effects. DSEE HX is supposed to restore dynamic range and ClearAudio+ makes makes low quality recordings sound better, apparently. My music isn't low quality so, I don't use these adjustments,
There is considerable talk in the device thread about using a balanced cable with TRRS. I haven't tried this, so I will not comment. Some are calling it a significant upgrade. Others are sceptical.
Design
Very good, all round. It looks expensive, according to people who didn't know what it was.
It's heavier than a smartphone but also smaller than newer 5"+ Android flagships. It feels substantial rather than bulky.
The pebbled leather back is a premium touch that looks and feels nice, even though I'm not always keen on this. I liked this about the better BlackBerry devices, but not on last year's LG G4.
I also wish the screen had an oleophobic coating like most phones, and would have preferred a microUSB port instead of the proprietary WM-Port.
Battery Life
Fantastic! Far better than any comparable device. It lasts several days, using a mixture of Spotify (online and offline) and hi-res FLAC files.
The one downside is that battery life does some to drain away when idle, so flight mode (etc.) are helpful. Additionally, there are various battery-saving apps you can use, because it's Android OS.
User Interface
Android in general is a positive, as you can install your own apps. However, for a flagship device to remain on Android 4.2 is disappointing. It won't bother many, but I don't like the unchangeable cyan coloured icons and text in the notification bar.
I'm also not very impressed with the stock music/Walkman app, which is simplistic in views and sorting options. I wish I could album artist and composer, for example.
