New Sony 64 GB DAP: NW-A840 - Page 10

thanks branny for your nice input

Played with the A847 today. To say it's thin is an understatement. It does feel fragile compared to the X1060 that I have. I did listen to it and it sounded pretty close to the X, if not the same. Hard to tell in under a minute in the store without my music or IEMs. I did compare it to the X they had in the store with the same music, and in the quick A/B, they were very similar if not the same. I have read the reviews that say it doesn't sound the same, but if that's true, it's a slight difference that I could not perceive in the store and I have the X so I know what it "sounds" like.

However, I have to say that my big objection - the non-touchscreen since I love it on the X - is pretty much a non issue. The UI is basically the same, and even has the moving album covers. Instead of flicking your finger, just use the directional pad. It actually worked pretty well.

I've got a few days before I leave to figure out if I may get it or not.

EDIT: More on the d-pad thing. IN some ways it's easier than on the X because you don't have to keep multiple swiping, but obviously stopping may be a touch more accurate by finger. At least that's what I'm thinking since I haven't spent a lot of time with it. I didn't notice the album art issue (i.e. as you're scrolling up or down, the X may not have loaded it yet so you don't see it) the X sometimes has. So I think it's a tradeoff.

I also read I think somewhere the transfer speeds are faster. It may have been one of the Japanese reviews.

That would be a purchase maker deal right there! All I want's a cheap S-Master amp!

FenderP:

If you're in Tokyo and want to give my A845 a listen, feel free to mail me.

thanks FenderP for your comparison, good information for us

Thanks, javajive. What part of Tokyo are you in? I'm staying in Ginza this week.

I may just belly up and get it ... I'm really on the fence since I don't really need it and like my X. I did see it today at the Yodobashi (?) in Shinjuku (the store right near HMV) for 10% off, which would make it about 36,000 yen. I like the limited edition color at SonyStyle, but it may not be worth the extra money if I decide to get it.

I just re-read that review. It said drag and drop was faster than SonicStage V. Not by much, but it was. My mistake.

Yeah I'm quite interesting !

yes he is quite interesting!!

Yes you don't seem very clever xD
Anyway, how about this group buy ?

come to the UK then - seen the latest Sony X prices after cashback !! cheap as chips

FenderP

My office is in Shimbashi which is only a 10 walk from Ginza. Out of town tomorrow but will be around on Friday.


There`s a couple of places in Akihabara selling the 847 for about \33,000. if you like I can mail you a map of their locations if you decide to take the plunge. One place in particular is easy to find.


I think you can get a better deal at the Bic Camera near you rather than.Yodabashi unless you`ve already scoped out both places. When i was in there I think they were going for \37,000 with 13% bonus points which can go on your free point card and can be applied to an after purchase. Also Bic camera are pretty good at price matching but only by giving additional bonus points. 1 point = \1


while you are here you might want to pick up the ATH-CSK70 IEM. Best \5,000 I`ve ever spent on anything in a long time.

Again,feel free to let me know if you want a more detailed listening on this unit. I`ve gotten a lot of good info and insight from this site so I`m glad to help out any member. Hope you`ve been enjoying your stay.


Edit
Was wrong about the Bic Camera price. its listing at \39,000. As for Yodabashi, they also use point system. So when you see 10% or some other amount to a price its for the amount of points you will get,

OK. I picked up the NW-A847. Loaded it with the same music as my NW-X1060; it took about 50 minutes to load the 20GB I had on my laptop.

Navigation and any other things aside, sound quality is close but not the same as the X1060. To the untrained ear it may sound the same. There's slightly less better bass (really bad phrasing, but bear with me). A good example is the song "Hold On" by Yes (off of 90125). It has much more presence, impact, and clarity on the X. It's especially evident when Chris Squire goes down the octave to a really low note in the 13/14 second timeframe during the intro. Overall, I'd say the sound is a but more dull and slightly veiled compared to the X. The difference is audible, but nothing to get bent out of shape on.

This is only a limited comparison right now, but I think there's merit that the X and A share the same guts in some way, but have differences. I've had the X since it came out so I know how it sounds. I always have it set to the flat EQ settings. The highs are a bit better on the A847 - that's something a few reviews I've seen have pointed out.

Is the NW-A847 still good? You bet. Would I recommend it? Not even a question - absoutely.

As for the touchscreen vs. the non-touchscreen, it's an adjustment. The UI is definitely more snappy than the older NWZ-A829 I owned and was using for video, and the "coverflow"-like functionality is smoother than the X. If you never used the touchscreen, I doubt you'd miss it and the player is easy to navigate.

Sony didn't fix the scrolling text issue (i.e. if a title is longer than what is displayed, it doesn't scroll). That was working on the older Walkmans, and it's annoying they somehow took it out and never put it back in.

Just my initial reactions. If I don't wind up wanting the A847 and prefer the X1060 despite the lower capacity, I'll sell it here. I've already got a pile of stuff I need to get rid of, and it may join it ...

I would think that all touch screens are prone to scratches. All you need to do is purchase screen protectors for 7 or 8 dollars. They usually give you a few in a package. They get scratched up, but you can just replace them and your actual screen stays perfect.