[Podtweaker]

I have a lot of CDs that I've ripped to WMA Lossless the Sony re-encoded the files to 320kbps because it is assuming these are protected files. Sony (pay attention now) these are not original protected files they are compressed from uncompressed lossless files. Why would you make this assumption ? Some of us really don't give a crap about downloaded music. Well , enough of my rant . I ended up re-ripping the already burned Bobcatted (another story, another time) CDs to wav files in WMP11 & then re-syncing the Sony. I ended up w/ 23 albums worth of music on my player. While the 320kbps files were ok, they didn't sound as good as the same WMA lossless files on my Zune. The Sony's superior sq re-established itself once I changed the files back to lossless. I would imagine that the compressed lossless would sound just fine on the Sony. (I do have to admit that all the album information tagging you have to do when you rip to wav is a royal pita)

 

[HipHopScribe]

The WMA Lossless files aren't converted because it is assuming they are protected, they're converted because Sony players don't support the WMA Lossless codec.

 

[tds101]

Besides, Sony only does an update if they feel something is in in need of repair. Don't hold your breath for 1 - it's not coming as the A82X series is too solid for it.
Also, if your WMA's were protected, I though they couldn't be converted?

 

[Podtweaker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Besides, Sony only does an update if they feel something is in in need of repair. Don't hold your breath for 1 - it's not coming as the A82X series is too solid for it. Also, if your WMA's were protected, I though they couldn't be converted?

While, my A829 sounds great playing back wav I don't see the reason for all the excitement playing back non-lossless . As I mentioned my Zune sounds a bit better playing back lossless. Oh well, I can live with (very happily at that) wav playback. Just so that no one wants to get into a lossless vs lossy discussion , I've tried on a few occassions to live w/ my rips converted to 320kbps as opposed to lossless. It didn't work for me . Maybe downloaded or studio recordings aren't as acoustically detailed as most of what I listen to. As they say(I really hate using cliches,but I feel lazy today), to each his own .

 

[BloodSugar00]

Not to hijack, but it would be great if Sony could open they're eyes and see the benefit in improving upon and expanding upon something, and not just leaving things unevolving as they are solid or not flawed! I for one would be chuffed if sony came up with firmware updates to allow for greater audio file codec support (Flac, ogg maybe), a playlist on the go facility, bookmarking and a sleep-timer function. Why not add to something thats good and grow and develop it and make it better?

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BloodSugar00 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not to hijack, but it would be great if Sony could open they're eyes and see the benefit in improving upon and expanding upon something, a playlist on the go facility, bookmarking. Why not add to something thats good and grow and develop it and make it better?

Even stranger, is that the A808 model I still have, (the Atrac/SS version of the 818) DOES support on-the-fly playlists, bookmarks, ratings, gapless, deletion directly from the unit etc etc. Then for some reason Sony dropped it all when they released the 818. So for me, the question isn't: 'why not add to something's that good', but: 'why take away useful features in the first place?

Also, they never seem to keep one model in production long enough to build on it, or for people to get really attached to it. By the time they do, it's on to the next new model. The only update I ever had to the 808 was a fix for a sound glitch, although to be fair, it didn't really need extra features as it had everything I wanted (except for drag and drop!) But a lot of people over at Atraclife got all excited about the 818, thinking it would retain all the same features of the 808, but with a drag and drop facility instead of SS. What we ended up with was 2 halves of a great unit and no way of getting a firmware update to give them equal features.

Sony actually stated that the 818 was the "Atrac/SS-free version of the 808". No one realised all the useful 808 features had been dropped until they'd bought the 818. And no one was ecstatic that their 808 was suddenly 'obsolete' after just a few months

 

[BloodSugar00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even stranger, is that the A808 model I still have, (the Atrac/SS version of the 818) DOES support on-the-fly playlists, bookmarks, ratings, gapless, deletion directly from the unit etc etc. Then for some reason Sony dropped it all when they released the 818. So for me, the question isn't: 'why not add to something's that good', but: 'why take away useful features in the first place? Also, they never seem to keep one model in production long enough to build on it, or for people to get really attached to it. By the time they do, it's on to the next new model. The only update I ever had to the 808 was a fix for a sound glitch, although to be fair, it didn't really need extra features as it had everything I wanted (except for drag and drop!) But a lot of people over at Atraclife got all excited about the 818, thinking it would retain all the same features of the 808, but with a drag and drop facility instead of SS. What we ended up with was 2 halves of a great unit and no way of getting a firmware update to give them equal features. Sony actually stated that the 818 was the "Atrac/SS-free version of the 808". No one realised all the useful 808 features had been dropped until they'd bought the 818. And no one was ecstatic that their 808 was suddenly 'obsolete' after just a few months

Being new to the sony line and indeed DAPs and indeed high end 'audiophile listening, gear etc, I wasn't aware of this but that only makes it worse. Thats crazy. They seem reluctant to give you everything- and its not like we're talking complex features here like voice-recording or radio or card expansion slots, though they would also be nice, if not all addressable through firmware updates- on one unit. Why remove the little things that have appeal when you don't have to? Things like on the fly playlist function, sleep-timer, deletion from unit, gapless etc, I wouldn't imagine to be that difficult to implement, particulary if they were used in previous models, so why remove them? I don't like being cynical but I can't help being somewhat here. I get the suspicion its almost like sony have a goal to provide the least, thats solid and of high quality like, for the most amount of money. Surely they would capture more of a following if they just gave customers a 'complete' model, with everything liked and appreciated kept from previous model(s) and what is keenly wanted (eg recently motion away from SS and to drag and drop, greater memorey capacity, bigger screen, bluetooth, maybe) added/incorporated into new model? Baffles me, really! I mean things that are absent from the latest series that a lot of ppl would use/have had use for with prior models- deletion from unit; on-the-fly playlists; sleep-timer; gapless with mp3 (WAV files are enormous!) etc- and then infuriatingly incorporate some new features users sought after and expressed desire for is only gona irritate old customers and new customers alike, once they find out sony used to provide features they would like to see in their new unit. If they at least responded to such with firmware updates it wouldn't be so bad. Samsung and cowon do it. Can't help but feel I'm being somewhat cheated, or rather, just not looked after with sony.

Right, got that out my system, now I can relax and enjoy what is good about my sony 829

 

[tds101]

To have gapless and on-the-fly playlists - DAMN!!!! That would make my A829 totally the best DAP money could buy IMO!!!!!

 

[BloodSugar00]

Well, I've took it upon myself to send sony a little message, inquiring as to whether they have any plans for firmware updates for their new line of mp3 players, and if not, would they consider doing so, listing the above, mentioned features as desirables. I await a response

 

[shigzeo]

well, you have to use windows, sonicstage, have 3 or 4 pieces of sony software installed on your computer, put up with really slow transfers, convert everything to atrac etc to get gapless and of course, it often does not work on mp3 files that you have in your library unless you ripped them very very carefully.

i love my sony as it records and as long as you use an in line adapter, there is no hiss but... those features for the near killer: have to use windows and sonicstage. i have used sonicstage since like 2001 and md and have hated it all the way.

love the machine but the company and its really restrictive practices and pricing are poor. the unit in japan costs about 1/3 to 1/2 more again than the unit in the states for those 'features' of having to use possibly trojaned sony software on the windows platform: just for gapless and a few other features.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif well, you have to use windows, sonicstage, have 3 or 4 pieces of sony software installed on your computer, put up with really slow transfers, convert everything to atrac etc to get gapless

shig, what 3 or 4 pieces of Sony software? I just have SS 4.3 on my computer and it works fine, better than earlier versions, that's for sure! Of course, I already had everything in Atrac to begin with so I didn't have to convert anything. And I didn't have any problems with slow transfers, in fact, I seem to have slower transfers with WMP for some reason

 

[Agent69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif To have gapless and on-the-fly playlists - DAMN!!!! That would make my A829 totally the best DAP money could buy IMO!!!!!

I like the Sony Walkmans too, but the lack in Gapless support took it off my buy list. Sadly, Sony doesn't seem to communicate with customers except when annoucing a new product.

 

[tds101]

I'm just hoping BloodSuger00 gets a positive response from Sony as I'd love to have those features implemented in a future FW update. Just cause they did away w/SS, w/the exception of Asia, doesn't mean we should all get spanked, does it? Well, unless your into that kinda' thing that is!!!

 

[shigzeo]

for me, it installed 4 pieces of software but i have the japanese version. walkman launcher, media something, sonic stage andopen mg

mad mad mad. the player is good but... why only windows?

 

[Podtweaker]

Pardon my ignorance(although I did start this thread), but what is gapless playback ? I rip several CDs at once then sync my player to the library I ripped into. Does gapless have something to do with individual songs back to back ? I cringe at options such as shuffle or drag & drop. I accidentally highlighted shuffle in iTunes once & got so disgusted I ended up just deleting about 8 CDs worth of ripping from the library. Just curious though, what the heck is it ?