[nc8000]

I got the NW-A45 player yesterday. Initial impressions:
Great UI, very fast and responsive. The player feels nice and seems to be of great quality for it's price point.
At first I thought the sound was good, but it felt a bit too clean and sterile.
Maybe I'm imagining but after I changed the region to Japan and deleted the volume cap it sounds better. The overall sound seems more mature and natural. Maybe something changed in the high frequencies making it sound more natural?

So if the battery life in this thing is as good as everything else this is a real winner!

Expect it to need some burn in to properly settle

 

[refusedchaos]

How much of an upgrade is the A45 from the NWZ-A17 ?

Any large difference from the A55?

 

[amrbadrawy]

This may not be a very audiophile kind of use but I am curious how good is the software for audiobooks? Anyone using this device to listen to Audiobooks or language courses? I am curious how good it is in terms of functions like pitch control, A-B repetition and stuff like that? Not sure If it can replace my Sony ICD-UX560B Recorder!

 

[nicholars]

I read that the cable that comes with the NWA45, does NOT allow you to use it as a DAC? Which is a bit annoying to be honest, one thing I can say about this MP3 player before even receiving it, is that the proprietary cable is pretty annoying... Why can't they just use USB like everyone else!! I got it for a very good price and I like Sony in general so hopefully I will like it.

Anyway can anyone give me a link to a cheap cable in UK / Europe, that would allow me to use the NWA45 as a DAC from my PC over normal USB. Best option I have found so far is the Fiio cable + microA > USB adapter, I also found another one on Amazon but not sure if it is a data cable or a charging cable. Can anyone give me a link for a confirmed cable that is cheap? Thanks!

 

[Leetransform25]

I read that the cable that comes with the NWA45, does NOT allow you to use it as a DAC? Which is a bit annoying to be honest, one thing I can say about this MP3 player before even receiving it, is that the proprietary cable is pretty annoying... Why can't they just use USB like everyone else!! I got it for a very good price and I like Sony in general so hopefully I will like it.

Anyway can anyone give me a link to a cheap cable in UK / Europe, that would allow me to use the NWA45 as a DAC from my PC over normal USB. Best option I have found so far is the Fiio cable + microA > USB adapter, I also found another one on Amazon but not sure if it is a data cable or a charging cable. Can anyone give me a link for a confirmed cable that is cheap? Thanks!

The cable will allow you to use it as a DAC, not sure where you got that info from

 

[nicholars]

I read from a couple of people (from google search) that the cable that comes with it does not allow DAC and it is for data transfer and charging. If the cable in the box can be used for DAC then there is no problem!

 

[Raketen]

I read from a couple of people (from google search) that the cable that comes with it does not allow DAC and it is for data transfer and charging. If the cable in the box can be used for DAC then there is no problem!

They may have meant for using the walkman as a source/transport for an external DAC, not using the Walkman itself as a DAC. For that AFAIK you need a different cable (NWH10), though I haven't had any luck getting it to work w/ A55, even w/ dac/amp that worked with A17.

 

[Knightsfan11]

I am planing to buy my first dedicated DAP and i am between the A45 and Cowon Plenue D. What i want mostly in a DAP, is:

1. Long battery life.
2. Lots of storage/expandable storage.
3. Attractive, easy to use UI & good and easy to use physical design.
4. Sound quality.
5. Easy to transfer music with a Mac (preferably drag-and-drop method).
6. No additional apps, features, whatever. This will be used purely to play music files (MP3 and FLAC).

Based on everything i have read, A45 easily wins on point 3, but Cowon is a winner in points 1 and 4, while both are same-ish on point 2.
Still undecided though...

I have had a Plenue D for over a year now & just bought the Sony A45 this week as it was on special as part of Amazon Prime Day Deals. Having a real quick listen on the Sony a DAP, sound quality was great with both FLAC & 320mp3 using a pair of Vmoda Crossfade Wireless 2 (both wired & unwired), as well as Westone W30 IEM's.

I would say the main advantage of the Plenue D is the additional EQ presets & custom options you have with EQ settings.

Main reason for getting the A45 was Bluetooth connectivity.

 

[davidcotton]

This may not be a very audiophile kind of use but I am curious how good is the software for audiobooks? Anyone using this device to listen to Audiobooks or language courses? I am curious how good it is in terms of functions like pitch control, A-B repetition and stuff like that? Not sure If it can replace my Sony ICD-UX560B Recorder!

Rubbish in all honesty. No podcast/audiobook support at all It will play files if you convert them to mp3 but has no bookmark/resume function so won't pick up where you left off. Which is a bit of a shame as I would have been more than happy with my a35 model.

 

[bandario]

Rubbish in all honesty. No podcast/audiobook support at all It will play files if you convert them to mp3 but has no bookmark/resume function so won't pick up where you left off. Which is a bit of a shame as I would have been more than happy with my a35 model.

You are spot on. I can't think of a worse device to try and play audiobooks with. Shame, really.

Overall, at this point I think you would be better off buying an LG V20 or V30 and using it as a player. Anyone want to buy my NW-A45? Has been in a leather case with screen protector its whole life and has had very little use.

 

[Raketen]

This may not be a very audiophile kind of use but I am curious how good is the software for audiobooks? Anyone using this device to listen to Audiobooks or language courses? I am curious how good it is in terms of functions like pitch control, A-B repetition and stuff like that? Not sure If it can replace my Sony ICD-UX560B Recorder!

IDK about the A45 but the A55 has ":Language learning Mode" which does have AB and speed control (maintains original pitch but doesn't let you adjust it)- though as other commenters noted still no bookmarking/resume function.

 

[amrbadrawy]

So if it is not good as audiobook player, Does it at least has better sounding with better music management software than the latest Samsung S10/Note 9 line. I found that the Note 9 is exceptionally clean and capable of powering lots of very demanding headphones!

 

[Raketen]

So if it is not good as audiobook player, Does it at least has better sounding with better music management software than the latest Samsung S10/Note 9 line. I found that the Note 9 is exceptionally clean and capable of powering lots of very demanding headphones!

To be frank, I think if you are happy with your phone audio & battery life and have no particular use for a small lower power DAP like this, you are not missing much.

The music-only UI & additional hardware buttons, (no navigating through android) and fine volume control are good , on-device music management is limited (there is PC based Media Go software for that)- but on your Note you can pick whatever playback/management app you want.

 

[amrbadrawy]

To be frank, I think if you are happy with your phone audio & battery life and have no particular use for a small lower power DAP like this, you are not missing much.

The music-only UI & additional hardware buttons, (no navigating through android) and fine volume control are good , on-device music management is limited (there is PC based Media Go software for that)- but on your Note you can pick whatever playback/management app you want.

Well Yes I can pick any playback app on Android, but then there is no clean designed music apps for android compared to iOS!

 

[truckena]

Hello,
After second bootloop death of my new replacement Sony NW-45, where still exists software failure, I mean the problem is in building the database any time hardware starts (what is fine for that 3 songs giving away as a demo inside the player, but is not good idea for SD-card or bigger music folders, where finished with bootloop) I abandoned Sony NW series.

I move to Shanling M0 and I checked on the same SD's and files (I move the same card to new hardware), it does, what Sony did not — on big database which is builded ca. 30 minutes on both players, it builds database on demand, it finishes building without any error, building is cancelable at any time without any error, it works without refresh database via function Folders also.
Maybe is not so robust as Sony, but works.

Thank you Sony, but no more. BTW., your service after selling is also as this bootloop, not fine, not funny, not as expected.