[MetalWarrior]

Amazon Germany has listed the NW-A55LB (16 GB) with the first of december as release date for 199 €.

 

[Nailgun]

in italy it is releasing on november 25th for some reason. the price is the same. i preordered it hoping to finally get a true gapless player that plays mp3 smoothly.

can you guys confirm that gapless work perfectly with mp3? thanks!

 

[bachankas]

Does A55 sound the same as A45? I had an opportunity to listen to A55 - amazing DAP. However it's now available in my country.

 

[Ascariss]

Amazon Germany has listed the NW-A55LB (16 GB) with the first of december as release date for 199 €.

Will be interesting whether the change to USB type-C and possibly BT 5.0 are true.

 

[Ascariss]

Hi folks, quick update, Sony has gotten back to me and the NW-A55L is identical to last year's model, minus FM tuner and no NC headphones in the box. If anyone wishes to see the email you can read it here
https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/sony-nw-a55l-identical-to-nw-a55.html

 

[kova4a]

Hi folks, quick update, Sony has gotten back to me and the NW-A55L is identical to last year's model, minus FM tuner and no NC headphones in the box. If anyone wishes to see the email you can read it here
https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/sony-nw-a55l-identical-to-nw-a55.html

It was expected. The radio removal was not though. IMO they are missing the mark here as they are releasing an year-old model at MSRP while in China now it goes for circa $150. They should have released it at 150 pounds or something tops.

 

[Nailgun]

Is it worth the wait for the A55L or should I just buy the A45? Again, what about gapless playback with mp3? I really hope it goes without any problem with lossless formats tho

 

[edoin]

Does USB audio out and Bluetooth receiver mode works at the same time? Planning to hook up a55 to a DAC/AMP using WMPort to USB while using BT receiver function. I'm still planning to buy a DAC/AMP so I can't try it myself.

 

[Ascariss]

Does USB audio out and Bluetooth receiver mode works at the same time? Planning to hook up a55 to a DAC/AMP using WMPort to USB while using BT receiver function. I'm still planning to buy a DAC/AMP so I can't try it myself.

Unfortunately no, the DAC via usb will not work with bluetooth receiver mode.

See this page
https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwa50/v1/en/contents/TP0001886627.html

You cannot use the Bluetooth Receiver function while any of the following functions is active. Turn off the function and switch to the Bluetooth Receiver function.

• FM radio function
• Language Study function
• USB-DAC function

 

[edoin]

Unfortunately no, the DAC via usb will not work with bluetooth receiver mode.

See this page
https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwa50/v1/en/contents/TP0001886627.html

I think this is pertaining to the USB-DAC function of A55 itself while connected to a source, since all 3 features uses the Sony DAC for processing or this goes both ways (Audio in/Audio out)?

Since the chain would be:

Source - USB (out) - WMport (in) - A55 - Earphones

Im wondering about this since it seems logically possible:

Source (Phone) - BT (out) - BT (in) - A55 - WMport (out) - USB (in) - DAC/AMP - Earphones

 

[Ascariss]

I think this is pertaining to the USB-DAC function of A55 itself while connected to a source, since all 3 features uses the Sony DAC for processing or this goes both ways (Audio in/Audio out)?

Since the chain would be:

Source - USB (out) - WMport (in) - A55 - Earphones

Im wondering about this since it seems logically possible:

Source (Phone) - BT (out) - BT (in) - A55 - WMport (out) - USB (in) - DAC/AMP - Earphones

While it might be possible or could be, Sony has made it that you can't use the Bluetooth receiver function and USB DAC mode, clearly stated in the manual for the device.

When you use the USB DAC, you are connected physically to the laptop for example, where as in the BT reciever mode, the WM port is not used, only the Bluetooth which connects to the phone and then signals the music through the DAC in the player, which is the S-master HX amp.

 

[beautiophile]

Im wondering about this since it seems logically possible:

Source (Phone) - BT (out) - BT (in) - A55 - WMport (out) - USB (in) - DAC/AMP - Earphones

I tried and confirm it doesn't work.
This chain also fails
Source - BT(out) - BT(in) -A55 - WMport(analog line-out) - Amp(earphones)/Speaker

 

[Raketen]

Unfortunately no, the DAC via usb will not work with bluetooth receiver mode.

See this page
https://helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwa50/v1/en/contents/TP0001886627.html

Suddenly curious if my phone can output FM Radio over bluetooth, lol... seen from the 20th century this seems like an absurd, convoluted setup, but now probably would be the only way to receive terrestrial radio for many people that have phones and bluetooth speakers instead of boomboxes.

Then again, FM radio isn't so common on phones & who wants to listen to the clearchannel/iheartradio concoctions that dominate the US, broadcasting 40 minutes of commercials every hour, 10 minutes of prerecorded DJ banter and a handful of songs they just played in the prior hour.

*edit* Nope, phone is same as A50, won't radio w/o headphones plugged in & bluetooth disables FM radio

 

[beautiophile]

Sony (Ericsson) used to make a FM transmitter, MMR-70 IIRC, by which you can "broadcast" your music files from your SE phone and listen on a radio nearby.
BTW, there are always some hacks to use FM w/o a headphone cord. I played that with my W800i back then. The problem is anyone has time and knowledge to read the source code of A55 fw to do that.

 

[PointyFox]

There's a bunch of new USB-C Sony MP3 players announced. Does anyone know if the A55 will become USB-C?