[fish1050]

WM-port... yea no thanks.

Shanglin or Fiio for my next player.

Shanglin, is that a new company, never heard of them but Shanling for sure.

 

[fish1050]

Because you can walk into a newsagent/supermarket/mobile phone shop and pick up a lightening cable for about a couple of pounds/dollars/etc. Try doing that with the cable the sony players use and see the reaction (never mind the price if by some miracle you do find one!).

Ahh the WM-Port hate is still going strong I see. When it was rumored Sony might finally go to USB-C like that new $8000.00 DMP-Z1 I think it is I held out hope. But nope leave it to Sony to keep the one feature that users hate about their DAP's.

Since they went with a refresh from the A45 vs a redesign like they usually do (A10/A20, A30/A40) I have to wonder if Sony is losing interest in DAP's. At least at this price point. You get a slight design change, with rounded edges, a smidge taller and a smidge narrower. Then what LP sound processing filter, and LDAC receiver mode which the Shanling M0 already has, oh and a newer version of their
DSEE HX AI. Everything else spec wise is the same, hoped they would at least bump up the power a little. We won't likely see an updated ZX or WM series for awhile if Sony holds true to form with their releases so Sony hanging sales on the A50 series next year. I think they added the LP processing feature in a recent firmware update for the ZX300 and WM DAP's. I use to be wary of Chinese DAP's but having the M0 for awhile now I am warming to Shanling as the Sony alternative. Unless Sony drops the price on this from the A45 which isn't likely to happen, not enough here to get me to buy one.

 

[fish1050]

I have a drawer full of WM ports at home. I just don't see the problem with them. Apple has a special cable for the iPhone and nobody complains about that..

I don't know about nobody, I have a several friends and myself who won't buy Apple products because of the proprietary cable among other things of course. With most DAP makers now going to USB-C like Shanling and Fiio doesn't the WMPort limit the functionality Sony can have on their DAP's? Not really an expert on cables but seems from what I have read USB-C can handle alot more than the lowly WM-Port. So it isn't just about it being proprietary but also less functional.

 

[bruce1967]

I don't know about nobody, I have a several friends and myself who won't buy Apple products because of the proprietary cable among other things of course. With most DAP makers now going to USB-C like Shanling and Fiio doesn't the WMPort limit the functionality Sony can have on their DAP's? Not really an expert on cables but seems from what I have read USB-C can handle alot more than the lowly WM-Port. So it isn't just about it being proprietary but also less functional.

I don't know how the cable makes it less functional. I just use it for charging or transferring files and it works great.

 

[fish1050]

I don't know how the cable makes it less functional. I just use it for charging or transferring files and it works great.

Sorry should have said ports, USB-C can support higher transfer speeds and carry lots of different traffic. So it may not be better for A50 if it doesn't need to support what USB-C offers. But for example I get roughly twice the transfer speed copying files to my M0 over USB-C vs copying files to my A17 via WM-Port. Yes you can take the memory card and put it in a card reader but both my DAP's are in hard protective cases so I would have to do several steps to get the memory card out and connected to my computer vs just plugging the DAP into my computer and it charges at the same time. Over time I am likely to have more and more devices supporting USB-C vs only one with a WM-Port so more likely to have another cable available if needed.

I don't understand how Sony can be progressive in adding certain features but so backward in holding onto an antiquated proprietary port. Especially when people dislike it enough to avoid buying their DAP's because of it. If the A50 had gone USB-C much better chance I would invest in one.

 

[bruce1967]

Sorry should have said ports, USB-C can support higher transfer speeds and carry lots of different traffic. So it may not be better for A50 if it doesn't need to support what USB-C offers. But for example I get roughly twice the transfer speed copying files to my M0 over USB-C vs copying files to my A17 via WM-Port. Yes you can take the memory card and put it in a card reader but both my DAP's are in hard protective cases so I would have to do several steps to get the memory card out and connected to my computer vs just plugging the DAP into my computer and it charges at the same time. Over time I am likely to have more and more devices supporting USB-C vs only one with a WM-Port so more likely to have another cable available if needed.

I don't understand how Sony can be progressive in adding certain features but so backward in holding onto an antiquated proprietary port. Especially when people dislike it enough to avoid buying their DAP's because of it. If the A50 had gone USB-C much better chance I would invest in one.

I can see then that there might be certain advantages to having a device that uses the usb-c cable but for me the WM-port/cable isn't really a deal breaker. I really love the A45 and would consider it to be the best DAP I've ever owned.

 

[Krutsch]

I can see then that there might be certain advantages to having a device that uses the usb-c cable but for me the WM-port/cable isn't really a deal breaker. I really love the A45 and would consider it to be the best DAP I've ever owned.

+1 ... I don't like the WM-PORT, but whatever. When I switched from an iPhone to a Pixel 2, it was irritating to add a USB-C cable to my bag, along with USB micro (to charge my PHA-3), a Lightning cable (to charge my iPad Pro, AirPods and MagicMouse) and an Apple 85W charger for my MacBook (which also has gone through connector changes - MagSafe to MagSafe2, neither of which works on current generation MacBooks).

Proprietary connectors are part of using gadgets.

 

[fish1050]

I can see then that there might be certain advantages to having a device that uses the usb-c cable but for me the WM-port/cable isn't really a deal breaker. I really love the A45 and would consider it to be the best DAP I've ever owned.

So since you have the A45 are you considering getting the A55? Is there really enough of a change to warrant buying the A55? Even if I were to forget about the WM-Port I still have the same problem of not being able to demo one. Still can't demo an A45 anywhere and my concern is even fewer dealers in Canada will carry the A55 than the A45 and there aren't many of those. For some reason the Sony dealer network for DAP's in Canada dropped big time after the A35 was released. Bestbuy carried the A35 but now only sells the E series I believe.

Pretty sad to see Shanling and Cayin increasing exposure in Canada while Sony seems to be slowly disappearing

 

[fish1050]

+1 ... I don't like the WM-PORT, but whatever. When I switched from an iPhone to a Pixel 2, it was irritating to add a USB-C cable to my bag, along with USB micro (to charge my PHA-3), a Lightning cable (to charge my iPad Pro, AirPods and MagicMouse) and an Apple 85W charger for my MacBook (which also has gone through connector changes - MagSafe to MagSafe2, neither of which works on current generation MacBooks).

Proprietary connectors are part of using gadgets.

Well proprietary connectors are part of using Sony and Apple products to be specific. USB be it micro USB or USB-C is an industry standard and can be used by any manufacturer including Sony and Apple if they choose to, so not proprietary. I currently have 3 devices that use micro USB so I always have cables around. USB-C can carry HDMI video and audio as well so you will start to see the port on more and more devices unlike Apple's Lightning Port or Sony's WM-Port.

If Sony and Apple joined the rest of the industry, then you would have fewer cables to carry around

 

[bruce1967]

So since you have the A45 are you considering getting the A55? Is there really enough of a change to warrant buying the A55? Even if I were to forget about the WM-Port I still have the same problem of not being able to demo one. Still can't demo an A45 anywhere and my concern is even fewer dealers in Canada will carry the A55 than the A45 and there aren't many of those. For some reason the Sony dealer network for DAP's in Canada dropped big time after the A35 was released. Bestbuy carried the A35 but now only sells the E series I believe.

Pretty sad to see Shanling and Cayin increasing exposure in Canada while Sony seems to be slowly disappearing

I would consider the A55 if I hadn't purchased the A45 only a few months ago. I'm sure I'd like the A55 but it's still basically the same DAP as the A45. I do like that it's made of aluminum now but I don't really think that effects the sound much. I wish Sony had a greater presence in Canada too..I miss the old Sony stores.

 

[fish1050]

I would consider the A55 if I hadn't purchased the A45 only a few months ago. I'm sure I'd like the A55 but it's still basically the same DAP as the A45. I do like that it's made of aluminum now but I don't really think that effects the sound much. I wish Sony had a greater presence in Canada too..I miss the old Sony stores.

I spoke to a couple of friends still in audio sales and Sony seems to be peddling the Vinyl processor filter as a game changer. Suppose to be rolling out a firmware update for the ZX300 and WM DAP's in the near future to add the Vinyl Processor feature. Trying to get sales people to start pushing it as another reason to buy the more expensive models. Preliminary word is we won't see the A55 in North America until next year and it isn't on the US site yet. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference the new version of DSEE HX AI makes to the sound vs the previous version. Those two things could make the A55 compelling to try at least if you don't already have the A45 that is. If reviews are positive on the A55 and consensus is that these two features are a big deal then it will be hard to resist not taking a shot. But that won't be until much later next year at the earliest for me if at all.

My friends tell me that retail stores in Canada stopped selling the A series because the margins have become to small and Sony refuses to allow Canadian dealers the kind of price drops you see in the US. If Sony was smart they would allow Canadian customers to import from the states and support the US warranty here. That would certainly make me more comfortable about buy one for sure.

 

[bruce1967]

I spoke to a couple of friends still in audio sales and Sony seems to be peddling the Vinyl processor filter as a game changer. Suppose to be rolling out a firmware update for the ZX300 and WM DAP's in the near future to add the Vinyl Processor feature. Trying to get sales people to start pushing it as another reason to buy the more expensive models. Preliminary word is we won't see the A55 in North America until next year and it isn't on the US site yet. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference the new version of DSEE HX AI makes to the sound vs the previous version. Those two things could make the A55 compelling to try at least if you don't already have the A45 that is. If reviews are positive on the A55 and consensus is that these two features are a big deal then it will be hard to resist not taking a shot. But that won't be until much later next year at the earliest for me if at all.

Yeah I doubt we'll see it here until next year too but as you say if reviews are positive it will be hard to resist and I do like my new toys But definitely not before Christmas.

 

[fish1050]

Yeah I doubt we'll see it here until next year too but as you say if reviews are positive it will be hard to resist and I do like my new toys But definitely not before Christmas.

Well if history is any indication we won't see it in Canada until almost Christmas as we always lag well behind the US for releases so no rush.

 

[Weaves]

I spoke to a couple of friends still in audio sales and Sony seems to be peddling the Vinyl processor filter as a game changer. Suppose to be rolling out a firmware update for the ZX300 and WM DAP's in the near future to add the Vinyl Processor feature. Trying to get sales people to start pushing it as another reason to buy the more expensive models. Preliminary word is we won't see the A55 in North America until next year and it isn't on the US site yet. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference the new version of DSEE HX AI makes to the sound vs the previous version. Those two things could make the A55 compelling to try at least if you don't already have the A45 that is. If reviews are positive on the A55 and consensus is that these two features are a big deal then it will be hard to resist not taking a shot. But that won't be until much later next year at the earliest for me if at all.

My friends tell me that retail stores in Canada stopped selling the A series because the margins have become to small and Sony refuses to allow Canadian dealers the kind of price drops you see in the US. If Sony was smart they would allow Canadian customers to import from the states and support the US warranty here. That would certainly make me more comfortable about buy one for sure.

1) It will be interesting to see what exactly this vinyl processor does. Will it be some type of algorithm to improve dynamic range? If so, the real goal would be to stop the audio engineers from killing DR in the first place on CDs, just like it is still being done on vinyl produced in 2018.

2) Not sure who your US friends are, but Sony shuttered it's stores here years ago. Best Buy only carried the A series online. So, there really are no places to try out any DAPs here.

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

I don’t know why ppl complain of the WM-Port. I for one have no issues with it and most important not one cable or Walkman port with the port has ever failed.

I can’t say that about lightening cables and other cables.