[bruce1967]

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.

The Sony cable do seem to be pretty robust.

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

Not only that. The digital out has seperate Left and Right channels for cleaner signal which some ‘Audiophiles’ may not be knowing.

The Sony cable do seem to be pretty robust.

 

[bruce1967]

Not only that. The digital out has seperate Left and Right channels for cleaner signal which some ‘Audiophiles’ may not be knowing.

I didn't know that either.

 

[Krutsch]

Not only that. The digital out has seperate Left and Right channels for cleaner signal which some ‘Audiophiles’ may not be knowing.

Did not know that... interesting.

 

[Krutsch]

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.

It's true that Best Buy doesn't carry Sony DAPs in-store, but if you ask someone (especially one of the Magnolia sales people), they will offer to ship one from a distribution center and let you try it in the store.

 

[fish1050]

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.

As for the Vinyl processor I wouldn't be surprised if it came as an offshoot of the DSEE HX. Maybe they just tweaked that algorithm to simulate the vinyl sound and made it a separate feature. Sony has been into sound processing forever and it was probably alot less expensive to go the sound processing route vs improving the hardware in the A55. Makes me wonder where Sony goes from here with their DAP's, without adding wifi and streaming and don't see how much more they can add to their DAP's at least at this price point.

I am in Canada not the US, my friends in audio sales are in Toronto like me. They carry the ZX300 and WM series DAP's but dropped the A series after the A35. You could buy the A35 in store and demo it which is what I did. But no more starting with the A45 and I am sure the A55 will be a no go as well. Even if Best Buy doesn't sell in store, being able to return a unit to the store would still make me more willing to buy and try, but again not carrying A series at all anymore in Canada. Canada Computers lets you special order in store or online but they have Sales final tag on Sony DAP's. Meaning they will only take a return if it is defective, if you don't like it to bad you are stuck with it. I got someone at Sony Canada to admit by phone that they were now using amazon.ca as their main and preferred dealer for their DAP's. It is such a small part of their business it probably doesn't make sense to try and push it to retailers to carry.

 

[castleofargh]

Not only that. The digital out has seperate Left and Right channels for cleaner signal which some ‘Audiophiles’ may not be knowing.

maybe they don't know because it doesn't make much sense? how would a different protocol and wiring be compatible with standard USB devices? I'm guessing you're mistaking the pins for analog out with the pins used for USB data(which are the ones sending digital data to a DAC or a computer).

 

[DONTGIVEUP]

I don’t know the engineering but one of the manuals from the older early 2000 walkmans did say that wm port was digital so long it hooked directly into a wm port connector like the early Walkman speakers dock.
The usb part works in the same conjunction with a Sony product like a Vaio laptop where USB gives out digital to listen via Vaio optical out laptops.
I’m pretty sure it’s standard as u mentioned now but the cables were once sending digital via usb.
Also Sony early Walkman have the same connectors as the later models released after F800 series but somehow they are not compatible with the PHA dacs.
Another mystery of that wmport cable, Were the left and right channel pins removed after the introduction of F800 walkmans, IDK.
There was wiki link to the wmport cable wiring but I don’t see it anymore and this was 8-9 years ago.

maybe they don't know because it doesn't make much sense? how would a different protocol and wiring be compatible with standard USB devices? I'm guessing you're mistaking the pins for analog out with the pins used for USB data(which are the ones sending digital data to a DAC or a computer).

 

[Love Music]

Maybe on this one they could reintroduce the clear bass feature.....

 

[Love Music]

When will this be released?

 

[chatnever]

Subbed to this, probably my first Hi-res Player (Although I hate the "Hi-res" marque)

 

[bapesta]

Just got released in HK today and picked mine up. Nice size and feels good in the hands. Bought mainly to use with 1000XM3 over LDAC which sounds great. Any questions, fire away.

Also, still does not do progressive album art so going to be a painful weekend converting all those album art using Music Center...

 

[Krutsch]

Just got released in HK today and picked mine up. Nice size and feels good in the hands. Bought mainly to use with 1000XM3 over LDAC which sounds great. Any questions, fire away.

Also, still does not do progressive album art so going to be a painful weekend converting all those album art using Music Center...

Congrats and great news! I am seeing these on eBay, already, from Japan.

Two questions:

1. Do the Japanese versions support an English user interface? I may get impatient and order an import model, rather than waiting for the US release.

2. Have you tried the bluetooth receiver function?

The second part is crucial, for me - I want to stream stuff from my Google Pixel 2 (which supports LDAC) to the NW-A55 as a bluetooth receiver DAC/amp for my IEMs and 'phones.

 

[bruce1967]

Just got released in HK today and picked mine up. Nice size and feels good in the hands. Bought mainly to use with 1000XM3 over LDAC which sounds great. Any questions, fire away.

Also, still does not do progressive album art so going to be a painful weekend converting all those album art using Music Center...

Looks basically like the A40 series Walkman but it's made of aluminum now...no plastic. is that correct? Good price for it at Accessory Jack for those who don't want to wait to get it domestically.

 

[pinkbecca]

Just got released in HK today and picked mine up. Nice size and feels good in the hands. Bought mainly to use with 1000XM3 over LDAC which sounds great. Any questions, fire away.

Also, still does not do progressive album art so going to be a painful weekend converting all those album art using Music Center...

is it bigger than the previous models or same size? and does it really have a search function for songs?