[TripBitShooter]

I managed to demo a unit at a local Sony store and my initial impressions were not great, until I realised all the sound enhancements were on. Even then, i heard quite a bit of distortion, maybe due to the 1RMK2 headphones connected to the A10.

 

[Wertzius]

DSEE HX doesn't only work with MP3 or AAC, it also works with flac files for me. Can anyone confirm that? 
It obens the stage for me and the mids and highs are more present.

 

[xylin6]

is it possible to listen to the player while charging it (so long as usb storage is turned off) as you can with the F800/F880 series?
 
and also can anyone who has either an F800  or F880 series Walkman and either the A15 or A17 confirm if they have a similar soundstage ? thanks.

 

[castleofargh]

  DSEE HX doesn't only work with MP3 or AAC, it also works with flac files for me. Can anyone confirm that? 
It obens the stage for me and the mids and highs are more present.

I recorded a bit in audacity to make really sure(even if I'm a sucker with my laptop's mic-in). and you seem to be right it does the weird **** it does even on 16bit flac(not 24 from my one attempt).


first 2 lines are the flac alone, last 2 are the same with DSEE. looking at it like that, it looks great.
looking at the frequency waves it's much more of a strange mess where some waves are taken out pure and simple, others are rounded, or change amplitude, and then some appear out of nowhere. it's all done on very short periods in the middle of mostly untouched signal so it doesn't affect what we hear too much. but it's really advanced, or really messed up.
the overall levels of trebles tend to go down a little when DSEE is active ^_^. I guess the stuff tries to keep a somehow balanced energy level so when it "pushed" something higher into frequencies, it also makes all the trebles slightly quieter to even the "quantity" feeling.
 
oh and plz disregard the blue mess, it's not the track but just noise from my nasty mic-in. the first track really had nothing past 22khz(it would be strange for a 16bt ^_^) as you can guess from the pink tops.
 
 
 
 
Quote:

  is it possible to listen to the player while charging it (so long as usb storage is turned off) as you can with the F800/F880 series?
 
and also can anyone who has either an F800  or F880 series Walkman and either the A15 or A17 confirm if they have a similar soundstage ? thanks.

not plugged in the computer(or at least I couldn't find how). but with a usb charger you still have complete control over the DAP (also the charging is faster).

 

[Wertzius]

I found out, that it does totally strange things.
Florence and the Machines - What the Water gave me: Wider Soundstage, more mids and trebles, louder
The XX - Crystalized: Volume down, all quiter and more rounded
 
Opposite results in different songs?

 

[TripBitShooter]

I heard in pink's just give me a reason that the vocals were really grainy and the bass was far too boosted and mids were also recessed, before i realised every single sound enhancement was on. Damn retail units.

 

[Wertzius]

Another flaw: distortions at max volume (steps 27-30). I hear clicking and crackling sometimes if i set the volume above 26. My DT770s are not the reason for that, so either the player or my amp. But i haven't hand any problems with my amp until now.

Can anyone confirm that?

 

[castleofargh]

Another flaw: distortions at max volume (steps 27-30). I hear clicking and crackling sometimes if i set the volume above 26. My DT770s are not the reason for that, so either the player or my amp. But i haven't hand any problems with my amp until now.

Can anyone confirm that?

you can't change volume levels when using the line out, so I'm assuming you're using your amp with the headphone out. make yourself a big favor and buy a L5 cable from fiio(it's 15$ I think).

 

[Mickice]

You shouldn't be amping the headphone out, if thats the case. 
The machine its self can go upto 30 with no issues on my gear, but the volumes would be stupid to listen to. 

 

[xylin6]

 
you can't change volume levels when using the line out, so I'm assuming you're using your amp with the headphone out. make yourself a big favor and buy a L5 cable from fiio(it's 15$ I think).

 
@Wertzius  the cable castleofargh is recommending is this one here -> http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L5-Line-Cable-Walkman/dp/B003UCI2CI
 
Edit: I just noticed you're in Germany so i believe this is the link you want instead -> http://www.amazon.de/FiiO-Line-Kabel-Anschluss-Klinke/dp/B004M172JA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414461615&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=FiiO+L5+Line+Out+Dock+%28LOD%29+Cable+For+Sony+Walkman
 
I use it with my Sony F807 and iBasso D2+ Boa with great results. I'm not sure what portable amp you're using but hopefully its a powerful one if you have the 600ohm DT770's.I own a pair of 80ohm DT770s and they are some power hungry cans,I have to use the +10 boost on my D2+ and even then the DT770s are about 2/3rd's the volume of any of my other headphones.
 
Sony make great DAP's but their achilles heel is their low output levels (i.e. 10mW+10mW on this new A series). nonetheless when I plug in any of my Grados (which are all 32ohm) or my Sennheiser Amperior (16ohm) or V-Moda M80 (28.5ohm) my Sony F807 and E345 both sound amazing. Don't get me wrong my DT770 sound great as well,they just need a more powerful amp than I currently own.

 

[audionewbi]

I haven't experienced any distortion either.

 

[zilch0md]

Hi everyone, 
                  my a17 arrived yesterday and I have to say that I quite like it in terms of flac/mp3 playback.  The EQ works in a similar vein to my old A864, and the overall sound is pushed forward and not recessed like my f886.  I haven't really bought into the whole hi res audio thing, but I just wanted this player for the space, price, and micro sd slot.  Interesting about the hi-res downsampling, like the guy said in his video, a good bull sh!t detector lol!!!  

A couple of other things initially, the player is tiny!  Not having a touch screen is a little weird at first, but I suppose that will keep the finger prints away.  It is very simple to use, and I am going to do some more testing on it today.

thanks.

Congrats on the A17!

Does it offer either Digital Out or Line Out?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[TripBitShooter]

Another flaw: distortions at max volume (steps 27-30). I hear clicking and crackling sometimes if i set the volume above 26. My DT770s are not the reason for that, so either the player or my amp. But i haven't hand any problems with my amp until now.

Can anyone confirm that?

I can confirm that using the retail unit in the sony store. After turning off all the aound enhancements, there was still crackling, and a sort of graininess to the sound. But this might be due to the 1RMK2 connected to it. Just to say, i was at volume step 27.

 

[gelocks]

Congrats on the A17!

Does it offer either Digital Out or Line Out?

Thanks,

Mike

 
It's a Sony Walkman so my guess it's only headphone out and a "line out" via the WM-Port?!?

 

[TripBitShooter]

Nope no line out