[TripBitShooter]

OK thanks

 

[audionewbi]

After reading at least half a dozen different blogs their is no way for us to get the digital out using the digital accessory out. Sony did this to prolong battery life maybe?

if you notice PHA-3 comes with a WM to micro-USB with a metallic pin. That acts as a jumper or the PHA-3 telling it that it has something stuck up its micro-USB butt!

Got to give it HUGO as they are the only DAC that managed to accept digital only signal without needing the entire 5V to accept the connection, I guess 2.4K is not paid for nothing after-all.   I am very happy with A-15 and HUGO after I could not get the 1.2K AK120 to send anything more than 24/96 across all the toslink cables I tried (nothing fancy). 
 
As a stand alone ultraportable DAP there is nothing more I could possibly want from A-15. Maybe future firmware could improve UI lag and occasional drops I get with 24/192 files but beside that I am very happy! Sure I could ask for more but this is a $249 DAP which soon can be found much cheaper else where than sony official site. I think while it did feel a little too late but better late than never. 

 

[imackler]

I'm excited to hear what ClieOS' initial impressions are. I've appreciated his presence so much on Headfi over the years; he's one of those headfiers whose opinions I always stop to read when skimming a thread. While everyone has to trust their own years, I've never been led wrong trusting his! Can't wait till he's had some time with this little, but pricey, player. 

 

[ryanjsoo]

So is eq built into the hardware of this device or just software?, also what`s the difference between the japanese version and the international one, is it just noise cancelling and colours?, thanks

 

[goody]

  So is eq built into the hardware of this device or just software?, also what`s the difference between the japanese version and the international one, is it just noise cancelling and colours?, thanks

Noise cancelling and Atrac playback 

 

[alphabetagaga]

@goody
 
where did you order your japanese version from?

 

[zilch0md]

  After reading at least half a dozen different blogs their is no way for us to get the digital out using the digital accessory out. Sony did this to prolong battery life maybe?

if you notice PHA-3 comes with a WM to micro-USB with a metallic pin. That acts as a jumper or the PHA-3 telling it that it has something stuck up its micro-USB butt!

Got to give it HUGO as they are the only DAC that managed to accept digital only signal without needing the entire 5V to accept the connection, I guess 2.4K is not paid for nothing after-all.   I am very happy with A-15 and HUGO after I could not get the 1.2K AK120 to send anything more than 24/96 across all the toslink cables I tried (nothing fancy). 
 
As a stand alone ultraportable DAP there is nothing more I could possibly want from A-15. Maybe future firmware could improve UI lag and occasional drops I get with 24/192 files but beside that I am very happy! Sure I could ask for more but this is a $249 DAP which soon can be found much cheaper else where than sony official site. I think while it did feel a little too late but better late than never. 

 
The WMC-NWH10 digital out cable emulates a USB signal from a laptop or PC - without the 5V power, so it should work fine with the USB input of any DAC that has a separate power supply, but can't provide power for USB-powered DACs or DAC/amps like the Geek Out 1000, the ODAC, the DACport or DACport LX, etc.  
 
About the only workaround is to use a USB Y-cable to supply 5V power to the DAC or DAC/amp from a battery pack. 
 
It's great that your Hugo didn't require this.  You've got a nice pairing with the Sony as your transport.
 
Mike

 

[goody]

  @goody
 
where did you order your japanese version from?

pricejapan

 

[purk]

  Noise cancelling and Atrac playback 

As well as a "line-in" analog recording.  However, the these models may only support Japanese language only.

 

[refusedchaos]

Anyone know where we can import the japanese accessories?

 

[ClieOS]

Sorry about the delay, but I was waiting for this piece of accessories to arrive this morning before I want to test them all out:
 

 
NWZ-A15 + WMC-NWH10 + iDSD micro - They works like a charm. Also confirm to work are iDSD nano and FiiO E18 too.
 
---
 
I haven't done any measurement yet but there is my brief impression on A15 vs. DX50, moded X3, X1 and iPod nano 7G (all EQ and extra setting off):
DX50 and my AD8620 moded X3 easily best all the rest of the DAP so I am not going to spend much time talking about both. A15 for the most part is around the same level of SQ as X1 and iPod nano 7G - good and solid overall but not great by any mean.
For power, tightness and control, X1 > nano7G > A15.
For clarity, A15 = nano 7G > X1.
For texture (and also related, warmth and smoothness), X1 > nano 7G >= A15.
For transparency, nano 7G >= A15 > X1.
For soundstage, about the same - A15 has the widest soundstage, but tends to lost some spacial detail. X1's soundstage is smaller, but rounded and more 'completed' with better image and  positioning. Nano 7G is between the two, but closer to A15. Neither one has really big soundstage per se.
 
I used my reference IEM, RE0, for the above observation. It is not the most difficult pair of IEM to drive but often enough to stress most source to reveal the subtle difference. I also listened to them with CKR10, and the difference is, as expected, noticeably smaller. That being said, I would think if your headphone isn't particular difficult to drive, A15 probably won't sound much different from X1 or nano 7G. I am actually quite surprised how well A15 stands up to the test given it has a mere 10mW @ 16ohm. Without knowing the number, I would have thought it might have a bit more power than what Sony is claiming. Still it definitely sounds the least controlled to me in all the DAP I compared it with. One of my very first impression is that the A15 sounds very much like a less powerful DX50 (which also doesn't offer much power and control on its own, for the DAP of its class), with the same kind of presentation and cleanness /  transparency but doesn't often enough tightness, especially over the bass range.
 
For a standalone DAP, I don't think it offers enough over X1 consider the higher price tag. However, I didn't buy it purely as a standalone DAP but also for its aptX supported Bluetooth as well as the ability to use with USB DAC as digital transport (a bit of gambling on my part but works out well). Overall, it is a thumb up from me.
 
 
Quote:

  Anyone know where we can import the japanese accessories?

 
I buy from Amazon Japan, then forward the package with Tenso.com.

 

[audionewbi]

Is that the new sony XBA-100? 

How lucky are you to get it working out of the box with iDSD micro, my hope was to use it with denon but no luck. 
Can I ask how did you connect it to iDSD? 

 

[ClieOS]

  Is that the new sony XBA-100? 

How lucky are you to get it working out of the box with iDSD micro, my hope was to use it with denon but no luck. 
Can I ask how did you connect it to iDSD? 

 
Yes, that's XBA-100
 
I notice you'll need to connect the adapter with the DAC/amp first, then to the walkman. If you connect it to the walkman first, most of the time it won't work. Sometime it takes a couple of plug/unplug to get the walkman to recognize the DAC. Also, as zilch0md mentioned, the DAC must be self-powered.
 
I also have plan to built a DIY version of WMC-NWH10 with parts from China. Not sure how that will go but that's for another time.

 

[Dzemo]

Look at this negative review on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/ss/customer-reviews/B00OCJRX8C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_cr_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=0YTAP2GPMFAZD8T0Z6Y0&ref_=pd_sim_sbs_e_cr_1

CONS
- Volume Level: the max volume level is horribly low. This is even with the sound limiter (AVLS) turned off. My iPod has a higher max volume, that's unacceptable for a high end device that cost twice as much and should have a high end amplifier built-in.

- Cheap Exterior: Again, for a $300 music player, it should scream high end. Instead it looks like cheap plastic with an ugly sheen on the front. The current iPod Nano looks a lot classier and half the price.

- Sound Quality: I didn't hear any discernible difference between my Nano and the NWZ-A17. Didn't sound richer, clearer, or louder. In fact, the Nano sounded a lot better primarily cause I could turn it up and hear it more clearly. As a reference, I was using high-end Sennheiser headphones. I should also caveat, I was listening 320kbs mp3's. For someone with a huge FLAC collection, perhaps Sony solution sounds much better, but my goal was enhancing my mp3 music, like my friend’s mini amp did.

- No Rating Function: there’s apparently no function to rate songs using the unit (stars). I find this very useful on iPod’s, as it allows for on-the-go ranking and acts another mechanism to sort/ make playlists (based on ratings).

- Confusing Settings: a lot of the settings are restricted in the menu if others are selected. For example, if you select the “DSEE HX” function (upscale mp3s), then you can’t use “ClearAudio+” and various others.
---------------------
Typical raving coming from an I-sheep...he rushed to post negatively before even trying to find out how the walkman works, about its features and what kind of headphones it can drive and what is best paired with!!! and then I-sheep get insulted when they are told they cannot appreciate gadgets outside I-world cos they are too stupid to use them...

 

[Hikoki]

  Sorry about the delay, but I was waiting for this piece of accessories to arrive this morning before I want to test them all out:
 

 
NWZ-A15 + WMC-NWH10 + iDSD micro - They works like a charm. Also confirm to work are iDSD nano and FiiO E18 too.
 
---
 
I haven't done any measurement yet but there is my brief impression on A15 vs. DX50, moded X3, X1 and iPod nano 7G (all EQ and extra setting off):
DX50 and my AD8620 moded X3 easily best all the rest of the DAP so I am not going to spend much time talking about both. A15 for the most part is around the same level of SQ as X1 and iPod nano 7G - good and solid overall but not great by any mean.
For power, tightness and control, X1 > nano7G > A15.
For clarity, A15 = nano 7G > X1.
For texture (and also related, warmth and smoothness), X1 > nano 7G >= A15.
For transparency, nano 7G >= A15 > X1.
For soundstage, about the same - A15 has the widest soundstage, but tends to lost some spacial detail. X1's soundstage is smaller, but rounded and more 'completed' with better image and  positioning. Nano 7G is between the two, but closer to A15. Neither one has really big soundstage per se.
 
I used my reference IEM, RE0, for the above observation. It is not the most difficult pair of IEM to drive but often enough to stress most source to reveal the subtle difference. I also listened to them with CKR10, and the difference is, as expected, noticeably smaller. That being said, I would think if your headphone isn't particular difficult to drive, A15 probably won't sound much different from X1 or nano 7G. I am actually quite surprised how well A15 stands up to the test given it has a mere 10mW @ 16ohm. Without knowing the number, I would have thought it might have a bit more power than what Sony is claiming. Still it definitely sounds the least controlled to me in all the DAP I compared it with. One of my very first impression is that the A15 sounds very much like a less powerful DX50 (which also doesn't offer much power and control on its own, for the DAP of its class), with the same kind of presentation and cleanness /  transparency but doesn't often enough tightness, especially over the bass range.
 
For a standalone DAP, I don't think it offers enough over X1 consider the higher price tag. However, I didn't buy it purely as a standalone DAP but also for its aptX supported Bluetooth as well as the ability to use with USB DAC as digital transport (a bit of gambling on my part but works out well). Overall, it is a thumb up from me.
 
 
 
I buy from Amazon Japan, then forward the package with Tenso.com.

Hi and thanks for the interesting little reviews. I understand  you did all audio testing using the preamp, right ? I´m currently sitting on the fence whether to go for the cheaper Fiio X1 which I would line out  to Fiio E12 I already own, or get the A15 with more polished UI and , most likely, less bugy OS in combo with the F12. Which would you suggest ? Im using Klipsch Image ONE and Sennheiser HD 595. SQ is definately my priority , also, I won´t actually be using the DAP on the go so much.
Thanks for replying
Ivan