[nanaholic]

That 52% loss of battery power from a 100% charge was for the majority of that time was with no apps or music running/playing ... 52% in 1hr 10 mins seems excessive.. i would doubt i would have got 2hrs of music playing from 100 % charge .. if that is the norm .. for me Sony need a increase in size to enable a bigger battery with a longer life once fully charged.

I notice the first couple of days the battery will drop like crazy - even if I updated to the latest firmware as soon as I took the device out of the box and I don't use any streaming services, after 3 or 4 days the standby time starts to settle and the device will now last 3 days on standby with about 2 hours of playtime per day.

I don't have a good explanation except to chalk it up as Android doing background optimisation of the OS upon a fresh startup which causes abnormal battery usage for the first few days.

 

[imparanoic]

I got mine 2 days ago. Fabulous device and just what I wanted: dap with android, so I can still play my Spotify tunes. Battery is a thing, but don't it as a phone. Wi-Fi mostly off and after listening wireless, put Bluetooth off. I disabled all apps that I don't use, so I have a clean player.

For wired: the sound settings make the music much better. The settings aren't available when using Bluetooth, but, it's an android player so I downloaded Poweramp Which has fantastic eq and sound customization options for better playback. I do have wired problems with my BW PX7, but after testing , it's specifically with these types of headphones, others work great. After going in standby mode, I have to reboot the DAP before I resume listening in wired mode because no sound comes through. I emailed BW with this problem and is a bit annoying. A demo PX7 unit in a store had the samen problem.

All in all satisfied with this DAP as a small device solemnly for my music so I don't have to switch to my smartphone. Quality eisen I feel this player has way better sound output.

considering the NW-A100 series support Ldac and Aptx HD, you can get astell and kern xb10 which supports Aptx HD and 3.5mm as well as 2.5mm balanced, as it's a discounted product some places as cheap as US$60-70 nowadays from original price of US$150, audio technica also has at-pha55bt which supports 3.5mm and ldac but it's more expensive around US$150 at this moment.

 

[Berrieg]

considering the NW-A100 series support Ldac and Aptx HD, you can get astell and kern xb10 which supports Aptx HD and 3.5mm as well as 2.5mm balanced, as it's a discounted product some places as cheap as US$60-70 nowadays from original price of US$150, audio technica also has at-pha55bt which supports 3.5mm and ldac but it's more expensive around US$150 at this moment.

Sorry for my n00b knowledge, but this device make it possible to use all wired options through a wireless signal?

 

[raif71]

If I use usb-c to 3.5mm male jack, would I be getting line-out signal ? I'd like to connect the player to an external amp with 3.5mm line-in. I don't want to be using the headphone jack for the amp connection coz then I would have to max out the volume for acceptable line-out signal. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[nanaholic]

If I use usb-c to 3.5mm male jack, would I be getting line-out signal ? I'd like to connect the player to an external amp with 3.5mm line-in. I don't want to be using the headphone jack for the amp connection coz then I would have to max out the volume for acceptable line-out signal. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

You'll be bypassing the S-Master chip and will be using the DAC chip inside the USB-C dongle instead, which is likely to be inferior to the S-Master chip unless you bought an expensive audiophile dongle.

The headphone output is not that weak, I've been using it at 100/120 to connect to my KSE1200 and it is fine. I doubt you need to max it out to get an acceptable output signal. If you do then your external amp is way too weak if it can't amplify the output.

 

[raif71]

You'll be bypassing the S-Master chip and will be using the DAC chip inside the USB-C dongle instead, which is likely to be inferior to the S-Master chip unless you bought an expensive audiophile dongle.

The headphone output is not that weak, I've been using it at 100/120 to connect to my KSE1200 and it is fine. I doubt you need to max it out to get an acceptable output signal. If you do then your external amp is way too weak if it can't amplify the output.

I guess setting it at 100 would be ok but I have to remember to bring it back down the volume to 60-70 when I use lower impedance headphones with the player otherwise, it'll be too loud then. FYI, I'll be using the Fiio A5 amp with the dap with 300 ohm headphones.

 

[fish1050]

No Sony Walkman at CES 2020

Considering the whole 40th anniversary walkman thing I fully expected something about the A100 and ZX507 at CES but absolutely nothing!!

Yes they were announced at IFA but that is Europe and this is North America. You would think Sony would want to highlight the Android OS and streaming support to a North American audience. I also find it interesting that Sony has not posted pricing on sony.com for the A55, A100 or ZX507 but they have on sony.ca

It almost seems like Sony wants to keep these models a secret from the North American market.

 

[drkp80]

No Sony Walkman at CES 2020

Considering the whole 40th anniversary walkman thing I fully expected something about the A100 and ZX507 at CES but absolutely nothing!!

Yes they were announced at IFA but that is Europe and this is North America. You would think Sony would want to highlight the Android OS and streaming support to a North American audience. I also find it interesting that Sony has not posted pricing on sony.com for the A55, A100 or ZX507 but they have on sony.ca

It almost seems like Sony wants to keep these models a secret from the North American market.

Why though?

 

[ColdsnapBry]

Why though?

Gotta keep this short as I'm studying for a test. My by quick stab at it is:

• Price per minute to mention something at CES is extremely high. It costs a lot to be there.
• The big markets in the US at CES are television, IOT, and AI. Sony probably wants to maximize in this field.
• The market for DAPs is relatively small in the US since the market is crowded with people who already have flagship phones.
• Just the fact that Sony didn't yet release a short press release of their DAPs coming to the US market shows how small this is a division of Sony. As you can just release a press release during CES, low cost since it doesn't actually need to be there. The downsides of doing this is it can crowd out your other announcements. So just considering that shows how low on the totem pole this is.

 

[nanaholic]

Why though?

NA is the smallest for portable head-fi out of the major markets. Currently the demand for portable head-fi equipment goes from Asia, Europe, NA, while the Asian market bigger than the next two markets combined both in terms of size and what per person spend on portable head-fi equipment. Sony has shown their data before, something like 40% of people buying headphones in Asia spends $500+, whereas only 15% or so does this in Europe and NA. Just talk to any of the industry people will tell you the same thing. Just last year I had a chat with the Campfire Audio people in Japan and they say the Asian markets are just much more mature in acknowledging and understanding the prices of audio device, whereas in NA they still have to explain to people at shows why their headphones cost more than 100 bucks.

You also have to look at the culture and lifestyle - NA people have bigger homes in general and have a heavy driving culture, both of these living conditions mean head-fi is not going to fit with people's lifestyle in NA. The money you spend on head-fi can get you a very nice "man cave" home theater speaker setup or a decked out car stereo system, and that's what people will spend their money on. In Asia where people live in small homes and commutes mainly on public transport, head-fi is their precious little bubble of privacy and that's why they have no qualms spending huge money on it to make that bubble as nice as possible. Continuously complaining about it just means you never bothered to look at the market differences and is just being willfully ignorant, or perhaps just an axe to grind.

 

[abitdeef]

NA is the smallest for portable head-fi out of the major markets. Currently the demand for portable head-fi equipment goes from Asia, Europe, NA, while the Asian market bigger than the next two markets combined both in terms of size and what per person spend on portable head-fi equipment. Sony has shown their data before, something like 40% of people buying headphones in Asia spends $500+, whereas only 15% or so does this in Europe and NA. Just talk to any of the industry people will tell you the same thing. Just last year I had a chat with the Campfire Audio people in Japan and they say the Asian markets are just much more mature in acknowledging and understanding the prices of audio device, whereas in NA they still have to explain to people at shows why their headphones cost more than 100 bucks.

You also have to look at the culture and lifestyle - NA people have bigger homes in general and have a heavy driving culture, both of these living conditions mean head-fi is not going to fit with people's lifestyle in NA. The money you spend on head-fi can get you a very nice "man cave" home theater speaker setup or a decked out car stereo system, and that's what people will spend their money on. In Asia where people live in small homes and commutes mainly on public transport, head-fi is their precious little bubble of privacy and that's why they have no qualms spending huge money on it to make that bubble as nice as possible. Continuously complaining about it just means you never bothered to look at the market differences and is just being willfully ignorant, or perhaps just an axe to grind.

Definitly true, most use smartphones exclusively for portable audio here. My local best buy has about a good 35% floor space dedicated just to smartphones, and about 2 daps on display.

However like everything there are exceptions to the rule. There are quite a few gadget hounds and portable audio geeks here. Thankfully there is a Sony Magnolia store in the next town from me, and if you live in a big city you might be lucky and have B&H photo or something similar where you can see higher end daps.

Most people don't buy expensive daps here but they have no problem handing a cool thousand or more over to Apple or Samsung for an iPad or smartphone of course. Even the 'poor' people here manage to get iPhones and such.

A smartphone is nice, but it doesn't sound like a Sony. Of course you have to spend a bit or know where to get good iems/headphones to get the most out of it. And the average consumer here isn't going to spend a grand on iems or cans or seek out chi fi deals.

Bose and beats are high end kings and you see skull candy everywhere. So I can kind of see Sonys POV, the market is weak for sure. Although quite a few people get Sony bluetooth headphones and speakers. And of course ps4 and soon ps5 Haha.

 

[drkp80]

Continuously complaining about it

This is the first time I’ve posted in any headfi thread in a few years and I was sincerely asking a question.

Anyway I appreciate the replies. Thank you.

 

[Damz87]

My wife got one of these today. Sound out of the box is very impressive. Love the anniversary case and book

 

[nanaholic]

This is the first time I’ve posted in any headfi thread in a few years and I was sincerely asking a question.

Anyway I appreciate the replies. Thank you.

I wasn't referring to you specifically about the complaining. Sorry if it came across that way.

 

[fish1050]

Definitly true, most use smartphones exclusively for portable audio here. My local best buy has about a good 35% floor space dedicated just to smartphones, and about 2 daps on display.

However like everything there are exceptions to the rule. There are quite a few gadget hounds and portable audio geeks here. Thankfully there is a Sony Magnolia store in the next town from me, and if you live in a big city you might be lucky and have B&H photo or something similar where you can see higher end daps.

Most people don't buy expensive daps here but they have no problem handing a cool thousand or more over to Apple or Samsung for an iPad or smartphone of course. Even the 'poor' people here manage to get iPhones and such.

A smartphone is nice, but it doesn't sound like a Sony. Of course you have to spend a bit or know where to get good iems/headphones to get the most out of it. And the average consumer here isn't going to spend a grand on iems or cans or seek out chi fi deals.

Bose and beats are high end kings and you see skull candy everywhere. So I can kind of see Sonys POV, the market is weak for sure. Although quite a few people get Sony bluetooth headphones and speakers. And of course ps4 and soon ps5 Haha.

This is true in my experience regarding gadget hounds but sometimes it is more about being cool than being an audiophile. There is a tiny shop on Yonge Street in Toronto I have bought from a few times. It actually doubles as a Canada Post shipping depot. The whole store is basically a small counter with a glass case with a few DAP's and a wall of headphones. But they on average sell 7 or 8 high end Astell & Kern units per week. Mostly to guys who work in the financial district who drive expensive cars and want to keep up the cool guy vibe. When a new model comes out they buy it, often just because they can. A&K pioneered the high end look cool DAP market and they still support it very well. Not saying they don't make great DAP's but looks add to the appeal as do the sky high prices.