Walkman Cellphones vs Walkman Players

[FlavioWolff]

Guys, I currently own a 5.5gen iPod and a Sony Walkman w580i cellphone, which I never used as a mp3 player because I have only 512mb of memory on it, currently.
But in curiosity, I put some albums in, and it sounded way better than my iPod... clearer, and with a sweet sweet bass that made my EX90 shine. It also has manual EQ.
I wonder how would my cellphone compare to a walkman player, like the A818 or A828, because I can increase my phone's memory to 8gb for less than $80, and use it as a portable player, instead of buying a walkman or cowon D2.
It doesn't have effects such as "clear bass", but for being a Walkman, it must has equivalent SQ, or I'm wrong?

I'm convinced that it sounds much better than the iPod, but how would it compare to the Walkman players?

Also, it does sound better than an iPhone, right?
Thank you all.

 

[Sparky191]

In my preference W810i < iPod Classic < A818. The A818 is noticeably better IMO. But it depends if you use EQ, what phones, and how your music is encoded. I'm using CX300's, PMX100, EX82 etc. Pretty low end stuff and Lame MP3's 192/256 etc.

But that said I will happily use the W810i sometimes. I don't use the supplied earphones, and having the extra converter to use 3.5 earphones is a pain as the cable is way too long. In general I prefer using an MP3 player. The controls are better, sounds better, more capacity and massively better battery life. If I use the phone for music it eats the battery life. Thats vastly more annoying than carrying an MP3 player as-well.

 

[FlavioWolff]

Haha. I feel like a waste carrying a walkman phone and a walkman player... why did I buy a walkman phone if its not for music listening?
Oh well..

 

[Sparky191]

That was my plan. But I just got frustrated with using the phone. Its a compromise, and your either happy with the compromise or your not. I think the battery life issue was the killer for me. Reading Head Fi doesn't help either...

 

[FlavioWolff]

strange that you preferred the classic over the phone
or the classic is very different from the 5.5, or our tastes do differ a lot. and ive read that classic is worst sq-wise to the 5.5.

 

[Sparky191]

...

 

[FlavioWolff]

sorry, my mistake, it was edited before you posted this.

 

[Al4x]

same for me, i got the iphone to elimiate the extra devixe, but now im looking for a new mp3 player! why xant it be better!
i wont get a sony i keep wondeeing if th iphone 2 will b better

 

[pomme de terre]

I have the same phone (w580i) and I personally think it sounds pretty bad & dirty, especially with sensitive IEMs. The EQ settings on it are also horrible on the sound. My way of thinking is that if you want good sound, then get a device thats made just for playing music.

 

[FlavioWolff]

it is nice with my EX90, maybe its just a good synergy (sony and sony?). Im thinking of getting a Cowon D2 if my 5.5g iPod cannot get the max out of the triple.fi

 

[MarkKLC]

I have the w810i, and the main problem is a really loud hiss in the background (I hope they've fixed this for newer models by now). But aside from that, I still think a good mp3 player sounds a lot better in terms of the range and soundstage, and all the other things.