Sony NW-A55 - Synergy In Form & Function

Sony NW-A55: amzn.to/3oYcZS8
Shanling Q1: amzn.to/2YSW215
Fiio M3 Pro: amzn.to/2YUn9c8
Hiby R3 Pro: amzn.to/39XhKqV
Tin Hifi T2: amzn.to/3rwhQMd
Final Audio B2: amzn.to/3nhGwWY
Light Harmonic Mera: amzn.to/3gFifb3
Reecho&Peacock Spring: amzn.to/3mi8IHT
Shozy Form 1.1: amzn.to/2IJeHI9
Moondrop Starfield: amzn.to/37b5rpx
Tin T2 Plus: amzn.to/37V2poQ
Beyerdyanmic DT880: amzn.to/2Ljoi9K
Sennheiser HD650: amzn.to/36JtqMj
Avantone Planar: amzn.to/3iPD4R9
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: amzn.to/2GcS6m6
Audeze LCD-1:amzn.to/2S9DiXE
Monolith THX Desktop: amzn.to/3kWQVpG
RME ADI-2 Dac: amzn.to/2FBtd3l
Austrian Audio Hi-X55: amzn.to/2RFHE8M
Sivga Phoenix: amzn.to/35WkNy3
TIME STAMPS:
Build & Features - 1:38
Sound Test With T2 - 11:30
Overall Sound Signature - 19:39
User Interface & Software - 21:57
Power Output & Battery Life - 25:09
USB Dac Mode - 31:02
Bluetooth Functionality - 32:45
Value & Conclusion - 34:13
******
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Twitter: @NoThemeReviews
My test playlist: open.spotify.c...
Mountains: • Hans Zimmer - Mountain...
Pure Water: • Mustard, Migos - Pure ...
Want You Back: • HAIM - Want You Back (...
Angel: • Massive Attack-Angel (...
Scherzo for X-Wings: • John Williams - Scherz...
Heartbreak: • Kris Cerro - Heartbrea...
When You Walk Into The Room: NA
Dreamer: • Charli XCX - Dreamer f...
Superposition: • Young the Giant - Supe...
Flight From The City: • Jóhann Jóhannsson - 'F...
A Thousand Years: • The Piano Guys - A Tho...
The Only Thing That Matters: NA
The Runners: • The Naked And Famous -...
Moons: • Moons
Drum Solo: NA
Ignite: • Ignite
Kalypso: • Sorrow - Kalypso
Tomorrow: • Daughter - "Tomorrow" ...
Natalie: • Milk & Bone - Natalie ...
New Light: • New Light
Firefall: • Bjear - Firefall
The Big Ship: • The Big Ship (2004 Rem...
Familiar: • Agnes Obel - Familiar
Why Am I Like This: • why am i like this - o...
Some Music By: www.bensound.com
#headphones
#audiophile
#hifi
#dac
#mojobatterryreplacement
#Hart
#review
#zmf
#beyerdynamiic
#sony
#reference
#astell
#astellkern
#meze
#chord
#sennheiser
#audeze
#audioquest
#cobalt
#focal
#dragonfly
#oriolus
#amplifier
#microphone

[@dont4450]

As a professional musician, I wanted a player that was portable enough for travel. I bought an A55 on ebay and was blown away by how good this player is. I have an astell&kern kann alpha to listen to at home. So I did put on the Mr Walkman firmware on the A55 and, truthfully, it was so close to my alpha, I listen to it most of the time, at home and on the road. I hope sony continues to make these non-android players with their great interface, and battery life.

[@lolripalex]

hey, what was the price range when purchasing on ebay? i’m interested in ordering one of these but not sure if some of these listings are real at $198 or so. Thank you!

[@dont4450]

@@lolripalex I paid 125.00.but the range was about 100.00-300.00. Let me also say that just before the holidays, so Ron was selling a brand new nw q45 for 200.00. I pulled the trigger on that too in case something happened to my a55. I put the Mr. Walkman firmware on that also and you can't tell the 2 apart. Whatever you buy, try the firmware. Very easy to install and uninstall. Takes just a minute.

[@Kana0211]

@@lolripalex 125. I bought a special edition saekano version for 250

[@francesschaefer]

Hey they have JUST discontinued this device I bought one very good condition (I hope) on Amazon from a 3rd party seller with very high customer reviews. So as each day goes by these middle type DAPs are disappearing! Writing this on 1/31/23 mine just arrived yesterday. I am a professional musician also, very bummed as I had an ipod classic that I loved but was only 1/4 full when Apple just cleared out any synching capabilities and I have a MacBook Air

[@dont4450]

@@francesschaefer please keep in n mind the ipods were true MP3 players and not high resolution music players capable of playing high res files like flac, wave, or DSD. I'm not sure if you've ever heard a high res file being played on proper equipment, but it is absolutely mind blowing.

[@Forwhomthebelltolls24]

Finally a proper review of a genuinely nice DAP.

[@Solitaire001]

An excellent review. With this player Sony has added a number of improvements. The big one is the ability to completely manage playlists on the player, eliminating the need for a computer to put playlists on the player. The one disappointment with this player involves the SensMe Channels. In order to do song analysis for the SensMe Channels you have to use Sony's software. One of the features of this player's predecessor (A17) had was the ability to do SensMe analysis on the player, eliminating the need to do it on the computer. SensMe Channels are a great feature and I hope Sony restores on-player SensMe Analysis. One feature I like is the Learning Function. Not only does it allow you to do playback manipulation (such as slower, faster, and A-B repeat), it allows you to separate music tracks from non-music tracks. That is handy when I just want to listen to music. I think the function could be renamed "Spoken Word" to better indicate the kind of files it contains. I use it for podcasts and audiobooks, and also for files that I want separate from my music files (such as albums by comedians).

[@gracedraper7949]

I purchased this a year ago and its the best choice for the price and the performance, so simple and yet so stylish

[@jimis3167]

I'm very happy because your reviews came all true and they are the reason I bought the hi x55..No other reviewer can do that, give the full objective image about headphones and being actually like reviewer says, you consistently succeed doing this. I'm very proud of you! God bless you!

[@MrNorcal81]

Thanks for the comprehensive review of this superb device. My primary use for MP3 players is for when I'm out walking on most days. I have had players going back to an Ipod, a couple of Creative Zens (great players while they lasted) a Fiio X1 and eventually a Fiio X3 2nd Generation. I've had the X3 for a number of years mated to a pair of old Sony MDR-X300 vertical earbuds which, to me, are one the best set of in ear cans I've ever had, especially when used with Comply Isolation foam tips. I've always loved the Fiio X3 and used its equalizer to create, what to my ears, was an excellent all around sound. I recently found myself wanting a player that was Bluetooth capable so that I could stream to a Stereo receiver. The Fiio had no Bluetooth capability so after looking at various players I ended up getting the Sony A55 brand new for a reasonable price. After loading up a 64gb SD card with all kinds of music, I began to listen to the various genres while playing with the sound settings. I eventually thought that the Clear Audio + setting resulted in the the best all around sound but it could feel a bit "thick" on the bottom end at times. I caught another video review of the A55 and it's creator echoed my thoughts about Clear Audio + so he experimented to be able to create a setting that replicated Clear Audio +'s sound but now was able to play with the equalizer to fine tune the sound. It involves turning on the DC Phase Linerizer and Surround set to Studio. The equalizer had 60Hz set at +6, 1Khz at +3, 6.3 Khz at -3 and 16Khz at +6. This did create a baseline exactly like Clear Audio +. I was then able to tweak the frequency settings to suit my my own taste and the capabilities of my Sony earbuds (took the 60Hz down to +4 and increased the mid-range a bit). Listening to the thumping, but not excessive, bass on Jenner Hudson's "Spotlight" and Mariah Carey's "Make it Happen" was something else. The overall sound was outstanding and, while I always thought that my Fiio X3 was as good as it gets, the Sony actually exceeded it. It's sound had more depth and body and seemed a bit smoother. Going out walking with my new A55 playing in my ears was an absolute pleasure. The A55 is a bargain for its price.

[@jerome5969]

This is the best review of Sony NW-A55. I’m planning to get one, hope apple can make NW-A55 working as a DAC. Keep it up!

[@jacobfreeman7427]

I've just ordered one and use a MacBook. Does this mean I can't listen to my audio files that are on my mac through the Sony?

[@jonathandelreal7808]

My only pet peeve for this device. My biggest one. When you're adding a song to a playlist, it does not warn you if it's already in said playlist--so you end up with multiple of the same track in the playlist. When you have 1000+ songs, that's a hassle when you can't keep track of what you put where.

[@NoThemeReviews]

That is a pain. I organize my music on my SSD and transfer to the card, so I don’t mess around with that feature.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

How many songs will it hold approx. and are you using losslesss audio? I am searching for my first Hi-Res player with on device storage.

[@MariaMaria-fl4zm]

Bluetooth doesn’t recognize car hence useless

[@zosothezephead837]

I have a A55L myself and it's very, very nice. But the display has been damaged by moisture ingress (not water) while it was inside a rain jacket pocket during light rain. Although it functions perfectly, it now has a permanent 'snowy' scrolling effect in the background. Just a heads up - don't even keep this unit in your pocket when it's raining. To say I'm disappointed in Sony is an understatement.

[@CreatorOfWorlds]

Great video. Heres for hoping a A65 or similar coming soon with usb c.

[@floriangutierrezruiz3722]

is there a way to activate "BASS CLEAR" in the Nw a55? i have another walkman the nwz-s774, it has "bass clear" function and it sounds much wider, but it don't allow FLAC haha T_T

[@bwebmasta1]

Excellent review, subbing now. My debate is do I want the A55 or the 105? On one hand, I just want a dedicated music device away from my Pixel 4XL. The 105 has wifi, and USB-C but from other reviews, I've seen the battery life is horrible. The battery life on the A55 seems to be much better, but has the propiertary port for charging. I would need to take the cable with me on trips. I have Bowers & Wilkins headphones, so they should be able to connect on bluetooth. So I think, do I even want apps & wifi on music device? When I want streaming I can easily use my phone for that.

[@kevinhernandezarango5005]

tough choice, i have the A105 and battery is a big turn down. I think that if you have your music on downloaded files, the a50 is a better choice (also saves money and have better battery life), but if your music is on streaming service, better go with a100 and take a power bank with you.

[@terryRBNF]

Correct! the NW-a55 sounds real real good.

[@Asthe599]

Can it sound better than Sony Ericsson w550i/600 mobile phone???

[@tnarch]

These Sony player are extremely convenient. And have great sound quality. And have great battery. And have great construction. And have great design. BUT in my opinion and my experience it does not sound better than other players, as A&K junior, or fiio m11, or even the old Sony X1050. But it gives you the 90% of these for sure. That is why I really love Sony players. If I had to keep one it would be a Sony player no matter what…

[@Belikewaterbud]

I purchased one of these last year around Christmas I'm a technically inclined person I have built lots of stuff from stereos to pi consoles always been a tune nut and am anal about what I used to listen to my music I had a few Ipods over the years and just was sorta unimpressed with them then I found the 55 and oh my never did I think I'd find a player that made me think there was such a thing as a reasonably priced DAP that looked good worked good and check all the boxes for the most part so I paired this lil nug with sum IEMs and well I got keep this PG EDIT I snagged mine off Amazon in a bundle with a case and a 32g sd card for 178$

[@Elm8n]

Get Mr.Walkman's FE V2 firmware for the a55. So much better than stock firmware.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yup that’s what I have on my other a55. I have rent done the A/B yet because I wanted this first video to be uninfluenced by that firmware

[@Elm8n]

@@NoThemeReviews my man! On top of things :^)

[@Bhatakti_Hawas]

Who is mr walkman ?

[@NoThemeReviews]

@@Bhatakti_Hawas Someone who posts on Headfi and has his own blog. He modifies firmware from the more expensive Sony DAPs so that they can be installed on the A30, 40 and 50.

[@Bhatakti_Hawas]

@@NoThemeReviews thnk u

[@beslemeto]

My conclusion is that these Walkmans sound too bright and soundstage and bass is weak with them.I even purchased the praised NW-WM1Z,but i was veri disappointed.Trebble is so piercing that my ears were hurting after listening a single song.Idon't understand how people like these DAP's.For me they are waste of money.Who know maybe there are some models i'll like,but i've read that almost all of them sound too revealing and bright.Listening to music is not a clinical operation.Too much details and sharpness will ruin the pleasurable experience.My Samsung S8 Plus with Pulsar software produces a sound much better with meaty bass and rich tone,huge soundstage and depth.Mayve it lacks %10-%15 of the detail that NW-WM1Z gives,but who cares i am not a producer i am a listener! It is much more pleasurable to listen for long long hours...

[@retrogamereaper]

I just use the ClearAudio+ option. Some people don't like it for whatever reason, but it's the only filter that has a noticable difference to me or that actually sounds good.

[@Asthe599]

Can it sound better than Sony Ericsson w550i/ 600 mobile phone???

[@retrogamereaper]

@@Asthe599 Seeing as how I don't own one, I'm going to say "possibly".

[@paulosilva8200]

Sorry man. By adding studio reverb and boosting the highs into a silly tone that is far from natural. Then you may need to go to concerts and listen how music is mastered . Clear audio. Baddddd

[@RichardGonzalez-v6y]

Walker Scott Thompson Anna Lee Margaret

[@ff6790]

00:26: "post world war 2 cassette players" - that's the weirdest phrase I heard in a while - as if there were pre-world war 2 cassette players.

[@shinichi9do]

you are awesome, thank you for the review

[@glsracer]

The A55 is an excellent small DAP. The only real downside is the lack of USB-C charging

[@deepusaketh819]

How is its performance with not so power hungry planars... I mean hifiman Sundara... Please reply

[@xoselet]

Or deva

[@paulosilva8200]

Don't buy European version

[@bohdan4875]

Aahhh i lost this player in a bus.. someone is lucky to get him for free..

[@abutia]

Cool video nice to see how Sony stacks up against the newcomers from China.

[@sandydennylives1392]

Fxxk buying anything from china, but I end up doing it all the same. Namore with hi fi, I look very carefully at the label of origin.

[@CreatorOfWorlds]

Personally i just want a quality dap that have only basic amplifier and have the main focus on bt headphones.

[@rhoieeichstadt8406]

What is the difference of nwa55hn to nwa55?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Nothing

[@alakhazom]

If you're still looking,that HN after the model number means that the player is exactly the same,just that it comes with noise cancelling headphones( IER-NW500N or MDR-NW750N,i'm not sure which one) This was available for older versions too, A40 series, A30,and so on.

[@angkurbarua]

❤️d the detailed, honest, quite informative & Simple review indeed 🙂

[@thomasduhamel6766]

Nw-a55 versus the hiby r3 pro saber anyone?

[@ralfherweg7832]

Nice review. But your constant playing around with the devices is extremely distracting, if not making me dizzy.

[@NoThemeReviews]

I wish I could get away with static photos and video, but people complain I don’t show off the products.

[@Saikko_]

This review is Beautiful ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

[@mickeyvanderhoof8889]

The best review I have seen so far.

[@rsdno]

Great job thank you Im on SSA so poor but the Austrian Audio were a truly great turn on Thank You it helps to have a great headphone in Hospital or Doctors

[@robertmounsey4682]

Great comprehensive review. Thanks

[@DanielPereira-ey9nt]

NW A55 reada like "new ass"

[@theinceptor3672]

Hey there, i would like to know if this dap is worth buying in 2023. I found one second-handed for 80 bucks. Or should i go for something new

[@NoThemeReviews]

It’s a very good product. $80 is a good price if it’s in decent condition

[@digitalnation2876]

do a firmware mod, it's night and day different,

[@mrfrosty3]

Is it simple to do from a mac? If a degree of competence and intelligence is required I may as well forget it.

[@PhillyDee215]

Nice 👌

[@abdainawi]

Can we apply these sound settings with wireless headphones. I just got my walkman yesterday & it was big setback when I discovered it didn't support audio settings on wireless headphones

[@robertog.5861]

No bro... It can’t...

[@abdainawi]

@@robertog.5861 But still enjoying the great sound. Of Sony.

[@paulosilva8200]

What audio settings ?

[@abdainawi]

Wireless headphones will not support audio settings in the walkman. Meaning that sound settings like equalizer etc will be ineffective

[@paulosilva8200]

@@abdainawi the eq will work. Just not the dsp

[@blaster84]

Do You see any advantage on this device compared to A105 which has android?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I haven’t tried the 105, but I don’t think there’s any advantage other than Android apps. I like the A55’s UI, and once you get used to it, it’s pretty easy and responsive.

[@blaster84]

@@NoThemeReviews Thank You :)

[@paulosilva8200]

Same volume. More bits and hz dac chip. Better sound and eq with 10 bands. Apart from that. Not much difference apart from getting eqs from Google apps that you don't need.

[@Deadgray]

After looking few weeks at Android DAPs I finally bought A55 after watching your review, upgrading my old A35 :-)

[@hap9936]

Can I buy your old one?

[@tristarsilver6052]

Is this model relevant today? I want to buy myself a player from Sony (primarily because of the size), but I don’t know which one. Used There are both a55 and a105/306. I often see comments that Sony players are bad and it’s better to buy Hiby r3 II or something similar. But damn...

[@NoThemeReviews]

Hiby and other players are nothing more than glorified Android phones without cellular capabilities. Most complaints about Sony players is their lack of power for headphones and their proprietary UI. As I explained in this video, these Sony players have plenty of power for most headphones and IEMs. The UI can be a learning curve, but like anything else, once you get used to it, there is plenty of common sense behind its design. The 105 and 306 really do not offer much upgrades. Unless you find them on sale, the older 55 is still plenty good.

[@tristarsilver6052]

@@NoThemeReviews Not all. Hiby R3 II does not have Android. In any case, what headphones are 'compatible' with it? It won’t handle planars, that’s clear, but what about iem? I've heard that Sony players have noise in sensitive headphones.

[@NoThemeReviews]

I’ve never had an issue with sensitive IEMs with the A55. There are a lot of people who make very negative statements about Sony players-sometimes accurate and many times exaggerated. I have yet to encounter a modern DAP that exhibits hiss or distortion with low impedance IEMs.

[@ash3rr]

Android or Sony OS?

[@leoshepherd1982]

I've always loved sony inna the days,but I've got this ipod classic 160 gb. It's a monster player,wonder if this could even match up against it? Especially after costing eva so much $$$.

[@peikybc]

One question: this device has not gapless mode but I was wondering if you listen to a live album, do you perceive the cut between songs??

[@NoThemeReviews]

Sometimes

[@CloudMountainJuror]

@@NoThemeReviews That’s unfortunate. Are there any DAPs that have given you zero issue with gapless playback at all? I”m looking for a good DAP and gapless playback is my number one priority. But finding a straight answer to “good DAP with 100% functioning gapless playback” has been really difficult so far.

[@Solitaire001]

@@CloudMountainJuror I think gapless playback depends on the format. From what I understand the MP3 format is not gapless by design. However, FLAC and WAV are gapless.

[@faisalnurdin6712]

hiby r5s or this, which one you recomended?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I haven’t heard the 5s but I have the original. If you want Android functionality and balanced output, then the R5 is one of several options. The original R5 is fairly neutral, and I’d assume the same is true for the 5s, but I can’t vouch for that.

[@jimis3167]

Hello No Theme Reviews! I finally just got the hi x55 and first words coming out from my mouth are: Audeze didn't have the guts to make the EL8s like these! soundwise and buildwise! THEY ARE FAR SUPERIOR!(meaning the x55) I can understand the weight the EL8s had cause of the planar drivers but sound really lacked in dynamics. They were very smooth in a bad way, to the point they were lacking in sound dynamics, somewhat lifeless they were.. For this little time I have the hi x55, I can tell they are very much source depended, much more than my k550 mk2, they are much more detailed at all frequencies and they have somewhat like speaker soundstage If you ask me.. Very impressed by them I have to say..

[@NoThemeReviews]

Hooray!! I’m really happy they worked out for you.

[@jimis3167]

@@NoThemeReviews and I'm very happy because your reviews came all true and they are the reason I bought the hi x55..No other reviewer can do that, give the full objective image about headphones and being actually like reviewer says, you consistently succeed doing this. I'm very proud of you! God bless you!

[@suzitsharma2]

is it possible connect Bluetooth headphone with this NW A55 instead of 3.5 headphone jack?? as it is a Bluetooth transmitter hopefully i can any Bluetooth headphone

[@Muffin8882]

Can I use wireless sony headphone on this?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes

[@paulosilva8200]

Watch it again. Best review and honest. I got fiio and hiby and sony. Sony eq is the best.wish was 10 band.hiby and fiio eq drops volume from 70mw to 35mw when i add bass. Worst eq ever. Sony eq is perfect. Ui is fast . Just wish was more volume and 10 band eq

[@gavinfernando7567]

Will you be able to do something similar to the a105?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don’t have the A105 and unless someone lets me borrow it for a few weeks, I won’t be able to make a video

[@speedy2davey]

@@NoThemeReviews found a few with decent discounts on Aliexpress right now if you are interested in owning one.

[@rhoieeichstadt8406]

How about the japanese version sony nwa55 with only japanese language can it be change or add english language to it???

[@Raaj_new]

Can't change sound effects on truely wireless earbuds.... Why?

[@paulosilva8200]

Best in sony is the eq. Thats it. Compared to other players. Its the best.wish was a 10 band. Clear audio is plain crap

[@xevus2959]

Does this work with tidal and qobuz via Bluetooth transmitter mode to my iPhone or Samsung?

[@DC-mm9zo]

Seems like an excellent value, save for lack of third party streaming. Question, off subject, if I connect a stand alone DAC to a DAC/amp combo unit, will the stand alone unit become the default DAC? Or with the built DAC continue to be the one used? How can I tell which DAC is being used? Did this make any sense at all? Thanks!

[@NoThemeReviews]

DACs receive signal digitally-through USB, optical or TOSLINK. If you have a Dac plugged into your PC through USB, and have that Dac connected to an amp via RCA or XLR, then obviously that’s the primary Dac. If you have an amp with a built-in Dac, and that product has an analogue input (RCA or XLR), then you can connect another Dac via one of those two options, and bypass the internal Dac of the Dac/amp combo. If you have a Dac/amp combo connected via USB to your PC, and you have another Dac separately connected to the PC, then you select the audio output device through Windows. If you want to use the separate Dac, select that within windows, plug that Dac to the analogue input of your combo, and you can listen while bypassing the internal amp of the combo unit.

[@DC-mm9zo]

@@NoThemeReviews Thanks!

[@adaboy4z]

I still have my Sony Walkman AM/FM radio that wraps around my arm. Good player.

[@supriyadas5142]

Nice review. Waiting for Mr Walkman's mod review. Please share the process of firmware upgrade. Does lotoo paw s1 have better Soundstage and detail retrieval than Sony a55 or ifi hip dac?thank you

[@NoThemeReviews]

DAPs, amps, and docs have no influence on soundstage. Some can manipulate the frequency to give the fake impression of different soundstage, but that's software gimmickry. The original recording methodology and your headphones/IEMs determine soundstage reproduction. The only effect amps have on soundstage is that’s if a headphone is underpowered, then the drivers are not performing at peak and you are not hearing the full performance. Warm-sounding dacs may give the impression of compressed soundstage but what you’re actually hearing is a thicker, less detailed, sound signature compared to a neutral Dac. The S1 does have a marginally clearer presentation than the A55, and as a result, a slight increase in detail. The same is true when compared to the Hip Dac. However, do not expect a night and day difference, since neither the A55 nor the Hip Dac are dark-sounding units. I think if you compare the S1 to the Audioquest Dragonfly Red, you'd hear a big difference as the Red is a very warm-sounding dac.

[@supriyadas5142]

@@NoThemeReviews thank you for your opinion. How would you compare lotoo paw s1 with astell and kern sr15. Does this two comparable by sound?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don’t have the SR15

[@supriyadas5142]

@@NoThemeReviews ok. Thank you.🙂

[@TheEldestBoyTV]

This versus the ZX-507 (for the HD650’s)?

[@NoThemeReviews]

The sound signature is similar but I think the 507 is a bit clearer and provides comparatively more power. The 507 also has android and it has a few more DSP options. Honestly, you can get plenty of enjoyment from either device. But, if you want the added power and slight increase in clarity, then the 507 will provide it, if the options are limited to these two DAPs. There are two issues with the 507: it’s got slow start up time into Android (sometimes a full minute) and the battery life is mediocre at best-and I typically get about 6-7 hours on one full charge. Unfortunately, I think both problems are Android-related, and I’m convinced Sony’s hardware can’t really efficiently use Android.

[@TheEldestBoyTV]

@@NoThemeReviews Thanks for the detailed reply - much appreciated 👍

[@smallfaihk]

it is very perfect if you could give a comparison between Sony A55 and Fiio btr5. Thank you.

[@apb0621]

Hi, I just got one of these but it's language is Japanese. I have tried to find a way to do it but was told I had to change the firmware. I am pc dumb and I have no idea how. Can anybody help? Tia

[@NoThemeReviews]

Did you figure it out?

[@apb0621]

@@NoThemeReviews No not yet.

[@NoThemeReviews]

One of my prior A55s was from Japan and in stock Japanese. In the settings app there is a language option, which contains English as an alternative. Scroll down and tap through. There aren’t that many settings, so you should find it fairly quickly. Alternatively, you can use Google translate app on your phone to see a live translation to find that menu option. If you need to update the firmware, best place to go is MrWalkman. Google that and you can select the appropriate firmware with installation instructions.

[@rsdno]

Like a VW in the 60s it looked the same but had lots of improvements .The Sony is 384 32 Bit where the Sony NW-A35 was 96 kHz 24 bit , I really hear the difference from 8 years ago to today ,I still have my A-35 but the extra DAC helps , my tweaking it on Equalizer is only thing I use except it does seem to upconvert Mp3 320 or Its because I changed all my mp3 files to 320 kbps but most of my files are Flac ,it is easy for someone who might be in Hospital and the new A-55 works much like my a-35

[@Yuzume]

Btw there are bios mods for the NW-A55 that make these even better

[@paulosilva8200]

No

[@tttyyy949]

@@paulosilva8200 says 2 people compared to hundreds. I will take an opinion of hundreds in this one.

[@paulosilva8200]

@@tttyyy949 i install the mister Walkman . Great eq but the volume is still weak

[@francesschaefer]

It has just been discontinued BUT found one on Amazon. Higher price point than mentioned, I just got mine 2 days ago, and this video convinced me to get this DAP. after watching many many reviews for many different DAPS on the market these days such as Astell&Kern, FiiO, Hiby, etc

[@the_nomadic_ajith]

How much did that cost?

[@jimis3167]

This player melts mid-bass and sub-bass even on hi-x55 headphones??

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Does it play FLAC files? Approx how many 3 min avg songs will it hold with 16GB maximum?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes it plays FLAC. I use only CD quality lossless Flac on all my players. I don’t know if there’s a track limit on the A55. I also don’t know how many songs 16gb will hold since that depends entirely on the sizes of each file

[@this-is-not-a-channel-]

Now I'm getting the t2 first, and then the a55

[@doombringer1505]

Analysis to paralysis.

[@prashanth.i3962]

very informative .good video

[@EveTheBoneQueen]

Just bought this to replace my fiiO M7. The slightly U/V shaped sound this puts out is a positive for me, as all my wired headphones - specifically my AKG N700, which I exclusively use wired - are pretty flat and boring sounding, especially out of the M7, which is also very flat sounding. Also, Hammock and Perturbator. Good taste in music, dude ;-)

[@ianrockdrigo]

I have the fiio m7 and its currently giving me problems reading the sd card ☹️, im thinking on buying this sony dap but im concerned about the 3rd party apps, can you install vlc player app on this sony dap? Fiio music app sucked so i installed the vlc player and the sound quality improved 100%, can you do the same on this sony dap?

[@FrankFur]

thank you for your video, im waiting for this coming soon !!

[@markheywood5626]

What’s the difference between this one and the A45 that I have.

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don’t know.

[@smallfaihk]

luckily i just got a new A55 at $100 in my country

[@johnblake6500]

which country?

[@candeiasc2371]

Any one knows what the initials in the end mean? Mine is A55LB? And what is the A56 and the A57? Thanks. Nice review

[@robertog.5861]

Those are little variations, storage memory, color, with phones and without phones... little changes, but basically is the same DAP

[@Alan-sx9fb]

Hello! Excellent video, is it worth it to change the fiio m3 pro for this, the only thing that I don't like about m3 pro is that there is not instrumental separation or soundstage, so there's a bigg difference I'm using fiio fh3 thank you!!

[@NoThemeReviews]

That depends on what you want. The M3 is vastly different from the A55. If you want a simple DAP, then the M3 is really the only one I've found that works well and is dirt cheap. But the A55 has a lot more features and a different sound signature. The M3 is pretty neutral, and the A55 is a bit on the warm side--meaning you're not going to hear more detail or separation from the A55.

[@jithinthomas3274]

Please tell me the back side is plastic or aluminum itself?

[@NoThemeReviews]

It’s metal

[@RainesProductions]

Thanks, I cracked and just ordered it yesterday.

[@rexbk09]

Love, Love, Love !!

[@durgaprasad2611]

Please say one thing. Is it better to buy a high quality mp3 player (like this Sony A55) or an amplifier for better quality sound? I have Iphone 5s. It's sound also very good! I thinking to buy good amplifier. So pls tell me Which should I choose? Thanks..

[@NoThemeReviews]

Well, a quality DAP already should have a good amp. If you’re happy with whatever source you currently have and think your headphones need more power, then get an amp only.

[@durgaprasad2611]

@@NoThemeReviews .. Thank you

[@juliuscannon8911]

Can I use a JBL bluetooth charge 3 w/ A55

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes. helpguide.sony.net/dmp/nwa50/v1/en/contents/TP0002342869.html

[@imrankhanshohag6841]

does it have enough power for final e4000

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes plenty

[@ronnyvalencia9404]

I have a question, how can I transfer the music cover in FLAC format?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Depends on your operating system. Foobar will do it on Windows. There are free apps on Mac and Windows that let you batch process the art

[@jadur]

Thx for review? How it compared to ibasso dx90? Will lotoo be better then dx90 with hd 600? Thanks

[@NoThemeReviews]

The DX90 is a more neutral DAP than the A55. It doesn't provide a lot more resolution, but depending on your headphones, you can hear a slight increase in detail on the dx90. I don't know what you mean by the Lotoo being "better" than the dx90.

[@atomicpuppet]

Anyone know if the NA version of this unit has a FM radio? 📻 I know the UK had the radio feature removed.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes it has the radio enabled

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Is there a DAP which YOU would consider as reference grade? Thank you for any/all consideration you give this question in advance.

[@NoThemeReviews]

For overall performance, I'd pick the Lotoo Paw 6000. For Android-based DAP, iBasso DX160, for DSP I'd pick the A55 or ZX507, and for hands down the most robust EQ features with presets, Cowon P2.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

@@NoThemeReviews Thank you SO very much for your grace & generosity of spirit by which you share your experiences with us.

[@Asthe599]

Can it sound better than Sony Ericsson w550i/ 600 mobile phone????

[@MrDarknight92]

anything would be better than that garbage phone

[@johnblake6500]

@@MrDarknight92 Are u kidding me? You can never compare DAP med DAC versus phones!!!!

[@abhinavabanerjee3526]

hey..need some info about supported formats...can it play mp4, mkv video files??

[@NoThemeReviews]

No

[@abhinavabanerjee3526]

@@NoThemeReviews What the heck...!!!....

[@victormedrano2316]

Hi, what do you suggest that could be better to drive a Sundara and a HD 58X? The A55 or a LG V/G as a DAP? Thanks

[@NoThemeReviews]

Neither for the Sundara, and both would probably work fine for the 58x.

[@victormedrano2316]

@@NoThemeReviews Ok, thanks for replying, something like the ifi hip dac would help to improve and drive the Sundaras as a portable option? Or what do you recommended for that? Thanks

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yeah the Hip Dac has plenty of power for both headphones out of the balanced connection for the Sundara, and single ended for the 58x. The Monolith THX Portable and EarMen TR-Amp also have plenty of power.

[@victormedrano2316]

@@NoThemeReviews Excellent, I just watched your Fosi HD3 review, much cheaper, but for those headphones, I think the ones you said are better options, thanks!

[@さかたぎんとき-v3y]

I prefer the a55 sound than 300-1500usd chifi sound

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yeah, and I’m getting tired of the constant price hikes for ChiFi DAPs.

[@kekwkekw5117]

Awesome video. I love mine!

[@manzerasobrado6045]

How many hours of batery life a55 with using earbuds or headpone bluetooth?thanks

[@NoThemeReviews]

Depends on the volume, impedance, and audio settings. Between 8-12 hours of continual play

[@manzerasobrado6045]

@@NoThemeReviews thanks friend

[@bimindu]

When you go for a run how do you carry this thing with you? Does it come with a clip or housing?

[@Solitaire001]

It doesn't come with a clip. I purchased a smart phone holder with a belt clip and that worked fine for carrying the player.

[@manofculture5748]

If possible try to use a Sony iem/headphone with the modded a55.something like the z7 should sound good on these as they’re used by mrwalkman too

[@NoThemeReviews]

I asked him what headphones I should use for his firmware, and he didn't say. I'll give the Sony headphones a try.

[@paulosilva8200]

Sorry. You say 35mw by 16ohm. In the site says 70mw

[@NoThemeReviews]

They’re adding 35+35 to claim 70mw. That’s not true. Each driver only gets 35mw not 70mw.

[@paulosilva8200]

@@NoThemeReviews damm. I would understand if it was balanced. But unbalanced. So its not for me. I got 3 players. But I like the Sony. By the way. This was the best review ever. All details was there. Very professional. Wish was more in audio about iems and players

[@parissydney6145]

Please do tutorial how to update the firmware to Mr. Walkman

[@kevinhernandezarango5005]

It is really easy, just plug your device to your computer, and run the first executable, when it is done, run the tunning utility. Wait until it finish and thats it.

[@sockhopsinger]

No of any DAPS that have talking menus so blind people can use them? ALSO, does the NWA in this DAP stand for National Wrestling Association? :) Yes, that last was a weak attemt at humor.

[@NoThemeReviews]

No, none of them have text to speech capability or visually impaired enhanced text.

[@sockhopsinger]

@@NoThemeReviews Well shucks. I figured that was the case.

[@Solitaire001]

It used to be that "NW" was used for players for Japan, and "NWZ" for players for the United States, followed by a dash (it looks like Sony now just uses "NW" for all their players). The next letter indicated the class of player, "A" for top of the line, "S" for mid level, and "E" for an economy player. The next numbers indicated the player family (A40, A50, A810). The last digit indicates the player's internal memory capacity, "5" means 16gb. So "A55" is a top of the line player in the A50 Family with 16gb of memory.

[@Rezzzn0r]

Awesome review.

[@ryuujivoidstalker7490]

Hey man, i saw your reviews about the Monolith M1570 ans LCD2... Do you think that is worth buying the M1570 and pay $155 more for the Audeze Headband? Could you try putting an audeze headband on the M1570? If you cant or dont want to no problem, just asking... By the way, how good is the M1060c openned compared with the M1570? And, knowing that they responded you saying to "buy them and review", do you pretend to review the Verum1 revision? Maybe you could try asking again heheheh. Looks that all the problems about the Verum1 have been solved, however it seems that the producer of the Verum1 have been having toxing behaviors on Social Medias. I personally dont care, if every one stop buying things based on the actions or nature of producers and employees, we probably shouldnt be buying anything at all, the same goes for using anything else, like apps/sites/social-medias such KZbin, Twitter, Facebook, etc. if you arent interested on them after what happened is totally understandable, but being honest i dont saw any single person saying that they sound bad, actually every one likes the sound, i even saw a guy who said that it destroys the LCD2C. If thats true or not i cant confirm.

[@NoThemeReviews]

No, I don't think it's worth spending $150 for the Audeze headband. That's way overpriced, just like all Audeze gear. In fact, the Audeze headband is fairly uncomfortable for heavy headphones, because there's no padding at all, and you get all the pressure on top. I haven't tried swapping the headbands, and probably won't even bother. I know people have complained about the 1570 being too heavy, but it's no worse than any of the big LCD series. As for the Verum...eh. I never gave much credit to the hype. People keep making mountains out of the planar ant hill. Everybody compares a planar to Audeze, but what they fail to see is that Audeze's headphones aren't any better than dynamic drivers--they're just different in some respects, and obviously have a different sound signature by tuning. I'm not planning to buy the Verum, for the specific reason that I can't be sure I'll get proper customer support. The creator's behavior is disturbing, but let's be honest: Audioquest, Audeze, Drop, Blon...these guys all treat their customers badly. Some of these companies blatantly lie about their products, others use deceptive marketing, and nobody has clean hands. It's just a matter of what people find offensive and who they want to stand up to. If I see a used Verum on sale, I might consider it.

[@ryuujivoidstalker7490]

@@NoThemeReviews thanks for the answer! My problem with the M1570 would 100% be the lack of clamping, soo if i buy it will probably change the headband for something else. If it will be the Audeze's one i dont know but the lack of padding can always be fixed with something like the Geekria headband comfort cushion pad. My fear is this "padded" type of headband like the M1570 + the big weight leave a uncomfortable hotspot on my head + unbalanced weight. Now, where find a good and not overpriced headband, im still searching. The Hifiman hybrid headband, for example, costs $125 but it dont even swivel. If i dont find one probably will try the Audeze headband with some padding.

[@msd5808]

I bet the E394 sounds the same in a blind test with the DMP-Z1

[@NoThemeReviews]

Lol. The E394 I can afford...the DMP I can’t. You have to give it to Sony for pushing the price boundary to oil tycoon levels.