What do you guys think of sound quality of A3000

[suland]

Hi guys!

What do you think about this matter?

I have had HD5 - it sounded great. Now I've got A3000 - sound is great but something is different. I can't get the idea what exactly...

And looks like lower bitrate makes really bad sound in A3000 comparing to HD5

Thanks

[himd_anxiety]

I have an HD5. I cannot understand why someone would sell off an HD5 for one of those clunky things you can't see in the sunlight. I have heard the HD5 sounds better, but have not heard A3000. I frankly think MiniDisc handles lower bitrates better than the HD5.

[Ascariss]

who uses low bitrate songs on a 20 gig device? I honestly can't go believe 192 mp3, since I can hear the difference in quality.

I've listened to the hd5 vs a3000 here, friend has one, and I personally like the A3000's sound much more, clearer and better.

if you are going to use lower bitrates in your mp3 player, might as well get an ipod.

[kerfuffle]

I use low bitrate songs on a 20GB device.

I use atrac3plus at 64kbps. Doesn't really matter what bitrate for me, as my left ear's hearing isn't as good as my right ear's hearing.

And the iPod's sound quality sucks.

CNet Australia did an article on the best sounding MP3 players, and the NW-HD5 came out on top: http://www.cnet.com.au/mp3players/mp3playe....htm?ref=search

Edited July 16, 2006 by kerfuffle

[Guest Stuge]

Yup, IMO A3000/1000 sounds more chrisper & clearer than HD5

[chriswyatt]

I use low bitrate songs on a 20GB device.

I use atrac3plus at 64kbps. Doesn't really matter what bitrate for me, as my left ear's hearing isn't as good as my right ear's hearing.

It's also more difficult to tell the difference if your using a pair of low-quality headphones, when I had a 128 MB MP3 player it was always a dilemma for me whether I should go for quantity of quality, but in the end I settled for quality.

[himd_anxiety]

It's also more difficult to tell the difference if your using a pair of low-quality headphones, when I had a 128 MB MP3 player it was always a dilemma for me whether I should go for quantity of quality, but in the end I settled for quality.

In my experience, better headphones can make it more tolerable. My ATRAC collection is pretty much all lower bitrates, as I have an extraoardinarily large music collection. I wish I had stored them at a higher bitrate for my HD5. MiniDisc works better, for whatever reason.

[lindijones]

Hi!!

I also think that the Sound of A1000 is a little more crips and clearer than of the HD5.

I think the ipod is also a little more dynamic than the hd5.

I had an ipod several weeks.

But the EQ of the ipod is just unusable.

And the battery life of HD5 is much better.

Together with the better eq of the HD5 it is a simple reaction to sell the ipod.

I heared that the A1000 or A3000 sounds bad with Mp3 files?

Is that right?

Or maybe a little low volume or anything else?

I heared that.....not sure....

No problems with the HD5.

Bye

Tom

[dura_]

Hi everone, I'm new here, first post.

I have a NW-HD1 and a NW-A3000. The latter sounds more dynamic and crispier to my ears, but stil retains that sony sound signature (full, spacious, detailed, musical, no fatigue are words that spring to my mind, I like the Sony HD-sound a lot).

[suland]

Thanks guys! Your opinions are very useful as I have finally understood that the sound is different (pity I can't compare them head to head). I think HD5 has had softer sound than A3000. It's hard to find an HD5 these days to copmare...why did I sell mine?!

[DSP]

Imho, sony DAP´s are just at a higher level sounquality whise.

I´ve had several MD devices, a PSP and now an nw e307 and nw a1200.

they´re just so goed in terms of soundquality. can´t compare to anything else. sony´s sound signature is just something unique you won´t find in another device soon.