NWZ-S616F

[sigsegv0x0b]

I just picked up a NWZ-S616F. I decided to test in in RMAA to see if its audio performance to the standard of my old NW-A1000 (that is still my main player).

I get rather strange results in RMAA. It looks like the player has some sort of permanent EQ on. I turned off all DSP settings and set EQ to normal before my test (and then rechecked everything again to make sure it's all DSP stuff is off).

Anyway the S616 appears to have a rather large rise in the low frequencies and a rather large rise in high frequencies. I.e. I could not get a flat frequency response from it!

If anyone is able please test your NWZ-S616 in RMAA and see if you can get a flat response from it?

Remember RMAA software is free, to test you just need a loopback cable (you probably have such with your pc speakers it has 2 male headphone connectors on both ends) and then you can test.

If you want to test your player for sound quality download http://audio.rightmark.org/index_new.shtml and test.

Anyway I would love to see results for the NWZ-S616 and NWZ-A816.

[l'ange]

I tested with my NW-a808 in RMAA a few months ago, but results might be inaccurate/irrelevant (inappropriate audio setup, no dummy load, noise on line-in input (-76dB) ).

Got a slight bump over 0dB (+1.2dB@ 70Hz ) on low frequencies, and a progressive falloff after 5KHz.

Samples are converted into Atrac 3+ @ 352kbps, this player cannot play wav files.

Freq. response dB : +1.11 ; -2.12

Noise level dBA : -72.4

Dyn. range dBA: 72.2

THD: 0.08%

Stereo crosstalk dB: -91

Freq. response swept sine dB: +3.5 ; -1.2

Edited November 28, 2007 by l'ange

[sigsegv0x0b]

I tested with my NW-a808 in RMAA a few months ago, but results might be inaccurate/irrelevant (inappropriate audio setup, no dummy load, noise on line-in input (-76dB) ).

Got a slight bump over 0dB (+1.2dB@ 70Hz ) on low frequencies, and a progressive falloff after 5KHz.

Samples are converted into Atrac 3+ @ 352kbps, this player cannot play wav files.

Freq. response dB : +1.11 ; -2.12

Noise level dBA : -72.4

Dyn. range dBA: 72.2

THD: 0.08%

Stereo crosstalk dB: -91

Freq. response swept sine dB: +3.5 ; -1.2

I found out my cable was damaged.

I've retested the NWZ-S616F yesterday and it had a perfectly flat response so there is no problem.

I have also tested it while driving 16ohm headphones and like all other sony players it didn't falter. No bass roll off what so ever.

So again another excellent sounding device from Sony.

Overall it sounds quite good but I still think my old NW-A1000 sounds more refined. It sounds smoother and a bit more refined. In my mind NW-A1000 has a higher class audio output chain then the NWZ-S616F. The NW-A1000 had a Burr Brown (now ti) PCM1772 DAC which has inherited the typical relaxed smooth and refined BB sound.

The NWZ-S616F most likely has the same output chain as the NW-A800 series. Which is the Cirrus Logic CS42L51-CNZR. That chip is also quite good but to my ears it doesn't sound as refined as the PCM1772 in the NW-A1000. I use Shure E4C and Ety ER4P with my players.

[Ascariss]

I have both the A1000 and NWZA818 and the newer 818 sounds much cleaner and better than the A1000, in my personal opinion,

[sigsegv0x0b]

I have both the A1000 and NWZA818 and the newer 818 sounds much cleaner and better than the A1000, in my personal opinion,

What headphones are you using with the NW-A1000? I use Shure E4C and Ety ER4P.

I find NW-A1000 is just smoother sounding not muted. The S616 is somewhat harsher sounding. I think you might simply be mistaking smoothness for muteness due headphones.

[Ascariss]

What headphones are you using with the NW-A1000? I use Shure E4C and Ety ER4P.

I find NW-A1000 is just smoother sounding not muted. The S616 is somewhat harsher sounding. I think you might simply be mistaking smoothness for muteness due headphones.

that's a pretty big assumption there, seeing as the 818 might be different than the 600 series. I've used quite a few headphones, with my older a1000, sony's, and a sennheiser pair and once with shures. I was also able to test shures and sennheiser's on my 818 and the sound was still better, none of the headphones are muting the sound.

as for refinment of sound, it all depends on the users opinion and what genre of music they listen to.

[sigsegv0x0b]

that's a pretty big assumption there, seeing as the 818 might be different than the 600 series. I've used quite a few headphones, with my older a1000, sony's, and a sennheiser pair and once with shures. I was also able to test shures and sennheiser's on my 818 and the sound was still better, none of the headphones are muting the sound.

as for refinment of sound, it all depends on the users opinion and what genre of music they listen to.

True about sound, it depends on taste.

I would be very hard pressed to believe that the A818 and S616 differ a lot internally. It is expensive to develop these players and logically sony would wish to change as little as possible to save on development costs. I've played with the NWZ-A816 in a store and I have to say it's in every way identical menu wise to my S616 except a much nicer slimmer body. I think the S616 is a better unit overall.

The NWZ-A816 lacked the (useless) FM Tuner. And even though it's screen is a little larger I think it's a backlit TFT lcd which looks worse to my eye then the S616's OLED display. The TFT might have advantage of being more visible in bright sunlight if it's a transflective TFT.

Anyway, I think the S6xx series is actually superior to the A8xx series feature wise. I will get a chance to audition the A8xx series soon I hope to compare the sound.

[udauda]

Almost all of recent Sony walkmans have what-so-called 'DONSHARI' sound signature. Some may find this V-shaped frequency response his/her liking, while others may not.

RH1 with 32ohm load:

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:DYR50...;cd=1&gl=kr

RH1 with 50ohm load VS D2 with 50ohm load:

http://iaudiophile.net/forums/showpost.php...mp;postcount=31

A80X:

http://www.mobile-review.com/mp3/review/sony_A800-en.shtml

HD5:

http://phonephile.blogspot.com/2005/06/hd5s-got-secret.html

I have tested my S703 with RMAA as well, and it has 'DONSHARI' too.

(in contrast, A1000 has a flat response under load)

*DONSHARI: http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:oO1fA...%B7%AB%E3%AB%EA

Edited November 30, 2007 by udauda

[sigsegv0x0b]

Actually I retested the NWZ-S616 and determined it does have a perfectly flat frequency response, my test was botched up due to a bad cable. While the NW-A1000 test was done a long time ago when the cable was not damaged.

The NWZ-S616 does infact have a flat response. At least in my test. So I personally think it's an excellent player.

I will re-test it tonite on another machine to verify and post the results if I don't forget

Edited November 30, 2007 by sigsegv0x0b

[ceres]

Almost all of recent Sony walkmans have what-so-called 'DONSHARI' sound signature. Some may find this V-shaped frequency response his/her liking, while others may not.

RH1 with 32ohm load:

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:DYR50...;cd=1&gl=kr

RH1 with 50ohm load VS D2 with 50ohm load:

http://iaudiophile.net/forums/showpost.php...mp;postcount=31

A80X:

http://www.mobile-review.com/mp3/review/sony_A800-en.shtml

HD5:

http://phonephile.blogspot.com/2005/06/hd5s-got-secret.html

I have tested my S703 with RMAA as well, and it has 'DONSHARI' too.

(in contrast, A1000 has a flat response under load)

*DONSHARI: <a href="http://h

ttp://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ドンシャリ" target="_blank">http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ド}...#12515;リ</a>

that´s a 0,5 db spike on the a800, rh1 and h5. hardly a v curve. clear bass-1 makes it linear. it´s completely inaudible, in fact. 2-3 you could talk to careful listeners. 0,5db is inaudible, a joke.

Edited November 30, 2007 by ceres

[juli_]

Does the 616 have the same thingybob (sorry, can't think of the right word) fitting on the bottom like the 808? I'm wondering if it would fit on the CPF-NW001.

[udauda]

that´s a 0,5 db spike on the a800, rh1 and h5. hardly a v curve. clear bass-1 makes it linear. it´s completely inaudible, in fact. 2-3 you could talk to careful listeners. 0,5db is inaudible, a joke.

Actually- it aint no joke, my friend.

Why would they level-match devices for Double-Blind ABX tests if 0.5dB is inaudible?

[ceres]

Actually- it aint no joke, my friend.

Why would they level-match devices for Double-Blind ABX tests if 0.5dB is inaudible?

0,5db is inaudible. that´s a fact. absolutely nobody can hear it.

[ceres]

True about sound, it depends on taste.

I would be very hard pressed to believe that the A818 and S616 differ a lot internally. It is expensive to develop these players and logically sony would wish to change as little as possible to save on development costs. I've played with the NWZ-A816 in a store and I have to say it's in every way identical menu wise to my S616 except a much nicer slimmer body. I think the S616 is a better unit overall.

The NWZ-A816 lacked the (useless) FM Tuner. And even though it's screen is a little larger I think it's a backlit TFT lcd which looks worse to my eye then the S616's OLED display. The TFT might have advantage of being more visible in bright sunlight if it's a transflective TFT.

Anyway, I think the S6xx series is actually superior to the A8xx series feature wise. I will get a chance to audition the A8xx series soon I hope to compare the sound.

In fact, the technical design could in deed be superior to the NWZ A8 series simply bc s6 is a few months newer. I haven´t seen any lab work on the s6 but once I do I will post it here. Note that there is also an s7 series in Japan that can handle he-aac and has nc built in. I would reckon that this actually is the best Sony Player at the moment. Unfortunately it´s Japan and SonicStage only at the moment. My projections for the next walkman refresh would be: A8 enclosure with S7 Japan tech specs + 16gb option + Media Manager / UMS / MTP all in one package.