If today the most normal thing is to carry a phone that functions as a travel camera and pocket computer, a few years ago, users could not live without a small device from which to listen to music on MP3 format. There were them in CD, mini CD and, later, internal memory formats, but the advent of smartphones wiped them off the map. But have they disappeared?
Sony NW-A105, the MP3 with Android
Un mp3 player from which you can connect to the internet to consume content and listen to music. Hasn't someone invented that before? Yes, Apple's iPod Touch presented a product designed for music enthusiasts focused on the needs that are handled today. However, Sony's option is much more special than the already discontinued Apple product.
When you thought that this type of product had passed away, Sony continues to bet on the product with a new generation Walkman which is presented as a really interesting piece of hardware, since this player is capable of playing music in a quality that you may not know how to appreciate. We are talking about the format Hi-Res, a high-definition audio modality that does not present compression and that offers sounds with all the nuances.
to the point (musical)
The cover letter could not be clearer. A sober design that is elegant and functional at the same time, where the attention is drawn to the musical reproduction. That it is part of the Walkman family is not the result of chance. The equipment has several playback control buttons on the side next to the volume and power buttons, so to change tracks or pause playback you will necessarily have to touch the screen. Its distribution could even remind you of the old walkmans (cassette players).
The panel is not especially large, which we understand given the type of use that we are going to give this device, but it has a size of 3,6 inches that is valid for all types of uses. Unfortunately, contrary to what we might think, its measures have not served to stretch the autonomy of the battery as we will see later. The interface is that of Android with Sony's personal settings, which has included an application to equalize the audio and several personalized shortcuts with Sony technologies in the notification bar.
With a fairly compact body, the Walkman NW-A105 feels great in the hand and in the pocket, so it could become the perfect companion for your walks or relaxing moments. Speaking of relaxation, your zen moment could be affected by distractions such as incoming emails, notifications from messaging services, etc., since it is an Android terminal, we can install all kinds of applications and email services as if it were a phone. . Always depending, of course, on a WiFi connection to obtain the data.
This chameleonic profile is what allows the device to offer much more musically speaking, and that is that we can access music services such as Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, etc., and even video services such as YouTube or Netflix. Yes, you will be able to see the 10 seasons of Friends from its 3,6 inches.
Is Hi-Res audio worth it?
This is possibly the point that determines whether you should carry this device in your pocket or not. We have already commented that this format offers a sound experience that has nothing to do with compression formats such as MP3 or streaming services such as Spotify. Well, all this will depend on your ears and your ability to perceive.
After listening to one of the demos that included the Walkman in the internal memory, I proceeded to listen to the same track hosted on Spotify, and my surprise was that I was not able to differentiate which was one or the other. This has happened to me and other people, so we can say that the Hi-Res format is intended for people whose ear is deeply trained for this type of audio. It is worth mentioning that the headphones used were MDR-1000X and WH-H910N, both with Hi-Res certification.
By this assessment, you may think that the NW-A105 is intended only for this type of person, however its versatility and additional functions help to make it attractive to the general public. But there is a serious problem in all this.
The weakest point
It is impossible not to talk about a point as key as the battery, and in the case of the NW-A105, the news is quite bad. The normal thing you would expect from a music player is that you could put the headphones on for days and forget about everything else, but unfortunately we must say that you are going to have to charge the device every day. Even twice a day if listening to music all the time is your thing.
This will depend on the level of stress we put on the device, since listening to music in FLAC format (maximum performance) is not the same as listening to a simple MP3 with wireless connections disabled. Listen one way or another and have more or less functions activated, the performance of the battery does not reach the figures promised by the manufacturer in any case, so this obligation to always have a plug nearby completely stains the user experience .
Even so, this is a piece of hardware that is perfect in design, sound quality and even in the software proposal (Android without frills and with an excellent native player), so if you really enjoy music, this It could be a more than interesting option to consider. Given the letter of introduction that it offers technically speaking, you should not be surprised with the price either, since the device has a label of $349.
Too expensive?
We do not think that the player is expensive taking into account the quality of the finishes and the technology it offers, since inside it hides a series of chips and processors that are responsible for ensuring that the files are reproduced at the highest quality. This level of hardware will be difficult to find in players of the same size, so this is where Sony has a clear advantage over other types of options on the market. But what we did expect was some other detail that would improve this aspect. For example, internal memory. Taking into account that a music album in FLAC format can easily occupy 1 GB, the standard device could only store almost 4 full albums with its free 3,7 GB that it offers right out of the box.
This is solved using microSD cards, but it would be expanding the user's budget with the purchase of an almost essential accessory. We also did not find something as essential as headphones, and again the explanation is related to the consumer profile.
This player cannot afford to include in-ear headphones like the ones you might find in a smartphone box. The NW-A105 cries out for quality headphones, and it is normal for the sound-savvy user to already have appropriate models at home for use. So if you are one of those who continues to take advantage of those headphones that they gave you on the train, you are obviously not the profile that Sony was looking for.