Customer Ratings & Reviews

I've been looking for a music player for a while after experimenting with Bluetooth audio and a phone lacking a headphone jack. An experiment that ultimately failed, I found the audio either lacking or having difficulty with unstable connections. I came across the NW-A45 and saw it had all the features I was looking for, MQA support, Hi-Res compatibility, and a DAC function. And while the player does its job well, upscaling compressed tracks beautifully and playing Hi-Res files without breaking a sweat, I've noticed a couple of defects I wouldn't expect from Sony. The display and the back panel don't seem to be flush with the rest of the unit. While this is primarily a cosmetic issue, it's still something I wouldn't expect from a major player like Sony. Aside from that issue though, it's a great entry level music player, that I feel, offers great value.

First impression: Product quality is very poor. Feels really cheap and honestly even like a fake product. Engraving on the back of unit is really terrible as if it was made by some third party company after unit was manufactured. Also they put a huge ugly connector instead of regular micro usb (see pictures) Sound quality: NOT a Hi-End product! and not supposed to be. Checked on sound system because I don't use headphones. Inexpensive player with dissent sound quality. Sound is strange and not clear. Feels like it's a toy sound, not realistic in mid and a bit overloaded in lower frequencies. Usability: Only good part of this unit is simple of use. Music search through folders, nice UI and file format support is really good and intuitive simple to understand. Also has player control hard buttons on side. Overall expect too much from this device and got disappointed with it. This thing is ok as casual player but not any good for audiophile.

I was interested in replacing my aging iPod because it was becoming more and more difficult for it to hold a charge and it wouldn't store other than MP3 files. The Sony NW-A45 Walkman was seen as a reasonable alternative, and it has turned out to be just that. It allows storage of multiple file formats (I use WAV files for most audio), I have yet to put pressure on its battery (I have not run it more than 4 hrs, but it has handled that with ease), the Bluetooth function has synced with every device I have asked it to connect with, and the sound is quite good - and that is without using any of the adjustment features the Walkman comes with. I can't advise as to the Sony software to transfer files to the Walkman. I added a 256 microSD chip for storage and have simply done drag-drop to move files to it. I've moved files from both my computer's hard drive and a thumb drive directly to the SD chip in the Walkman without any problems. I had tried the Pioneer version of this type a device first because it included Wifi but returned it because it wouldn't hold a charge. The Pioneer was a good bit more expensive than the Sony, but I believe that the Sony has as good a sound - if not better - and the Sony's operating system seems more intuitive and easier to use. That's not unimportant because I'm an older guy that still hangs on to analogue tapes and vinyl LPs! Anyway, I've always had good luck with Sony Walkmen from my very first cassette-based one to the A45. This one has not change my opinion. I think you will like it.

I am using this more as an mp3 player than for the hi res aspect. I don't like draining my phone battery and mainly use this for exercise or travel. it is fairly small. It holds a ton of music with the expandable micro sd capability and is fast scrolling through music. You can sort by artist, album, etc. The battery life has been as advertised, i.e., 45 hours or so, very good. I mainly use it with blue tooth headphones or Apple Airpods. I have to put my headphones in pair mode to connect each time. They don't automatically reconnect even though they are on the list. It isn't a big problem, it just slows things down a bit. Identifying the charging cord that fits this is a trick. I finally found one on Amazon. Just wanted an extra. But, Sony should make this a much easier task then it is. My hearing isn't the best so I really can't tell you how great the sound is or how accurate, etc. Sorry. I know that is of great importance. I played my music too loud when I was young and now I am paying for it. But, it still sounds good to me. So, if you don't care about extra features that come with an Android based music device or an Apple IPod and just want a solid music player, give this a look. Even though I don't have great hearing, I do know from research that if you want the best in hi res, this isn't your device. You will have to spend hundreds or thousands more.

This is a great purchase if you like to have your own music files outside of streaming. I leave it and come back time to time but it is always solid. You can add your own SD card for ample storage and can really customize your music organizing! The screen is amazing and verse responsive. The sound quality is the best I have experienced in my short time in introductory audiophile-ism. I added a silicone case and screen protector to mine and it makes it even better! My two minor complaints are 1. Proprietary cable! 2. Headphone jack could have less play. If you want a high quality music player this should be at the top of your list. It plays a wide array of files as well!

This is the first premium MP3 player I've invested in and the sound quality is what I am most impressed with. It's got a very clear, crisp sound, and there are features which automatically enhances the sound without compromise, which came a surprise! I mainly listen to rock/Metal, classical, and film scores/soundtracks and it all sounds great. The Walkman is of course also capable of playing various file formats which is always appreciated, even if only for the sake of convenience. Other notable features include the ease of use and the battery life. As others have pointed out here, it's relatively heavy but this lends to it being a strong build which I personally value, so the "extra" weight is not a problem for me. Even with the good build quality, I desired a case for it but had no luck finding anything which maintained the ease of use while simultaneously being aesthetically appealing (I did however add a screen protector). Additionally, the buttons feels nice and it is satisfying to navigate the menus. Regarding the storage, I have managed well with just the 16GB, but I am glad to know that I can expand it in the future, if needed. However, I am likely to consider a newer/more high-end model altogether at that point, considering Sony's lower tier has proven so worthy - Recommended!

I got the NW-A45 seeking a replacement to my 160GB iPod Classic (now that I have left the Apple ecosystem). Putting music on my phone just wasn't cutting it. I'll get the negative out of the way because there's not much. The boot-up time from Power Off can be quite long especially with a large library, and some power-user features aren't present, such as ratings or play count metadata. However for my review I skew towards sound quality, and boy this player is top-notch in this regard. As someone who doesn't have much Hi-Res audio, the DSEE HX upscaling isn't just a bullet point, it actually makes a substantial difference. The same 320kbps MP3s on the same speakers with the same connection had an audible difference in quality that blew me away. All of the basics are there for organizing your music library, and the unit itself is designed nicely with nice tactile buttons on the side and expandable memory with microSD. If you're looking for a "back to basics" portable music player that prioritizes sound quality and gets the job done features and design wise, this is a phenomenal choice.

To start with, I have had an iPod for several years and it being the previous generation of the latest one, I am unable to upgrade firmware, so I cannot use some of the latest apps. With Apple being so expensive and their issues of keeping everything locked to Apple and most of all, the pain of needing to use iTunes to transfer media, I had to find something else but procrastinated A friend was in the same boat and his wife wanted to buy him a new mp3 player that was not an Apple. I turned her on to this Sony NW-A45 when it went on sale and after I set it up for him, he loved it. He too, was tired of Apple and iTunes. Not knowing anything about this player, I studied reviews on the Best Buy site and other sites on various mp3 players and I felt this Sony had the best features, reliability, a known brand name and the ability to just slide over individual songs and/or files with many songs, like a playlist. You do not need to use a program or app to transfer music. Just slide your files and songs over. I helped set my friend up on his Sony NW-A45 and never seeing this player first hand, I was very impressed. The screen is bright, it is heavier than the iPod but felt it was very solid and the ease of transferring music and file folders really sold me on it. Now, trying to figure out how to use this player was another story as it has many features and a bit difficult to figure out. After setting up his Sony, I knew I wanted one and waited for Best Buy to have it on sale. They did and I bought it. My personal experience in transferring songs/folders was very easy as stated before. Just drag and drop. But to play the music, find particular songs and learning the settings has a bit of a learning curve. Many features on this player. Only having it a short time, the downfalls i have found is the learning curve to the features it has. I am getting it down slowly though. Another downfall is the radio. You cannot play it unless you have headphones plugged in. I use bluetooth speakers, so I cannot play the radio. Not quite a deal-breaker, but almost. Cases to protect the NW-A45 are far and few, but I found one. You cannot play any videos nor can you surf the intenet like the Apple. Folks, this is an mp3 player and nothing more but it does wonderful in that department. As I stated earlier, the learning curve is fairly large as this player has many features and 2 screens for these features. The sound quality is very good, it plays many formats of music and battery life is very good. I'm still learning but overall for about $200, it is probably the best mp3 player out there. Oh yeah, best of all....you can add a micro SD Card to expand the memory to what you want. Sony did a great job in the design and making this mp3 player. If Sony reads this....I just wish it was a bit simpler to use and the capability to use the radio when using bluetooth speakers

Bought it back in May and this music player is amazing! It automatically adjusts the song to higher quality and the ClearAudio setting makes any song so much cleaner sounding. The moonlit blue color is exactly like the picture. I also love how easy it is to transfer music, I just drag and drop my songs onto the Walkman, rather than having to sync it to computer program. Another thing that's such a plus for the Walkman NW A45 is that it has expandable memory, so I didn't worry about the 16gbs of onboard storage, because I just put in a MicroSD card for memory. Long battery life also, I can typically go several days without having to recharge it, depending on how often I'm using it. The white font on black screen is also very easy on the eyes, I suffer from light sensitivity and migraines, but the screen causes me no problems. The side buttons make for such easy use as well because I can just pause or skip songs with a push of a button. Also, the NFC and Bluetooth connections are both really strong and clear (I haven't had any problems yet). I have no critiques, this is the best tech purchase that I've ever made and I never go anywhere without it. I love this Walkman!

Bluetooth connection very good. Excellent battery life. These were the two issues I was having problems with on previous player. Sound quality very good. Was hoping to wait for the a55 but still can not find. Very happy with a45.

I don't normally do reviews for products but this one I have to! I'm a music addict and this mp3 player makes my addiction worse. I added the sd card for extra memory to be on the safe side and with close to 2300 songs now I find myself listening to it everyday. This is well worth it, I love the blue tooth option which is the real reason I bought it and the sound quality is great and easy to transfer music to it. Easy to maneuver through the touch screen to find what you need. It is one of Sony's best mp3 to date. Easy to transfer music to it. I would highly recommend this to any music lovers out there!

Great sound. Significantly better sound and options than a moto android phone I was previously using as an mp3 player. Perfect size. Easy user interface. Zero crashing or glitching....I like everything about this modern Sony walkman EXCEPT it has poor battery life. I use it wih a single blutooth ear bud on low volume and it plays for exactly 12 hrs before its dead. Mp3 player that had NO internet connection andonly use is playing music SHOULD last longer than 12 hrs. The moto phone i was using lasted 36 hrs .

I was looking for something that I could take to the gym that holds lots of music. And is easy to add songs onto. This does all that. My only small complaint is that I’d like to just drag and drop music into the Walkman and still get the album artwork. So if I want the album artwork I have to do an added step of using Music Center to add songs and get that album artwork.

It was smaller than I thought. Some of the graphics are a bit difficult to read but my vision is not the greatest. I think it's been stated the max storage is a 256GB card but I installed a Samsung 512GB card and it read as 472GB. That works for me! The sound quality seems very good for this price point. It would not connect to Apple wireless headphones but it did connect with my car's Bluetooth. Overall, it took a little getting used to but am glad I purchased this rather than one costing hundreds or thousands more. It's a good value.

Excellent Player, design for the very best listening quality, especially in Hi-Res. In order to get the very best music play back, you will need to download music specifically recorded in Hi-Res, as well as use a pair of Hi-Res Headphones. Music downloaded from iTunes works as well, though not in Hi-Res. The NW-A45 does sound better than my iPod. It comes standard w/16 GB of built in memory, which can hold over a thousand songs, but is expandable as well, using a standard micro-sd memory card. It also has Bluetooth as well, so it can be used though your auto's entertainment system, though you do loose some quality through Bluetooth, which you wouldn't probably notice anyway on the road.

I have had it for about to weeks now and I am enjoying it everyday. It may take a while to get familiar with the controls if you aren’t tech savvy. But once you figured most functions, you are good to go. I use a wired Sennheiser set of earphones and this thing rocks! I can hear minute sounds that aren’t heard on the radio or with an ordinary player. The built in equalizer help you taylor the sounds to your liking. You have to use a good set of headphones or earphones to get the best sound possible. I love the size of it and so far I keep adding more of my music to it. For the price you can’t go wrong. Highly recommend if you love your music sounding better.

I was looking for an MP3 player to replace an old iRiver Spinn (Remember those?) that would just sync playlists from Windows Media Player and show them as true playlists like the Spinn did. They were impossible to find and this MP3 player does not use that method. However, the included software, Sony Music Center for PC (as well as the software it replaced, MediaGo), pretty much does the same thing. So, for the price and the features, this was my choice. Great sound, nice full touchscreen. Integrates with my Ford Fusion bluetooth quite well also.

Bought this for my deployment in 2020 to use during my workouts. It was small enough to put in the pouch on my shorts and the ability to lock the screen works wonders so you don't accidentally change songs. The only issue is that it doesnt use the same cord like a cellphone so you can reduce the amount of vords you have to carry. You can also use the bulit in memory which is enough or a SD memory card.

I miss these Mp3s, they were the best around. Mine is still kicking!

This was a replacement for my old Walkman NWZ-E383 that I finally decided to replace. I now have BT abilities. It's great. Sound quality is great, storage space is ample. I only wish you could stream radio while on BT headphones but I guess the technology isn't there yet. Liked it so much got one for my husband too.