So why oh why do we get one that's the most pungent purple colour we've ever had the misfortune to clap our eyes on, I mean this isn't just purple it's purple! Almost as if Sony wanted to try and give the NWA3000 some form of impediment against the ice while iPod in order that reviews weren't too good, perhaps they haven't built enough of them before the Christmas rush?

Seriously thought back to the real tests. Breaking open the rather classy packaging the purple clad MP3 player sat looking rather stunning despite it's hue, it look about the same size as a full sized iPod and the stats say almost. Measuring 66 x 105 x 22mm the 3000 is around the same length and width as the iPod but it's quite a lot chubbier and you do feel this when holding the unit, for those of you who've held an iPod Nano the difference is between the old and new Vanessa Feltz.

However the slight size advantage of the iPod is small comfort for Apple as the minute you press the power button on the Sony things begin to go in the new boys favour. Firstly the screen is simply stunning, with the unit powered down it looks rather normal, power up and it sort of oozes into life like a pool of magma reaching the surface of the earth after many millions of years travelling from the earths core. All of the pervious Sony NW's or network walkmans have just been a taster of this NWA3000 which seems to have taken all of the good bits of it's predecessors and jammed them into one case.

The menu system defines the word intuitive, with logical naming conventions and a 4 way navigation system that makes you wonder why there was so much fuss over Apples click wheel, yes the click wheel is clever and unique but within minutes we were driving around the Sony with iPodesque ease. The 2 inch display is readable in every light condition we managed to create, LP even had the player in front of the cars headlamps and still we could read the track names. Plus for those who are, how do we put this tactfully? hard of clicking, there is even a initial search feature where you can find an Artist by their initial, ideal for those social moments where you just can't think of the bands name but know it begins with S.

Now those of you who are keen social observers will note that Network Walkman or MP3 player users tend not to be forthcoming with conversational prowess, our London tube test proved why. The audio qualities of the player are quite simply without compromise, using a combination of MP3 files encoded at 192kbits and Sony's own proprietary ATRAC3 format. We tested with a range of tracks from the Gorillaz to Jack Johnson we probed the audio reproduction of the Sony, using the standard earphone there was a quite acceptable sound with the full audio range coping with the bass lines of the Gorillaz but not colouring the more delicate tunes of KT Tunstall. That said the standard earphones failed the Tube test as London's noisiest form of public transport beat the noise suppression features (or lack of them), using a set of Shure E3c's it was a different story with oodles of bass and a smooth midrange.

The audio quality is even more stunning when you learn that the NWA-3000 isn't natively compatible with MP3, instead it holds MP3 files in their raw format on the 20gb hard disk and converts them to ATRAC3 on replay. This seems like a strange decision especially considering other Sony models have started to use MP3 codecs, the only downside we could find of this method is a drop off in battery performance when playing MP3's compared to ATRAC3 files.

That brings us neatly to one of the iPod killing features of the NWA3000, it's claimed 35 hour battery life something the Apple struggles to get anywhere near even after a change of battery technology and firmware revisions. In our tests playing a selection of ATRAC3 files with the OLED screen kept dark we did almost manage 35 hours (34:32) to be precise, but when playing MP3 files that dropped to 32 hours.

Keeping the battery topped up is achieved via either the supplied USB lead and a connection to a suitable PC or via the AC adaptor. All gadgets should be supplied this way, it makes it so easy to keep topped up even at work!  Sadly Sony have followed the lead in this sector and ditched things like a cradle or remote control, both are available as options and we can't moan as everyone else is doing the same.

Daily use of the NWA3000 proved to be a joy, we never grew weary of that OLED screen erupting to life and features such as shuffle and being able to search through a "played history" make it so useable. However this brings us to the Achilles heel of almost every Sony MP3 player we've ever had to review, the software!

Sony have shipped the NWA-3000 with it's "connect" software, at first we though thank god it's not Sonic Stage, but after a week of use we have the solemn duty to report that its no better than the former pile of poo that Sony stitched users of the NW-HD3/5. All the blurb talks of the unique artist link software which tells you "if you like this artist then you'll love......" well thanks very much, how about just transferring the first artist onto the device? please??

What was even more strange is that one day our PC behaved fine and transferred files over the USB 2.0 link without too much fuss and the next its like trying to pass an expenses claim for lap dancing through your bosses inbox!  Why do Sony keep doing this? we spent hours moving files one by one onto the player and then the next day it just grins as if nothing has happened and works fine moving files all by itself.

After this performance we were almost ready to test its G-Sensor shock protection by playing football with it round the office, but then like the most manipulative girlfriend you've ever had, it bats its gadget eyelids and you are back in the zone holding its curvaceous form and listening to warm involving music.

Priced at £159 it slips in just over £50 cheaper than the new iPod and as a device its better in everyway except perhaps the extra 10gb of disk space the iPod has. When we buy an MP3 player we don't want video playback and picture viewers, what we require is ease of operation and stunning sounds plus having something sleek and sexy to hold is always a bonus. As luck would have it you don't even have to buy it in purple, there is a much more soothing sliver and a jet black too, although we have a sneaking suspicion that purple may sell well.

During one of our frequent fights with the Connect software we did wonder if we'd be able to recommend the NWA3000 over the iPod, especially when you consider just how good iTunes is to use. But when it comes to the crunch we can compare owning a NWA 3000 to life with an Italian sports car, you know there will be pain one day (perhaps all too often) but firing her up will soon make all that seem a distant memory. The Sony NWA3000 the Ferrari or MP3 players? perhaps but more likely an Alfa Romeo.

More Sony Reviews -

Published - 04/12/2005

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