Sound Quality 8/10
Overall 7/10
....
the bundled earphones aren't anything like as good as those bundled with the S639F.
videos look pretty snazzy. Colours are vibrant, the screen is bright, playback is smooth and clear, plus viewing angles are good enough that two could watch a video at the same time
Audio performance using a decent set of 'phones is every bit as good as the
S639F's. Yet again there's plenty of warmth, clarity and detailing that the likes of an iPod simply can't match. The Offspring's typically crashing guitars and catchy lyrics on
Americana are reproduced with plenty of presence, great low down detail and a generally catchy tone. The likes of HeartsRevolution's synth-ridden
CYOA! are portrayed well, too, the punchy output of the S544 making it all the more addictive listening than on a lesser player.
It should be said that some players like
Cowon's iAudio S9 still sound better, especially with more sophisticated music, such as Wagner's
Tristan and Isolde. However, the difference is only really noticeable with a fairly high-end set of headphones in a quiet environment.
doesn't quite impress as much as the NWZ-S639F it succeeds, the NWZ-E443 sounds almost as good while costing less....
from
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2009/10/08/Sony-Walkman-NWZ-S544-8GB/p1
