Review MP3 player Sony NWZ-E453

Sony introduced a while ago, NWZ-E450, an MP3 player that includes an innovative feature karaoke. Gadget Zone recently had the opportunity NWZ-E453 (4GB) test and of course we have that unique karaoke feature briefly tried. Of course we also looked at other options, including a facility for learning languages and Sense.

The Sony NW-E450 is an mp3 player in the somewhat lower price range. The copy in this review, the NWZ-E453, a black model with 4GB of memory. The E450 is also available in other colors and with memory capacities up to 16GB. The E453 is quite light (58 grams) and compact (10.4 mm) and looks good, but not very special. It is basically a standard MP3 player with a 2 inch LCD screen (QVGA) and the style we're used to Sony.

The E453 has features including an FM radio with 30 presets, Sense, 5-band equalizer and voice recorder. The device can play mp3, wma, arc, mp4 and womb files. Unique features include a karaoke function and a function for language learning.

Because the other features are pretty standard, but we immediately start with the most interesting of this test: the Karaoke Mode. There are not many MP3 players with a karaoke mode, so this function can best be called unique. You can listen to your favorite songs along with the lyrics on screen without the voice of the singer (something that Nintendo DS owners will be familiar). That means you can hang yourself the pop star or practicing for a talent that many of our country. And if the number is too fast or too slow for you, you can also adjust the playback speed.

The Karaoke mode actually consists of two parts. First, during a song's lyrics on the screen, just at the right time with the sentences passed scroll. This works through. Lark files (lyrics), you can download at various websites. These files are similar to the files for subtitles in movies are working in the same way. If you give them the same name as the numbers where they belong, they are automatically detected by the MP3 player.

The second part of the Karaoke Mode is that the voice of the singer from the song is filtered. You'll hear only the music, so you have the role of lead singer 'can take over. Here you can choose from two modes: Minimum and Maximum Karaoke Mode. In the first case, you hear the voice of the singer is still soft in the background, in the second case, the voice almost completely gone.

The Karaoke Mode is a great feature as you sing like your favorite songs, but also a bit of a gimmick and moreover it does not quite faultless. First works to filter out the original vocals are not always successful. In the latest hits from Ben Saunders and Lange Franz will work fine in most cases, but a complex rock song, you risk that the voice in Max Karaoke Mode is heard loud and clear. This last example, we experienced with songs from bands like Deer hunter and Wildlife Nothing.

Finding. Lark files for the lyrics are not always easy. After much goggling we came across some websites where you can download them right, but here are the texts usually only to find the better-known pop and R & B hits. Even. Lark files from great bands like U2 and Radiohead are hard to find. You can use a utility may be itself. Lark files, but who wants to do that?

Another small point is that not only the voice is filtered. The quality of the music is often a lot less immediately. But it does not really a problem, especially since you still want to hear your voice when you're doing karaoke.

The E450 offers besides the Karaoke Mode also another striking feature: 'Language Study'. According to Sony, you can learn this language and there is something in itself. The idea is that while listening to a song the lyrics read. If you have not heard a word, you can listen to that again shortly Quick Replay. You can also a part of a song set to repeat (AB repeat) and the speed of the numbers decrease (or increase), without changing the pitch. It is not inconceivable that this way you get to speak a language

as mentioned above, the most striking features of the E450, which is also fairly standard for an MP3 player. The sound quality is good and the video works properly, the 2-inch QVGA screen movies look sharp and crisp. Very few video formats supported, but your favorite movies, you can very easily convert from the supplied software. This is just a matter of drag and drop, and then your video is automatically converted.

The software is very useful anyway. Using drag and drop you can also very simple music from iTunes, Windows Explorer or a web browser on your player up.

Other positive points are the intuitive user interface including the ability to scroll through the covers of your albums to scroll, the reception of the FM radio, the ability to personalize the player with wallpapers and screensavers, which the battery up to 50 maintains hours (10 hours video, not tested) and the now famous Sony Sense function. With Sense you can go to a certain type of music, like Dance, Emotional, Mellow, Energetic and Relax. Useful for example if you need to have some solid beats during exercise.

The E450 also offers various sound options, such as VPT (Surround), DSEE (Sound Enhance) and Clear Stereo, but Sony had in our opinion just as well off without it.

Finally we have the included ear buds to discuss. They are relatively simple (i.e. cheap) tips that might be just slightly better than standard sets supplied with most other MP3 players. If you want to get maximum out of the E450, you will still need to buy better earphones.

The Sony NW-E450 is a nice and handy MP3 spelertje with good sound and a few nice extra features such as Karaoke Mode and Sense. The Karaoke Mode works in principle quite well, but not all numbers. Study the Language feature is nice, but how many people will really use it? If these features do not interest you, and especially sound quality, there for the price of 75 Euros (4GB) probably better options.