Sony NW-WS623 4 GB Waterproof Walkman MP3 Player with Bluetooth - Black

I think I've had every generation of these types of Sony MP3 Walkman's and not every iteration has been an improvement on the last in terms of usability or fitment. I'm pleased to say that these are definitely better than my previous generation which, is a real relief given the cost uplift. That being said I got these for under £100 which, is less than a pair of half decent buds alone and you do clearly get more for you money. And a lot of packaging. And that's not entirely a good thing today - see photo. Firstly, sound quality. Good. Not superb but perfectly decent for gym use or swimming if that's your bag. The sound is not base heavy and is slightly bright which of course suits some music better than other types. I'm a metal fan and I like a bit more low down to get a good chug going which, I find is the perfect accompaniment to heavy gym lifting. It's perfectly acceptable but I found my Bose Soundsports better in that regard. The sound is perfect for voice though, and as I'm an Audible fan this is a real plus point. Speech clear and legible at all sound levels. One of the selling points is the ability of these to be used in water and in the spirit of investigation I have done so using the supplied ear buds that have a fine seal over the sound emitting orifice. The sound quality is in no way reduced as far as I can tell. It's still good overall. What is noticeable is that the volume level is lower which, is acceptable as long as you crank the volume up. Fitment and security of fit is brilliant. Absolutely superb. I'm not sure what sport you would have to be doing to get these to come loose but you would probably be at risk of your head coming off first. And despite the very good fit they are comfortable for long term use. The design is similar to all previous similar Sony players. Whilst not as small as Bluetooth only earbuds they are well crafted to sit flush to your head and stick out less than the likes of the aforesaid Bose Soundsports. In other words you won't look like an extra from the Star Trek bridge. Controls are easy to use once your memory muscle has kicked in and your fingers learned where they need to go. Where these are an upgrade in cost over the cheaper version is the addition of Bluetooth which, means you have options. You can stream media from your phone or suitable player as well as use the integrated MP3 player. The MP3 player is what I need for the gym because the gym I use is large and using Bluetooth earphones or buds results in dropouts if I leave my phone on a shelf. And I hate having to carry an MP3 player or phone in a pocket. One thing to note is that all my previous Sony MP3 Walkmen carked it suddenly after 18 to 24 months. This is irritating because I've had other players and wireless earbuds that work well past that point. However the convenience of these Sony's is enough for me to accept that every couple of years I'll need to replace them. Overall, I genuinely don't believe there is a better active MP3 player. Some alternatives sound better, haver better battery life or options but none come close to covering all the bases as much as these do.

This device fits my needs of being a Bluetooth headset but also a stand-alone music player when running without a phone. The fit is awesome and there is absolutely no bouncing or any chance they would fall out even during the hardest of sprints. The sound quality is excellent and the ambient sound mode works quite well to. When riding my bike for example, I like to hear the ambient sounds (traffic etc), while I prefer to block out ambient sounds when listening to music while working on my computer. the controls are quite well thought out. I was worried that navigating 4 GB of music without a display on the device would be impossible, but with double-clicking the prev/next-buttons too switch between folders it works quite well. (One suggestion: double-click back on first song of a folder could ALWAYS trigger switch to PREVIOUS folder, not just in the first one or two seconds. If I want to skip back to beginning of current folder, I can do that with single click back anyway while at first song...) I have not yet used them for swimming but don't think I would be using them for a proper pool workout. I might consider giving them a try for a longer, steady lake-swim but honestly - the waterproofing feature is more of an added bonus for me rather than my main focus. I did however just keep them on for the shower after a run which is pretty cool. One little improvement would be on the volume of the various beeps and voice-feedback when pressing the buttons. It is sometimes quite loud and inexplicably differs between Walkman-mode and Bluetooth mode. All in all this device is very well made and thought through. I had a couple of cheaper Bluetooth headsets before, but they always fell short in overall quality and usability and didn't offer stand-alone music playing. This device is well worth the extra investment, provided that it will stand the test of time and hold up against the daily abuse I'll be throwing at it...

Just received these - loaded up some music and connected Bluetooth to my phone, no problem. Instructions for the software could be a little clearer, but it's not bad. Look to be a decent way to pass the time while swimming. a little odd having voice instructions in your ear about what you are doing, but probably quite useful. As with anything with several functions guided by small buttons on each earpiece that one can't see while wearing, it will take some practice to get used to what does what instinctively, but that will come in use. I've read complaints about volume and sound quality, but I have none at this point. Sounds perfectly good to me - however I've not used them in a pool yet. Am on holiday next week so will get the chance to test it. I have gone off swimming for exercise as I find it boring - but this is why I bought these. I might come back and revise the review to a 5 Star one when I've had some use of them. But so far, impressed with packaging, quality, comfort and sound. UPDATE: After 13 months of almost daily use with an iPhone 8 and then an iPhone 10X Max the headset wouldn't connect. The profile was still on the phone. But the BT button on the left side unit failed to do as it should. Deleted the profile form my phone and tried to re-pair it - but the Walkman wouldn't go in to pairing mode (alternate red and blue lights) just stayed green. Contacted Sony support (oxymoron...) but was told that the iPhone 10 isn't compatible. After a year and a month of working perfectly.... I replied to that effect but was told that it wasn't compatible and that's it, pretty much. Told me to update the firmware - even though I had the same version already installed. Did that and of course no difference. I suspect there is a fault in the headset somewhere - as pressing the BLuetooth button seems to have the same effect as pressing the Mode button - I hear messages like 'shuffle mode' or 'album mode'. But no Bluetooth functions. Not impressed after just a year's worth of use. Will notify Sony, but this is likely to be a banging the head against a wall issue. They'll tell me the headset isn't compatible with the phone (despite a year of trouble free use) and the reality is it IS compatible but there's a fault in the electronics/buttons. and a month or so outside the warranty period. A shame - as apart from the fiddly buttons, it's been a great headset to use in active exercise.

Absolutely useless for swimming. I cannot understand why the designers can't allow the unit to go louder when playing MP3 files from memory. The surrounding water noise make it impossible to hear anything. I bought these because I wanted a set of headphones I could use for both running and swimming. In the end, these are decent enough running headphones, but there are plenty of headphones that do the same job. I bought these after they were compared favourably to Aftershockz Xtrainers as swimming headphones. Having used both, I can safely say there is no comparison. Avoid.

I purchased this item around a month ago and have waited until I have thoroughly tested it before writing my review. I purchased a similar but older model around 3.5 years ago. I have used it at least weekly since then for swimming and cycling but mainly running. Eventually it just gave up the ghost but only after over 3 years of heavy use. I feel my £55 expenditure for my original was worth it. I looked for a replacement and as I trusted this brand by Sony I looked at this one and also the one with a Bluetooth remote. I didn't feel the added £50 on the price tag for a remote was commensurate with the effort required to move my hand to the side of my head and operate controls manually so opted for this version. It does everything my old one did but can now sync with Bluetooth devices. I have swam, cycled and run now using it. The sound quality is excellent. This is with the water/swimming headphones in permanently so could potentially be even better with normal head phones. The Bluetooth syncs easy. I have no problems with it coming out when swimming. Anyone doing serious swimming will likely have goggles so I use the strap to assist in securing them in place. Regards running and cycling they have never fallen out. I am not the most tech savvy of people but find it easy to operate. It works like a data stick. Drag and drop so simple to upload music. The controls have moved ever so slightly from my original. They are also easier to find when wearing thin gloves. As I write this I can't remember what the changes are so that in itself is testament it is easy to get on with and you adapt to it. In summary I purchased this to make swimming more fun and interesting. I had other devices for running and cycling but now this is my one go to device. I tend not to miss calls now when out cycling if using in Bluetooth mode. All in all I am extremely happy with my purchase. I hope I get a good 3 years out of these too. Thank you Sony

Me, my wife and countless of running friends have been using non-bluetooth versions for nearly 10 years now, and without a doubt, those are the best running MP3 players. This model is a nice upgrade if you need call or stream capability when out, and has all the good points of the previous model. Pros: - Lightweight - Safe with amplifying external sound when needed - Perfect fit with different buds sizes - Stays secure no matter what you do - Well made and robust - Works well, buttons well placed - Good sound quality - Good microphone quality for calls - On-board memory - no need to take phone with you everytime - Looks good, Cons: - With heavy daily use and abuse (~2hr), they last around 3-4 years - There's no way to very fast forward - which is an issue when listening to audiobooks and accidentally starting over - At higher bitrate, resume of audiobook goes back a lot more than usual 30sec. All in all, easily the best running MP3 player out there, recommended!

I bought these headphones because I wanted something that I could use while I was in the shower. I figured if these were aimed towards people who wanted to swim with their headphones in, then they should be OK for the shower. They weren’t. To be fair, the description doesn’t say that they would be good for the shower, however the issues don’t stop there. The sound volume on these things is so low. I read this in a few other reviews before buying them, but I figured maybe it was more of a preference thing. For me, personally, the volume was just way too low. The headphones themselves were pretty comfortable, and would probably do the trick if you are using them to say run in the rain or work out in the gym. They will definitely stay on your head. The headphones were easy enough to connect, and the controls were all OK. The little thing they give you to charge the headphones was easy to use, however if you loose it you are a bit out of luck. I didn’t have a chance to try the MP3 function, as I returned these headphones after 1 use. Overall, these are a below average pair of running/gym headphones, not worth the price tag sadly. Which is a shame, because I typically like Sony headphones.

ok, I had the previous version for more than 4 years, using it every day in the train and 4 times a week for swimming. After such abuse they finally broke (yep i sat on them). This new version is numerous time better and in particular: 1 - the bluetooth connection is spotless, and efficient even in the shower (leaving the phone in the gym locker) 2 - the sound is of very good quality and the ear buds make a very good seal, reducing surround noise. 3 - i have the 8GB version, that stores loads of data (no need to buy the 16gb IMHO since with bluetooth you only need the internal memory for your swimming 4 - I LOVE the "ambient noise" button... so when you get to your favourite coffee shop.... no need to stop your music or remove your heaset... just push the button....and you can hear perfectly the barista :-) 5 - phone mode is great, the people i talk with hear me better than with the phone mic (ok my phone is quite old) 6 - the headset hold very weel in you ears, even when swimmming full speed with fins some people complain that the sound is not high enough on bluetooth when using the waterproof buds.... which i agree. but just change the buds to the normal ones....and the sound is as crystal clear as sony.

I have TWO pairs of these headphones. I apologize for how messy my ear tips look and my original device. The good: - you have a bluetooth and mp3 player mode (you have to pick one) - can pair with 1 bluetooth device at a time - is water proof (even salt water proof; hence why sony includes the silicon tips don't ignore that) - can be an mp3 player in a world where stand alone players are a luxury - can last 8 hours if used only as an mp3 player The bad: - you have a bluetooth and mp3 player mode (you have to pick one; you may not like this) - no LDAC, AAC, etc. Just normal SBC - files MUST be mp3 (no ogg, m4a, flac, alac, etc) - the mic echoes or catches ambient noise on the side of the person you are speaking too (noise canceling is just for you) - the mic will break if you dive with these after a few weeks/months - the contacts will rust after 3 years of use in salt and fresh water (please see the light green on the contacts in the picture on the golden charging contacts on the inside of the band) - lasts about 6 hours connected as a BT headset I have learned to love my headsets based on the features they provide for me even though there is no LDAC or AAC support. In spite of the lack of HD audio, this player provides a very welcomed feature in modern day where I can pair it with my phone but then just ignore the phone and listen to music. The mp3 requirement is a hassle I wish Sony was okay with OGG or even M4A as this allows us to put in more music with less file size given the hard 4 gb (realistically 3.4 Gb) storage limit. Its also the only certifiably salt water proof mp3 player. The silicon tips really help prevent corrosion in the driver. The reason why I have two is because after using one pair in the pool and ignoring this care requirement, the driver on the left side (where water would mostly go in) would leak into the driver and now makes the sound a little unbalanced. if you must ignore the silicon tip advice sony provides to hear your music more loudly under the water, I would suggest looking for some triple flange earbud tips. The three flanges prevent water from leaking into your ear, nice, and also prevent water from seeping into the driver also. You want to get the ones with the opening pictured here because while it may seem like they won't fit the sony mp3 player, they will its silicone and its meant to stretch. You want a really right fit on the bud as well as your ears to ensure a good seal to prevent water but also have a decent level of loudness when doing lap swimming.

Excelente producto

Quase atende às expectativas quanto ao som embaixo d'água. Enquanto nado, o grave dele é baixo, ou seja, fica mais complicado ouvir as vozes do que a batida. Mas como ouço mais músicas instrumentais, esse não é tanto o problema pra mim. O que mais incomoda é que, às vezes, ouço um chiado no fone direito, tanto quanto nado, quanto quando uso no seco.

Pool without music is boring, the sound is quit good to be under the water! Can t swim without them

Avevo paura a spendere così tanto per una cuffia, se pur con memoria interna. In effetti costa un po' troppo, il prezzo dovrebbe essere ridotto. Però la qualità è davvero eccellente: si attaccano alle orecchie e non si muovono neanche durante la corsa veloce. Ha molte funzionalità con pochi e semplici tasti (fantastica quella del suono ambiente che ti fa sentire al sicuro mentre corri per strada). Inutile e anzi scomodo l'anello per comandarlo: consiglio di risparmiare prendendo questa versione senza anello, in quanto per comandare l'anello ci vogliono due mani, per comandare la cuffia basta alzarne una; inoltre devi sempre ricordarti di portar dietro anche l'anello. Insomma non serve a niente. Le ho provate anche in mare: sensazionali! Si sente bene: pensavo che col rumore dell'acqua il suono si perdesse, invece sott'acqua è una meraviglia, si sente meglio che fuori, ed è una sensazione meravigliosa sentire musica mentre si è immersi! Assolutamente consigliatissime per chi come me corre e poi si butta in piscina o al mare!