The latest chapter in Sony's sea change--SonicStage dies

We'll probably forever have our issues with Sony—first and foremost that they won't return our calls, but that's neither here nor there—but it is pretty weird when for years you air complaints about what they're doing, and one by one they actually, you know, fix their problems. We're not sure if it's Sir Howard Stringer at the helm, or if it's just a corporate mid-life crisis, but we almost fell out of our chairs when Sony announced last year that their audio players would start supporting MP3. They dealt another knockout as late as last week when—get this—they started putting SD slots in their machines. Yeah, right alongside MemoryStick slots. Seriously. And what's more, after they announced their new line of Network Walkman devices late yesterday, we discovered they even had intentions of adding WMA support, which just about dislocated our jaws, they dropped so hard.

But you're going to love this one best of all, Sony fans and audio player aficionados: according to parties in (earlier) attendence at their press conference, Sony's killing SonicStage. That's right, gone, done, fin… the nightmare is over. Well, kind of. We don't know if their forthcoming devices are properly mass-storage compliant (something still tells us they won't be), but at very least you'll have to start doing the brunt of your music-loading work in their new version of the Connect Player they've got coming out—which looks a helluva lot like the Sony take on iTunes. So we'll see, we'll see. But SonicStage: after you go gently into this good night, please, do not rest in peace. We hope you toss and turn in your grave for all eternity, SonicStage, and then some.

Love, Engadget.

[deuce @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Yeah right. Just because it's not called SonicStage doesn't mean it won't be like SonicStage.

[Frangible @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

As a MiniDisc (NetMD) user, I've concluded SonicStage was revenge on the US by the Japanese for World War II. Never buying another Sony audio product until they clean up their mess.

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

any word on the sony ericsson slider phone that is shown in the picture of the billboard (in the link)?

[semi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

"As a MiniDisc (NetMD) user, I've concluded SonicStage was revenge on the US by the Japanese for World War II. Never buying another Sony audio product until they clean up their mess."

only US uses sonicstage? rest of the world uses mariostage?

[floris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

But will you be able to use the new connect software with older devices like the nw-hd3?

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Looks just like iTunes. At least make the search field square Sony, not rounded corners like iTunes. Well thats good news for their customers.

[Snowmobile @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

The slider phone is the SE W31S, which is Japan only, sadly...

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000683035876/

[Jabari @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Yea that sony ericsson slider is the music phone for Japan only...its like their version of the Walkmen series....it came out last spring!

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

*gets on plane

[Anonymous @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

As a MiniDisc (NetMD) user, I've concluded SonicStage was revenge on the US by the Japanese for World War II. Never buying another Sony audio product until they clean up their mess.

Proof?

[Cheese Person @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Am I the only one who has no problems with sonicstage at all?

[C. Galtenberg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#10, I have no problems either - in fact, I don't want to lose the software package. I use iTunes, but filter the sound with the SonicStage Mastering Studio Audio Filter - and using a few of their plug-ins I've achieved the best digital sound I've ever heard. The sound is so good that when I try listening to an iPod (and oh god have I tried), I just have to put it back down, the sound is pathetic in comparison.

Rock on Sony T-series with SoundStage audio.

[seraph @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

to 10

yes, yes you are.

[Mr Snickels @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I heard the new program is called SonyStage.

[Pancake @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Sonic stage was the biggest piece of shit ever created.

[MD fan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#10:
I don't have any problems with the latest version of Sonic Stage and my NetMD walkman either. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to see another app out there that would allow me to load my NetMD player via USB.

I hope I will still be able to get the Sonic Stage software if I need to from the website. I'm horrible about making archives of software like that.

[john @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

yeah, that's iTunes with a purple theme slapped on. I see the sourse list on the left, play/forward/back buttons on the left with the volume underneith, the timeline to the right of that, the 5 star rating system, some storage stats with a capacity bar at the bottom, the round search field in the upper right, the gray rounded window...

There are some obvious differences, but I can't read japanese to tell exactly what they are. You can't blame them for copying iTunes, but damn it's shameless. At least it looks like they copied the right parts, without *too* much extra graphic cheese.

[Psyop-er @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Well, Apple ripped off the Walkman's shape to make the Ipod, so what if Sony copied the location of their buttons?

Sony was the originator of portable personal audio - personal in that you can choose what you wanted to hear.

[Tino @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Now they just need to offer Nintendo and Xbox emulation on PS3. :D

[Dmnkly @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Maybe they're finally wising up to the fact that it's all about the software. iPod's still top of the heap, IMHO, but I'd love to see a good challenge, especially from Sony. Partly because while the iPods are feature rich, the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Which isn't saying that Sony's will necessarily be any better, but dare to dream. They certainly have been, historically. And if they're ripping off iTunes, fine by me... it's a time honored industry tradition, and nobody's innocent. Provided the new software is decent, I'll definitely look at both Apple and Sony next time I buy.

[Will @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I must admit Sony's attitude of "go on fetch the ball, jump through the hoop, good boy" antics really put me off their products for years. I mean, it takes long enough to MP3 your whole CD collection, not to have to re-encode it as ATRAC-bl**dy3 all over again - no thanks. Which is why when a friend mine showed me his PSP my jaw hit the floor too. You can just drag and drop audio/video/image files right onto the PSP straight away. I just couldn't believe not one single driver was required, not one! So, if Sony do the same with their Walkmans I'll be reconsidering my next MP3 player purchase for sure. I've always loved Sony's design, it's just their attitude that stinks sometimes.

[Usman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

For all of you who despise SonicStage:

Use MP3 Manager.

http://www.sonydigital-link.com/DNA/common/asp/details.asp?l=en&v=mp3installer_2_0&m=mp3

It's not a perfect solution, but I got rid of SonicStage and never have to install anything on any computer to tranfer MP3s to my E-105 (really important at work). It only take 1MB on the DAP and works for the following players:

NW-E103/E105/E107/E403/E405/E407/E503/E505/E507

[john @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i've never had any problems,thought it was pretty cool to have almost 500 tunes on one cd...great for camping!

[Lee Gibson @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

"Apple ripped off the Walkman's shape to make the Ipod"

Yeah, because nobody's ever made anything shaped like a rectangular prism, right?

Like a box of cigarettes? Or a pack of cards? Or a book? You've heard of books, right?

[Carl @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

This... is most definetly cause for celebration, the few short months I used an MD player convinced me fully to stay the **** away from sony software, however much I like their hardware (Vaios are pretty nice when you take away the sony software!)

[ZildjianKX @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#23, agreed...

Even more obvious, the hard drive inside of it is the same shape...

Hell, it's even in the same shape as a mac classic, with the screen on top and rectangular.

[Ubuntiful @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Anyone know how to get the new network walkman to work in Ubuntu Linux? Haven't found much searching Google.

[Psyop-er @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

24. Lee Gibson

Thank you Lee you proved my point for me.

Congratulations!

A quick note to you slobbering Mac fanatics.

Not everyone is trying to copy the Mac, so STFU already. Everytime theres a new product reviewed on Engadget, hardware or software, you trucker hat wearing morans start crying and gettn' yer Von Dutch panties all in a knot over it. "They're copying the Mac/Itunes/Final Cut/Ipod!" Most of the time, things are designed similarly because it just makes more sense to put a button here a dial there, and the dimensions roughly X x Y.

So please, next time you feel the urge to cry, calm down, think...

/rant mode off

[G @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

A quick note to you slobbering anti-Mac fanatics.

Everyone who disagrees with you is not a Mac fanboy, so STFU already. Everytime theres a new product reviewed on Engadget, hardware or software, you trucker hat wearing morans start crying and gettn' yer Von Dutch panties all in a knot over it. Sometimes there are other things in life, besides iPods and not-iPods. Some people like/dislike either one because they have a brain and are secure with their own opinions.

So please, next time you feel the urge to cry, calm down, think...

[Jerry @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Sony audio players are just horrible..

[Lord Bass @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

>Sony audio players are just horrible..

?? .. Thanks for the deep insight.

I've been using MD for years. While heavily handicapped by Sony, it is an unmatched format. It is a bit of a PITA for use as an MP3 player, but learn to live with its hurdles and it's great.

The end of SonicStage is a tantalizing headline, but how hobbled is its replacement? We may not yet rejoice.

[et @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

the interface is nice but the theme looks like it's from sun microsystem....

[egarc @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I have to agree with Lee Gibson.

[Anwin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Not bad. Surprise

[Galley @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I got 25 free songs when I purchased my Sony car stereo. I couldn't even install that POS to download them!

[Psyop-er @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

29. G
"A quick note to you slobbering anti-Mac fanatics."

Who said I was anti-Mac? Who said you have to agree with me? Reading is fundemental. It was feigned ignorance I was trying to convey to prove a point. Obviously, you didn't get it.

It's a fact, face it, you guys always slam anything that has any similarity whatsoever to an Apple product as being a blatent copy.

Most of the time (except in the case of that Chinese shuffle clone) things are designed a certain way because it just makes sense to do so. You don't make bad design or ergonomic choices just so it won't look like another product that does the same damn thing.

By the way, sorry if I touched a chord by making fun of your trucker hats and Von Dutch wardrobe... I hear Franz Ferdinand is coming out with a new album, bet you can't wait...*chuckle*

[D-S @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Sony has a great line up of players, from the discman to mp3 player and everything inbetween but they need to stop muscling their consumerbase onto their other products. I used sony players for 6 years before I got fed up of SonicStage's plodding and crashing and switched brand.

in short: HEY SONY, GET WITH THE COMPETITION! And don't ever, ever design programs again.

[Gregory @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

YA! Sony's goin uphill again thank god!

[bolan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Thank you Lee you proved my point for me.

[MM @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Sonic Stage was terrible. I had (note- had) a 610 Mini Disc and that software/DRM was the reason I'll never have another.

[SonicStage Misery @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I've just had my first encounter with SonicStage ("SS") and it nearly drove me over the edge. I bought music on line and stored it on SS. Then I tried burning a copy of it to play in my car. It encrypted the music so that it wouldn't play on any CD player other than on my Sony computer. Next, I tried downloading the same music on ITunes. I think it encrypted that music, because it wouldn't let me copy it.

Has anyone else run into this difficulty? I definitely don't remember being told that SonicStage would prevent me from making CDs that could play on other CD players.

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i have a sony network walkman (nw-hd3). when i first tried to safe the 1000's of songs i have on the walkman back to the my computer i got the error-message that i can only download songs that are already on my computer. naturally some of the songs are from my friends and therefore not on my pc.. any idea or software solution to go round this problem? thanxs

[PJ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

When i use Sonicstage, i feel like sony is treating me like some kind of idiot. The animation is just silly and very annoying. Why can't you just make it simple, fast, and user customizable ? I have a suggestion for the sony programmer. You need to change the new Sonic Player to treat Atrac format just like windows file which you can play, drag/drop, cut/paste, and make it clear and easy to store and find. And please don't make the player big and buggy. I still love Atrac sound, however, sonicstage is a nightmare. If you do this, i will love you again :)

[tim heidner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

What kind of problems are you all having with SonicStage?

My computer has been acting up since I installed it. The first thing that happened...I was transferring files from my MD and listening to another file at the same time, all of a sudden it started looping, then after I ctrl-alt-deleted the computer froze up and wouldn't restart. Had to learn how to do a chk.dsk and ran that.
Everything was good for a few weeks after that, then the computer audio started getting all distorted, and today it detected some problems and ran a chk.dsk all on it's own.
Is there another way I can transfer these recordings from MD to the computer?
What's this new software you all are talking about?

[tim heidner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

My computer has been acting up ever since I installed SonicStage.
What's this new software you all are talking about?

[simon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Fingers crossed Sony will have come up with some decent software. I will wait till I've tried it before casting opinions but in the past Sony have not impressed on this front. Love their hardware, hate their stupid hobbling of DAPs, their DRMs and their (so far) rubbish software. Please have learnt some lessons Sony.

[brendan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

spare a thought for us poor nw-hd5 owners who recognised a great bit of hardware but also run macintosh how do I get my hd5 to download songs from the mac? why are sony not offering SS or some other app for mac users? currently I borrow an ibm pc and hook an external drive up to it to xfer songs not a very good arrangement..

[Ken Koontz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

After struggling with Sonic Stage unsuccessfully for more than a year (can't even use my $300 network walkman, being charged over $700 to replace a stock $150 ibm drive for my Vaio and a RAM chip that failed immediately after the 3 month warranty expired, I will never buy another SONY product of any kind. They are the worst consumer electronics company on the planet as far as I'm concerned and I hate their guts.

[mary butler @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

We have downloaded songs from Connect Music Store. After we have paid for them and we go to transfer the song or burn onto a CD we get a copyright message that prohibits the song from transferring from computer to CD. Any one else had this issue?

[conditionals @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Oh look... Connect is WORSE then SonicStage. This is hilarious. Like a comedy of errors.

It's also hilarious like getting stabbed in the eye with a rusty syringe.