As for the D-NE9, I have never seen that model officially in the US. But judging by the merely average performance of the top-of-the-line ATRAC3/MP3/CD Walkman D-NE1, I wouldn't expect much - if any - improvement with the D-NE9. After all, the D-NE1 just happens to use the internal electronics of a D-NE7##-series player with a line/optical out tacked on (the D-NE7## series players have an analog line out instead of a line/optical out) - and crammed into a somewhat slimmer body that requires "gumstick" rechargeable batteries to operate.