High-dollar status symbol, or high-end audio device? Yes.
Have you ever dreamt of a portable device that could play music — like, just music? A device with a full-color touchscreen, connected wireless to the web for streaming music, and played the best quality imaginable? Well, dream no more, as Sony ushers in the future — or maybe the past — of MP3 players by combining these factors into one device, all for a not-so-low premium price tag.
Sony announced its new Signature Series NW-WM1ZM2 Walkman today, priced at an eye-popping $4,200, along with an entry-level model (the NW-WM1AM2) for only $1,600. If you can’t wait until April to get your hands on one, you can still find the original model from 2016 for only $3,200 — a total steal if you think about it.
All snark aside, these Walkmans (Walkmen?) are impressive works of engineering and might be a must-have if you’re an audiophile. They’re certainly popular with the right audience — the original models are both sold out on the US Sony store.
So what makes these Walkmans so unique? For one thing, its build has a lot to do with it. The chassis is made from either gold-plated oxygen-free copper, which provides a better ground, or aluminum, which insulates from outside electrical interference, both supposedly improving sound quality in their own way. The main board is made so that the digital and analog components are separated, a design meant to reduce interference between the components. The digital components are further insulated from the chassis by an additional gold-plated OFC block. Even the bespoke, lead-free, gold-infused solder Sony uses is luxe.
Both Walkmans use a proprietary digital amplifier explicitly built for Sony’s high-end devices that uses less power than traditional amplifiers and produces higher sound resolution. Along with its amplifier, Sony also uses its DSEE Ultimate AI algorithm to upscale sound quality in real-time. Sony claims it can upscale 44.1kHz/16 bit sound (CD quality) to 192kHz/32 bit. To top it off, both Walkmans give you what most OEMs don’t with their music players: a 10-band equalizer so you can get the sound you want.
The devices run Android 11 and support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality. They have dual balanced and unbalanced headphone jacks and a USB-C connection for charging and fast data transfer.
Without having a device in hand, it’s hard to say if it’s worth the price. But if you’re an audiophile with a pair of balanced headphones who eschews MP3s in favor of FLACs, you’re probably the target audience. It can’t hurt to dig into the specs, right?
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