Sony Bringing Back The Walkman For $1,119.99
Are you a music lover with $1,119.99 to burn? Then Sony has just the device for you: the new Walkman NW-ZX2.
Made for “serious music lovers,” according to Sony, the new Walkman boasts a solid aluminum body, 60-hour battery life and a 128-Gb expandable capacity for storing music. And not just any music — the new ZX-2 is intended for Hi-Res files rather than the compressed MP3 files most listeners are used to.
Converting analogue sound to digital formats like CD and MP3 can compromise the purity of the original signal,” says Sony in a press release. “Hi-Res Audio retains far more detail during the analogue-to-digital conversion process, for a more authentic, emotionally involving musical experience…. With immense amounts of musical detail to enjoy, you’ll feel as if you’re really there in the studio or concert hall.” (And after spending nearly $1,200, you’ll even feel as if you’d really paid for expensive concert tickets!)
Time reports that a typical Hi-Res file is about 150 MB, which is pretty large. However, the new Walkman’s storage capacity is so large that it will still be able to hold about 1,700 songs of this size.
The ZX-2 operates on an older Android platform (4.2 Jelly Bean) and can access apps through Google Play, says Business Insider. It also uses Bluetooth technology; its LDAC connection allows it to transmit data three times more efficiently than previous Bluetooth connections, claims Sony. The company touts the new Walkman’s superior sound quality, which is due to “carefully selected components including coils, MELF type resistors and film condensers with superior audio characteristics… No less than seven extra-large condensers, ‘OS-CON,’ maintain superb frequency response and minimise noise at the output stage.”
The ZX-2, which was unveiled at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will go on sale in Europe this spring.
