Sony debuts two new Signature Series Walkman music players, because your phone isn't good enough
I like to listen to music on the go, especially when running, so I do what I guess most people do -- play songs from my phone. I listen to lossless/spatial audio tracks from Apple Music through my Airpods, and the quality is excellent. Sony thinks it can do better though, and so has introduced two new Premium Signature Series Walkman music players.
The two new devices -- NW–WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2 -- are designed to appeal to the most demanding audiophiles, producing high quality sound that’s "dynamic and transparent". They also come with a premium price tag.
NW-WM1ZM2 has been "crafted from the best materials to offer an exquisite listening experience in an ultra-premium design", while the NW-WM1AM2 "allows you to completely lose yourself in high-quality audio with a richer, smoother and more expansive sound field". Or so Sony says.
Both music players are Wi-Fi compatible, run Android 11, and let you download and stream your music. They also use "purer materials for a purer sound", or as Sony explains:
The NW-WM1ZM2 has a 99.99 percent purity (4N) Gold-plated Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) Chassis. This realizes a stronger digital ground and higher rigidity, enabling clear, expansive sound, so you can experience each instrument as if it were performing live.
The NW-WM1AM2 uses an aluminum alloy frame which provides a highly rigid case that’s resistive to electrical noise and other interference creating a stable, high quality sound.
The new music players have a built-in headphone jack, so you can plug in your favorite wired headphones for the best sound. They also have built-in 12.7cm high definition touchscreens, promise up to 40 hours of listening time, and sport a USB-C cable for fast music file transfer and easy connectivity.
The NW-WM1AM2 offers 128GB of integrated memory while the NW-WM1ZM2 has 256GB. Both have a microSD card slot.
Sony is keen to stress the premium nature of its two new music players, and so naturally has given them a premium price. The NW-WM1ZM2 will be available from April 2022, priced at approximately £3,350 / €3,700. The NW-WM1AM2 will be available from April 2022 and priced at approximately £1,300 / €1400. (USA Prices will be added shortly).