Certain, your cellphone performs music, however does it play music effectively? These with audiophile leanings may need to be aware of Sony’s newest moveable music gamers, the Walkman NW-ZX707 (above) and NW-A306. The product naming is fairly nebulous, and the characteristic units are perhaps a bit esoteric. They’ve FTCAP3Â high-polymer capacitors, gold reflow solder, and different seemingly inconsequential options that audio fans will salivate over. These Android-powered music gamers additionally do not come low cost, however it might be worse.
The Walkman NW-A306 (beneath) is the cheaper of the 2 gadgets, however that is a relative time period. The NW-A306 nonetheless retails for $350, and it is positively tiny by in the present day’s requirements, with a 3.6-inch 720p LCD. It manages lots in a small package deal, although. It has a inflexible aluminum body, gold solder, and Superb Sound Resistors. Sony says this machine has a brand new S-Grasp HX digital amp designed particularly for Walkman to supply “full-bodied sound.” It will possibly play high-resolution audio in nearly any format you may think about, from FLAC to DSD.
The NW-ZX707Â has the identical S-Grasp HX digital amp know-how because the cheaper Walkman, however it represents an enormous step up in audiophile pretentiousness. This $900 music participant has higher-quality FTCAP3 capacitors and an oxygen-free copper milled block on high of the digital circuitry for higher shielding. Â Sony claims the improved {hardware} offers the NW-ZX707 superior sound replica, which you’ll take pleasure in through the usual 3.5mm jack or a balanced 4.4mm jack. This machine is a bit bigger with its 5-inch 720p LCD.
Each gadgets have the identical blocky Walkman aesthetic, with bodily playback buttons alongside one facet. They cost over USB-C, however battery life varies dramatically relying on what kind of information you are taking part in. The NW-A306 will run for over 30 hours taking part in MP3 and FLAC information, however the highest high quality DSD content material might drain it in simply 14 hours. The NW-ZX707 would not run fairly as lengthy, topping out round 24 or 25 hours with most music, however mega-quality DSD music over the balanced jack will run via the battery in simply 11 hours.
These gadgets run Android 12 with all the same old Google apps and providers. So, you may obtain streaming music apps (or no matter else you need) if you happen to do not demand the innate high quality increase of native playback. Though, spending $900 on a devoted music participant to stream Spotify looks as if a waste of potential. You’ll be able to decide up the NW-ZX707 and NW-A306 gadgets from Sony’s on-line retailer or Amazon (NW-ZX707, NW-A306). Nonetheless, the dearer NW-ZX707 is exhibiting a 1-2 month wait proper now.
