Sony MDR-V55 Review

I've been searching for some good headphones for a while now.  I've used in-ear headphones for a while and my external speakers for my laptop, but I needed something different.  I wanted the Sony MDR-V700DJ but with a wide ranging price and limited availability I gave up searching for them.  I also looked into some Pioneer headphones, yet nothing was available at any local stores and only online but again cost was an issue.  In April Sony introduced a new selection of headphones with the MDR-MA500 catching my eye, of course they were not on sale in Poland.  I was about to give up when I saw another press release with other headphones I haven't seen before, the MDR-V55s.

Sony Walkman F-Series Full Press Release

Get Ready For a Soul Shaking Audio Experience 

The next generation Walkman mobile entertainment from Sony delivers exhilarating music and multimedia performance

Designed for music lovers, by music lovers, the next generation Walkman NWZ-F800 mobile entertainment player delivers soul shaking audio clarity, turning music and video into an immensely joyful experience wherever you go.

With a strong emphasis on audio quality, audiophiles will appreciate what Sony has achieved in the NWZ-F800’s core user experience of superior sound quality driven by the premium S-Master MX digital amplifier and four other Clear Audio Technologies (Clear Stereo, Clear Bass, DSEE and EX headphone) from Sony. The NWZ-F800 offers brilliantly accurate sound reproduction with an enriched stereo image, tight bass and crystal clear highs. It also features the Clear Phase technology which ensures reduced distortion and increased sound presence – in other words, outstanding high quality sound in a portable audio device.

The NWZ-F800 matches superb sound with an equally entertaining AV user experience. Fun features such as SenseMe channels analyse your music and sort them according to mood; Lyrics are displayed so you can sing along to your favourite tunes; and Visualisers and Cover Art View provide brilliant visuals on the vibrant 3.5” WVGA multi-touch screen LCD, bringing you closer to your music.

Powerful NVIDIA Tegra II dual-core processor and Google Android 4.0 platform opens the door to a universe of choices for music aficionados get the most out of their music – a perfect package of sound and fun wherever you go.

“Along with the recently launched Z1000 Walkman, the NWZ-F800 joins our family of multi-app Walkman® mobile entertainment devices, bringing a powerful combination of unbelievable sound and exceptional UX (User Experience) design,” said Sydney Lee, General Manager, Personal Entertainment Division, Consumer Business Group, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. “Discerning and savvy music lovers have been coveting a dedicated digital media player for music and rich multimedia content separate from their smartphones and the NWZ-F800 delivers on all fronts.”

Music has never been this convenient to listen to. The W.button on the NWZ-F800 gives you instant access to music playback, no matter what task you are currently engaged in. With one press the W.button launches W.Control, which lets you play, stop, skip forward or backward, and view additional track information without interrupting your activity.

House in a compact aluminium body, the NWZ-F800 also includes FLAC support for true CD-quality sound, 512MB memory, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® connectivity, and up to 25 hours of music playback.

Photos after the break.

Sony Debuts new F-Series, S-Series and E-Series Walkmans (Update)

Today Sony introduced a new Walkman Series, the F-Series along with new S and E-Series models.  I was expecting something for IFA this year but such an early announcement is a bit surprising.  Nevertheless, this is a welcomed sight since from the press release it appears that the new F-Series supports FLAC and this is something users have been asking for.  I don't see any design differences between the new S and E-Series apart from only different functionality, like Bluetooth and noise cancellation.

Best news is that the new players will be available in Europe from today, July 18th.

Update

In the US, Sony will introduce only the F-Series and E-Series (E470).  The F-Series will ship in 16GB and 32GB priced at $269.99 and $299.99 receptively.  The E-Series will ship in 4, 8, and 16GB, priced at $79, $89 and $109.  Both models will be available starting in early August at Sony Stores.

In the Asia Pacific region, all the models will be available.  Unfortuantely no pricing was mentioned the following capacities will be sold:

NWZ-E473: 4GB

NWZ-E474: 8GB

NWZ-E475: 16GB

NWZ-E473K: 4GB

NWZ-E574: 8GB

NWZ-S774: 8GB

NWZ-F804: 8GB

NWZ-F805: 16GB

NWZ-F806: 32GB

In addition to black, The F-Series will also be sold in red in 8 and 16GB.  The E-Series and S-Series will begin sales from August 2012 and the F-Series being available starting from end of October 2012.

Press release after the break.

NWZ-B173 Review from MSN UK

MSN recently reviewed the new B-Series and gave it a whopping 3.5/5.  Not surprised, it is a nice player but lacking FM amd the mediocre format support like all other Sony players are unfortunate.

The Rundown

What is it?

Sony's entry level Walkman with a fast-charge option for a quick sound blast.

What's great

Sound quality excellent for such a small player; clever design; small, lightweight footprint; easy to sync with a Windows PC; good battery life.

What's not

User interface difficult to navigate and counter-intuitive in places; disappointing lack of format support; no FM radio.

The bottom line

Worth considering if you're looking for a slim, handy companion to accompany you to the gym, but the awkward user interface will put off anyone who likes to browse their collection.

Click here for the Review