Sony unveils the new ZX2 for on-the-move music lovers
- Superb Hi-Res sound from Walkman® with S-Master HX™ and DSEE HX™
- Upgraded signal path and power supply stages with premium components
- LDAC for high quality wireless listening via Bluetooth®
- Long 60hr[1] battery life and 128GB (expandable) capacity to store your Hi-Res music collection
- Luxurious design with body sculpted from solid aluminium
Sony’s legendary Walkman® family gains a new flagship that’s specially made for serious music lovers. The High-Resolution Walkman® NW-ZX2 puts the exquisite musical refinement of Hi-Res Audio right in your pocket – taking you beyond CD quality for an unparalleled listening experience while you’re out and about.
Converting analogue sound to digital formats like CD and MP3 can compromise the purity of the original signal. Hi-Res Audio retains far more detail during the analogue-to-digital conversion process, for a more authentic, emotionally involving musical experience.
The beautifully styled Walkman®NW-ZX2 is an accomplished performer, with a host of meticulous design refinements ensuring audio that captures every nuance of the artist’s original creativity.
Converting analogue sound to digital formats like CD and MP3 can compromise the purity of the original signal. Hi-Res Audio retains far more detail during the analogue-to-digital conversion process, for a more authentic, emotionally involving musical experience.
The beautifully styled Walkman®NW-ZX2 is an accomplished performer, with a host of meticulous design refinements ensuring audio that captures every nuance of the artist’s original creativity.
I will post my thoughts about the ZX2 shortly, but I will just point this out, there are people who will spend this kind of money (>1000 USD) on a MP3 player but in reality it is just rehash of the ZX1 for the US market and other markets where the ZX1 never sold.
Rest of release after the break.
Sony’s S-Master HX full digital amplifier keeps audio signal processing entirely in the digital domain to support pristine playback of Hi-Res sound. This advanced technology accurately processes massive amounts of wide-bandwidth audio data while minimising noise and distortion.
Powerful DSEE HX processing recreates crucial high-frequency musical information that’s lost in compressed sound files. CD and MP3 sources are upscaled, expanding sampling frequency and bit-depth beyond their original values to near Hi-Res quality (corresponding to 192 kHz/24-bit audio). With immense amounts of musical detail to enjoy, you’ll feel as if you’re really there in the studio or concert hall.
The audiophile credentials of the next-generation Walkman® NW-ZX2 are clear from the very first touch. The player’s frame is milled from solid aluminium alloy for immense rigidity, while internal use of gold-plated copper plate reduces electrical impedance to assist with overall sound quality.
Inside, there’s an impressive list of other design enhancements to excite any true audiophile. Significant improvements in the player’s power supply include an electric double-layer capacitor to smooth out voltage drops.
Every stage of the audio pathway is upgraded with extensive use of thick-film copper-layer PCBs, OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cables and high purity lead-free solder. Overall sound quality is further enhanced by use of 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.
One digital clock source is replaced by two, with dedicated crystal oscillators for 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz (CD/DSD) and 48/96/192 kHz sources respectively. Whatever music file or format you’re listening to, you’ll enjoy extra clarity and transparency with improved stereo separation.
The NW-ZX2 is the first ever Walkman® that supports the efficient LDAC codec. This new audio technology from Sony lets you enjoy high quality wireless audio via Bluetooth®. Transmitting data three times more efficiently than previous Bluetooth® connections[2] LDAC provides an enhanced wireless listening experience for all your music. One-touch pairing with NFC makes wireless connection between Walkman®and other devices instant and effortless.
Serious music lovers will appreciate a generous 128GB of internal storage – plenty of space for your Hi-Res collection. Expanded to 256GB (with optional microSD card), there’s room over 1700 songs stored as Hi-Res Audio files (at 150MB/song). In addition, stamina is boosted by a new high capacity Li-ion battery that boosts playback time to as long as 60hrs (MP3 files) from a single charge.
Dual-band (2.4/5 GHz) Wi-Fi compatibility lets you enjoy Hi-Res music stored on your DLNA home network, free of electrical interference. The player also supports a USB audio connection function for direct, jitter-free digital connection to portable headphone amps and USB DAC amps.
The new Walkman® NW-ZX2 with High-Resolution Audio from Sony is on sale in Europe from Spring 2015.
No mention of screen res, SoC and Android 4.2!? Plus $1200!? For that price tag it should have at least a Snapdragon 400 SoC, 2GB Ram, 720p screen and an update to Android 5.0 soon! The ZX1 really suffered when it came to scrolling through you tracks, its responsiveness was meh and the screen was meh too. Performance and usability of the touch screen should go together with the audio quality, especially at this price tag!
ReplyDeleteThe full specs can be found here
Deletehttp://presscentre.sony.eu/pressreleases/for-on-the-move-music-lovers-who-value-the-difference-1103184
The device is a ZX1 rehashed like I posted above, 4.0 inch FWVGA (854x480) Triluminos™ Display for mobile
Do not expect android 5.0 update, since this is probably using the ZX1s OMAP4 and that SoC only went up to 4.3, and never got a kitkat update.
I feel the better option would be the A series and then just buying a DAC and good headphones.
Crazy money for a portable music player that can offer little more than the F series.
ReplyDeleteThey should refresh the F series. An F series with a better SoC, higher res screen, SD card support, more ram to improve scrolling through playlist etc and a bit of an improvement in audio quality at the previous Fs' price tag would've been awesome. The ZX1 suffered from a mediocre user experience and the ZX2 is the same with more gold on the inside for a higher price tag...
DeleteYep, I have to admit that I was expecting more in terms of moving the game forward from the zx1. And the price increase is not justified. Wel have to see how it sounds, though.
ReplyDeleteSo £949 for a Walkman, is the world going crazy...are they trying to outapple Apple? I think one can estimate what it costs them to make these...their margin must be even higher than even Apple's 100-200%. . Who in their right mind would pay this for a mainly cosmetic upgrade of the zx1.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a Sony basher, I have used Walkman's since the ATRAC days, I have had A,E, X series models, now using a 64Gb F886, sound has always been good, improving with each model the main complaint I have is lack of storage either built in or expandable.
I agree, I also agree with the 'New ZX2 leaked by the Verge? (Update)' article comment thread, the discussion started with no NC or headphones supplied then went along the lines that for the price you would expect a shedload of audio features not a repackaged ZX1 with a SD slot.
DeleteThe NC feature would not affect the overall sound as it would be switched via a different path (audiophiles remember that an amplifier is a series of switches), you could also argue that the sound enhancement features cause degradation of quality whether on or off as the signal has to pass through the processor (switches again).
For the money I would of expected a high-res screen, uptodate Android, more RAM, headphones, NC and a case to protect the costly investment
Of course the price hike is hard to justify. However, there is an interesting thread at Head Fi, where some people are trying to explain why the ZX2 might be more than just a rehashed ZX1 and why improvements in audio quality can be expected. In the end, it's up to each individual's assessment of the $$/satisfaction ratio...
DeleteThere are always interesting threads on head-fi where nutters try to justify their addiction to spending money.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteZX2, Got it, but the OLD Android 4.2 is so tired, Please, please, PLEASE Sony, Android 5, or 6, anything but this dismal old Android JellyBean....but this little darling does impress, a lotta gizmo here, but he Android Wireless Interface, Mega Storage Capacity, and the rest of the Specs...too much to sum up here. As at last, Sony MCR-1000X/B, Bluetooth 4.2, LDAC, plays ALL Hi-Res Audio Format, with Brilliant Ambient Bypass....NFC Pairing and apparently 18 hour Battery LIfe. Well we will see when I go on a 16 hour flight tomorrow. So the NX2 makes perfect sense in the Mad Audiophiholic in all of us....And BTW, Costco has right now, Xmas 2016, and MDR750 Bluetooth ATAC Compatible for $99, which ain't bad, but not as dynamic of course as the MDR1000X...>Booom...! Thats what I am talking about...yes...!
ReplyDelete