Sony WH-1000XM3 Firmware Update

If you have recently purchased a pair of WH-1000XM3's then there is a firmware upgrade already up on Sony's support website.

The upgrade brings the firmware version to 2.0.0 and improves the following: Optimises the headphones for Google Assistant.

This seems to add Google Assistant support to the headphones it seems.  The following is from the support site:

Sony WH-1000XM3's QN1, Real or Marketing Gimmick?

With the new WH-1000XM3, Sony introduced a new HD Noise Cancelling Processor, the QN1.  I always wondered if these chips Sony talks about are real and therefore I went digging into the FCC docs for internal photos of the WH-1000XM3.  But before that, here is how Sony describes the QN1:

Sony IER-Z1R Official Product Video

Sony has uploaded their official product video of their new IER-Z1R Signature Series in-ear premium headphones.  The video provides a fantastic description behind the philosophy that went into the IER-Z1Rs.  The headphones are all made in Japan and the passion that went into the new headphones is very evident.

Sony DMP-Z1 Official Product Video

Sony has uploaded an official product video of the new DMP-Z1.  Amazing piece of technology and fantastic video.  I wish Sony would do more of these videos for some of their products.

Sony NW-A50 hands on by Phileweb

Hands on video of the new NW-A50 from Phileweb. The video is in Japanese so if anyone is able to translate anything important, please leave a comment below.

Sony WH-1000XM3 available from early to mid September on Amazon

For anyone interested in per-ordering the new WH-1000XM3, the headphones have appeared on Amazon, with a availability date of September 8th for Germany, 17th for UK, and the 6th for the US.  Pricing is as follow, 379 Euros, 330 Pounds or $349.99 USD.

Sony quietly introduces NW-A50 Walkman

Sony has not announced the new A50 Walkman at IFA, I cannot find it in any of the press releases but thanks to some comments in previous post, it seems that it exists, although in certain places only.  So far the device looks to be an Asian exclusive (Russia included) with capacities ranging from 16, 32 and 64 GB.  Australia for example only gets the 16GB in black, Russia has 16GB with headphones and without headphones in gold, green, blue, and black, while some Asian countries will have 16/32 (w/ headphones)/64GB in red, gold, green, blue and black.  Again best to check your local site for model availability.

Sony introduces the new WH-1000XM3 headphones

Sony has introduced the successor to previous year's award winning WH-1000XM2, the WH-1000XM3.

The Sony WF-SP900 announced at IFA 2018

• Play music from your smartphone, Walkman® with BLUETOOTH® connection or no device at all with 4GB of internal memory
• No restrictions on where you wear them, they can even go in the pool or the sea
• Suitable for all sports these headphones stay firmly in your ear with high stability

New Signature Series by Sony comes to IFA 2018

Surprise, surprise, but a welcome one.  Sony has brought their new Signature series, DMP-Z1, IER-Z1R to IFA 2018.  Expanding the Signature Series to other markets makes sense but I do wonder how many units of the DMP-Z1 Sony will sell.

The IER-Z1R will be priced at approximately €2,200/£2,000 and will be available in selected European countries in Winter 2018.

The DMP-Z1 will be priced at approximately €9,000/£8,000 and be available in the UK, France and Germany from the beginning of December 2018.

Sony Brings the MDR-Z7M2 to IFA 2018

At IFA 2014, Sony introduced the MDR-Z7, and today Sony has brought its recently announced
successor, the MDR-Z7M2 back to IFA.  I will update this post with anything additional from the press release later on but all the specifications and information can be found in the original post from early August. 

The Sony MDR-Z7M2 premium headphones will be priced at approximately €800/£750 be available in selected European countries from October 2018.

IFA 2018 Sony Preview (Update 3)

End of August means IFA and new tech goodies.  Sony will be holding their annual IFA press conference on August 30th, at 13:00 local time.  Last year we got a bunch of new gadgets from the audio division, 2 walkmans and a plethora of wireless headphones.  So what can we expect this year?  So far we are looking at 1 new Walkman, 3 wireless headphones, and hopefully some surprises.

Spot the Difference: Sony WH-1000XM3 vs WH-1000XM2

With the retail leak last day, we can now compare the design of the Mk3 vs the Mk2.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Leaked by a retailer (update 3)

Looks like a retailer has leaked the WH-1000XM3 headphones.  While similar, the design is actually quite different and the golden Sony logo is a nice touch I feel.  Post your thoughts below in the comments. Thanks Alex for the info.  Btw yes the mark 3 uses USB type-C.

Hello Sony, thanks for visiting

It is great to see that Sony visiting the blog from time to time. The photo above is from the time period corresponding to a few day before and during the recent signature series unveil in Hong Hong.  The short visit time is not encouraging, so they are probably checking to see what leaked perhaps.  But I do have some hope that Sony reads some of the opinions I post and users post in the comments.

Sony Internal Codes for Walkman Models (update 4)

(ICX-1288 - NW-ZX300)

In a previous article, I wrote about two upcoming portable audio players from Sony, the ICX-1291 and ICX-1300.  While I still do not have any additional information/specifications about the unknown devices, I was able to find out the internal codes for current and past models which might give some speculation about these 2 devices.

Sony WH-1000XM2 now only $299 at Amazon.com

The WH-1000XM3 reference guide leaked almost 3 weeks ago and someone brought up a good point in the comments, is the Mk3 worth the wait or should one just grab a Mk2 right now?  For those wishing not to wait, you are in luck, the WH-1000XM2 are now discounted on Amazon to make way for the Mk3.

Sony IER-Z1R Signature Series In-ear Headphones

Sony today expands its Signature Series with a new line of exquisite audio products - the IER-Z1R in-ear headphones and DMP-Z1 digital music player. The products harness decades of audio expertise, proudly showcasing Sony’s relentless lifetime pursuit of sound excellence. The Signature Series advances sound to an entirely new realm of audio engagement — taking the experience from listening to feeling it.

High-resolution Sound with the Sony DMP-Z1 Music Player

Combining super high quality sound, premium design and enhanced usability, the DMP-Z1 is a super-charged music player bringing top-end stationary class headphone amplifier sound and power to wherever you desire that fits your personal space. Reaching new sound quality heights, the DMP-Z1 achieves an optimal High Resolution Audio (up to Native DSD 11.2MHz/PCM 384 kHz/32bit) and approx. 1500mW (16Ω) headphone output power for a premium listening experience at your favourite hang-out.

Sony IER-M9 and IER-M7 In-ear Stage Monitor Headphones

Sony Enters the In-ear Stage Monitor Headphones Market with IER-M9 and IER-M7

Sony today introduced two new premium in-ear stage monitor headphones, the IER-M9 and IER-M7. They provide the best tonal balance for monitoring your play on stage with absolute sound isolation and a stable fit to avoid the headphones falling off during performance. The headphones are developed to monitor even musical expression with addition to tone colour and rhythm. With the IER-M9 and IER-M7, even audiophiles will be able to experience first-hand this musical expression tuned for professionals

Sony announces the MDR-Z7M2

Sony today announced the new MDR-Z7M2 headphones, the successor to the highly acclaimed MDR-Z7 model. Evolving the “Sony Sound”, the MDRZ7M2 inherits the MDR-Z1R’s technology from the Signature Series such as the Fibonaccipatterned grill and a Φ4.4mm balanced connection cable in the box.

Sony to Introduce new Signature Series Headphones and DAC

Sony will be holding a press conference in Hong Kong on August 9th and 10th to showcase the next chapter in their signature series line which debuted in 2016.  We are looking at a few devices here, a new high end headset, the MDR-Z7M2, a super high end DAC, DMP-Z1, and 3 in ear headphones, IER-M7, IER-M9 and IER-Z1R.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Reference Guide leaks

It appears Sony accidentally or unintentionally uploaded the Reference Guide to its servers and thankfully a Reddit user caught it and saved a copy for all of us to see.  The leaked guide allows us to see what the differences are from the current mk2 model.

Sony to introduce the WF-SP900 Wireless Ear buds at IFA

Sony announced the WF-SP700N wireless ear buds back at CES 2017 back in January, and while a great device, it is still stuck on BT 4.1 and features rather dismal battery life, 3 hours.  In addition the price is a bit expensive and even the same price as the WF-1000X in some countries.

What is the Sony ICX-1291 and ICX-1300?

While browsing the Bluetooth cert pages for info on the new WH-1000M3, I ran into these 2 new portable audio player models. There appears to be 2 different models, the ICX-1291 and ICX-1300.  So what could these be?  At this moment in time I do not have that information but a guess is that one of those is the new NW-A50 walkman series and the other could be another high end model above the NW-A50.

Sony WH-1000XM3 coming at IFA 2018 with BT 4.2

There was no question if Sony would update the WI-1000X headphones but when.  I missed this certification on the FCC back in late May of this year but might as well post it.  The design appears to have changed a tiny bit with a minor redesign to the headband as seen in the photos from the FCC.  This is slightly similar to what the WH-CH700N headphones have.

Firmware update 2.0.1 for Sony WI-1000X/WH-1000XM2

Sony has released an updated firmware for the 1000X mark 1 and 2.  Sony released an earlier 2.0.0 firmware but some users have experienced problem where: "No sound from both sides" — a phenomenon that occurred following the update.  This new update fixes this problem. If your device updated without any problems, this update is not for your.

Qualcomm QCC3026 to Create both an Economical and Robust User Experience

Qualcomm Makes Truly Wireless Experiences Simpler to Design for a Broader Range of Earbuds and Hearables

Press release June 30, 2018

Qualcomm Incorporated today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., introduced the QCC3026, a flash-programmable Bluetooth Audio System-on-Chip (SoC) that is designed to reduce power consumption by up to 50% compared to previous generation entry-level flash devices. The new SoC is also engineered to balance functionality and cost to help manufacturers simply and quickly develop and commercialize feature optimized truly wireless headsets, and extends the Company’s portfolio of low power Bluetooth audio solutions following the announcement of the flagship QCC5100 Bluetooth SoC series earlier this year.

Sony should be debuting a new NC Wireles headset at IFA 2018

IFA is still a few months away but another device destined for the trade show has shown up on the FCC. The documents do not reveal much unfortunately but we are looking at another wireless stereo headset from Sony with Noise Cancellation, the WI-C600N.

New Sony NW-A50 Walkman to debut this fall at IFA

A new A-Series Walkman has appeared on the FCC, the NW-A50 and it is great to see Sony not giving up on the Walkman lineup.  But one way Sony saves money is by having the same design for 2 walkman generations and this being the 5th gen, the A50 is likely receive a design change.

Design Story: Sony WF-SP700N / WI-SP600N / WI-SP500

"Holistic Wellness": A new value system 

Take a look around, and chances are you’ll see signs of a growing trend: from yoga to fitness and the whole athletic realm, more and more people are making personal health a bigger part of their lives. With that emerging mode of day-to-day living also come new needs—including a niche for music experiences that fit the health-conscious mold. That’s the space that Sony aimed to fill with its latest lineup of wireless stereo headsets, devices that harmonize with the new value system of "Holistic Wellness."

Sony Introduces the SBH90C and STH40D Headsets at MWC

In addition to the Xperia Ear Duo, Sony also introduced 2 new headsets, the SBH90C and the STH40D.  Both are still labelled as coming soon, but I expect they will launch at the same time as the new Xperia ZX2 phone, so early to mid April.

• SBH90C offered in Black and Silky Beig, STH40D in Black, Grey, Pink or Green
• Up to 7.5 hours of wireless playback with the SBH90C, with support for Hi-Res playback and Qualcomm aptX support
• STH40D offers a wired 3.5mm connection and Open-ear style with bone conduction

Sony Xperia Ear Duo

Xperia Ear Duo launches from Spring 2018 to reimagine the wireless headset

• Xperia Ear Duo, the highly anticipated wireless “open-ear” stereo headset rolls out to select markets from Spring 2018
• Revolutionary “Dual Listening” experience brings capability to hear music and environmental sound simultaneously 
• Intelligent “Daily Assist” feature recognises time, location and activities to offer relevant information throughout the day
• Available in Black and Gold, compatible with Android and iOS

26th February 2018, Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today announced that Xperia Acclaimed concept to commercial product: Xperia Ear Duo is built to reimagine the wireless headset

Xperia Ear Duo features Dual Listening technology, so you can listen to music and receive notifications, whilst simultaneously hearing environmental sound or conversation. Whether you’re listening to music during a workout or commute, it’s an unparalleled ambient experience.

Kenichiro Yoshida as CEO, Kazuo Hirai to become Chairman

Tokyo, February 2, 2018 -- Sony Corporation ("Sony") today announced that Kenichiro Yoshida, currently Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Executive Deputy President and Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed as Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2018. Kazuo Hirai, currently Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer, will become Director, Chairman, also effective April 1, 2018.

Wireless Noise Cancelling sports headphones to wear anytime, anywhere, WI-SP Series

• The World’s First truly wireless Noise Cancelling headphones with splash-proof design let you enjoy undisturbed sound wherever you are
• So comfortable, you can wear them for hours
• Shaped for maximum in-ear stability

Sony launches three new sports wireless headphones for the active, stylish music lover who’s always on the go. These high quality, fully functional sports headphones are just as good when worn in a high intensity cardio class, a holistic yoga session or in everyday life.

A truly wireless design is important when wearing headphones on the go, as it means you are free to do whatever sports you wish without your headphone cables getting in the way. First up is the truly wireless WF-SP700N headphones which combine, for the first time in the world, two features you need most when working out: digital noise cancelling technology to block out the chaos around you for focus on your training, and a Splash-proof design.

Uncompromised Hi-Res sound with Sony’s MDR-1AM2

• High-Resolution Audio compatible to reproduce music exactly as the artist intended
• Newly-developed 40mm driver unit and Fibonacci- patterned grill inherited from Sony Signature Z1R technology, offering unrivalled listening experiences
• Comfortable soft ear pads that are lightweight so you can wear them for longer

Following on from the acclaimed MDR-1A headphones that launched in 2014, the MDR-1AM2 brings a host of new and improved features to take the premium headphones industry by storm. Sony has built on its already established high quality listening expertise, and improved its sound even further.

Qualcomm introduces the QCC5100 for Wireless Headphones

Qualcomm Introduces Breakthrough Low Power Bluetooth Audio SoC Series for Wireless Earbuds and Hearables

At CES 2018, Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., introduced the new Qualcomm® Low Power Bluetooth SoC QCC5100 series that is designed to help manufacturers develop a new generation of compact, feature-rich, wireless earbuds, hearables and headsets. To help meet consumer demand for superior audio quality as well as extended battery life and playback time in wireless audio devices, the breakthrough SoC series is engineered to reduce power consumption by up to 65 percent for both voice calls and music streaming, compared to previous single-chip Bluetooth audio solutions.