Sony announces new Walkman... $4200

[Robin L]

"Along with its amplifier, Sony also uses its DSEE Ultimate AI algorithm to upscale sound quality in real-time."

It sounds as if it might be the very best in AI algorithms, beating all the other AI algorithms.

"Sony claims it can upscale 44.1kHz/16 bit sound (CD quality) to 192kHz/32 bit."

I claim the same, and i will top them by using nothing but zeros and ones!

"With sound you can't hear anyway in much, much higher fidelity!"

"Just look at those big, big numbers!"

 

[Robin L]

I just found an old box of 8 tracks in my basement the other week, so I'm waiting for that resurgence.

Probably more collectible, long term, as they are designed to self-destruct.

 

[Yasuo]

All that gold & price makes it some kind of audio Salt Bae.

 

[Joe Smith]

5 years later:
View attachment 185704

Uh oh, I still have several of those too. Apple batteries last a LOOOOOOONG time if you keep them charged up regularly. I have a lot of Aphex Twin on mine and use them when I'm out walking sometimes.

 

[Joe Smith]

I just found an old box of 8 tracks in my basement the other week, so I'm waiting for that resurgence.

I just aged-around that format - by the time I got a car in '74, cassettes were the thing (not that I had one in my MG, nor a radio either). I do still see them around our record stores...not tempted tho.

 

[JayGilb]

I just aged-around that format - by the time I got a car in '74, cassettes were the thing (not that I had one in my MG, nor a radio either). I do still see them around our record stores...not tempted tho.

The 3 3/4 ips tape speed was an advantage over cassette at 1 7/8 ips, but the cartridge design fed back on itself in a infinite loop mechanism which led to high wow and flutter and eventually the tape would wind too tight.

 

[f1shb0n3]

It provides important audiophile choices:
"The chassis is made from either gold-plated oxygen-free copper, which provides a better ground, or aluminum, which insulates from outside electrical interference, both supposedly improving sound quality in their own way."
Can't wait for the comparison of aluminum vs copper for sound quality differences that will appear eventually on other forums

 

[DonR]

It provides important audiophile choices:
"The chassis is made from either gold-plated oxygen-free copper, which provides a better ground, or aluminum, which insulates from outside electrical interference, both supposedly improving sound quality in their own way."
Can't wait for the comparison of aluminum vs copper for sound quality differences that will appear eventually on other forums

"The aluminum gives a lighter, airier quality whereas the copper reddens the tones somewhat."

 

[Robin L]

It provides important audiophile choices:
"The chassis is made from either gold-plated oxygen-free copper, which provides a better ground, or aluminum, which insulates from outside electrical interference, both supposedly improving sound quality in their own way."
Can't wait for the comparison of aluminum vs copper for sound quality differences that will appear eventually on other forums

I'm waiting for the dilithium crystal wrap on my DAP.

 

[DonR]

I'm waiting for the dilithium crystal wrap on my DAP.

"Scotty, I need more resolution!"
"I cannea do it, captain. She's already at 24 bits. If I push her anymore she'll blow to (16) bits."

 

[Robin L]

"Scotty, I need more resolution!"
"I cannea do it, captain. She's already at 24 bits. If I push her anymore she'll blow to (16) bits."

"And if those crystals get anywhere near that class D amps' oscillating frequency, she'll blow down to 8!"

 

[Doodski]

5 years later:
View attachment 185704

I've been running this one everyday for 2-3 hours. No issues at all and the battery still takes a good charge after ~13 months. But that new Sony here is outrageous.

 

[ThatM1key]

5 years later:
View attachment 185704

Time Life Music Presents "The Sounds of 2000's" featuring the Black Eyed Pea's, Lady Gaga, Linkin Park and many more artists!

 

[ThatM1key]

DSEE HX was initially for compressed music not lossless music. I guess Sony eventually said "If were throwing fake bits at compressed music, why not do the same to lossless CD quality music". I use DSEE HX with Spotify and lossy sources. It's stupid to throw lossless at something like that.

 

[DonR]

Sony is a master at playing around with music signals. I used to own a series of MiniDisc players from them and followed along as ATRAC evolved from "worse than a chewed up 8 track" to decent sounding all using psychoacoustic to throw away information you couldn't hear anyway because it was hidden in other sounds. I guess DSEE HX has learned to reverse the process and now adds in sounds that were previously thrown away.

 

[Redcarmoose]

SONY NW-WM1Z M2 / WM1A M2

I figured a way to tell if Neutron is playing in bit perfect mode. In settings > sound > media volume > set this slider all the way to the left/muted. This will cause any app that uses the android app path to have no sound at all. If your neutron is in bit perfect mode, the slider does not...

www.head-fi.org

 

[newworld666]

Sony is a master at playing around with music signals. I used to own a series of MiniDisc players from them and followed along as ATRAC evolved from "worse than a chewed up 8 track" to decent sounding all using psychoacoustic to throw away information you couldn't hear anyway because it was hidden in other sounds. I guess DSEE HX has learned to reverse the process and now adds in sounds that were previously thrown away.

Can you tell us with which measurements you can claim Sony DSEE HX adds or throw away something in the sound ? and what does Sony adds or throw based on these measurements ?
I guess DSEE HX does something as I can catch it, but as usual this should be able to be measured here, the universal kingdom of measurements.

 

[JJB70]

Alas, Sony isn't the company it once was, at least not in audio. I am not aware of any other company that exceeds their record for audio innovation, probably their only rival was Phillips. At one time their audio line catered to every budget and wherever you landed in that range you would get a well engineered product. Now their audio line is split into wireless headphones, speakers and IEMs (some of which are very good), with a sprinkling of really good stuff to show that they can still do it when they want to (some of their wired IEMs for example) and a bit of stuff designed for the audiphool niche. I still have an old Sony ES hi-fi stack and I doubt we will see audio gear manufactured to such standards again. I find it sad. I recently tried their XBA-N3 IEMs and was reminded of what Sony can do when they want to.

 

[JSmith]

https://www.androidpolice.com/sonys-got-two-new-preposterously-priced-android-powered-walkman-models-for-insufferable-audiophiles/amp/

That 'aint a Walkman... this is a Walkman!

Anyone for a game of knifey spoony?


JSmith

 

[ThatM1key]

That 'aint a Walkman... this is a Walkman!

Anyone for a game of knifey spoony?


JSmith

This was my Walkman:

It didn't have any NR but it only needed 1 AA to work.