Sony just announced two new Walkman standalone music players, one of which just might have a chance in hell of making an impact. That one is the Sony Walkman NWZ-A17, a screen-equipped little gadget whose strength is in playing high-quality, lossless audio files. Sony is betting that the audiophile’s desire to listen to hi-res tunes on the go will justify a $300 price tag and a music player that — unlike the smartphones that most of these people are already carrying — serves just one purpose. And the company is also promoting expensive (think another $300) new MDR-1A hi-res headphones to go along with it.
Big claims
Sony says the unfortunately named A17 is the smallest and lightest hi-res audio player available. It comes with 64GB of storage and microSD support, dozens of hours of battery life, Bluetooth, support for numerous audio file types including FLAC and other lossless formats, Sony’s custom S-Master HX digital amplifier, and a non-touch 2.2-inch display. The Sony Walkman NWZ-A17 hits Sony stores and other retailers in November, while the MDR-1A headphones will arrive at the end of September.
Sony says the unfortunately named A17 is the smallest and lightest hi-res audio player available. It comes with 64GB of storage and microSD support, dozens of hours of battery life, Bluetooth, support for numerous audio file types including FLAC and other lossless formats, Sony’s custom S-Master HX digital amplifier, and a non-touch 2.2-inch display. The Sony Walkman NWZ-A17 hits Sony stores and other retailers in November, while the MDR-1A headphones will arrive at the end of September.
And the other one
Meanwhile the other new Sony Walkman, the wearable NWZ-WS613, focuses on durability and versatility for workouts, rather than hi-res audio playback. It has a ring-type controller for audio playback that makes it easy to use during physical activity. Sony is making a big deal out of the fact that the WS613 (equally terrible name), although it doesn’t have a screen, lets users “indulge [their] passion for bottomless bass” with a paired MDR-XB950BT Bluetooth headset, run in the rain with a MDR-AS800BT waterproof Bluetooth headset, or drown out the world with a MDR-ZX550BN Bluetooth headset.
Meanwhile the other new Sony Walkman, the wearable NWZ-WS613, focuses on durability and versatility for workouts, rather than hi-res audio playback. It has a ring-type controller for audio playback that makes it easy to use during physical activity. Sony is making a big deal out of the fact that the WS613 (equally terrible name), although it doesn’t have a screen, lets users “indulge [their] passion for bottomless bass” with a paired MDR-XB950BT Bluetooth headset, run in the rain with a MDR-AS800BT waterproof Bluetooth headset, or drown out the world with a MDR-ZX550BN Bluetooth headset.
The headsets also include NFC for easy connecting, and built-in microphones in case you want to pair them with your smartphone instead. But — strangely — the WS613 itself, being a wearable, can also double as a Bluetooth headset for your smartphone. Weird.
The Sony NWZ-WS613 Walkman launches in October for $160, while the three headsets launch in September for $200, $150 and $130, respectively.
