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Sony Announces Walkman Hi-Res Music Player

SV Staff  |  Sep 3, 2014

Walkman NWZ-A17 Hailed as “World’s Smallest and Lightest” Hi-Res Audio Player

The iconic Walkman name will appear on what Sony is calling the “world’s smallest and lightest” high-resolution digital music player, the Walkman NWZ-A17, slated to hit store shelves in November with a suggested retail price of $300.

Housed in a brushed aluminum chassis measuring 1.7 x 4.3 x 0.3 inches, the A17 has a 2.2-inch display, supports Bluetooth/aptX/SBC wireless streaming with simplified NFC connectivity, and includes 64 GB of internal memory plus a microSD slot that’s compatible with 64-GB microSDXC memory cards. The player supports resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz and plays MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, and ALAC files.

Features intended to support high-resolution playback include a purpose-built S-Master HX digital amplifier featuring a high-grade capacitor, DSEE HX technology for upscaling compressed digital files to better-than-CD quality, and a rigid die-cast aluminum chassis to minimize electronic noise.

The A17’s built-in lithium ion battery is said to provide up to 50 hours of MP3 audio playback or up to 30 hours of hi-res audio playback when fully charged (both with Bluetooth turned off).

Sony also announced the MDR-1A Hi-Res headphones, which will be available in stores at the end of September for $300. The closed-cup headphones include a carrying pouch and feature 1.5-inch drivers and an in-line microphone and smartphone controls.

Read Ken Pohlmann’s take on the future of audio and the brand that revolutionized portable audio playback here.

COMMENTS
G.R.Noakes's picture
Submitted by G.R.Noakes on September 4, 2014 - 7:51am

Really, Sony?

I'm sitting here, looking at my Sansa Clip-Zip that I've owned for two years. It's one quarter the size of the new Sony player, plays MP3, WAV, WMA, secure WMA, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, AAC and also contains a radio and voice recorder. It only comes in 4GB and 8GB versions, and can only take 32GB microSDHC cards, but it's one quarter the price of the Sony and sounds great if you trash the crappy earbuds that come with it and get a pair of Koss PortaPro headphones to use with it.

And then there's Astell & Kern, Fiio and the upcoming Pono to consider--all small, HiRez players, at price points both higher and lower than the Sony.

It's no wonder Sony has been sinking in the marketplace; you're a day late and a dollar short AGAIN. Who does your market research?

Gary

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