Previous reports pointed to a plan by Sony to unveil a new Walkman at CES 2015. The reports turned out to be true, with Sony launching the new Walkman NW-ZX2.
The Walkman ZX2 was developed for high-end music lovers, and its features clearly show such a goal.
According to Sony, the Walkman ZX2 is "the fruit of continuous refinement in high audio quality technologies," which makes it an exciting device for audiophiles to get their hands on soon.
The Walkman ZX2 replaces the Walkman ZX1 as the flagship Walkman of Sony. The device features a black-colored matte casing, with the operating buttons for the Walkman ZX2 located at the device's curved side. The weight of the device also gives the Walkman ZX2 a solid feel in a user's hand while operating its crisp touchscreen display.
The Walkman ZX2 features a gold-toned jack for headphones, located beside a microSD slot for memory expansion in case the user wants more space in addition to the device's internal 128GB memory.
The Walkman ZX2 does not try to be an all-in-one device, especially with Sony's decision to unveil the device with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, a version of the operating system that was released back in November of 2012. The device's Android OS will allow users to download and install apps from the Google Play Store, along with different kinds of content such as TV shows and movies. However, that is where the similarities with smartphones end, as the Walkman ZX2 was not developed to go head-to-head with the high-end smartphones of today.
What the device is for, instead, is an optimal music experience for its users. The Walkman ZX2 supports media file formats WAV, DSD, AIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless, and many more. The device is also able to support Bluetooth connections for wireless streaming and the NFC technology to be able to establish connections with headphones and speakers with just one touch. The device features compatibility with Google Cast, which allows the user to project the device's output onto any compatible speaker.
The Walkman ZX2's audio-optimized capabilities, however, comes with a hefty price. While Sony's Walkman A17 can be purchased for $300, the Walkman ZX2 will be carrying a price tag of $1,200.
For music lovers, $1,200 could very well be money well spent though, especially as the Walkman ZX2 lives up to its promise of delivering a premium, high-end audio experience.
Sony has not yet announced specific release details for the device, such as a definite release date and the markets where the device will be launched.
