NWZ-ZX1 High-Resolution Audio Walkman

[orbscure]

I'm no apple fanboy, but the having worked my way through several of their larger capacity iPods (currently 160gb Classic), I've never really felt the need to look elsewhere... until now that is:

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/nws-f-...cpint=15044705
128GB
Files: MP3, WMA (Non-DRM), WMA (DRM), AAC-LC (Non-DRM), Linear PCM, FLAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF, HE-ACC, JPEG, PNG, MPEG4, AVC (H.264/AVC)
NFC-enabled device to stream music wirelessly
4-inch 845x480 pixel display
Brushed alluminium body with a leather effect rubber back
32 hours battery life

Build quality looks good and some decent images of it can also be seen here. Apparently this is going to retail at £549 and will be on sale in the UK next month.

I would also be keen to use it to stream hi-res files to my home audio system... but what are other members experiences of Sony digital players and the interface software used for transferring data/files?

Cheers
Pete

[sq225917]

Their last hard disc based HD Atrac 7 players sounded better than anything I've heard since.

However that price is just silly money, £300 is my limit for a DAP. Seems like this is the gouging zone in audio what with the £2000+ thing coming from astel and Kern.

[orbscure]

Was the Atrac 7 a success? I wonder if Apples apparent vice like grip on the portable player market will mean that after any initial interest in this latest Sony player, the cost will fall? The £549 RRP is a bit rich for me too, albeit, if it can double up as a hi-res file player as part of my main system, it could be an interesting aquisition especially if the price falls...

[brucew268]

Over the years, I've noticed that Sony don't tend to come off of their DAP prices much. But I do know that pretty much all of their flash based, non-android players very good sound. Can't speak to the HD based players.

[Stratmangler]

Sony have managed to incorrectly identify the market they're trying to capture.
Truth is any Smartphone can play a whole stack of different media files, and a very large number of people already have a Smartphone.

It's destined to fail, and at £549 it'll sink faster than a brick in a swimming pool.

[orbscure]

I must be old school... despite having the latest smart phone, I still prefer having my music playback separate from my phone. It doesn't help when battery life and storage capability of these smart phones is still pretty poor...

As for the current price point, I couldn't agree with you more on that Chris... but aesthetically, this new Sony player does look the mutts...

[WAD62]

I must be old school... despite having the latest smart phone, I still prefer having my music playback separate from my phone. It doesn't help when battery life and storage capability of these smart phones is still pretty poor...

A 64Gb card is only £30 (I won't use a smartphone that doesn't provide an SD card slot), and music playback hardly takes much battery power...and with the E18 in tow (other thread) I've got a portable backup power pack

[technobear]

This Sony has a couple of major failings:

1) It's priced £300 more than it's worth

2) It doesn't have a micro-SD slot so that 128GB is all you get.

I won't be splashing any more cash on DAPs until I can have 256GB - internal or via cards - and at no more cost than £200. These types of device rarely last long enough in my experience to justify paying more. Indeed most devices of this type don't even have replaceable batteries so they are doomed to a short lifespan from the start.

iBasso seem to be going in the right direction with their latest DAPs. Replaceable battery, dual-cards, high quality sound, sensible price.

Fiio is one to watch too.

[sq225917]

Yeh, the astell and Kern pricing actually makes me feel slightly sick its such a blatant gouge. I have a half dead ipod that I'll replace when they upgrade the classic to SSD.

[technobear]

Thought I'd do a search to see how the price of flash storage is doing and found these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256GB-USB-...item233578ffcb

...amongst many others. 256GB for £15 - £20. Are these for real?

EDIT: OK, a bit more searching shows they are not what they claim to be and should be avoided at all costs.

A real 256GB USB Stick costs around £150. A Sansa Clip+ is £30 - £40. Why can't we have a 256GB Clip+ for around £180?

Instead the best we can do at this price is a pathetic 32GB and some are less than this. Oh well. I'll check back in another 5 years.