There is often a significant price premium for people who prefer high-res portable audio over ubiquitous smartphones and cheap earbuds. In fact, the company that developed his personal Groove machine is known to charge a small fee, and the latest Walkman is a pleasant surprise.
Sony’s 1979 introduction of pocket cassette players and accompanying on-ear headphones changed the way we consumed music by transitioning to minidisc and CD formats before going digital 20 years after the first Walkman. I changed. The first series running Android was introduced in 2011.
Walkman digital music players can be had for less than $100, while Signature Series premium devices can set you back nearly $4. The new A-series NW-A306 comes at a fraction of the cost, but has some of the high-end features of its flagship DAP.
There is an S-Master HX digital amplifier developed for Walkman players. It’s designed for low distortion and noise, and employs gold-bearing reflow solder, which has been reported to help rock native DSD, improve sound localization, and provide a wide soundstage. increase. The A306 can handle his PCM audio at 24-bit/96 kHz, and can even convert PCM to his 11.2 MHz DSD for “natural sound and intense detail.”
Sony
Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) Ultimate technology upscales digital audio for greater fidelity in Wi-Fi streams or downloads, and also helps improve the listening experience with wireless headphones. Those who prefer higher listening quality are catered for with his 3.5mm 4-pole headphone jack for wired ear candy.
Sony has immersive 360 Reality Audio technology, Bluetooth supports Sony’s high-definition LDAC codecs, aptX HD and MQA, and an onboard vinyl processor brings the warmth and character of vinyl to digital audio. You can put it back on track.”
Playback can be controlled using physical buttons or the 3.6 inch touch display. Users can take advantage of her UI and screensavers on cassette tapes to enjoy a funky, retro vibe. Onboard storage is a disappointing 32 GB, but this can be expanded thanks to the SD card slot.
The unit’s battery charges via USB-C and is reported to last up to 36 hours when playing 44.1 kHz FLAC files, up to 32 hours when playing 96 kHz FLAC files, and 26 hours when streaming. increase.
The NW-A306 will be available this month for US$350.
Product page: Walkman NW-A306
