Sony was once the GOAT of all things related to portable audio, a title it’s had to relinquish in the face of hundreds of new challengers. Whilst the Japanese giant made hay in the compact cassette and CD era, it subsequently struggled valiantly with its superior but overlooked MiniDisc format and then watched everything go to pot as mp3s rose in popularity and Apple stepped forward to create the definitive player and ecosystem.
It’s not that Sony ever stepped back from the format, or that its mp3 players haven’t been any good, but for two and a half decades the zeitgeist has largely passed it by. With renewed interest in all things mp3, from affordable ultra compact players to a new wave of premium players from the likes of Astell&Kern, Sony wants to be back in the game.
These are updated versions of Sony’s two premium Walkman models, the NW-WM1ZM3 and NW-WM1AM3. They sit at the very pinnacle of Sony’s portable range, with prices to match, and compare only to a handful of other dedicated mp3 players. In short, we’re in true audiophile territory here, and whilst those of not blessed with golden ears will thrill to upgrades like the larger 5.5” touchscreen and 31-hour battery life, the real improvements are under the skin.
Build quality is clearly second to none, and Sony hasn’t scrimped on components either. To minimise noise and maximise sound quality, the company has used materials like oxygen-free copper and gold-plate. This is particularly evident in the NW-WM1ZM3, which uses a precision-machined, gold-plated oxygen-free copper (OFC) chassis (and a gold surface finish to match).
It’s joined by the NW-WM1AM3, which has to make do with aluminium-alloy for the main chassis (with gold-plated OFC on the rear). Improvements to power supply and circuitry is said to bring other big audio quality wins, with Sony’s onboard DSD Remastering Engine capable of upgrading digital files to give them a more analogue quality.
All this is slightly undermined by Sony decision to only cite playback times using low-quality 128kpps mp3 files, anathema to most fans of high-fidelity (although good for over 60,000 songs, given the player’s onboard 207GB of storage). Even if you only use files in the maximum lossless FLAC format, the new Walkmen are still good for around 10,000 songs. Streaming audio abilities also come as standard.
Alas, we’re in the realm of perception now, and while both players have characteristically high-quality finishes, a straightforward interface that combines a touchscreen with physical transport and volume buttons, the positive improvements netted by the circuitry, hand-soldering and absence of oxygen will only make a difference to a very small coterie of hardcore audiophiles.
Sony Walkman NW-WM1AM3, £2,099 / €2,499, Sony Walkman NW-WM1ZM3, £4,299 / €4,999, Sony.co.uk