Walkman is probably the most successful product developed by Sony. The innovative product was first launched way back in 1979 and it changed the way people listened to music on the move. Even after so many decades Walkman is still evolving and improving and at CES 2015 the most talked about product was the new Walkman ZX2. It is an attempt by Sony to keep up with the growing audiophile craze. This new machine plays uncompressed, high-resolution audio files that are supposed to provide a far superior listening experience for your average MP3, surpassing even CD audio quality. This is a premium device with a premium price tag. Yes, it is expected to cost in the region of $1,200.
The new Walkman seems to have a lot inside as it is heavy for its size. The body is made from aluminum alloy which holds an S-Master HX digital amp and DSEE HX tech. It is capable of upgrading old music to sound better and clearer. It can handle media up to 192kHz/24-bit and MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, AIFF, WAV and ALAC including DSD files. Gold-plated copperplate and high-purity, lead-free solder has been used to put together this device to help cut down on interference and improve overall sound. 128GB memory is built into the device and a microSD slot provides extra space. The battery backup is good as it lasts for 60 hours after full charge.
The Walkman ZX2 runs the aging Android 4.2 Jelly Bean which is a bit unusual for such an advanced product as new Android devices are running software that is two generations ahead of that. It will be shipped for sale later this year probably by spring. Sony had held the top spot of the portable music world during the 80s and 90s but slipped in the new century after the introduction of iPod. Sony is hopeful of resurrecting the iconic Walkman brand as a high-resolution media player but it is not going to be easy in this day and age with improving performance of Smartphones. The Walkman ZX2 is definitely a superior product but it is to be seen how many buyers are willing to part with $1,200 for it.
