Sony Walkman Z Review
*Warning – Detailed & Long Winded*
It's about time.
The Walkman Z has finally arrived in Singapore, 3 months after Japan and 2 after the US.
Sony's always made great sounding media players but like I mentioned before, they always had limited expandability. With the move to Android, Sony's *finally* stepped up their game, creating a Walkman that not only sounds good, but is also expandable through the myriad of apps that can be found on Google's Play Market.
What I Didn't Like:
Accessories
Or the lack of it, in Singapore. What about a screen protector? No cases for use with my brand new premium Walkman? A quick check shows that Sony actually makes a beautiful leather case which doubles up as a movie stand to go along with the Walkman Z, but only available in a few places, like the UK and New Zealand.
Or the lack of it, in Singapore. What about a screen protector? No cases for use with my brand new premium Walkman? A quick check shows that Sony actually makes a beautiful leather case which doubles up as a movie stand to go along with the Walkman Z, but only available in a few places, like the UK and New Zealand.
Storage (For Singapore, only 16GB is available)
Or the lack of it. 16GB is the minimum for a music enthusiast device, but neither should it be the maximum. For many, 32GB is the sweet spot, not too big, not too small. Music enthusiasts will have high quality songs and these files take up more space. A MicroSD slot would've been a win-win situation: We get to choose what storage size we want, Sony lowers logistical costs by carrying fewer models and creates an opportunity to upsell their memory cards. I wonder what everyone must have thought at their Singapore launch party, "Hey guys! We are not committed to selling the Walkman Z in Singapore, but we need to spice up our portfolio, so we're going to bring a small capacity model and since we don't expect to sell much, overcharge you for it!" lol what a joke.
Or the lack of it. 16GB is the minimum for a music enthusiast device, but neither should it be the maximum. For many, 32GB is the sweet spot, not too big, not too small. Music enthusiasts will have high quality songs and these files take up more space. A MicroSD slot would've been a win-win situation: We get to choose what storage size we want, Sony lowers logistical costs by carrying fewer models and creates an opportunity to upsell their memory cards. I wonder what everyone must have thought at their Singapore launch party, "Hey guys! We are not committed to selling the Walkman Z in Singapore, but we need to spice up our portfolio, so we're going to bring a small capacity model and since we don't expect to sell much, overcharge you for it!" lol what a joke.
Non-Backlit Back, Home & Options Controls.
Because it's touch based, you have to guess where these essential controls are when you're in the dark. You can get used to it but still, I feel this is basic; even cheap phones have their buttons lit.
Not starting at the last played song after shutdown, no smooth continuous playback, can't name radio stations. Comeon Lah. This is BASIC.
What I'm Neutral About:
LCD Size & Quality.
For me personally, it's too big. As I already have a smartphone and a tablet, my primary use for the Walkman Z is for the music. Would personally prefer a Walkman Z Mini. That said however, the screen is fantastic for surfing and watching videos with. The quality is not out of this world, but still very good. 1 handed control would feel awkward for the average asian hand though.
FLAC Support.
Or the lack of it. I've always been puzzled by Sony's refusal to implement FLAC compatibility into their high end players. It's the format of choice for many sound enthusiasts, and because it's open sourced, it's free for Sony to implement. Luckily, because the Z is Android based, you can download an app for that. You will miss out on Sony's own equaliser and some proprietary software processes like Clear Stereo and DSEE, which are very good btw, but you still enjoy the fantastic sound quality as everything eventually pipes through the physical S-Master MX amplifier.
Buttons.
Great build quality, but there's very little feel to it. I remember an advert long ago trumpeting Sony's multi-million dollar research on the button pressing experience, should've put it to good use.
Bundled Earphones.
At least Sony had the common sense to include above average earphones but it's still a handicap. I honestly suggest setting aside some money to get a good pair of earphones. Noise cancelling is exclusive to the Japanese Z1070 64GB model only. Note that noise cacelling only works with the bundled eaphone, so that shouldn't matter as you'll be getting a better pair yes?
What I Loved:Build Quality.
Despite its plastic back, it feels solid and well put together with the metal rims. The headphone jack is also nicely reinforced, a small touch that many others have overlooked. The LCD seems resistant to scratches, but don't push your luck of course.
Speakers.
It's actually surprisingly good when you consider how puny it is, a testament to Sony's X-Loud technology. Great if you don't want to 'lug' a mini speaker around.
DLNA + Micro HDMI Connectivity.
Fantastic way to 'throw' your songs and videos to DLNA enabled TVs and speakers. Most TVs & projectors are now HDMI capable, so you give presentations (unlikely) or watch movies on larger screens while travelling. Also, Android means it's easy to get free apps to play a wide range of video codecs.
And finally, the Walkman Z's Sound Quality
Like I said, ditch the bundled earphones and get a better one. Once you do that…prepare to be blown away.
Some of the problems on the venerable Walkman X was a light background hiss and that the bass could sometimes be overpowered to the point that it simply rumbles. I'm glad to say that they've fixed those issues on the Walkman Z. The hiss is no more and the amplified bass remains strong and taut.
Compared to the Walkman X, the sound stage is not as wide, but unlike other players that make you feel claustrophobic, the Walkman Z puts you right in the middle of the action. It has become a personal experience; you're no longer watching a concert, you're weaving in and out amongst the performers.
Sometimes, high notes the are processed can sound too sharp, to the point of becoming metallic, like piercing sheet metal. None of that here, the highs are clear and natural, no small feat, considering how many players fail in that aspect.
Mids and voices are fantastic while the lows have lots of depth and feel. The bass is actually a little stronger than before, but much clearer as well, so I hardly use the bass boost this time round. When I turn it on however, as mentioned above, no detail is lost. Bass boosts can sometimes break down into a sticky, muddy river, but in this case, it's more like boosting the size and flavour of an already deep & rich pudding…in other words, it's very good.
Details are clear but not overly exaggerated. I'm hearing things that I've not heard before, but those that are supposed to be subtle, remains subtle.
So, despite its many little niggling flaws with a price that's a little high (16gb should be S$379, max), it's no doubt one of the best sounding media players on the market, which is what it was meant to be.
It's good to be in love with music again.
(For reference, I listen to many types of music, from classical to heavy metal, though I'm more partial towards instrumentals. I'm currently using the Monster Miles Davis Tribute IEMs. I know Monster generally sucks, but these are different…trust me.)
Notes and Tips:
Only the 64GB is available in Japan. Most countries carry the other storage sizes.
If you want a fuss free experience, just stick to the the non-Japan models.
If you decide to buy from Japan:
Note that 'X-App' is only in Japanese and the Media Go software used by the rest of the world is not 100% compatible. I've had trouble turning on the SenseMe function and transferring playlists from iTunes. Everything else works just as fine, so no issue if you're the cut & paste crowd and yes, you can use it in English. (Update: got SenseMe to analyse but it doesn't seem to be transfering the data into the player, still working on transferring the playlists as well.)
Note that 'X-App' is only in Japanese and the Media Go software used by the rest of the world is not 100% compatible. I've had trouble turning on the SenseMe function and transferring playlists from iTunes. Everything else works just as fine, so no issue if you're the cut & paste crowd and yes, you can use it in English. (Update: got SenseMe to analyse but it doesn't seem to be transfering the data into the player, still working on transferring the playlists as well.)
These products can't be officially exported out of Japan, so use a forwarder like vPost (Singapore) or Japan's own Tenso.com instead. Do note that you'll have to pay the relevent taxes and fees when applicable, please check with your customs.
I wouldn't buy from eBay because they're selling it at a much higher rate than Amazon US & Amazon JP
If you decide to get the 32gb model without any accessories because it's not available in your region, I suggest getting it from Amazon US as it is cheaper than getting the unit from Japan. Again, you will need a forwarding agent like vPost.
Some Quick Info:
Model Numbers:
NWZ – 1040, 8GB (Black, US Only)
NWZ – 1050, 16GB (Black, Worldwide excluding Malaysia)
NWZ – 1060, 32GB (Red Japan only, Black Worldwide excluding Singapore)
NWZ – 1070, 64GB (Black, Red, Limited Edition White, All Japan only)
Sony Original Accessories (Amazon JP Links):
CKL – NWZ1000, Leather Case
PRF – NWH43, Screen Protector
PRF – NWP43, Privacy Filter
To export out of Japan – Tenso.com
To export out of the USA – comGateway
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