This year marks the 40th Anniversary of Walkman®. The first Walkman TPS-L2 launched in 1979 and became a design and engineering icon, changing the way people listen to music forever. For the first time, it was possible to enjoy your favourite tracks, albums and artists in high quality sound, anytime, anywhere – and Sony has been doing so ever since.
Sony listed the new ZX500 on the official website last night and it caught attentions from audiophiles because the ZX300 is simply amazing. Sony ZX series is a good mid tier option for those who are pursuing high quality audio but not ready to spend too much. Let’s see what ZX500 provides!
Supported by Android™
The NW-ZX500 is supported by Android™, giving you easy access to a huge range of media apps and music services. My last Android Digital Audio Player (DAP) from Song was ZX2. It was great and I am happy to see new ZX500 comes with Android again. This also means users can stream music from streaming services like Spotify or Tidal!
USB Type-C™ port
The NW-ZX500 features a USB Type-C™ port for easy connectivity with a range of devices. This is another breakthrough for Sony too. By using a type-C port, users can save the effort to bring additional charging cable when travelling. Type-C port could be the most popular option in the market now.
High-Resolution Audio wireless
Enjoy High-Resolution Audio quality music streaming thanks to LDAC, Sony premium wireless codec. With 3x the bitrate of standard BLUETOOTH® technology, you can enjoy a superior listening experience for all your music.
Vinyl Processor
Give back the warmth and character of vinyl to your digital tracks and get lost again in the richness of the melodies and dynamics of your favourite albums. Enjoy subtle reproduction of the low-frequency resonance, tone-arm resistance and surface noise to deliver an authentic listening experience.
Specifications
Headphone Out (Stereo mini-jack)
FREQUENCY
20-40,000 Hz
MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT (JEITA 16Ω/MW)
50mW+50mW (High Gain)
Headphone Out (Balanced standard-jack)
FREQUENCY
20-40,000 Hz
MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT (JEITA 16Ω/MW)
200mW+200mW (High Gain)
Software
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android 9.0
BATTERY LIFE - CONTINUOUS PLAYBACK MUSIC
MP3 (128kbps) / Stereo mini-jack: 20 hours
MP3 (128kbps) / Balanced standard-jack: 19 hours
AAC (256kbps) / Stereo mini-jack: 20 hours
AAC (256kbps) / Balanced standard-jack: 19 hours
FLAC (192kHz / 24bit) / Stereo mini-jack: 16 hours
FLAC (192kHz / 24bit) / Balanced standard-jack: 15 hours
DSD (2.8224MHz / 1bit) / Stereo mini-jack: 10 hours
DSD (2.8224MHz / 1bit) / Balanced standard-jack: 9 hours
Conclusion
This four features caught my attention and I really wish to audition them and try out the capability of new ZX500. With the amazing power output on balanced out and great battery life, it could probably the one of the best choices as a daily usage DAP.