The reason why the top Walkman "NW-WM1ZM2 / WM1AM2" became the second generation of the leap (Masaichi Honda)

The manufacturer Sony has the image of making products with very sophisticated designs. On the other hand, we have also produced truly enthusiastic products that incorporate the commitment of the makers.

At a time when business performance was once depressed for a long time, the unique products created by the free-spirited spirit were sometimes lost. However, in the last few years, products that emphasize thorough attention have been born. Speaking of audio products, they are given the name "Signature" series, but the products made by the Walkman team are "foreign".

Rather than a product that a mass-produced manufacturer deals with, we thoroughly pursue quality with a concept like a garage maker that thoroughly sticks to quality while producing in small quantities. We are doing it in a genre that would not be possible without mass production.

The gold-plated copper chassis NW-WM1Z is heavy and expensive, but it incorporates various audio tunings that were previously for home audio into the Walkman, creating enthusiastic fans.

The development team is called "Hentai-san" by fans with respect, and they also enjoy being called "Hentai-san". The reason for the "metamorphosis" is that we have pursued fine, tenacious, and sound quality while taking sound quality measures that would normally be said, "That's an occult, isn't it?"

There is not much economic rationality there. I don't know if it will be profitable as a result, but it is clear that it has not been developed with cost recovery in mind. Since such a thing is allowed in a large organization called Sony, it seems that the DNA of the company Sony has the ability to accept races that are particular about audio.

Kimiko changes suddenly.The sound of the standard model changed due to the change in approach

The Walkman flagship machine made by such a metamorphosis team has become "Mark 2" that also supports streaming distribution by adopting Android. Functional changes and enlargement of the screen size are important, but in fact, I had a discussion with the development team, Mr. Sato, when checking the sound quality of the first model. The episode at that time and the answer to the discussion were actually very important for understanding the sound quality position of "NW-WM1ZM2" and "NW-WM1AM2", so I would like to talk about that first.

Immediately before the release of the first model, I listened to it and commented first, "I think it would have been better to use the NW-WM1A, which will come into contact with more consumers, as a sound quality reference, and the NW-WM1Z as its ultimate version. ? ".

Because I didn't feel that the sound quality of the NW-WM1A was good. At that time, I wrote clearly in articles in other media.

In NW-WM1A, the outline of the sound can be heard clearly, but the amount of information is small, and although the outline of the sound image that is clear as if cut out can be seen, the air and signs that should spread softly around the sound image are thin. In terms of balance, it tends to be donshari, and it is clearly different from the NW-WM1Z, which has a good S / N feeling and the energy balance of the band is also heard.

There is also a difference in "dignity", but there is a clear difference in "quality", but it seems that it is not far away even if it does not hit. After creating the sound with the NW-WM1Z, I was worried about what kind of sound the lower priced WM1A should have, and the final calm was not only the difference in quality but also the tuning that was different in terms of quality. It seems that it was a conclusion (I learned from this interview).

After such a story, the sound of the Walkman changed not a little, and when the middle and upper model NW-ZX300 was released, the sound was made closer to the NW-WM1Z (similar tuning in the current NW-ZX500 series). It is summarized in the trend).

I wrote the story of the old model for a long time, because the NW-WM1ZM2, which is the highest model of the new model, uses a chassis and kimber cable that have been upgraded to 99.99% pure copper material, and also uses gold solder. It is the same that they are pursuing the best in various aspects, but the way of thinking about sound making has changed.

The standard model NW-WM1AM2, which is a machined aluminum chassis, is used to create sound, and the higher model NW-WM1ZM2 is used to add "quantity" to further refine the sound quality. At that time, the sound making was not changed. Of course, they are not the same, but considering the difference in price and weight, it can be said that the NW-WM1AM2 has become an extremely cost-effective product.

Mr. Takahashi also said that there was a conflict that "If you make the sound so close, you may not be able to choose the NW-WM1ZM2", but even so, he said that he thought that the texture of the sound of both models should be the same and pushed in. bottom.

There is no negative effect on sound quality due to the adoption of Android.

By the way, for this reason, the positional relationship between the two models changes, the same vector sound is created, and the software and basic circuit are the same. The only difference was the amount of material to be put in and the grade of parts. However, not only has the position of both models changed, but the sound quality level has risen compared to the conventional model that used Android-based proprietary OS while both models adopted Android.

The new standard model NW-WM1AM2 has a slightly lower feel when compared to the NW-WM1Z, which was the highest level in the past, but it has a wide sound field, a feeling of floating around the sound image, and a feeling of air. Things are drawn more intensely.

If you write it like this, you may imagine the weight that clings to the overproduction, but it never happens, and the goodness of the S / N that conveys the information that should be there is impressive.

When this becomes NW-WM1ZM2, the low range is drawn with powerful and high resolution, and the sound field is sublimated into a really large scale and exhilarating sound, with the sound field comfortably exiting toward the ceiling. The basic sound texture is the same, but the quality is still different.

The advantage of using Android as the OS is to support the ever-evolving music streaming service. The goal is to make the apps released by each company available. On the other hand, there is a restriction that the signal path from decoding music data to passing it to the DAC cannot be completely developed by original design.

This time, it became Mark 2 and changed from Linux-based proprietary software to Android-based, but the disadvantage of sound quality due to the adoption of Android is not at least as long as using "W. Music" installed as a dedicated application. Felt.

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In the first place, how to capture the theme of achieving high sound quality with Andorid was the key to developing the NW-ZX500 series, which is a middle-class model that has already been released, and that NW-ZX500. You can think of it as being refined while updating the series and reflected in this model.

Android apps also support high resolution, but the sound quality depends on the app and distribution service.

The NW-ZX500 series is a post-launch update with unique improvements to allow regular Google Play apps to deliver audio streams up to 192kHz (48kHz) to the final hardware (general Android apps). Even in high resolution processing, it is downsampled at the interface to the hardware).

It analyzes the Android source code and implements it so that the audio stream of the high resolution compatible application reaches the Walkman hardware (DAC part) with the minimum signal path without affecting the audio processing of the system. However, while the NW-ZX900 is based on Android 9, the new product is based on Android 11. Since the contents of the source code are completely different, it is said that the signal path is being reviewed by re-analyzing it. In addition to that, by using a dedicated application, it will be raised to the same level as the Linux-based model.

Furthermore, when playing with the dedicated application W. Music, a mechanism has been introduced that automatically switches the master clock while playing both 48kHz and 44.1kHz. Normally, smartphones and the like are not designed to switch such clock frequencies, so when diverting general-purpose systems and software for Android, it is often unified with either one.

On the other hand, in digital music, data sampling frequency systems coexist. In the case of a sound source mastered for CD or iTunes, or the sound source converted from DSD is a 44.1KHz system, but a general high resolution sound source is a multiple of 48kHz. If this series shifts, the component called jitter increases, the sound is distorted, and as a result, the sound quality deteriorates, but with W. Music, there is no need to worry about that.

Up to this point, it could be realized with the NW-ZX500 series, but what I knew from the experience of developing the NW-ZX500 series was the response to radiation noise from the SoC, which is also compatible with smartphones.

Since it is not an SoC originally developed for audio, noise radiation also changes depending on the operating conditions of the software. Therefore, the development team decided to make a copper shield and cover it on the SoC to contain the noise.

Even in home audio, analog and digital circuits and power supplies may be separated and housed in a housing, and a shield may be installed between them to allow the card wire to pass through the minimum gap. It is done in a small housing. In addition to simply blocking radiation noise, the GND line of the board has been devised to prevent power supply noise from the Android system from being mixed into the audio circuit.

Incorporating all elements related to sound quality

By the way, I called them "metamorphosis-sans" with respect, but it seems that there were many people in the industry who were just as amused. It also extends to suppliers of components such as capacitors.

Even though it is a supplier for audio, it is not possible to increase the variation of parts just for sound quality. However, when Sony's Walkman team found out that they were challenging everything for sound quality, suppliers began to bring in "there is such a capacitor" and "there is a battery that uses oxygen-free copper for the lead wire". It is said that it was.

Mochi is a mochi shop, and suppliers have a wide knowledge of parts variations to choose from. By showing the elements they wanted in the product five years ago, the supplier came to bring in "although the price will rise a little".

The reason why the sound quality is improved even though it has been converted to Android (= noise increases and software processing also increases uncertainties) is that the heat of the development team is transmitted to the supplier, and if you bring it there, you will get interesting results. There is also an aspect that it may come out, because I have come to have such a feeling of expectation.

Not limited to audio equipment, suppliers have a significant impact on the overall quality of their products. Efforts that are slightly above the average score are likely to be rewarded, but the calories to compete for the highest score are usually not rewarded for the effort. When it is recognized that "there are people who understand our commitment," the team's products become stronger.

Listen by streaming, as an index to buy a good sound source

So, with Mark 2, further lowering the resistance of the chassis, strengthening the power supply, optimizing the signal path (mixing gold in the solder, filling the through hole of the multilayer board, etc.), optimizing the clock (gold vapor deposition) Of course, there are efforts at the design level, such as the fact that a component manufacturer brought in a low-phase noise clock generator), but overall, the difference in sound-making approach, the suppliers cooperated, and the team deepened their confidence. It is a factor that made the second generation leap. As a result, I felt that the product was extremely sensitive to sound quality.

The sound quality when played with W. Music is excellent, but unfortunately the sound quality with general Android apps does not reach W. Music. The same is true for the NW-ZX500 series, but the difference has become clearer as the sound quality has been sharpened.

Comparing Norah Jones' "Don't know why?" With FLAC's high-resolution data, Amazon Music HD, and Apple Music, Amazon Music HD clearly sounds distorted. Apple Music is clear, but the amount of information that conveys the nuances of voice is less than that of W. Music.

The original mastering should be the same for all, but the processing may differ depending on the application used for playback. However, you can check the tendency of high-resolution music and mastering and mixing that are different from CDs. It would be convenient to be able to listen to music on a daily basis by streaming, and if there is a high-resolution music that you like, download it and listen to it with W. Music.

Needless to say, for many readers, the more easily available NW-ZX500 series is easy to recommend in terms of cost performance and size. However, if you want the best in a portable player, you can't miss the audition of NW-WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2.

I am surprised that they introduced a product that is worth listening to and comparing for the first time in 6 years, and I hope that you will continue to work on high-quality sound in the future.