You might question the need for a single device when smartphones are made to be capable music players. But the Walkman F886 is the latest Sony media player that wishes to provide the audio dream that typical smartphones just can’t provide. Audiophiles will want to look beyond a multi-tasking device like a smartphone and instead find a device that is dedicated to providing a personalised audio experience with accurate sound reproduction. Enter: Walkman F886, with high-resolution audio better than CD quality, Sony says.
We had dedicated audio players and then they merged with smartphones. We had disposable cameras but then they merged with smartphones. All-round devices like smartphones can come with a hidden price however; quality and unreliable batteries. The value of a brilliant smartphone feature falls to 0 if the battery keeps dying. Now that smartphones stand on the verge of a major upgrade in camera technology with devices like Sony’s new 20MP Z1 smartphone, audio seems left aside. HTC Beats you say? Apparently that wasn’t good enough, as the Wall Street Journal reports that HTC and Beats may be about to end their partnership. With the competition Beaten, consumers are left with a desire for something more in portable audio. Perhaps dedicated portable devices can still offer something?
Key Features
- 32GB media player with 10.2cm LCD touchscreen
- Hi-Resolution Audio playback (higher than CD quality)
- S-Master HX digital amplifier
- DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine)
- Up to 35 hours playback with MP3, Up to 26 hours playback with Hi-Res audio
- Triluminos™ display for mobile
In fact, a 192KHz/24bit High-Resolution Audio file contains around six times more audio information than that recorded on a standard CD – so it’s just like being at the studio or concert hall.
Remember the change from standard definition TV to high definiton TV? Want to have the same upgrade in audio? HD TV at first could be difficult to explain to someone who hadn’t seen it, but when they did, everything was understood. That’s exactly what hi-resolution audio does. A single hi-res MP3 can hold up to six times the detail of one you might have on your smartphone right now. The latest S-Master HX digital amplifier in the Walkman F886 is designed to reduce distortion and noise at all frequency ranges. The in-built DSEE targets audio that has been compressed and restores the sound to what it sounded like in production. The Walkman F886 is also based on Android 4.1 and is capable of running your favourite Google Play apps. It comes with NFC for near-range sharing to NFC-capable Hi-Fi, speakers or smartphones too.
Just about anyone that likes to listen to music on the go already knows the difference that the right device and earphones make. If you want to raise the bar of your portable music-listening to audiogasm, this just might be the device for you.
Full details can be viewed here.
Discuss:
Would you buy a dedicated music player or do you prefer to use your smartphone?