Wm1zm2 Review

[Ashlyn Robello]

Wejust happened to be reading a Steve Jobs biography the other day. Among all the interesting insights and anecdotes, we came across a story about the original Apple iPod. It is said that throughout the development of this landmark music player, Jobs feared that Sony would get to the market first with this type of product.

Build quality, as far as the hardware goes, is impeccable. The NW-WM1ZM2 is superbly made and feels reassuringly solid in the hand. Every control works with absolute precision, particularly the control buttons on the right-hand edge (as viewed from the front). Given the use of dense copper in the case, it is no surprise that this is a chunky thing at 490g. It is about as big as a typical smartphone but around twice as thick. The display is a crisp 5-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

This player runs on an Android 11 operating system and can be used to do everything a smartphone does bar making phone calls. You can watch YouTube or answer emails, for example, and download the likes of Tidal, Deezer and Spotify to your desire. Pretty much anything on the Google Play Store is fair game.

The Sony NW-WM1ZM2 is a cultured-sounding player and beautifully made. It is an immensely capable performer that verges on excellent, even considering the money. Our issue with this product is much more about the limited power output, which means we struggle to use our favourite headphones, as well as the lack of sophistication in the way it works. Sony, by all means improve the sound for the next generation, but what you really need to do is concentrate on making that version better to use.

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I previously described the NW-WM1Z as an iPod on steroids. Now, I'm going to describe the NW-WM1ZM2 as the NW-WM1Z on the steroids. It's everything I loved about the sound of the original, just ... more. More emotion. More nuance. More precision.

Don't let the fact that this is a warm-sounding DAP lead you to assume it has a laid-back sound. The sound is expressive and lively. It's the type of sound that grabs you by the wrist and says, "Dance with me." Sound that makes you feel every bit of emotion that an artist pours into a performance.

The Grateful Dead's reflective "Box of Rain" from the 1970 album American Beauty sounds deep and lush on the WM1ZM2. And talk about pinpoint imaging! Phil Lesh's raw and pining vocals are up near my right ear; Jerry Garcia's harmonizing is lower down to my left, cymbals are in back of my head, and the deep bass is in my torso. The definition between instruments is so superb that my brain can pinball between the lead guitar, bass, piano, tambourine, etc., and never lose track of any of them.

The '70s throwback sound of The Heavy Heavy's "Miles and Miles" is right at home WM1ZM2. The propulsive guitar lick coupled with the powerful and expressive vocals really shine, and the spaciousness of the sound reflects the song's theme of being out on the road. Likewise, Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" had plenty of punch and power, plus a wonderful sense of dimension and distinction. Nothing gets blended or bumped out of the way; there's a sense of completion in each note and sound.

Vangelis' "Conquest of Paradise" was a real highlight on the WM1ZM2. This dynamic composition has both a menacing and majestic quality that is so well-suited for the Sony sound: natural, warm, and weighty. From the choir vocals to the rhythmic drums to the to the sweeping trumpet interludes, everything sounds so rich and alive.

Soundwise, the Sony is going to appeal to listeners who prefer a warmer, more analog signature with a smoother top end and plenty of bass punch, while the SP3000 is resolute and rich-sounding with a more defined top end. The Sony has sound adjustment options and the AK has six DAC filters, so users have options for playing around with sound. Still, I think people will be drawn to one or the other based on the "house" sound of each.

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And so it was by pure luck, and the generosity of my friend Doug Campbell (who managed to secure his own M2 direct from Japan), that I finally had a chance to lay hands and ears on this beautiful piece of modern engineering. If nothing else, I desperately wanted to answer the question so many people have been asking: is the M2 worth the asking price, and worth the upgrade for current WM1Z (M1) owners?

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If you are like me and need to access the touch screen all the time, having a case with a flip cover can get annoying. There are a few alternatives where I recommend looking into either Dignis leather cases (reviewed here) or Benks TPU transparent case (available here, reviewed here). Depending on the case selection, either with original Sony or Benks, you can add extra protection to the display with a tempered glass screen protector from Garmas (available here). With Dignis case where you need to slide 1Z in/out, there is a chance of lifting the edges of tempered glass protector, so better look for a regular film protector in that case.

all 3 are good, in their own way. Read my reviews, figure out your own personal Cons and Pros, see which sound you would prefer (especially based on pair up with different earphones and headphones). I know, too many choices ?

Today, such cassette players are long dead and buried (though nostalgics can buy them on eBay for a few hundred dollars), but the Walkman name lives on. It has just changed format to digital music players (DAPs). They are of course more compact and portable than the analogue players of yesteryear, and the best of them are also many times more expensive.

With its touch screen and Android interface, the Sony NW-WM1ZM2 is as easy to use as an Android phone. You can install apps on it and it does everything an Android phone can do, except make phone calls and take photos. Sony has included its own music player as standard, which opens all downloaded music files.

But Sony has apparently interpreted these rules more strictly than anyone else, because they have the lowest sound level of all DAP manufacturers. On the EU version, Sony has removed the High Gain function, which otherwise solves the problem of heavily driven headphones.

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A keen audiophile and hobby photographer, Berkhan is after absolute perfection. Whether it is a full-frame camera or a custom in-ear, his standpoint persists. He tries to keep his photography enthusiasm at the same level as audio. Sometimes photography wins, sometimes his love for music takes over and he puts that camera aside. Simplistic expressions of sound in his reviews are the way to go for him. He enjoys a fine single malt along with his favourite Jazz recordings.

Is this player truly splendid ? Can I load into it exact audio copies of hundreds of CDs ? Does Sony have a special machine to do this like Astell & Kern has ? Can I bypass the internal amplifying circuit of NW Z1 and route the audio signal from this player into a portable amplifier ?

Sony does not have a standard audio processing like the other brands. There are some pros and cons of this architecture. The biggest advantage is the battery life, which other brands just cannot reach anywhere near at the present time.

I have one question: I have seen that the DAP runs on Android 4.1.

Is this version still young enough? Taking into account the considerable investment, will the product still be functioning on that plarform for instance in 5 to 7 years? Will or can the Android software be updated by Sony?

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