The Sony Walkman NW-WM1AM2 and NW-WM1ZM2 models will replace the NW-WM1A and NW-WMZ players released in 2016. New items with the M2 index run on Android 11, they received 5-inch displays (compared to 4-inch predecessors), and the battery life of FLAC files has increased from 30 to 40 hours.
Both players are equipped with on-board Wi-Fi modules that complement cable connection via USB-C version 3.2 – now the players have access to streaming. Also in the novelties are used updated power supplies with audiophile capacitors. Sony specialists promised “a richer, smoother and wider sound field compared to its predecessors.”
As for the differences, the older model, ZM2, received twice as much internal memory – 256 versus 128 GB. The signal from the amplifier to the balanced headphone jack on the ZM2 is a premium cable from Kimber Kable, while on the AM2 it’s just a “low impedance oxygen-free copper cable”.
However, the main difference can be seen at a glance: it is the gold-plated ZM2 case, made of oxygen-free copper (OFC) with a purity of 99.99% (4N). The AM2 uses a humble aluminum alloy. According to Sony, the ZM2 cabinet “realizes a stronger digital foundation and higher rigidity, delivering clear and wide sound.”
Both players will be available from April 2022. So far, only the Australian cost of new products is known: Sony Walkman NW-WM1AM2 will cost 1,900, and NW-WM1ZM2 – 5,000 Australian dollars
