The New Sony Walkman Costs More Than You Think - Here's Why

If you thought that the days of dedicated music players were long gone, Japanese consumer electronics major Sony wants you to believe otherwise. It may be 2023, but the company is keeping the Walkman spirit alive, and it's doing it in the most extravagant way possible: with premium models that are pricier than the latest iPhones. While it's difficult to fathom that Sony — in 2023 — has a considerably extensive lineup of super premium Walkmans, the truth is that the newest model from its premium Walkman series was launched a little over six months ago in January 2023.

The model in question is the Sony NW-ZX707 Premium Walkman. Its jaw-dropping $900 price tag puts it in the same price category as the iPhone 14 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 — both devices that can do much more than just play music. In fact, it's outright incredible that Sony not only makes a standalone music player in 2023 but also charges a premium price for the privilege of owning one. What makes this standalone music player so expensive? To begin with, the NW-ZX707 has several features that most standalone music players — and even the latest high-end smartphones — do not have.

Given its $900 price tag, it is no surprise that the NW-ZX707 is quite the looker; it is the same size as a modern-day compact smartphone and boasts a 5-inch display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The device runs Android 12 and also gets 64 GB of onboard storage. At 8 ounces, the NW-ZX707 is also heavier than your average smartphone. Once you savor the chic looks of this Walkman, it's time to turn your attention to its hardware, which is targeted at audiophiles.

Sony justifies the outrageous price tag of the NW-ZX707 by using high-end components. Things start with the large, solid high-polymer capacitor that acts as a battery assist for the amplifier block. Besides offering low resistance and large capacitance, it also aids in the product's ability to output clear signals, according to Sony. Meanwhile, all of the bypass capacitors on the NW-ZX707 are also of the FT CAP3 type, which is a Sony parlance for high polymer capacitors. To supply the optimum balanced output signal from the digital amp, the NW-ZX707 uses a larger 8 mm coil for the lowpass (LC) filter. 

In addition to these features, the Walkman uses low resistance Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) for the internal headphone connector. The device also uses two compact low-phase noise crystal oscillators that aid in excellent instrumental separation and open sound reproduction. Sony has judiciously used gold across the internals of the NW-ZX707, including its solder and reflow solder elements, to further improve sound localization. The PCB of the NW-ZX707 has been designed to keep digital interference to the minimum by separating the audio black from the digital block.

For audiophiles, one of the most important reasons for choosing the NW-ZX707 over other options is its capability to perform native DSD (Direct Stream Digital) decoding. This feature ensures the NW-ZX707 can transform standard MP3 or PCM audio to the ultra-high frequency 11.2 Mhz DSD audio stream. This lends the sound a distinct analog character that many audiophiles have come to love.

The NW-ZX707 also gets Sony's proprietary digital music processing technologies, including the DSEE Ultimate technology, developed in-house to restore compressed music files to the quality of a CD by interpolating sound algorithms. DSEE Ultimate is Sony's most advanced technology, which incorporates artificial intelligence to upscale compressed audio files to near-Hi-Res Audio quality. It also has a balanced headphone output that can deliver a more detailed and immersive listening experience.

Another reason audiophiles have come to appreciate the NW-ZX707 is something called the vinyl processor that lends the unmistakable character of vinyl discs back to their digital tracks. In addition to this, the device also gets a DC Phase Linearizer that gives users six phase character settings to choose from and select between multiple analog-like sound options. The Sony NW-ZX707 can last up to 25 hours of 44.1 kHz FLAC playback, up to 23 hours of 96 kHz FLAC High-Resolution Audio playback, and up to 22 hours with streaming music apps.

While it is evident that the Sony NW-ZX707 is a premium digital audio player that targets serious audiophiles, it may surprise you that this product is the most affordable audiophile-grade product in Sony's premium Walkman lineup. For more discerning audiophiles with much deeper pockets, Sony offers two even more expensive models. The most costly of the lot is the Sony NW-WM1ZM2 which will set you back by an astronomical $3,700. For those who think $3,700 is a ridiculous amount to spend on a standalone music player, there is always an option to settle for the Sony NW-WM1AM2 which will "only" set you back by $1,400.

Effectively, Sony has not one but two Walkmans that are even more expensive than the NW-ZX707, making its price tag sound somewhat reasonable. So, what do you get for your $900? Well, you get a costly portable music player that can play high-resolution audio files and stream music from online services. You also get a lot of bragging rights because you can tell your friends that you own one of the most expensive Walkmans ever made.

But is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. If you're an audiophile who demands the best possible sound quality, then the NW-ZX707 might be worth the price. But if you're just looking for a portable music player to play your MP3s, there are plenty of cheaper options in the market — or just buy a smartphone!