[purk]

  Boy Thursday can't get here soon enough.  Just end the speculation, so I can figure out if I can afford a Walkman or not...

Man...I know right?  I'm hoping for 512GB total storage and native DSD playback and better sound quality as well as $1500 price tag.

 

[gerelmx1986]

 

  Boy Thursday can't get here soon enough.  Just end the speculation, so I can figure out if I can afford a Walkman or not...

Man...I know right?  I'm hoping for 512GB total storage and native DSD playback and better sound quality as well as $1500 price tag.

 + microSD slot (or two)

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I'm kinda hoping that the gold is a special edition/limited run ZX2 successor, and there's a regular black one that's also a ZX2 successor, but for the "lunchbox" guys...
 
...or I'll just finally get a ZX2, you know, after its cool to.

 

[gerelmx1986]

  I'm kinda hoping that the gold is a special edition/limited run ZX2 successor, and there's a regular black one that's also a ZX2 successor, but for the "lunchbox" guys...
 
...or I'll just finally get a ZX2, you know, after its cool to.

Totally agree with you mate

 lets see pricing, if the limied run is too high then i get the supposed other version in the WM1 series and if that one also too high then i get a zx2 for good

 

[Cagin]

*begs for 1 more leak pic to soothe the daily itch*

The shape of the new one might also lean to the possibility of having the buttons on the left aside this time around. Or maybe divide the volume and power button on one side and the track control on the other. As a left handed I'm surprised the zx2 , the cowon plenue d and onkyo DP-X1 have all the buttons on the right side, meaning it's easier to use one handed with the left hand instead of the right hand with buttons on the left side.
Only rationale I'm thinking is because the wide majority of people uses their cell phone in their right hand and pocket leaving only the left hand and pocket available for DAPs?

Sorry for the digression

 

[goldendarko]

You guys think it will play TIDAL? That's a make or break point for me, even more so than price.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

You guys think it will play TIDAL? That's a make or break point for me, even more so than price.

 
Only if its Android.  There isn't a single Sony component that supports any streaming services, unless it runs Android...

 

[Jalo]

  My bet is that this will be at least AK320 level money.  
 
Fact is there's no shortage of summit-fi buyers dropping big cash on the pricey AK380 despite all the noise about it being absurdly priced.  I've also seen and met many Sony Just Ear owners turning their nose on the ZX2 and instead buy AK flagships - all of which  (240/320/380) are more expensive than the ZX2. When you see photos of meets where 3 pairs of Just Ears are all coupled to AK players, and an entire community of your most high end/big spender portable customers where some 90% of them are using AK you just can't ignore that. Sony is aware of that situation and most definitely kicking themselves for losing what should be faithful owners to a rival company and all the associated halo effect and word of mouth marketing on their brand, with the insult that they were wrong to bet on some sane price/performance ratio and completely misjudged how big the audiophile desire to chase that last bit of perceived quality difference out of these devices - regardless of price - is.  Sony will pull no stops and will throw every last bit of their technological know-how (and marketing muscle) into this DAP to get people to say this DAP is better than AK in SQ and is equally luxurious (you don't discount luxurious goods - the higher price is actual a status symbol!) while worrying about prices later when the evidence of spending pattern is just so obvious and in their face.

You made some very good points.  As a hobby, uniqueness is important whether in cars, watches or audio or others.  Zx2 may sound good but it is perceived as a mass consumer product. I have the AK 380cu and I enjoyed not only it's sound but also the entire package of appeal.  I hope Sony will come out with something that does not disappoint. I fully understand on these forums many headfiers can care less about things like external appeals as long as it sounds good.  In Asia, however, people young or old are willing to spend incredible amount of money to get the best or one of a kind products. The things that young people in Asia are willing to do to get the latest iphones, Nike shoes, music players etc I cannot even talk about here.  That is why Sony use gold color for obvious reason, clearly they are not concern with the US market or the EU market.  If only this new walkman becomes successful in Asia, they will make more money than the the rest of the market.  We are just tagging along for the ride, so enjoy. 

 

[Sonic Defender]

, clearly they are not concern with the US market or the EU market.  If only this new walkman becomes successful in Asia, they will make more money than the the rest of the market.  We are just tagging along for the ride, so enjoy. 

Not quite, yes the Asian market is huge, but still a significant amount of that population base is poor. I have a feeling that if you added all the North American and European consumers who could afford this device up, it would be a big chunk of the total Asian pie, maybe even equal? That would be interesting to know, but don't kid yourself, western markets are still very significant. You think they don't care about California?

 

[BartSimpson1976]

maybe Sony should label it as "organic" or "vegan" or to boost sales in the Western Market?

 

[Sonyvores]

New flagship headphone!

I don't think so , it's better to use conditional if you don't know for sure

 

[Sonic Defender]

  maybe Sony should label it as "organic" or "vegan" or to boost sales in the Western Market?

So some of us have a soft spot for living things, nothing wrong with that.

 

[nanaholic]

  You don't get my point.  I said all along that we have different priorities.  But if one can get by with a lesser portable player and have a little desk space, you can build such a nice setup at home and no portable system will even come  close to that.  You should really read between the lines and I'm all for a new walkman too...just not the price.   Can you remember a top of the line Walkman that was priced at $400?  The NW-Z1060 was that..a good 4-5 years ago.

 
No I get your point perfectly - hence my laptop/desktop gaming rig analogy.  You are exactly the same guy that comes up on PC forums when some company releases an ultra expensive gaming laptop and you go "why dude? for the money you could build an even awesomer desktop rig!!!!1111". So what that you can get a better desktop rig for the money? The point is the people which these products are aimed at probably don't WANT a desktop rig to begin with.
 
Gaming laptops aims for a specific demograph - and so are these flagship audiophile DAPs.  The fact that you can buy a better desktop rig for the same money is not only about priorities, but almost irrelevant.

 

[Woodlands]

Images courtesy a Russian chat room:

http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=175149&s=68a1626e9c1c026ab4564daef8e80bf2

 

[goldendarko]

Think I saw an android button?