[Woodlands]

Not anymore it seems.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Electronics/Sony-to-close-audio-product-plant-in-Malaysia-by-2022

 

[Liono]

NW-WM1AM2 no longer available to order from Amazon Japan.

 

[soundblast75]

What happened??
It's gone from all Amazons

 

[Levanter]

All the world's governments leave a lot to be desired. Once you get 4 or 5 people together, everything gets screwed up. I spend about 95% of my time alone.

True, unfortunately in the end it’s down to which is the lesser evil lol.

I know Sony closed the factory in Malaysia that manufactured their DAP's. Are you sure they are still being made in Malaysia?

Not anymore it seems.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Electronics/Sony-to-close-audio-product-plant-in-Malaysia-by-2022

If you read below that caption, it says:
Manufacturing functions to be shifted to Kuala Lumpur TV factory.
They consolidated their manufacturing to cut cost.
That was the case for all their DAPs, not sure about the M2 version though since another user here verified the M2 is made in China.

 

[SebaE2012]

My ZX2 is still alive and well and still usable with WiFi disable. With WiFi turning on, the unit often froze up. Surprisingly, the ZX1 that I have is a little more responsive. Sony should have never abandoned these two android Walkman. I still have the Z1070 and F807 as well.

I completely agree. My ZX2 works just fine with local files and WiFi off. Still gets a lot of use. But it is almost impossible to stream with it. I think, as you pointed out, that Sony stopped support of Android Walkmans way too soon. I feel a bit disappointed with it, given the price of the device (ZX2) and makes me wary of the new Android line.

 

[dennarwhal]

Manufacturing functions to be shifted to Kuala Lumpur TV factory.
They consolidated their manufacturing to cut cost.
That was the case for all their DAPs, not sure about the M2 version though since another user here verified the M2 is made in China.

This is merely a continuation of what Sony has been doing in South East Asia for many years, cutting costs and having lower presence.

I discussed this in another thread, when Sony thinks a region is not profitable, it reduces presence, as it reduces presence, the customer thinks less of the brand, sales drop and then those bunch of Japanese managers just sit around and remind one another that SEA is no longer profitable. Hence, they carry less products here and this negative cycle continues.

The nameplate that says made in China is at the bottom of the device beside the device ID YY1298B but I forgot to take a picture the last time I went there.

As for my thoughts of making it in China rather than Malaysia, I would have rather it be made in Malaysia over made in China. As far as I know, Malaysia's government is less of a threat to the world than China's. Plus its closer to home for me hehe.

 

[Levanter]

This is merely a continuation of what Sony has been doing in South East Asia for many years, cutting costs and having lower presence.

I discussed this in another thread, when Sony thinks a region is not profitable, it reduces presence, as it reduces presence, the customer thinks less of the brand, sales drop and then those bunch of Japanese managers just sit around and remind one another that SEA is no longer profitable. Hence, they carry less products here and this negative cycle continues.

The nameplate that says made in China is at the bottom of the device beside the device ID YY1298B but I forgot to take a picture the last time I went there.

As for my thoughts of making it in China rather than Malaysia, I would have rather it be made in Malaysia over made in China. As far as I know, Malaysia's government is less of a threat to the world than China's. Plus its closer to home for me hehe.

Portable high end audio is generally not profitable since its a niche market. If the quality is just as good or better while cost is reduced, I'd rather they make it in China. I hardly see China as a world threat, you don't see them sending military presence to other countries compared to some which has been doing so for the past dozen years under the pretence of world peace lol

 

[djricekcn]

What happened??
It's gone from all Amazons

no it's not, i can see it. Can order 1AM2 to outside still 1ZM2, still no for outside.
Edit: It sold out again for overseas, it might be going in-n-out. Still can buy it if within Japan

Also, lets stop getting politics involved here, please. We all have different views and those views can get very poisonous more than DAPs

 

[Liono]

I completely agree. My ZX2 works just fine with local files and WiFi off. Still gets a lot of use. But it is almost impossible to stream with it. I think, as you pointed out, that Sony stopped support of Android Walkmans way too soon. I feel a bit disappointed with it, given the price of the device (ZX2) and makes me wary of the new Android line.

Ditto for my ZX1, have used it lots especially last 2 years. Unit suddenly shuts down sometime when battery gets to 20%, but still sounds great (no doubt inferior to modern units) and is in mint condition. I too worry about the Android support. Sony released it and pritty much wiped it's hands of any updates. My 55A1 OLED Tv on the otherhand has had fantastic support and still gets updates 5 years later.

I did sideload Tidal and Amazon music apps for a while, but then Android 4.1 became completely unsupported on those platforms even using .apks. perhaps because Android is much more mature now, that the iterative versions aren't such a huge step change, so current apps will be supported for longer.

 

[soundblast75]

no it's not, i can see it. Can order 1AM2 to outside still 1ZM2, still no for outside.
Edit: It sold out again for overseas, it might be going in-n-out. Still can buy it if within Japan

Also, lets stop getting politics involved here, please. We all have different views and those views can get very poisonous more than DAPs

Can't order from Japan anymore.
Whats politics got to do with it??

 

[djricekcn]

Can't order from Japan anymore.
Whats politics got to do with it

China, Malaysia, USA government etc.

And can't order within Japan as of right now for me as well. Again, might be in-n-out right now or opening as people canceling

 

[soundblast75]

China, Malaysia, USA government etc.

And can't order within Japan as of right now for me as well. Again, might be in-n-out right now or opening as people canceling

I wish i kept my preorder now..
If i can't get the non capped version im nit buying any Walkmans, especially at UK price

 

[Vamp898]

Ordering in Japan works just fine

I checked at amzaon, Sony Store Japan and e-earphone, pre-orders are possible and work at all three of them

 

[djricekcn]

Ordering in Japan works just fine



I checked at amzaon, Sony Store Japan and e-earphone, pre-orders are possible and work at all three of them

Wm1am2, not z2. It keeps going on and off

 

[Sp12er3]

Ditto for my ZX1, have used it lots especially last 2 years. Unit suddenly shuts down sometime when battery gets to 20%, but still sounds great (no doubt inferior to modern units) and is in mint condition. I too worry about the Android support. Sony released it and pritty much wiped it's hands of any updates. My 55A1 OLED Tv on the otherhand has had fantastic support and still gets updates 5 years later.

I did sideload Tidal and Amazon music apps for a while, but then Android 4.1 became completely unsupported on those platforms even using .apks. perhaps because Android is much more mature now, that the iterative versions aren't such a huge step change, so current apps will be supported for longer.

Yeah there's a big feature change that comes after Android 6 so those that lack the hardware and software requirement got an early death, but the Walkman are running Android 11 now, basically the latest, Android 12 and up are basically just iterative and not something that's gonna matter for a player, I do think it's gonna have way longer life than the ZX1s and 2s at least in software support side, what I worry more is actually just the RAM size. That's what usually kill responsiveness the more an android device age. I guess just like any old phones. Formatting the DAP every 3 years or so is gonna be the best practice for mending that.