[purk]

You don't think it will be better than the zx2?

I have no doubt that it will be better and if you have the fund to go for it, you should.  I just think that the money maybe better spend on a PHA-3 or a home setup.  If you absolute need to have the best portable DAP possible, I'm sure the WM1 will be one of that candidate.  I am speaking from experience that a dedicated desktop system can sound quite a good bit better at the same price point.

 

[warrior1975]

I agree, unfortunately most of my listening is spent being mobile. Even in my office, I float around. I have 2 offices that I use. One I share with my business partner and one that is exclusively mine, which I rarely ever use. I spend most of my time on my sales floor, sitting at a conference desk, overlooking my employees. I've wanted a real desktop setup for a while, just not sure how much I'll use it. At home, not really an option either right now.

 

[leylandi]

New flagship headphone!

 

[warrior1975]

Anymore info on that phone?

 

[purk]

I don't think the flagship will be closed design and not open as shown in that picture.

 

[warrior1975]

I don't think the flagship will be closed design and not open as shown in that picture.

You mean it will be closed?

 

[gearofwar]

  Sony will not sell a Dap that high ...just impossible for sony to do that it will be between the $600 - $900 mark guaranteed

Nope, if they sell it at that price, it's no different than ditching, disrupting their entire ZX line. With balance output , better design, I can only see it goes around at least $1500-2000. Someone mentioned it around that range seems to make sense. The market for audiophile is growing and Sony knows there would be people willing to spend for such price. (it's not uncommon price for high-end daps these days)

 

[gerelmx1986]

Remember when iPods used to cost $500 and people would buy them

 

[nanaholic]

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.

 

[warrior1975]

nanaholic I think you are 100% correct. I know lots of people with money that buy things because they are more expensive, therefore are "better". I'm guilty of doing it myself as well. I bought the ak240 just for that reason alone. I couldn't hear a difference between that and the ak120ii at the time, but wanted the "best".

 

[purk]

Remember folks, you can buy a Headamp GS-X MKII for around $3000.  I used to own one and the look and build quality are out of this world good.  Of course, I understand that we have different priority.

 

[nanaholic]

The fact that this DAP is going to be announced in China tells me one thing - they are aiming this at the typical Asian head-fier market where most people don't spend a lot of time at home and their usual place of enjoying music is during commute on public transports, in the office, or at cafes. 
 
So yeah, the fact that you can get a Headamp GS-X for 3 grand is completely moot because the priorities are different - because that's like telling someone they can get a kickass top of the line gaming desktop PC when what they want is a portable laptop.

 

[purk]

  The fact that this DAP is going to be announced in China tells me one thing - they are aiming this at the typical Asian head-fier market where most people don't spend a lot of time at home and their usual place of enjoying music is during commute on public transports, in the office, or at cafes. 
 
So yeah, the fact that you can get a Headamp GS-X for 3 grand is completely moot because the priorities are different - because that's like telling someone they can get a kickass top of the line gaming desktop PC when what they want is a portable laptop.

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.

 

[gerelmx1986]

lets see what sony brings in the WM1 series if there would be two models under this lets wait and see pricing, bet one will be lowered pricing thn hte other

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

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...