Sony Walkman NW-ZX707 is the one for the purists!

By Aman RashidAh, those were the days! I have vivid memories of rocking out with my dad’s Sony Walkman back in the 2000s. That portable cassette player was such a hit and looked incredibly cool. It wasn’t just about enjoying music; owning a Walkman became a fashion statement too.

Now, fast forward 23 years later, and guess what? I stumbled upon a Sony Walkman once again, but this time it comes with a modern twist. It’s the Sony Walkman NW-ZX707, the company’s latest high-end portable media player. But before I delve into my thoughts on this new Walkman and whether it’s worth considering, I’ve got to address something – Sony, please work on your product naming game!

Alright, now let’s talk about the Sony Walkman NW-ZX707 and whether it’s a gadget worth your attention.

Exquisite build, premium design

Alright, let’s dive into this Walkman ZX707, but hold up! Let’s get one thing clear right off the bat. This device is for the purists, the folks who want to enjoy their music in the best possible way. So, if you’re just a casual listener, then this hefty price tag of Rs 74,990 is gonna make you question your sanity. Seriously, who splurges that much on a music-only device?

Now, as for me, I’ve been having a blast with the Walkman ZX707. Paired with my trusty Sennheiser IE200 earphones, it’s like I’ve rediscovered my love for music all over again. But hey, before we get into the audio experience, let’s take a moment to appreciate the stunning design and build of this Walkman.

First impressions? It’s a solid chunk of premium goodness in your hand. The back sports a gorgeous textured leather finish, complete with the iconic Walkman logo. The frame is all aluminum, adding that extra touch of luxury and weight. And since it’s a Walkman, all the music controls are conveniently located on the right side. So, when you’re on the go, you don’t need to fish the device out of your pocket. You know exactly where the buttons are, making it easy to play, pause, adjust the volume, and all that jazz. Oh, and there’s a handy hold button too, preventing those annoying accidental presses.

Up top, you’ll find the standard 3.5mm audio jack, along with a 4.4mm jack for the ultimate wired audio experience on a portable player. And guess what? They even threw in an SD card slot for expandable storage. Though there’s already 64GB onboard, if you’re someone who likes to store a ton of high-res tracks, you’ll definitely need that extra space. Of course, you can always opt for online music streaming services like Tidal or Deezer if that’s your thing.

So, yeah, the Walkman ZX707 has got some serious hardware chops. But now, let’s get into the juicy part — the audio experience.

Music to my ears, literally!

Oh, you won’t believe the audio experience I had with the Walkman ZX 707! Personally, I’ve been diving into Lossless music on Apple Music, and let me tell you, it’s been totally worth it. And to deliver that superb audio experience, Sony has decked out the ZX 707 with some impressive hardware. It’s got a large solid high-end capacitor, a high polymer capacitor, and they’ve even used Oxygen-free copper. All these fancy additions mean one thing – the ZX 707 can pump out clean audio with an expansive sound stage.

Now, the first thing I did before diving into my Apple Music playlist was to enable Lossless Audio from the settings. And let me tell you, listening to tracks on the Walkman ZX 707 has been an absolute joy. Sure, there are some really great TWS earbuds out there that support the LDAC codec on high-end phones, and the audio quality is superb. But trust me, nothing beats the combination of High-Res Audio and high-quality wired earphones on the Walkman ZX 707. It’s like music to my ears, literally!

By the way, you also get the Walkman app for storing offline music, which is pretty neat. And there’s even a sound adjustment app that lets you fine-tune the music quality for the best possible output. So, you have plenty of control over your audio experience.

Speaking of which, let me tell you, the Walkman ZX707 has been an absolute game-changer for me when it comes to listening to music. I can’t even begin to express how blown away I am by the audio quality. You see, I’m a huge fan of Indi-Pop and Bollywood music, and let me paint a picture for you. Imagine loving a song that you hear on your TWS earbuds or in your car. Now, picture that same song sounding even more magical on the Walkman ZX 707. It’s like experiencing the song in its purest form, capturing the tiniest details that you didn’t even know existed. The highs are crisp, the mids are clear, and the lows have this incredible depth to them.

I wish I could find the right words to describe it, but honestly, I’m overwhelmed by the experience. There are certain tracks by artists like KK, such as “Mere Bina Main” or “Zara sa dil mein de jagah tu,” which are known for their reverb-dominated sound. Trust me, these tracks sound absolutely amazing on the ZX707. And it’s not just KK; songs by Atif Aslam, Amit Trivedi, and many other artists sound incredible too. I haven’t enjoyed music this much in such a long time, and ending my nights with the Walkman ZX 707 has become a delightful ritual for me.

Now, here’s something worth mentioning. The Walkman ZX 707 doesn’t come with built-in speakers. I get it, the device is primarily intended for enjoying music with headphones but considering the price tag, I feel like Sony could have thrown in a pair of stereo speakers. It would have been a nice addition.

As for the battery life, it’s pretty average. In my usage, which involves about 2 hours of daily music playback, along with some occasional use of Chrome and YouTube, the ZX 707 lasts me around 2 days on a single charge. It’s not bad, but it’s not outstanding either. I would say this is the only drawback of the device. If you’re a moderate user, you’ll have to charge it every 2 days, and with heavy usage, it might even need daily charging. Despite the battery life limitation, I must say the Walkman ZX 707 is a thing of beauty that has truly transformed my music-listening experience.

Summing up

Long story short, the Sony Walkman NW ZX 707 is definitely not your everyday device that appeals to everyone. I mean, let’s be real here, would I personally spend Rs 69,990 on an Android-powered music player just to enjoy high-quality audio? Honestly, probably not. Unless, of course, I had a whole lot of money to spare or if I considered myself a hardcore audiophile. You see, when it comes to listening to audio and reviewing audio products, I consider myself to be on an intermediate level. And even at that level, I can truly appreciate what the Walkman ZX707 brings to the table. I can only imagine the sheer joy this device would bring to a true-blue audiophile who lives and breathes top-notch audio quality.

So, to sum it all up, the Walkman NW-ZX707 is a device that caters to a specific audience. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who value and appreciate the highest quality audio experience, this Walkman is a gem.