• New.A Walkman that costs 440 euros: this is the strangest product from Sony

Sony is still determined that music must be listened to with care, that's why it is one of the few great technologies that continues to make record players and music players, which they continue to call Walkman, as they never stopped calling themselves.

The Walkman A105 has Android 9, a battery for up to 35 hours of use and also a touch screen, but its only function (unless you are an indecent person and install games or other apps) is to play music at higher quality standards than the typical MP3 that we all remember. On its side, five buttons to turn the screen on or off, play music or increase the volume; and a switch, to lock the device and that no accidental touch stops the music.

It is a simple concept to which Sony puts a 'premium' label of 350 euros, something that unfortunately betrays the usefulness of the device a little since there are mobiles that you can buy to give them a similar use, although they will never be so small or have a finish as refined as this Walkman.

All the formats it plays

Drop down

  • MP3 (.mp3): 32 Kbps - 320 Kbps (variable bit rate [VBR] compatible) / 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz,
  • WMA (.WMA): 32Kbps - 192Kbps (Variable Bit Rate [VBR] Compatible) / 44.1kHz,
  • FLAC (.flac): 16-bit, 24-bit / 8-384 kHz, WAV (.WAV): 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit (floating / integrated) / 8-384 kHz,
  • AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .3gp): 16-320 Kbps / 8-48 kHz,
  • HE-AAC (.mp4, .m4a, .3gp): 32-144 kbps / 8-48 kHz,
  • Apple Lossless (.mp4, .m4a): 16 bit, 24 bit / 8-384 kHz,
  • AIFF (.aif, .aiff, .afc, .aifc): 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit / 8-384 kHz,
  • DSD (.dsf, .dff): 1 bit / 2.8224 MHz, 5.6448 MHz, 11.2896 MHz
  • APE (.ape): 8 bit, 16 bit, 24 bit / 8-192 kHz (fast, normal, high),
  • MQA (.mqa, .flac)

The name thing is not a dick, by the way. Not only because Sony has the right to use that name with whatever it wants, which is something for its brand; but because the A105 pays tribute to the legendary cassette players with wallpapers that imitate the movement of the tapes (and that change to different models according to the quality of the music played) and because it includes a cover so that, seen by an inexperienced eye , the player really looks like a Walkman from the year 79.

I wish it also included 'retro' headphones, but this I understand is almost counterproductive. Especially when there are helmets as good as the WH-H910N that Sony lent me to test their Walkman. They need better names for their headphones, but at least their sound quality is fantastic. They are available in colors and are a somewhat cheaper alternative to the legendary WH-1000xm3: they have sound cancellation, they are wireless and their battery lasts up to 35 hours. And they are obviously compatible with high sound quality formats.

The only downside I can think of for the Walkman A105, beyond its price, is that you have to bother getting the music, something that we are no longer used to today. Although listening in FLAC format is a delight and it shows a lot, the truth is that buying music and copying it to a microSD card is something that no longer fits my way of consuming it.

Fortunately, you can install Spotify or other music streaming apps on your Walkman, but this goes a bit against its spirit as a high-quality player and as an alternative to mobile use. But it's good to know it's there.

Whether you are looking for a way to listen to your favorite music regardless of the notifications and inconveniences of the mobile or in higher quality formats that the mobile phones do not always support, the Walkman A105 is a good choice in both cases. It is expensive, without a doubt, and I don't know if I would pay it as my listening habits have changed; but I'm sure there's an audience out there for him.

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