Portable Digital Audio Players

The Absolute Sound:

Product of the Year Awards:
Portable Digital Audio Players

Astell & Kern KANN

SONY NM-WM1Z

Earned our Product of the Year title for 2017

Reviewer Steven Stone concluded that the KANN
can be used successfully with a wide number of products.

In this regard, it is an ideal choice for someone who already
owns a plethora of cans.
He also concluded that sonically the KANN is fully capable of
being, in Astell&Kern’s words, that “one player to rule them
all.”
The KANN plays everything, handles every headphone
in Steven Stone’s large stable, sounds fabulous with each,
and is a joy to use.
What more can you ask from a TAS Product of the Year winner?

SONY NM-WM1Z

Sony has been creating cost-no-object “flagship” components
since early in its history.
The Sony NW-WM1Z portable player represents Sony’s
latest top-echelon portable audio device.
While not for everyone, the NW-WM1Z embodies several unique
technical accomplishments that make it special and noteworthy.

The NW-WM1Z, while compact, cannot be considered lightweight
at 455 grams.
The reason for its weight is its chassis, which is carved from
a single ingot of oxygen-free copper, then coated in 99.7%
gold inside and out.

If reviewer Steven Stone’s only arbiter of overall value were
sound quality, he would have to rate the NW-WM1Z
the best portable player he’s heard.

If you factor in portability, flexibility, and options
for inputs and outputs, the NW-WM1Z has some limitations.

But if sound quality is what you care about most, the NW-WM1Z
is the one for you.