About the Sony NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman
Moving portable music another step forward
Get closer to your music with the high-resolution Sony NWZ-A17SLV Walkman.
Moving portable music another step forward
My first Sony Walkman cassette player was my most prized possession. No car trip was too short to drown my pre-teen angst in the music on my well-worn tapes. Those tapes have been replaced by a huge digital music collection, and Sony has reinvented the Walkman to play all of them. Their NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman is hardly the first portable digital music player. But it's the first we've seen that combines high-resolution playback, an incredibly compact design, and a very affordable price. Most smartphones and portable players can't compete with the 'A17's rich, robust sound quality, expandable storage, and versatile playback capability. Pair it with a great set of headphones, and you may discover new life in your favorite digital tunes.
High-resolution playback offers more detailed, engaging sound
If you've got high-resolution digital music sitting on your computer, wouldn't you like a way to play them on the go? The NWZ-A17 frees those files from your hard drive, so you can take them anywhere. This player's high-resolution digital-to-analog converter can play high-res files in their native resolution — up to 24-bit/192kHz — for better-than-CD sound that offers exquisite detail and spacious sound. (You can download high-res tunes from sites like HDtracks). The 'A17 is also compatible with FLAC, Apple Lossless, and other formats. If you've got lossy MP3s, Sony's Digital Sound Enhancement Engine can help them sound fuller.
The ultra-compact NWZ-A17 Walkman offers expandable memory up to 192GB.
192GB of music in your pocket
To call the 'A17 Hi-Res Walkman "pocket-sized" may actually do it a disservice. This player is flat-out tiny, yet it can still hold lots of music. There's 64GB of built-in storage, plus a microSD card slot, which can accommodate up to a 128GB card. That gives you up to 192GB of storage — lots of room for high-resolution files as well as CD-quality files and compressed formats like MP3.
Intuitive, elegant interface
It's doubtful you'll ever need the manual to navigate the NWZ-A17's full-color interface. Transferring files on and off the player is just as easy, with drag-and-drop functionality that works without any special software. Another impressive feature is this player's extended battery life — up to 50 hours of playback! Good luck finding a smartphone or just about anything with such a powerful battery.
Bluetooth® compatible for wireless listening
If you want to listen to the NWZ-A17 wirelessly, it's easy thanks to built-in Bluetooth. Pick up a Bluetooth speaker and stream your music wirelessly from the 'A17. It's also great for use with Bluetooth headphones, for enjoying tunes without dangling cords. This player offers high-quality aptX® playback as well as one-touch NFC pairing with compatible devices.
From our Sony NWZ-A17SLV Hi-Res Walkman review:
While [Miles Davis's “Freddie Freeloader”] sounded very good on the iPod, the high-res version on the Walkman elevated the performance. There was more air around the instruments – I could really hear the musicians in the spacious Columbia Records studio in which this legendary recording was made. The bass was clearer and the dynamics were better. The moment when John Coltrane's tenor sax bursts in after Davis's solo was much more dramatic in high-res... These may sound like subtle differences. But these nuances are where much of music's magic takes place. And it's what makes high-resolution music – and the Sony Hi-Res Walkman – so exciting.
— David Brown, Crutchfield A/V Writer
FM radio, pictures, and videos, too
The NW-A17HN has a built-in digital FM tuner, so you can catch the big game, or just enjoy your favorite music station. The player can also display JPEG and PNG images. Great for showing album art, of course, but you can also use it to display your own photos. And the 'A17 can also play common video formats, such as MPEG4 and WMV 9. Pop a microSD card with some video files into the player, and you've just expanded your entertainment options.
Hi-rez audio on the road
Interested in using this high-res player in your car or truck? You'll want to check out Sony's impressive RSX-GS9 high-res digital media receiver, part of their High Resolution Audio System – a series of incredibly advanced speakers, amps, and subs optimized for high-res performance.
Product highlights:
- plays MP3, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, AIFF, WMA, and LPCM audio files
- high-resolution playback up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution
- 64GB internal flash memory
- microSD card slot allows up to 128GB additional storage (up to 192GB total memory)
- 2.25" color display with photo and video playback capability
- Bluetooth compatible with aptX encoding and NFC pairing for wireless playback with a compatible device
- LDAC Hi-Fidelity music streaming with compatible Sony wireless headphones or speaker
- Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) restores high-frequency signals to compressed digital formats like MP3 for more natural, expansive sound
- S-Master® HX digital amplification offers accurate, detailed playback of high-resolution music files
- drag-and-drop simplicity for easy transfer of files
- miniplug headphone output (3.5mm)
- side-panel volume buttons
- five-band EQ
- gapless playback for seamless transitions for live albums
- FM tuner with 30 station presets
- rechargeable battery provides up to 50 hours of playback
- USB 2.0-compliant cable included for file transfer and battery charging
- compact, aluminum casing
- 1-3/4"W x 4-3/8"H x 3/8"D
- weight: 2.4 oz.
- warranty: 1 year parts, 90 days labor
- MFR # NWZA17SLV
What's in the box:
Sony NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman owner's manual
- 64 GB Digital Media Player
- 42" USB connecting cable (Type A USB on one end and proprietary WM-PORT plug on other end)
- Quick Start Guide
- Limited Warranty sheet
- MicroSD card sheet
- Listening safety brochure
Scratch & Dent items may be missing non-essential accessories. In some cases the manufacturer's accessories have been replaced with generic equivalents.
See the difference between "Open Box" and "Scratch & Dent" Outlet items
Customer reviews for Sony NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman
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More details on the Sony NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman
Product Research
Features
Overview: The Sony NWZ-A17 is a Hi-Res Walkman digital music player, capable of playing high-resolution audio files, video files, and photographs. It also has Bluetooth Audio Streaming with NFC technology and aptX codec support. The unit features a 2.2" LCD screen with 320 x 240 pixels, and an internal 64GB flash memory. You can add even more memory by inserting a microSD card up to 128GB. It also has a built-in FM tuner.
Supported Audio Formats: The NWZ-A17 Hi-Res Walkman can support multiple digital audio formats, from CD-quality (16-bit/44kHz) through sound that is 6 times the resolution of CDs (24-bit/192kHz):
MP3 | 32-320 kbps (incl. VBR) at 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz |
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WMA | 32-192 kbps (incl. VBR) at 44.1 kHz |
AAC | 16-320 kbps (incl. VBR) at 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz |
HE-AAC | at 32-144 kbps at 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz |
FLAC | at 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz |
Linear-PCM | at 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz |
ALAC (Apple Lossless) | 16-24 bit at 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz |
AIFF | 16-24 bit at 8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz |
Supported Video and Photo Formats: The unit can playback videos as well as still photos in the following formats:
- AVCHD (H.264/AVC):
- Video: 10 Mbps bit rate, 30 fps frame rate, 720 x 480 max
- Audio: AAC-LC 2-channel, Max bit rate 288 kbps/channel at 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz
- MPEG4:
- Video: 6 Mbps bit rate, 30 fps rate, 720 x 480 max
- Audio: AAC-LC 2-channel, Max bit rate 288 kbps per channel at 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz
- WMV9:
- Video: 6 Mbps bit rate, 30 fps rate, 720 x 480 max
- Audio: WMA 32-192 kbps at 44.1 kHz
- JPEG: Photos up to 4096 x 4096 pixels (16,000,000 pixels)
Built-in Technology: The NWZ-A17 features an aluminum die-cast chassis with internal circuitry borrowed from the advanced ES home audio products. The low-impedance circuit board uses Sony high-purity lead-free solder for efficient, spacious, and natural sound. S-Master HX digital amplification, which is optimized for high-resolution audio playback, delivers a wide 20Hz-to-40kHz frequency range. DSEE HX technology puts back the high frequencies that are lost due to audio compression, and expands the audio signal's bit depth to give you clear, open sound quality.
Memory: The NWZ-A17 has a 64 GB internal memory, which is enough for about 200 high-resolution tracks (24-bit/192kHz FLAC). The unit's memory card slot will accept microSD cards up to 128 GB, giving you a total memory of 192 GB (enough for approx. 600 hi-res music files).
Bluetooth Audio Streaming: With built-in Bluetooth (version 2.1 + EDR 2.4 GHz), you can listen to your music files wirelessly on compatible devices up to 30 feet away. You can also wirelessly transfer content to and from another Bluetooth device. Devices that have the NFC (Near-Field Communication) function, can be automatically turned on, and paired with the Walkman, by simply touching the back of the Walkman to the device on the NFC logo. In the menu, you can set the wireless playback quality to prioritize either the sound quality (with aptX codec support) or the connection quality (without aptX).
FM Tuner: The NWZ-A17 has a built-in FM tuner with 30 station presets. The tuner's frequency range is 87.5 - 108.0 MHz, and the scan sensitivity can be set to High or Low. You can manually set the FM reception to Mono to improve reception. When the Auto setting is chosen, the tuner automatically selects stereo or mono reception automatically, depending upon reception conditions. You can only listen to FM radio with headphones, because the headphones serve as the antenna. The preset stations can be set automatically or manually.
Rechargeable Battery: The Walkman has a built-in Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery (960 mAh). After a 4-hour full recharging time, the unit's estimated battery life is as follows:
File Type/Activity | Bluetooth Off | Bluetooth On |
---|---|---|
MP3 (128 kbps) | 50 hours | 23 hours |
L-PCM (1411 kbps) | 51 hours | 23 hours |
FLAC (96 kHz/24-bit) | 40 hours | 16 hours |
FLAC (192 kHz/24-bit) | 30 hours | 11 hours |
MPEG-4 (384 kbps) | 14 hours | 10 hours |
FM Radio | 22 hours | N/A |
File Playback Modes: The NWZ-A17 has the following playback modes: Normal, Repeat, Shuffle, Shuffle and Repeat, Repeat 1 Song, and SensMe Channels. The SensMe Channels function automatically groups songs by theme, and plays them according to your mood, current activity, time of day, or other criteria. The songs must first be analyzed through the on-board 12 Tone Analysis, or other third party software.
Connections/System Requirements: The Walkman has two connections on the bottom of the unit: a 3.5mm stereo headphone output, and a 22-pin WM-PORT for connecting the unit to a computer using the supplied USB cable. The NWZ-A17 is compatible with computers with the following operating systems: Windows Vista SP2 (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate), Windows 7 SP1 (Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate), Windows 8 (8 and 8 Pro), Windows 8.1 (8.1 and 8.1 Pro), and Mac OS X v10.6 or later.
Home Menu: The Home Menu appears when you first turn on the unit. Through the Home Menu, you can select from the following actions: SensMe Channels, Music, Photos, Bookmark, Settings, FM Radio, Playlists, Videos, Podcasts, Bluetooth, SD Card Settings, and Go To Song Playback Screen.
AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiter System): You can activate the AVLS to limit the maximum volume to prevent auditory disturbance or distraction. When the AVLS is set to "On", you can listen to music at a comfortable volume level.
Hold: The Hold button allows you to lock and disable the controls on the player to prevent accidental commands.
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Customer Q&A
32 questions already asked
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Exelent quality sound. Tiene una exelente calidad de sonido. Lo uso para escuchar files de alta resolucion (24/92 y 24/192 ) y es exelente. It has an excellent quality of sound. I use it to listen to a lot of high resolution files (24/92 and 24/192) and it's excellent.
Manuel from Florida