hi-res audio

Sony SRS-X99 Wireless Hi-Res Audio Speaker Launches in India

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 4, 2016 | 2 comments

The Sony SRS-X99 wireless Hi-Res speaker has just launched in India. Having been available for many months in most other countries, the X99 provides 154 Watts of power which consist of seven speakers – two super tweeters, two front tweeters, two mid-range drivers and a built in woofer. All this is a simple way of saying that the X99 can drive a lot of power and sound pretty impressive. Music playback is a breeze with file compatibility including

MP3
WMA
AAC
WAV
FLAC
AIFF
ALAC
DSD

On the technical side, the X99 is no slouch either. Those details and price are after the jump.

Sony h.ear go Bluetooth Hi-Res Speakers Preview

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 13, 2016 | 0 comments

Leaked just prior to CES 2016, the Sony h.ear go is the company’s newest stylish Bluetooth speaker. Its very small form factor allows the h.ear go to be extremely portable while still offering a host of unique features like Hi-Res Audio support and pairing via Sony’s SonyPal app.

Sony Hi-Res 7.1 Sound Bar HT-ST9 Specs

by Sohrab Osati | May 8, 2015 | 0 comments

Earlier this week, we brought you a preview of the Sony HT-ST9 Sound Bar, the latest flagship home theater offering that supports Hi-Res Audio and 4K output among other things. As a recap, a few noteworthy features of the HT-ST9 include:

7.1 channel sound bar w/wireless subwoofer
Expand your listening with powerful multi-room capability
Coaxial left, right, and center speakers for Hi-Res sound
HDMI with HDCP 2.2 for copyright protected 4K content
Easy set up with 3 HDMI in/1 out and ARC support

If you want to know all about the premium sound bar, including audio codecs and more, the full Sony HT-ST9 specs await you after the jump.

Meet the Flagship Sony HT-ST9 Sound Bar

by Sohrab Osati | May 5, 2015 | 3 comments

With an array of new 4K televisions, including the flagship X930C and X940C with HDR, Sony is also launching a new flagship sound bar, the HT-T9. Targeted at those who want the latest in sound technology, including native support for Hi-Res sound, the HT-ST9 is capable of delivering on many fronts, thanks to its built-in 7.1 surround sound. A few more details after the jump.

Sony Sums Up Their Own Lost Decade Without Realizing It

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 2, 2015 | 6 comments

Just the other day, we reported on the Sony Premium Sound memory card for the upcoming Walkman NW-ZX2. Part of their 2015 fleet of products, the latest Walkman, priced at $1,200, is designed to offer premium sound with support for lossless music, including Hi-Res audio and noise cancelation among other premium features. Having had a chance to use one at CES 2015, I can certainly attest to its premium finish and lavish features but that on its own means little as I, like most people, could never afford such a product.

Alongside the new Walkman, Sony will also release their Premium Sound micro SDXC memory card along side the new Walkman which fetches a price of $160 for a 64GB card. For comparison, you can purchase the Sony 64GB SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 R40 Memory Card for $28 on Amazon while more premium SDXC cards fetch a higher price tag of $60. Clearly targeting the premium market, surely Sony has specific consumers in mind and is anticipating some form of demand – right?

As it turns out, not really, as even they don’t know if anybody will want them. Sony’s comment and my take on the matter after the jump.

Sony Announces ‘Premium Sound’ Memory Card

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 31, 2015 | 4 comments

Sony has announced a $160 ‘Premium Sound’ memory card because, well, f*ck it, why not. (The sheer number of headlines that have gone through my mind for this headline and the rage and problems that this represents at Sony are beyond comical). Designed to be used with the new premium Walkman NW-ZX2, which by itself fetches a $1,200 price tag and offers oodles of features like noise cancelation and native support for Hi-Res Audio, the new lossless audio format, these latest Premium Sound micro SDXC memory cards will be sold in Japan for around $160. Best part, they cost roughly 5 times the normal price of an SDXC card but surely we can expect a sound difference right?

Meet the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headphones

by Sohrab Osati | Nov 12, 2014 | 3 comments

Over the last two years it’s becoming abundantly clear that Sony believes that music is meant to be a transformative experience. Not content with tinny sounds from ear buds and MP3 files, Sony has been investing heavily in Hi-Res audio, a new format (and not propitiatory!) that’s meant to capture the equality many audio aficionados believe was lost when we transitioned to MP3. Besides needing proper hardware to support His-Res audio, something which Sony is incorporating more and more into their products like the Sony Xperia Z3, you also need Hi-Res headphones in order to truly drive home that experience when you’re on the go.

After all, it only does so much good if your device can output Hi-Res but your headphones can’t bring through the extra quality. To that end, the Sony MDR-1a Premium Hi-Res Stereo headphones exist. More after the jump.

CES 2014: Sony Delivers the Hi-Res Audio to Match 4K Video

by Jonathan Nolan | Jan 9, 2014 | 2 comments

4K video resolution might be getting all the attention at the moment but a new level of sonic brilliance is needed to accompany it. A new wave of updates to our portable media players, our HDTVs, and our home entertainment systems is incoming, and it promises to blow our socks off.

For over a year now Sony has been gathering support to raise the baseline of audio standards, particularly with the quality of music. This is more than simply rejuvenating the Walkman brand through Xperia smartphones however. It’s time that our ears enjoyed better, they tell us. Enter: high-resolution audio.

What’s hi-res audio about? Read on to find out.