Full Metal Jacket. Size Small.
Written: Aug 19 '04 (Updated Sep 24 '04)
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Pros: Titanium exterior, tiny, light, battery life, ATRAC3plus doubles music capacity
Cons: Mandatory ATRAC3 conversion, opening device for Memory Stick slot is flimsy
The Bottom Line: This Walkman is an athlete's best option, but required ATRAC3 conversion takes off a star from the overall score.
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| babyeddy7's Full Review: Sony Network Walkman NW-MS9 (64 MB) MP3 Player |
If you prefer to carry all of your music on one device, I recommend the NW-HD1. Please read my review.
One size never fits all. The trend in portable music may be to store entire collections, but hard drive-based audio players are inadequate for many athletes. They are big, heavy, brittle and constant shock kills the already poor battery life. Fortunately for active people there are many flash-based Walkmans. And the NW-MS90D, an upgraded NW-MS70D, is the best I’ve ever used. It is very small, very light, has consistent battery life and is the only music device made entirely of titanium.
Look & Feel
I purchased a special Japanese version of the NW-MS90D. There is a $50 premium for the import, but I couldn’t resist its sultry black coating and matching earbud headphones. Style-wise, the Walkman is the opposite of the iPod-subtle, professional and grown up. Aside from Qualia 017, which I am much anticipating, the NW-MS90D is the most sophisticated and handsome device ever crafted. The international silver model is great as well. Design of the unit is a unique combination of a simple retro body flanked by futuristic looking controls. A glowing blue backlight completes the cybernetic style. I love the subtle engraved Sony logo. Also critical to this Walkman's appeal is its small size, three sticks of Orbit gum side by side. Even among flash-based memory players, that form factor is small.
The Walkman’s titanium shell is smooth and anodized. Good craftsmanship is definitely the NW-MS90D’s hallmark; everything feels solid. Compared to other electronics it feels like a Mercedes-Benz.
Ease of Use
As you can see, I’m more concerned with good form than good function. Sony Walkmans have a mediocre ease of use reputation because of mandatory ATRAC3 conversion. If you want to playback MP3s, CD tracks and WMA files on the device, SonicStage is required. This has long been Sony’s Achilles heel, as most audio devices accept all formats upfront. It’s not that the process is difficult or that it restricts any music, it only takes extra time. An average song takes 10 seconds to become an ATRAC3 file. After that, it is wise to delete the original file to save space.
Ease of use on the actual device fares better, and all controls are placed ergonomically. On the left is a volume control knob. On the right is shuttle switch that controls play, stop, rewind and fast forward. To turn the unit on and begin play, just push the button down. If you want to stop play, push down again. Rotate the shuttle switch in one direction to access the next song and the opposite direction to access the previous song. The display can be backlit in two colors (blue or green) for easy readability. Like previous Network Walkmans the user will be able to control the unit effortlessly, even in complete darkness.
A technology called the GROUP function, which has been adopted for Sony’s Net MD Walkmans, is available with the MS90D. With an increased capacity of 512MB, managing all your tracks won’t be easy. Sony’s GROUP function categorizes songs into separate groups (artist/album/genre) for seamless maneuverability.
Uploading to the Walkman is accomplished through a USB 2.0-equipped cradle. Transfer speed has improved significantly, with each song taking about three seconds.
Storage & Sound Quality
There is one major upside to the ATRAC3plus format. I don’t know how Sony does it, but ATRAC3plus at 64kbps sounds better than MP3 tracks at 128kbps. This means that twice as much music can be stored without sacrificing sound quality, theoretically doubling capacity. If you can get over 1 GB of storage on this 512 MB Walkman, why wouldn't you? At 64kbps, the bit rate I recommend, the NW-MS90D can store about 325 tracks. Add Memory Stick Duos (not included) and the NW-MS90D has infinite capacity.
Like all high end Walkmans, this comes with very good earbud headphones. Sound quality and bass is excellent, though comfort is mediocre. The Japanese model comes with a special edition of the MDR-EX51, which cancels most noise and delivers brilliant bass.
Bass and treble can be adjusted for ideal customization.
Durability
As mentioned earlier, the Walkman is very well constructed. Titanium wraps the entire device, so it is as strong as stainless steel and 45% lighter. It feels like a solid German car. This is the NW-MS90D's unique characteristic. Just like the NW-MS70D before it, only violent shock will leave scratches. I can't imagine how anyone could break the device. The door covering the Memory Stick Duo slot is the only flimsy part.
Battery Life
Knowing that battery life is proportional to size and that flash-based Walkmans are small, expectations are low. But because there are no moving parts in such devices, playback time is usually very long. Sony invented VME circuitry, which helps the NW-MS90D consume very little energy. The battery lasts an incredible 32 hours. And unlike devices with moving parts, battery life does not fluctuate when the unit is turned on.
The charging cradle restores the battery to full capacity in about four hours.
Accessories & System Requirements
Bundled with the NW-MS90D you’ll find SonicStage music management software (version 2.1), lightweight earbud headphones (short cord), USB cable, AC power adaptor, neck strap, charging/data transfer cradle and instruction manual.
IBM PC/AT or compatible
OS: Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional
CPU: MMX Pentium 450MHz or higher
RAM: 128MB or higher
Hard Disc Drive Space: 260MB or more
CD-ROM Drive (with Audio CD playback capability)
Sound card
Internet access
USB port
Display: 16 bit color, resolution 800 x 480
Conclusion
It is a fitting year for the athletic trend to return to electronics. The NW-MS90D takes music offroad where most hard drive-based players cannot perform.
Purchasing
International models (silver) retail for $399 and the black Japanese version is about $50 more. This high price makes it a product for only true enthusiasts. Visit SonyStyle.com or a Sony Style store in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston or Boston to purchase.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 449
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym
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babyeddy7
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Member: Derek
Location: New York City
Reviews written: 21
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