Thermos audio wasn't the only idea Sony Japan introduced this week; there's also the company's glossy new speaker docks, the NAS-V5 and NAS-V7M, whose intense reflection make us remember that time mom told us never to stare at the sun. Unfortunately, NAS doesn't stand for
Network Attached Storage here, but the ¥50,000 (about $535) NAS-V7M
does have 16GB of internal memory onto which you can
rip audio CDs with a single touch, and both it and the ¥40,000 ($428) NAS-V5 have internal WiFi that'll have your Japanese counterparts pumping
internet radio jingles from Shoutcast, vTuner, your PC and anything else with a compatible wireless audio stream when they hit Akihabara on June 26. They both feature 32-bit DSPs for what we can only guess will be crisp, clean audio quality, have all the standard AM-FM radio features you've come to expect, and include an AUX jack and a powered USB port. Oh, and lest we forget amidst all the bedside table aural goodness -- they're also Walkman docks. Hear a deep, soothing Japanese voice explain why you need one, after the break.
posted April 9th 2010 2:40AM
16GB is way too low for storage to rip audio onto. I would need at least 100GB for my current collection, much less future rips....also at what bitrate is the music ripped?
Its just too expensive, for too few features.
Any idea if it supports my Zune HD?
@DavidMcGuigan
Support meaning USB/display integration, rather than just running the sound through the aux.
@DavidMcGuigan WM-port != Zune port. Besides, why would Sony support a device that is not even being sold in Japan?
@pika2000
The post says it has a powered USB port. The end of a Zune HD adapter is USB. My car has a USB port in the center console that lets you control your MP3 player with the steering wheel and shows song and browsing information on the sound system screen ( integrates!!! ). And Sony would support other devices because they're not Apple and aren't out to date rape your wallet in every single way imaginable, just a few.
@DavidMcGuigan Wow, butthurt much? Or do you just want to say Apple in a Sony thread? The Zune doesn't have mass storage mode. All current Sony Walkmen are mass storage devices.
@pika2000
I kind of did. I'm pretty butthurt over the whole Apple Adobe thing today.
Apple Apple Apple. Hold your tongue and say Apple ( sounds like Steve Jobs ).
PS your mom is a mass storage device. OOHHHHHH SHHHHIIIIIIIIIIINNAAPPP.
that price is ludacris !
What? It rips CDs only at 2x? Well, at least there's an option to rip to 256kbps MP3 (which is kinda surprising, I was thinking it would be Atrac, or AAC).
Not sure if this is going to sell though (even in Japan). It would be better if Sony skip the CD drive and sell it for cheaper.
If it had a optical out I'd get it - it's pretty enough as a CD and mp3 transport.
Holy crap, this thing makes Bang & Olufessen design look bad!
@spaz1
And their prices look silly high.
...oh, wait.
@spaz1
In all honesty, B&O's devices are becoming quite ugly. the only ones I would buy are their speakers which are their main products anyway.
At first glance, I thought it was a new fancy dishwasher... Now that I know what it is, I actually wish it was a dishwasher. Probably be of more use.
300 mp3 @ 128kbps, Wired and wireless lan, crisp sound, bass, low center of gravity, rip CD into walkman directly. that's all I can remember.
They've gone plaid. (too obscure?)
And what happens if it's unable to retrieve info for the CD you're trying to rip? How many touches would it take to get the song titles right?
I liked the first time this came out, when it was called the BeoSound 1 by Bang and Olufsen.
http://www.bang-olufsen.com/beosound1
Love the design, but at what price? I mean the sound is the thing - right?
I have the B&O twin of this thing .. and I have to say .. If the audio is even close to the B&O (which I doubt, because it's pretty amazing and not cheap to reproduce), this is a winner and a very hopeful look at where Sony's designs are headed. Gorgeous.
I totally disagree about the price being too high. This seems like a bargain to me. I'm tired of not having any higher end options because people want it all for no money. You may have forgotten, but a decent stereo system (a real one, with proper speakers and amplifiers with big caps and transformers) can easily cost over a thousand dollars- just to get your foot in the door. So $500 and change for a spanking compact setup is right on par. I say stop buying so much garbage, save your money and make better choices. You get what you pay for. Most of the time, anyway.