Portable Audio Player

Portable Audio Player

Portable Audio Player
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High quality parts

Exploded structural view of the NW-WM1AM3, revealing internal chassis and shielding parts

Aluminium milled main chassis and OFC rear chassis.

The rigid, milled aluminium-alloy frame combines with a new press-formed and direct gold plated OFC rear chassis. Together they provide an impressive foundation for stable, premium quality sound, and resistance from noise and interference. Enjoy clear, powerful bass, an expansive soundstage, and detailed mid to treble frequencies for a beautiful, lingering resonance.

Direct-coupled structure for exceptional ground stability

The main chassis and rear chassis are fastened directly to the structure with screws. This ensures a more stable ground, resulting in a smooth, extended high-frequency response.
Macro shot of S-Master™ HX digital ampifier on the NW‑WM1AM3 PCB

Faithful sound reproduction

S-Master™ HX digital amp technology, independently developed for Walkman®, is compatible with the Native DSD format, and supports balanced and high power output.

Furthermore, we have developed an advanced look-ahead noise shaper that predicts and responds to quantization noise in advance, thereby improving D/A conversion performance. It responds quickly to sudden changes in sound, producing powerful, energetic bass and clear, fast sound. The WM1AM3 features three selectable look-ahead types.

S-master HX icon

A powerful power supply

Great sound starts with dependable power. Our meticulously engineered supply features premium components, including a second large solid high polymer capacitor and hand-soldered OFC wiring.

Dual large solid high polymer capacitors

Large solid high polymer capacitors provide the power reserves needed to respond to sudden changes in power demand. Inheriting the design philosophy of the DMP-Z1, dedicated capacitors are assigned to both the digital and audio sections. This enables noise generated in the digital circuitry to be absorbed within its own block, minimizing its impact on the audio circuitry.

The result is powerful and accurate bass sound and clearer, crisper vocals.

Detailed shot of filter components with dual large solid high polymer capacitorson
Circuit board detail showing hand-soldered OFC cables

Audio power directly supplied via an OFC cable

Hand-soldered OFC cables further enhance sound quality, ensuring a cleaner power path, minimising circuit board noise and delivering greater delicacy, power, and a wider soundstage.
Detailed shot of noise LDO regulator

Ultra-low noise LDO regulator

A high-current power IC ensures stable power supply, enabling the S‑Master to perform at its full potential. This eliminates switching noise and interference, delivering clear, powerful audio quality with music signals produced by the high-definition power supply.

FT CAP3 (High polymer capacitor)

Custom-made for Sony and tuned by Sony engineers, FT CAP3 is adopted for all bypass capacitors in the audio block power supply. Drawing on know-how cultivated in high-end home audio development, it has helped to improve sound expression and create a smoother sound, with a wider sound space, more transparency, and tighter bass.
Close‑up of the main audio circuit board with FT CAP3 (High polymer capacitor)

OFC milled block

An OFC milled block covers the digital block, helping both to strengthen digital ground and improve noise shielding from digital block elements such as the application processor and memory devices. The result is a clearer sound that appears to rise up from silence.
OFC milled block for NW‑WM1AM3
Macro photograph of High Polymer capacitors

High polymer capacitors

The high polymer capacitors within the WM1AM3 are used to strengthen the power supply of the amp block for unbalanced output, enhancing low-range reproduction performance for a more expansive listening experience.
High‑magnification view of film capacitors

Film capacitors

High quality film capacitors deliver voltage with a linear response across frequencies, resulting in reduced distortion and noise.
The internal winding inductors on the circuit board of NW‑WM1AM3

Winding inductors

Replacing the conventional laminated capacitor, winding inductors in the digital block power supply contribute to a pure sound. 

Manufactured for sound perfection

Not only have we upgraded a number of parts, but we have also optimised our component layout in order to further improve the sound quality of the WM1AM3.

OFC large coil for balanced output

To supply the optimum balanced output signal from the digital amp, a larger, High-purity 4N copper coil is used as the L-C filter. By incorporating flat conductive wire, we‘ve achieved lower distortion and lower resistance, which creates an improved sound resolution across all frequencies. Now the sound feels clearer and more detailed than before.
Partial view of the NW‑WM1AM3 amplifier circuit board with OFC large coil

Oxygen-free copper cable

A low-resistance oxygen-free copper (OFC) cable offers low distortion and superior channel separation.
An image of the OFC cable

Crystal oscillators

Two compact low-phase-noise crystal oscillators ensure precision clock stability at sampling rate multiples of 44.1kHz and 48kHz. The crystal electrode piece is formed with gold vapour deposition for enhanced electric characteristics and improved instrumental separation. This helps remove a veil and reduce noise to realise clear, open sound reproduction.
Close‑up of two compact low-phase-noise crystal oscillators on the NW‑WM1AM3 circuit board

Fine Sound Resistor

The surface mounted Fine Sound Resistor ensures even, effective distribution of power to the circuit components, for consistent sound quality.
An image of the Fine Sound Register
Close‑up of eflow solder containing gold on the NW‑WM1AM3 bare circuit board

Reflow solder containing gold

The WM1AM3 uses reflow solder containing gold, and it features extensively across the circuit board surface - so the overall effect is significant, including improved sound localisation and a wider sound space
An image if the high quality solder containing gold

High quality solder containing gold

'The exceptional conductivity of gold ensures absolute minimum signal loss. For clearer sound and vocals, a premium, audio-grade lead-free solder with a small amount of gold connects the circuit of the WM1AM3 to the battery.

Micro‑section comparison showing optimised circuit trace structure for NW‑WM1AM3

Low dielectric circuit board and filled via

The printed circuit board uses 10 layers of low dielectric materials to ensure accurate signal transmission, while the via holes are filled with copper to further reduce impedance. The result is a wide sound space with clear, bright sound.

[A] Normal via  [B] Filled via

Optimised circuit board layout

By dividing the Audio block (highlighted in red) and the Power/Digital block (in blue), the circuit board layout has been optimised to ensure sound quality is unaffected by digital interference.
Side‑by‑side layout comparison of revised circuit boards for NW‑WM1AM3
Top‑section shot of Sony NW‑WM1AM3 with two headphone output sockets

Balanced connection

The WM1AM3 features a balanced plug, designed for the Ø4.4mm balanced connection cable. This separates left and right sound signals, while minimising signal transmission loss and resulting sound deterioration. 

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