Sony’s Xperia flagships is always something we look forward to. Since its rebirth, the Xperia 1 brand is a household name for those who wants a unique flagship that is completely different from the ones you see in the regular stores. If you noticed, the Xperia 1 smartphone has never really been sold via the network carriers. They are sold almost exclusively by retail partners and Sony flagship stores. That is only one reason why the Xperia 1 series smartphones are so unique.
Another thing that really sets the Xperia 1 series devices is also its design. It is a very distinctive and classic design; one that has not changed over its 5 generation of flagship smartphone. Yes, it is in its 5th generation now, hence the ‘V’ in its name. The design is not only classic though, but also functional, timeless, and rather unique for a market that focuses so much on curved and rounded edges. While it might look like an uncomfortable piece of slab in your hands, it is surprisingly one of the most intuitive shapes you might find in the industry. It also feels industrial, we admit.
As industrial as it feels, the device does come packing a lot of power. It is not built for the masses though; you can feel it when you first pick up the device. The device is made for those who are in the know, who wants function over form, who wants their smartphone to be a complete extension of themselves and their lifestyle. It is made for content creators and professionals. The new one, the mark V, might just be another game changer.
Same Old Shell, But Better Internals
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The Xperia 1V, as we might have expected, shares mostly the same look as the older Xperia 1 devices. It is a rectangular slab with hard edges all around. The design, as we mentioned as well, is timeless, classic. But for Sony, looks is rather secondary; it is function over form and that is where the Sony Xperia 1V might appeal to you, it does to us anyway.
We do have to start with the boring stuff though. It comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen2 platform, the most powerful mobile integrated chip you can find on an Android smartphone today. Of course, it goes without saying that the Sony Xperia 1V also comes with 5G thanks to the platform. Alongside the powerful System on a Chip (SoC) is 12GB RAM for better multitasking experience. You get up to 512GB of storage too, for all the photos and videos you are going to be taking with the Xperia 1V. If that is not enough, the Xperia 1V also comes with a dedicated MicroSD expansion slot, a pleasant welcome for modern flagships.
Out the front though is an Xperia special. This is still one of the only flagship smartphones in the industry to pack a 4K resolution display. Measuring in at 6.5-inch, you get an OLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz for that extra smooth feel on your interface and games. Entertainment is in Sony’s blood, so they also outfitted the Xperia 1V with some low-noise speakers for the best-in-class audio performance. They even have a “Game Enhancer” mode that is supposed to improve gaming performance on the device itself and even allow players to stream their games on YouTube without additional hardware.
The Exmor T for Mobile – The Game Changer
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
This device is made for the content creators though. It packs a brand-new innovation from the camera division. It packs Sony’s latest Exmor T sensor for mobile. While it is not quite a 1-inch sensor, the newly developed sensor for mobile platforms is clever. It is a stacked CMOS image sensor with 2-layer Transistor Pixel. What that means for users is that the newly developed sensor is supposed to offer better low-light performance than ever before. It is also a much faster sensor offering higher levels of detail than older mobile camera sensor technologies. They also claim that the new sensor offers photos with less noise and dynamic range closer to what you can get out of a full-frame system. On top of the Exmor T for mobile 48-Megapixels sensor is a 24mm Zeiss lens with T* coating for less distortion and better clarity. There is also a 16mm 12-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and another telephoto lens with 12-Megapixel sensor behind it. The unique thing about the telephoto lens though is that it offers an optical zoom between 85-125mm (3.5x-5.2x).
One big thing about the Xperia 1V is also the improvement of the S-Cinetone colour gamut. The S-Cinetone colour gamut can be considered a cinematographer favourite when it comes to shooting contents. With the Xperia 1V, S-Cinetone for mobile has been improved to offer better skin tones and offer more cinematic footages even before a comprehensive colour grading work. Since the new sensor offers better colour and detail performance, you also get enhanced saturation over the older smartphone. Of course, the low-light performance of the sensors helps with S-Cinetone too.
Thanks to Real-time tracking and Eye AF functions, the Sony Xperia 1V is a powerful tool for video and photo work when you really have nothing else to work with. If you are too lazy to post process your photos or videos, the smartphone also offers colour presets in Creative Look mode. When you need it to, the Sony Xperia 1V can capture photos at up 30 frames per second while tracking moving objects rather accurately. For vloggers reviewing products, there is a Product Showcase setting that forces the camera to focus more on the product on hand over the reviewer’s face. There is also a new voice priority mic within the camera that ensures that the creator’s voice is clearly heard in every situation.
Battery – Still As Big, But Better and Longer-Lasting
Source: Sony
Of course, for the Xperia 1V to be an extension of yourself, you need it to work an entire day and probably even more. The 5,000mAh battery within the classic body ensures that you have at least 20 hours of battery life even when you play videos at 4K the entire time. It also supports fast-charging technology so you can fully charge your device in just about an hour. With some new technologies and know-how, Sony has managed to improve the battery lifespan of the battery, which means that battery life anxiety might not be a thing for the Xperia 1V for years to come.
Price and Availability
The Sony Xperia 1V is not known for its colour options. It comes in three colour options still – Black, Khaki Green, and Platinum Silver. While some markets are getting the device in June, Sony Malaysia has confirmed that Malaysia will get the Sony Xperia 1V treatment on the 3rd of July 2023 onward. Sony Malaysia has also confirmed that the Sony Xperia 1V will be priced at MYR 6,399 onward. More on the Sony Xperia 1V can be found on their website.
Sony is a world-famous brand when it comes to audio gear. They make all sorts of audio solutions for all kinds of uses. They have the WH-1000X series of headphones for consumer level high-end noise-cancelling headphones. They make the MDR Z series headphones for audiophiles. If you prefer in-ear earphones, there is the WF-1000X series for consumers looking for the best truly wireless listening experience. You also have the IER series earphones if you prefer a wired audiophile solution. They do not stop at headphones though, they make vinyl players, portable media players, speakers, home theaters, recorders, and even microphones. They are also some of the biggest name in audio specific production work.
For years, the benchmark for studio and production monitoring has been Sony’s MDR-7506 over ear headphones. In fact, Sony’s MDR series monitoring headphones have been setting the standard in studio level monitoring equipment for more than three decades. Now, there is a new one – the MDR MV1.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Unlike the MDR-7506, the MDR-MV1 offers an open-back design. That means you can expect more natural and cleaner audio response from the headphones, an advantage over closed back designs. Open back headphones also usually offer a more accurate sound reproduction with a wider sound stage, allowing for better and more accurate mixes. There is a small problem of ambient noise though, since there is nothing stopping noise from outside from coming in.
Apart from that accuracy, the MDR-MV1 also offers spatial sound capabilities. For Sony, their spatial sound algorithm is 360 Reality Audio. You can technically use the headphones to mix for Apple’s Spatial Audio and other surround sound implementations. With Hi-Res resolution compatibility, the MDR-MV1 offers a broad depth of monitoring capabilities allowing you to mix all kinds of music accurately. The headphones offer frequency responses between 5Hz all the way to 80kHz, which is more than wide enough for all kinds of sounds, even if you sit in a foley studio instead of a music recording studio.
Unlike older designed Sony MDR monitoring headphones, the MDR-MV1 offers a detachable AUX cable. You can technically use other similar cables, but why would you want to when Sony offers a highly durable high-quality cable with machined connectors. They also re-engineered their earpads with softer materials that is also lightweight so that you can work for much longer without taking off the headphones or hurting your neck and head.
Sony C-80
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Alongside the MDR-MV1 open back monitoring headphone Sony also launched a new microphone made mostly for home recording and podcasts, the Sony C-80.
Sony’s C-80 is not the first microphone Sony makes. They have the C-100 and C-800G, both are aimed at recording studios mostly. The C-80 is more made for prosumers and hobbyist looking to have a professional grade gear in their homes.
The C-80 offers the best of both the C-100 and C-800G microphones. The capsule is derived from the C-100 while the shock-proof two-part metallic body is derived from the C-800G. They also innovated with something they call “Noise Elimination Construction” that prevents the mic from picking up noise from the body’s vibration itself offering a much cleaner sound almost free of noise while recording.
The C-80, like the mics that came before, is made mostly for vocal recordings. That does not mean that you cannot use it for anything other than vocal recording. You can technically use it for recording instruments like guitars. It is also a condenser, so you want to make sure you have mixer with 48v power through its XLR port.
Price and Availability
The Sony MDR-MV1 will be available in May 2023, alongside the C-80. There are no colour options here, so personalizing your headphones and mics will have to come down to your own efforts. The MDR-MV1 will set you back MYR 1,690, which is a little way off from the older MDR-7506. It is supposed to offer a lot more in terms of monitoring and mixing capabilities though. The C-80 will retail at MYR 2,190. More on Sony’s latest MDR-MV1 can be found on their website.
The Sony Walkman brand started in 1979 with personal battery powered cassette players. That was genesis for the portable audio industry, one of the first personal audio player small enough to fit in your pockets. The boom in the stereoscopic headphone industry can also be attributed to that.
In 2001, Apple brought their famous iPod to market. When that launched, the iPod became the household name for portable audio. All the other brands, including Sony’s Walkman, had to take a backseat.
Today, something like an iPod is ‘old-fashioned’. You can store lossless audio files and even play them on a modern smartphone. There are many streaming platforms today as well offering you music and even podcasts at the same time.
For all of these, you trade audio quality for convenience. Proper audio processors will make your smartphones bigger. Your streaming platforms use highly compressed audio for better economy, latency, and efficient storage.
For audiophiles and purists though, convenience is a hindrance to purity and greatness. A dedicated media player is always the way to go. Sony’s Walkman is still one of the biggest brands in this space. In the Walkman stables, there are also options to fit different budgets.
One of their latest additions to the Walkman family is the NW-A306, a mid-range media player for enthusiasts. It packs Android 12, like a smartphone. It is an extra device in your gear bag that will set you back MYR 1,599. In that case, is this relevant? Is it even worth the asking price?
Design
It looks like a rather compact and thick smartphone. Thanks to Android 12, it feels like an actual smartphone. Unlike a smartphone though, this has more buttons than the usual on/off an volume rocker buttons.
The front of the device is a glass plane protecting a 3.6-inch LCD panel and Sony branding at the bottom. The camera-less ridged back plate with a Walkman badge carved into it is aluminium. The ridge is meant to improve grip, we think. We reckon that a cheap silicon case would do a better job.
The sides are also aluminium like the back plate. On the right side of the device is where all your media and volume control buttons are. There is also a ‘hold’ toggle to prevent accidental presses. The entire device speaks quality and feels rigid, durable.
You can only get the NW-A306 in boring ol’ black. It is not meant to attract attention though. We would go so far to say that the Sony NW-A306 is meant to be subtle and stealthy.
Hardware
Sony does not mention the sort of processor inside the device. It is made with audio in mind though. For that, Sony has several effects processors inside for better audio reproduction and immersive effects.
USB Type-C (USB3.2 Gen1) Bluetooth 5.0 (A2DP, AVRCP, SPP, OPP, DID) LDAC AptX AptX HD DSEE Ultimate Vinyl Processor ClearAudio+ 360 Reality Audio Hi-Res Audio Hi-Res Audio Wireless 10-band equaliser
Features
You can upload MP3 files in the thousands, which would be a waste. You want FLAC or WAV format in the NW-A306 to get the best out of it. If you can, you want DSD format audio for it.
Android 12 Interface
Android is a familiar interface. Everything is intuitive and where you expect to find them. Even if it is not the most updated Android 13, it is familiar and simple to work with.
You still get Bluetooth and WiFi, but that is about it for connectivity. You will not be able to customize too much in terms of your back, recent apps, and home button too. But they are there, like a regular Android.
You can access Google Play Store. You can install Netflix and Prime Video, but you watch movies at HD resolution and on a miniscule screen, we do not recommend it. You can install other media players for it if you want alongside Spotify and Tidal.
DSD Audio Playback
All the NW-A306’s hardware goes into supporting one of the best lossless audio formats you can get. While technically you do not lose too much audio artifact through 32-bit FLAC and WAV formats, you still lose some artifact thanks to limited sampling rate at up to 384 KHz. That is not the case for DSD format.
The specific DSD format the NW-A306 plays is up to DSD 256, or DSD 11.2 Mhz. Whichever way you look at it, 11,289,600 Hz is plenty more than 384,000 Hz, meaning you get a lot more detail in your audio. FLAC and WAV formats offer better depth though. At up to 32-bit, you technically have much higher volume floors offering more powerful and full low-end sounds. Even then, 1-bit DSD 256 format audio contains somewhat more detail and with the right headphones, you might prefer it.
The difference is marginal and might not sound too different over untrained ears. You also need quality headphones with neutral and balanced drivers to tell the difference. Sony does not include any earphones with the NW-A306.
Direct, or Processed
The amount of customization and upscaling you can get from Sony’s media player is nothing short of astonishing. If you thought that Sony’s wireless headphones do well in upscaling audio, you might want to try one of these with a decent pair of headphones.
You get DSEE Ultimate, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normaliser, Vinyl Processor, and if you are too lazy to find out what you like; you get ClearAudio+ to cleverly transform your music listening experience via a single toggle. If you do not like any of those upscaling artifacts, you can even get to bypass all of Sony’s filters and effects via Direct Source mode or tune it to your personal preference with a 10-band equalizer.
We are not going to go into the technical bits of each effect that Sony offers. All you need to know is that each effect offers a different enhancement to your audio and some of them are pretty self-explanatory. Vinyl processor for example, offers a vinyl like listening experience which adds some warmth and reverb into your audio. We simply turned on ClearAudio+, which will turn off access to every other individual effect.
ClearAudio+ offers Sony’s DSEE Extreme, and other clever AI based effects to enhance your audio from a single toggle. You get more details in your music and the algorithm boosts your volumes a little too. Without ClearAudio+, we set the media player at more than 80% volume. With ClearAudio+, we only need to turn it up to 75% at the maximum.
Sony’s clever DSEE and ClearAudio+ does not just work for the regular DSD or FLAC audio you put into your media player. It also works for the music streaming apps like Spotify and Tidal. You can turn on Hi-Res streaming and the NW-A306 will cleverly upscale your output to 192kHz/32-bit quality.
Your Portable DAC
If you plug it into your PC via a USB cable, you might see a DAC mode on offer. It is not the straightforward plug-and-play solution we expected though. You want to have Sony’s Music Center app for your PC, or Hi-Res Audio Player for Mac. On PC, you are limited to 32-bit 48kHz input/output, which is not quite Hi-Res. Once you have your app installed, and you plug in your device to the PC or Mac via USB, and then select USB DAC mode, you must go into the Walkman app and find “USB DAC” button on the main library screen. Only once you activate DAC mode from there then only you can start enjoying it as your DAC.
With the NW-A306 as your DAC your music listening experience is transformed and you really feel like you are listening to a completely different device even with Tidal and Spotify. You get a much wider sound stage and improved dynamics. Your highs and lows are more distinct and plenty more detailed. You even get deeper lows and better volumes out of your PC.
There is a small matter of delay though. Pressing play on your Tidal or Spotify player takes about a second for the action to turn into audio. It is negligible for music, but it may not be ideal for Gaming or Movies.
Bluetooth Audio + LDAC + Qualcomm aptX HD
Unlike plenty of traditional media players, the Walkman can be used with Bluetooth enabled headphones. It is not just Sony’s headphones though. You can use it with any Bluetooth headphones. We tested it with the Sony WH-1000XM4.
The WH-1000XM4 is not a Qualcomm device with aptX HD chip. Instead, it works with Sony’s proprietary LDAC for the best possible Bluetooth audio experience. If you do have any other headphones that supports aptX HD though, you can work with the media player.
While it is Bluetooth enabled, the sound quality is only as good as Bluetooth 5.0 allows it to be. It also highly depends on the version and calibration of the Bluetooth gear. We think that using a wireless set-up with the NW-A306 is not the best. It is convenient though.
360 Reality Audio
The NW-A306 is marketed to be capable of 360 Reality Audio. The effects of the surround sound are highly dependent on your listening gear too. You want to have a compatible set-up for this. The WH-1000XM4, for example, is sufficiently capable.
We can also only get 360 Reality Audio music and audio from Tidal at this time. That also means that you have to rely on using Tidal to take advantage of 360 Reality Audio. The Walkman app refuses to play 5-channel FLAC and DSD audio files.
We spoke about 360-Reality Audio at length when we reviewed the WH-1000XM4. In that case, we are not going to elaborate on the 360 Reality Audio experience here. In short, we like it.
Performance – There is a Difference
The NW-A306 is not a gimmick. Even at this price range, there is an actual difference between listening to audio with this media player over your modern smartphones. That does not only come from us.
We pitted the NW-A306 against a modern smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and used Tidal as the benchmark. We used a Shure SE535 in-ear monitor earphones on both devices with custom cable from KZ. For the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, we used a USB Type-C to 3.5mm DAC adapter from UGreen.
Smartphone Versus NW-A306
Even with Tidal, there are differences. You get slightly more dynamic range from the NW-A306 than you get on the smartphone. Volumes do not necessarily differ all that much between the two devices, but you get more granular control over volume with the media player. There are also slightly more details in the music on the NW-A306.
Just so that we eliminate any fanboy bias, we let others test the NW-A306 against the smartphone. Most are not able to define the difference, but they preferred the listening experience from the Sony media player. While there are differences, they are so marginal that most might consider it negligible.
Going Hi-Res
Once we get to FLAC and DSD files though, the media player makes more sense. Those who have tested the media player with FLAC and DSD audio reports that you get a significant boost in sound quality. Most of them also prefers DSD audio formats than FLAC. To be fair, we could only get our hands on 24-bit/192kHz FLAC files at the maximum while the DSD files go up to 11.2MHz at 1-bit.
With FLAC, WAV, and DSD format audio, you are getting a tremendous amount of detail pumped into your ears. You get a full sense of width and depth of the dynamic range with these files. You are technically getting CD quality sounds and better. Audio is not just accurate; it also sounds great and clean.
Some Electronic Interference
It is not perfect though. There is still some electronic hiss that goes through to the headphones. You are likely going to put your audio levels at about 70 – 75% volume and the hiss is noticeable at those volume ranges. Once you start playing your music though, the hiss disappears behind the music.
Only 10-Band?
You can switch off ClearAudio+ to select the effects you want and tune your audio via the 10-band equalizer. We think that Sony could give us more than 10-band in their equalizer option for even more control. This is still better than what you get with your Sony Music app on your smartphone though.
Battery Life
Sony says you can get 36 hours of non-stop music playing time with MP3 music. If you play DSD 11.2MHz files exclusively, you only get 14 hours of playback time. This is also considering that you are using a wired 3.5mm jack headphone. That easily covers an entire flight from Kuala Lumpur to London for example.
In our tests, we have not been able to extend the battery life to 14 hours while playing FLAC and DSD files. We estimated that the battery can last up to 10-12 hours in a single full charge at least in our test with music played through the Walkman app. We do recon that you can get about 14 hours of playback time out of it though if you keep your screen turned off while playing music.
The Sony NW-A306 – You Do Not Need it, But You Kind of Want It
At MYR 1,599, it is not what we will call a budget or even sensible buy. While it does sound better than the regular ol’ smartphone, it is marginal if you are only relying on music streaming platforms like Spotify and Tidal. To most, the difference is not enough to justify spending MYR 1,599 for an extra piece of kit to carry. The tiny HD resolution display is not exactly the best to enjoy Netflix and Video Prime on. To source for FLAC or DSD files is an effort too.
When you make the extra effort though, the NW-A306 makes sense. You get an elevated music experience over smartphones. It is no larger than a modern smartphone, making it rather portable. You have the convenience of wireless headphones but spending extra money on a great pair of wired headphones gets you an uncompromised listening experience. You can even use it as a DAC for your PC. If you can appreciate all of that, MYR 1,599 now seems more reasonable.
Is it relevant? We think it is. It is made for those who do not want to compromise too much on sound quality – audiophiles. It is for those who want to keep their devices separate from each other by function. It is for those who want no distraction from their music, a sort of separation between work and enjoyment.
At MYR 1,599, this NW-A306 is reasonably accessible. There are going to be other costs that is attached to buying this music player. You are going to have to spend more on a decent pair of wired headphones. You are also going to be spending a little bit of money on your music collection. Thing is, if audio quality is everything to you, it is worth it.
Sony’s Truly Wireless earbuds have gotten a new addition with the WF-C700N. The new truly wireless earbuds come in new, hip colours and bring some of the best that Sony has to offer at an affordable price point. Coming in shades of Sage Green, Lavender, Black and White, it comes with the perfect fit for your style.
The new WF-C700N adopts a design guided by the extensive ear shape data collected since the first in-ear headphones were introduced in 1982. This paired with the data on ear sensitivity for various types, Sony has created an earbud with a comfortable, stable fit no matter the ear size. It’s also so seamless that people may miss it while you’re zoning out to your favourite tunes.
Speaking of zoning out, the WF-C700N comes with noise cancellation and ambient sound. Two signature features in any pair of modern headphones or earbuds. The C700N comes with noise-cancelling technology that can be adjusted in the Sony | Headphone Connect app. If you don’t want to block out the world, Ambient Sound mode will allow you to keep it in the background of your tunes. The mics that power these modes also give the C700N its remarkable Focus on Voice mode and call performance. These modes hone in on voices allowing you to keep up with conversation better even with them in your ears. The Wind Noise Reduction Structure of the C700N also delivers clear voice in windy situations.
The WF-C700N packs a punch with Sony’s 5mm driver unit. The drivers produce rich, full sound despite its miniature stature. From deep bass to chirpy highs, you’ll be able to hear the full gamut of your music with the in-ear headphones. The Headphones Connect app will also allow you to customize your music to fit your preferences with its EQ. This is further expanded with Adaptive Sound Control which dynamically adjusts ambient sound depending on what and where you are. Need to multitask? No problem, the earbuds have Multipoint connectivity allowing you to connect with up to two devices over Bluetooth at the same time.
The C700N comes with up to 15 hours of battery life; 7.5 hours on the earbuds themselves with a single full charge in the cylindrical case. You’ll also be able to wear it even when you’re sweating or caught in a drizzle with its IPX4 water and dust resistance rating.
A New Shade of WH-1000XM5
Together with the new WF-C700N, Sony also announced a new shade of their critically acclaimed WH-1000XM5. The new Midnight Blue colour brings puts class and elegance front and centre. The subtle blue of the finish gives a sense of alluring mystery perfect for the WH-1000XM5
Pricing & Availability
The WF-C700N is already making its way to Sony stores near you starting on April 4, 2023. It will be retailing for MYR549.
The new Midnight Blue shade for the WH-1000XM5 will also be available at the same time. It will retail at MYR1,799.
Sony’s ZV series of cameras are known to be small, handy devices that you can whip out anywhere and bring anywhere with no fuss to take photos or videos for your social media and vlogging use. They are appealing because they are the size of a compact point-and-shoot but full feature packed for even professional use. What they are not though are full-frame shooters for the discerning photographer, until Sony introduced the ZV-E1 today that is.
The Baby α7S III
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
In its core is a full-frame sensor, not a 1-inch sensor you find in the ZV-1 and ZV-1F, not an APS-C cropped sensor you get from the α6600, a full fat full-frame sensor you get like the one from the α7 series of cameras. It even packs the same image sensor as Sony’s most modern cameras, the BIONZ XR processor. Both combines to shoot brilliant 12.1-Megapixel photographs and 4K videos at up to 120fps. There is a small caveat for the 120p 4K video recording function though, it is only available in certain regions and you have to manually update your camera’s software to get the function.
The 4K video recording is meant to be brilliant with this camera though. If you know your way around the camera, you can get your ZV-E1 to record 4K videos at S-Cinetone for that extra cinematic quality for your videos or vlogs. Of course, you still get the usual S-Log2 and S-Log3 colour gamut options. You also get 10-bit 4:2:2 colours for your videos, that means you get some of the best-looking videos out there. All of this is recorded without the need for the camera to do pixel binning, which means you get the best unfiltered quality there is for your films. It is not like you need to buy an extra gimbal for yourself too, it comes with a 5-axis in-body image stabilising mechanism alongside dynamic active mode for even more stabilisation when you roll the camera while moving vigorously.
The decision to go with a 12.1-Megapixel sensor could be in part because it is meant to do more videos than photos. It is technically the same sensor as the α7S III, which also means you can expect nearly the same video performance from this ZV-E1. It also means you get a rather admirable low-light video performance for your money. You can push the camera to ISO409600 to make your low-light videos look like it is shot with extra lighting boost. Of course, you want to deal with the noise artifacts in extreme conditions.
Shoot Cinema Quality Videos Out-of-the-Box
Source: Sony
If you are not into setting your camera up manually, this one has something that the α7S III does not have. It has something called the Cinematic Vlog Settings. It automatically sets your camera up to shoot videos at 4K resolution and to the Look or Mood that you want from the selection the camera offers you. You get different sort of ‘Looks’ that emphasise neutral tones, soft colours, and highlights. You have a ‘Moods’ that offers a specific colour saturation and focus. You can even tune the Autofocus speeds in this mode, something only doable manually on the α7S III. All of the footages in this mode is shot at a traditional 24fps and at 2.35:1 Cinemascope aspect ratio for an added cinematic feel. All of these can be done and you do not need to even fire up your video editor, do any colour corrections, or add any colour gamut modes to your videos. Of course, if you want to get a true cinematic look and feel, you want to get down to S-Cinetone and do all the hardwork of colour correcting your footage by hand.
There are also some added AI (artificial intelligence) functions to the camera. With the fast Hybrid AF mechanism, the camera cleverly tracks your subjects and keeps them in focus while you work out everything else around the subject. You have Dynamic active Mode stabilisation that works together with the built-in optical stabiliser to achieve an even more stable footage than before. Then there is also something they call the Auto Framing function for videos. The AI-based function automatically recognises a subject in the frame while recording a video and automatically crops the frame to fit the subject focus and in optimum frame position no matter where the subject moves. You can also do that via the camera’s touch screen or the Creator’s App on any Android or iOS smartphone.
The One-Man Operator
Source: Sony
For a one-man operation, this camera is a blessing. There is something called Framing Stabiliser in the camera. It automatically keeps a subject in a constant frame position even when you shoot without a gimbal. You can follow a subject, or even shoot around a subject and your frame stays the same and consistent, which is always a good thing. There is also a Product Showcase setting for when the user wants to showcase or review a product, allowing the camera to quickly switch its focus between the presenter and product as the product comes closer to the lens.
You even get to shoot time-lapse videos out of the box with the ZV-E1. You can set the camera to take photos in 1 second to 60 seconds interval. You do not even need to connect your camera to anything for this, just make sure you have enough battery power to get it through the shoot.
Unlike the α7 series too, there is a zoom lever on the ZV-E1. It not only controls the zoom on compatible lenses, but it also allows you to digitally zoom with your prime lenses. That means you can work with a single lens and still get a variety of shots with the camera. You may not even need to purchase a shotgun mic for your videos with three built-in high-performance microphones. The multiple mic set-up can be set to record videos from all sorts of directions and some can even be used as a noise cancelling mic.
All of these functions and features are packed within a body that only weighs less than half a Kg. Of course, this being an E-mount interchangeable lens camera, the lens you fit on the camera will affect its final weight. But it is still a rather light and compact camera to work with, more so than the α7c. It is in fact Sony’s lightest and most compact full-frame camera to date.
Price and Availability
Sony has not announced the final pricing of the Sony ZV-E1. The compact full-frame shooter will be available in Malaysia from June 2023 onward. For more information on Sony’s latest compact full-frame camera, you can visit their website.
When we reviewed the WH-1000XM4 and later its successor, the WH-1000XM5, we hailed them to be the best Sony offers in terms of premium sound and noise cancelling. The WH-1000XM5 offers the best all-round noise cancelling performance while we think that the WH-1000XM4 offers a slightly better experience in terms of audio quality. Whichever headphone you choose to buy, you are getting some of the best wireless headphones money can buy.
Those high-end headphones will set you back north of MYR 1,500 though. Whichever way you look at it, they are expensive. What if you only have half that money to spend on a new headphone?
You must settle for Sony’s less premium offerings. The new Sony WH-CH720N they just released not too long ago will set you back MYR 649. On paper, it looks like a decent pair of headphones to work with since it has the same noise cancelling chip in the flagship WH-1000XM5.
At less than half the price of its premium brother, the Sony WH-CH720N might look like a compromised product. If you pick it up at the shop, the packaging makes the product feel plenty light, almost weightless. The box is extremely light as well, which does not inspire any form of confidence in its quality.
In that case, is the WH-CH720N even worth MYR 649? Does it sound good? Is it worthy of the premium noise cancelling chip? Is this the headphone for you? The answer to all that (spoiler alert), for us, is a resounding yes. Let us explain.
Design
We think that the WH-CH720N looks like traditional over-ear headphones. There is nothing too outrageous about its shape. We see a lot of sharp finishing and plenty of flat surfaces on the headphone, which we think look a tad boring.
That is not a bad thing though. The headphone hardly stands out, mostly thanks to its matte colour scheme. It comes with a few colour options, but the black is the one we will have. The stealth look will earn you less attention and therefore, less bother.
The headphone’s construction is mostly plastic, quality plastic. There is a metal strut that runs along the headband for added durability. The visible painted mic grilles on each side are also metal. All this results in a high-quality, yet super light headphone construction you would not mind hauling around.
The padding are where they matter. The padding on the ear cups feels supple yet comfortable for extended use cases. There is some padding on the headband too for the inevitable ‘headphone hair’, but nothing else. The materials used for the padding feels like the more premium faux leather material you find on the older WH-1000X headphones.
Instead of touch sensitive pads, you get large physical buttons on the headphone. The tactility, to us at least, is a huge welcome. We think that buttons are more intuitive than gesture controls.
Annoyingly, the WH-CH720N does not fold. The ear cups can swivel to the point that the headphone sits flat on the table, that is the most compact it gets. We prefer it collapsing and folding like the WH-1000XM4. This one does not even come with its own carrying case.
Hardware
On paper also, the WH-CH720N share more similarities with the WH-1000XM5 than we can see. The driver, for example, is sized at 30mm, like the one you find on its high-end brother. We cannot confirm that they are the same drivers though.
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE 360 Reality Audio 360 Spatial Sound Beamforming Mics Dolby Atmos
Features
For MYR 649, the WH-CH720N is also rather feature packed. You get noise cancelling, DSEE, a high-end mic technology, and modern connectivity. If you put this beside the WH-1000XM5, you might start to think that maybe the WH-1000XM5 is overpriced.
High-End Noise Cancelling
While most noise cancelling implementations on headphones at this price point are not great, this one is different. Thanks to the clever V1 Integrated Processor, the noise cancelling experience you get from this pair of headphones is like headphones twice its price. The anti-noise can still be heard if you do not have music playing, but it is not annoying nor discomforting.
With noise cancelling on and music playing at 70% volume, you completely tune the world out. The algorithm is great in cancelling loud noises and even sudden noise. Of course, the noise cancelling algorithm is not perfect and there will be noise that escapes the noise cancellation process. That noise has to be very loud and very near you though for it to be noticeable.
Sony Headphones App
If you are a long-time user of Sony headphones, you will be familiar with the app. The app’s interface has not changed too much, a little aged if we have to say. On the other hand, it is familiar and simple to operate once you know where to find everything.
You can control its ambient noise levels, turn on noise cancelling mode, or turn it off completely to save on battery life. There is an equalizer that offers limited customization to the headphone tuning. Of course, it also offers 360 Reality Audio with supported apps. For us, we have Tidal to work with and we are happy to report that the experience is still like what you get on higher-end headphones.
You can get 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos working with a compatible Bravia XR TV too, we do not have a compatible TV to work with. You can also connect the WH-CH720N to two devices simultaneously. You lose LDAC over that too.
You do not get “speak-to-chat” function. You get only DSEE, not DSEE Extreme from the WH-1000XM5. At the same time, because there are no proximity sensors, the headphone does not pause your media when you take your headphone off. The headphone also does not turn off by itself unless you disconnect the headphone from your smartphone.
DSEE
Sony’s DSEE technology is a clever one. In theory, you can get a CD quality audio even from the likes of streaming platforms like Spotify. There are a lot of technicalities behind this that we will not get into in the interest of time and sanity. If you want to know more about how DSEE or any audio upscaling technology works, do let us know and we might feature an editorial about that.
Still, the result is more prominently heard on Spofity music than Tidal. Without getting too much into the sound quality (spoiler alert), DSEE enhances your Spofity music experience to something you might get from Tidal. The differences are there, you hear extra little details from your music that you do not normally get with DSEE off or regular headphones. The differences still can be very subtle for most ears though, so you do want to pay attention.
Beamforming Mic
This is also another feature that is trickled down from the higher end headphones. With the WH-1000XM5, we find that the beamforming mic improved the call quality tremendously over its predecessor. As expected, the dual mic pick-up on the WH-CH720N performed admirably on calls as well.
The other party on the receiving line reported that audio comes through loud and clear. The mic system cleverly cancels out even some of the louder drones in the call environment and reduces the smaller noise. If there are sudden noise coming through, the headphone can still cancel it out a little. The most important aspect of the call, your voice, is picked up beautifully thanks to some clever algorithm built into the headphone. It is a similar technology to the speak-to-chat function where the headphone can recognize your voice, or that you are talking, and picks up only your voice.
Performance
Of course, the most important part of any audio gear is in how it sounds. For a headphone you want to work with and carry around for your travels, comfort is important too. Of course, it also needs to last at least an entire flight duration.
Taking a Call
Because it is a mobile-first device, it is made with video conferencing and even phone calls in mind. We have spoken about the mic performance a little bit in the previous section. In this case, we want to talk about the sound quality you get in the calls.
There is not too much to complain about if you get a stable connection with your smartphone or even laptop. As mentioned, you can even connect to both your smartphone and your laptop simultaneously. The device will cleverly switch to prioritize phone calls and video calls as soon as they come in.
With a stable connection, you get crystal clear calls if the other party uses a decent enough mic to work with. Everything is loud and clear without any muddling. The weight of the headphones alongside enough padding on the ear cups and headband also helps in extra-long calls. The only issue is that in less ideal weather, your ears might sweat a little since you are working with a leather-like material that might get warm.
All-day Comfort
That said, the material is not actually leather. It feels like supple leather, but thanks to Sony’s clever know-how, it also feels somewhat breathable. While it still gets warm, it is not too uncomfortable.
In the case where you use it indoors with controlled temperature, you can have the headphones on for even longer periods at a time. Thanks to its lightweight construction as well, you are not going to feel too much fatigue in your neck. The clamping force is just enough to keep the headphones on your head as well without giving you a headache and stays on even with vigorous head movements.
Sound Quality
We were pleasantly surprised by the WH-CH720N. It is not a looker; it does not look all that premium. It does not even feel all that premium. It does sound good though.
As mentioned, audio is driven by a 30mm unit on each end. We do not think that it is the same carbon fiber driver as the WH-1000XM5. It does not mean that it is an inferior driver though. While it is a smaller driver on average, it still packs a lot of punch.
The low-end frequency is punchy without being overwhelming. It feels even more powerful than the expensive WH-1000XM5, somehow. It also manages to be that punchy but detailed. We listened to some Fusion Jazz from Casiopea and Hard to Say Goodbye by Johnny Stimson on Spotify with good effects and details on the bass without losing higher-end notes. The WH-CH720N delivers mid and high frequencies brilliantly too, giving some needed life to Casiopea’s pieces. We also thoroughly enjoyed songs like Ghost by Alan Walker featuring Au/Ra.
It is a highly enjoyable headphone to use for movies too, especially when you just want to enjoy a good movie during a long flight. Drive to Survive on Netflix sound surreal and we felt like the cars were right next to us. Unfortunately, we do not have a Bravia XR TV to work with, so we cannot fully experience Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio with the TV.
Still, we used it to game as well, wirelessly of course. With Bluetooth 5.2, latency is kept to a minimum. We hardly hear a delay in response times. Because it is noise cancelling, we get a lot more immersion as well without getting distracted by other noise around you, you cannot even hear your mouse clicks.
Battery Life
Sony quoted 35 hours of continuous music playback on a full charge. That is 5 hours longer than the WH-1000XM5. That battery life is also quoted with noise cancelling feature on. Within the two weeks of our test, we only charged the device once – when it first reached our hands, and that is about it. We never really had to charge the device in the two weeks of our typical use. We used it one to two hours at a time but not daily in the two weeks we tested the headphones.
In that case, we can only take Sony’s word for its long battery life. We believe them though, since we have not been able to drain the headphone’s battery within our test period. The charging cable that comes with the headphone is short, which means you might end up using your other existing USB Type-C cables to charge your headphone. You cannot use the headphones while it is being charged too, so you want to keep that in mind. Still, if you run out of battery and you need your headphones still, it comes with an AUX jack and an included AUX cable for you to directly plug your headphones into your smartphone or laptop. Noise cancelling does work in that mode, but you still need to turn it on.
The Sony WH-720N – The Better Value
This pair of headphones will set you back MYR 649, which is not a small amount of money if you are thinking of a budget set-up. Obviously, if you compare it to its more premium brother, it seems like a more budget conscious choice. You can get other wireless headphones in the market for way less than MYR 500 even.
What you do not get from other cheaper headphones in the market though is top-notch noise cancelling technology. Sony is one of the best in the business, if not the best. They fitted their best noise cancelling processor into this pair of headphones, which should be an indication of the kind of experience you can expect from the WH-CH720N.
You also get one of the longest lasting wireless headphones in terms of battery life. The quoted 35-hour battery life is with noise cancelling mode on. Turning noise cancelling off extends its battery life, but why would you first place?
Above all, you get great sound quality that we think is beyond its asking price. The sound stage offered by the headphones is wide and detailed. This pair of headphones offer punchy bass and details everywhere on the headphone’s range.
The WH-CH720N does not look like much for MYR 649. We appreciate that its packaging is simple and made from recycled materials, but it is not packaging is worth MYR 649, we think. We would have appreciated a soft case you might be able to use as a carrying pouch. Instead, it is wrapped in a rather large piece of what feels like cheese cloth, which will end up in the trash as well unfortunately.
The thing is this is a headphone we would recommend. It is not the cheapest headphone out there, but it is good value, given its capabilities. The cheap-ish packaging is hardly a deal breaker. You want a pair of headphones that sound great, this fits that bill. It is a comfortable pair of headphone that is excellent at cancelling noise, as good as headphones twice its price. Because of all of that, we like this pair of headphones a lot. If it is our money, we would buy it.
We are fans of Sony’s products. There is hardly a product in their stables we do not like or would not recommend. This one, we find a little difficult to recommend. It is not that we do not like it; we do. We think that it is a product targeted toward a rather niche group of people.
Welcome to the Sony ZV-1F, a compact camera from Sony that comes with a fixed lens. It is based on Sony’s rather brilliant and highly popular ZV-1. The most interesting thing about the ZV-1F, we think, is that it features a 20mm fixed lens.
It will set you back MYR 2,599, about MYR 800 less than the ZV-1, making it more accessible. It is still a premium product though. While the ZV-1F lacks a few features, it is lighter than the camera it is based on too, which is always welcome even for compact cameras.
Other than having a fixed lens with large aperture, it seems like there is little else that is special about this ZV-1F. In that case, why bother with the Sony ZV-1F? Should you pay attention to it? We dive in to find out.
Design
The ZV-1F looks strikingly similar to Sony’s ZV-1, which should not come as a surprise at all. The only difference is that the Sony ZV-1F packs a fixed lens that does not tuck in or unpack when you turn it on.
It is a compact camera, there is not much to say in terms of design here. It is a rectangular aluminum box with a bump in front for a grip mound, and a short tube that houses the lens. For the money you pay, you get a tiny light package. While it is a little on the lighter end, it still feels like a quality product.
We appreciate the swiveling display. It is useful if you plan to use the camera for vlogs, replace your webcam, and even take self-portraits. Since it is based on the ZV-1, it takes on all the accessories that the ZV-1 works with as well, that includes the remote grip. While the test unit you see here is black in colour, there is also a white colour option if you want.
Hardware
Internally, you get mostly the same components from the Sony ZV-1. You get the same image processor, the same 1-inch sensor, and even the same battery and memory card slot configuration. You can charge the camera with USB Type-C cable too. There is more to the USB Type-C port to just charging too.
Specifications
Sony ZV-1F
As tested
Sensor
1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS 3:2 aspect ratio Approx. 20.1-Megapixel
Electronic Shutter (1/4″ – 1/32000) Contrast-detection AutoFocus ISO125-ISO6400 (up to ISO12800) up to 16fps continuous shooting
Video Recording
XAVC S 4K: 30p 100M/60M, 24p 100M/60M XAVC S HD (Full HD): 60p 50M/25M, 30p 50M/16M, 24p 50M, 120p 100M/60M
Miscellaneous
USB Type-C charging/data transfer Battery Pack NP-BX1 Bluetooth 4.1 WiFi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Band
Features
Everything on the ZV-1F is simplified to ensure that you get access to its most important features. There is still a zoom toggle on the camera. It is not optical zoom though, just digital zoom.
4K 30p Video Recording
The Sony ZV-1F is made for vloggers. The sensor captures videos at up to 4K 30p, just not at 10-bit 4:2:2 colours, though that is nothing to complain about. Having 4K capability also means that you are getting more details in your videos for great looking vlogs.
One Less Frame to Think About with Fixed Lens
While most consensus would say that having a fixed lens on a compact camera is a bad thing, we think there are some benefits. Having a fixed 20mm lens means you know how your frame looks every time you turn on your camera. In that case, you just know where to stand to get the right image through.
At its native zoom length, your frame is perfect for selfies at an arm’s length. If you find that the frame is too tight, you can invest in a cheap selfie stick, or get the remote grip attachment from Sony. Your vlogs are even more instantaneous than ever before since there is no zoom to mess with.
The Might of Sony’s Accessories
Sony has various mic attachments that work with the proprietary hot shoe mount on top of the camera. The hot shoe mount is a blessing in modern compact cameras. It allows you to play with all sorts of attachments that may not even be from Sony.
Of course, if you do not want your set-up to be a cable mess, you go with Sony’s various clever accessories. We mentioned that you can work with Sony’s remote grip that is connected via Bluetooth. You can have a shotgun mic too for better directionality. You can even work with Sony’s XLR expansions too if you want.
The Webcam Replacement You Want
The ZV-1F’s USB Type-C port is your charger and data outlet. Here is where the ZV-1F becomes one of the best tools for content creators too. You can turn the Sony ZV-1F into a 4K webcam without a capture card.
It is also rather simple to work with. You only need to connect the ZV-1F to your PC via USB cable. On the camera itself you select streaming mode. You do not even need to have Sony’s proprietary software for this to work. You can even turn the camera into your designated microphone for clearer audio.
Obviously, using the ZV-1F as a streaming camera or webcam offers better image quality over regular webcams. It is also significantly more expensive than regular webcams. It is an investment to get better quality images and streams.
Sony Imaging Edge
Using the Sony Imaging Edge suite on PC allows you to control your camera remotely and transfer photos and videos off your camera without ever pulling the SD card from your camera. If all you want from the ZV-1F is a webcam replacement, you can go ahead and skip the software for your PC. For your smartphone though, Sony’s Imaging Edge can be quite useful.
On the smartphone, you can use the app to control your camera and use it as a remote display, a rather nifty and useful feature when you just want to place your camera on a tripod and record away from the camera. Using the Imaging Edge app as well, you can take photos using the camera directly saved to your smartphone device. Same goes for 4K videos.
Made for Social Media
Within the camera itself, you can technically shoot videos that are optimized for social media. Well, there is shooting vertically, which is nothing special technically. There is something else you can do on the camera.
Before you transfer your video clips into your smartphone, you can choose and cut out 15-, 30-, and 60-seconds clips within the camera itself. You not only save storage space on your SD card, but you also cut out all editing nuances from your smartphone itself. It allows you to easily pick out clips and put them together before posting them on TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook.
Performance
You get a 1-inch sensor that shoots at 20.1 Megapixels. You can also record videos in 4K resolution. The lens shoots at 20mm wide angle. The image quality from the ZV-1F is very similar to what you get from Sony’s ZV-1. This should not come as a surprise though; they share the same imaging sensor and even the same image processor. The only difference between the two is the lens on the ZV-1F.
Imaging
Without the zoom lens, you lose the flexibility of adjusting your frame from where you stand. In that sense, some might struggle with it when you need a larger or smaller frame for their photos. For self-portraits, the frame is tight enough to properly frame your face within that arm-length. if you do want to capture a self-portrait with a larger group, you might want to space your friends out a bit behind you.
Still, once familiar with your frame, you can get the ZV-1F to work very nicely for you. The images you get from the compact camera are detailed enough that it will look good on any social media platform. If you dig deeper and zoom in on the photos, you can see that the photos are much sharper in the central region, where Autofocus works. At the edges, the focus seems to be a little softer. With portraits, you get a natural looking depth-of-field (bokeh) effect, which is always nice.
In terms of colours, in auto mode, photos produce rich colours. There is a very slight orange tinge to the photos though. It adds to the vividness of the images and colours, but it does take away some neutrality to the photos. While it means that your photos are ready for social media almost immediately taken by the camera, you might have a slightly harder time if you are looking to colour grade your photos. You can still take RAW photos though.
Small Camera, Big Videos
One of the biggest attractions to this camera is its 4K video capabilities, though only at up to 30p. You can also get those crisp slow-motion videos in Full HD at 120p. That also means that you get an extra layer of flexibility in terms of your creative shots for your vlogs.
While you are not getting 4:2:2 10-bit colours from the ZV-1F, you are not missing out on too much especially if you share your contents on social media. Most of the time, shooting vlogs is a run and gun thing. In that sense, the colours look good and accurate enough without colour grading.
At the same time, recording 4K videos with the ZV-1F gives you a clean crisp image with plenty of details. You even get a nice depth-of-field effect that you get from more expensive lens. It is a fast lens though at f/2.0 allowing that cinematic bokeh in your background and putting the focus on the subject.
AF, but no Eye-AF
We find this a little disappointing. Not because the AutoFocus function is not great. It is a fast autofocus system they have here that easily keeps up with you in a shoot. It lacks the eye-AF system that is so useful on the ZV-1.
Without eye-AF, you only get a regular autofocus system that can reasonably keep up with you. In most vlogging situations, the AF system is clever enough to detect your face and follow it. It is fast enough though for you to work with once it gets a lock-on.
It is not perfect. We had some trouble getting it to focus on our test subject, a toy car. Since the focal distance is at a minimum of 7.6mm, we thought we could get the toy car to be in focus even when we close the distance between the camera and the subject. We had to pull away from the subject most of the time to get the subject in proper focus. We also had to tap on the screen to get it to focus on our subject when it is off center.
At MYR 2,599, the ZV-1F compact camera is not exactly a budget option. While it is more accessible than the ZV-1, it is still a lot of money for what some might describe as nothing more than a glorified 4K webcam. It does not pack Eye-AF, it does not have a zoom lens, and the lack of weight might not inspire plenty of confidence.
The thing is, there is still plenty to like about the ZV-1F. The ZV-1F is ridiculously light. It is not much more compact than the camera it is derived from, it is about the same size and therefore just as compact.
Because it is lighter than the camera it is based on, it feels quicker to work with. You do not need to spend on heavy duty tripods too. Since there are no zoom lenses to unpack, you are quicker to get to your photos or videos. It is an excellent webcam and mic combo replacement too.
At the same time, you are getting everything that is also great about the ZV-1. The ZV-1F can record videos at 40K 30p. It takes photos at the same 20.1 Megapixel as the ZV-1. If you think the ZV-1 takes great photos, you will be pleased with this one too.
In the right hands, the ZV-1F is a powerful entry-level and compact content creation tool. As a webcam replacement, the ZV-1F offers a much higher quality feed over regular webcams, even if you stick with 720p streaming over USB. It is also your mic replacement, on a budget. At the same time, taking the camera out for a vlog or taking a quick photo is easy. Since it connects to your smartphone wirelessly too, you can make quick work of any photos or videos you take on the ZV-1F before posting it on social media. You even cut an entire editing process out of your workflow with the built-in modes made specially for social media format contents. It is content creation made super easy.
If you ask us about buying a soundbar, we will always recommend a Sony soundbar first. They are one of the foremost brands in home entertainment currently, They also sell all soundbars and home theatre audio systems that fits all kinds of budget. You have the HT-A series, if you want top-of-the-line home theatre experience. You also have the HT-S series, that caters to the value seekers. That is the HT-S400, a 2.1 channel soundbar set that will set you back MYR 1,099. There is also the HT-S40R that is a 5.1 channel surround sound set.
What if you want a budget friendlt soundbar that that is better than the HT-S400? What if you want something less clunky than the 5.1 channel HT-S40R? You have the HT-S2000 3.1 channel soundbar.
The Sony HT-S2000
Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
The new soundbar, as mentioned, offers 3.1 channel surround sound audio. It does this without an accompanying subwoofer though. Sony has started offering their subwoofers separately, we think it is in a bid to make their soundbars more affordable and more attractive to high-density residence homeowners.
Still, that should not be too much of an issue with Sony’s HT-S2000 soundbar. It is still programmed with a powerful but small woofer module built into the soundbar itself. If you do wish to get an accompanying subwoofer, you can pair it with Sony’s existing SA-SW3 or SA-SW5 subwoofers.
Even without the subwoofer, the HT-S2000 offers Dolby Atmos surround sound experience for rich and immersive movies. It also offers DTS: X audio algorithm for clear and crisp audio experience. Sony has also fitted the soundbar with a Vertical Sound Engine and S-Force PRO technology. Both the technology combines and offers a rich, three-dimensional audio experience, even if you are playing contents with stereo audio.
Within the HT-S2000 soundbar, you can find Sony’s highly acclaimed X-balanced speaker units that offer soundstage like no other. You get clear trebles and mids with the speaker units. That also means that dialogues in movies are much cleaner and clearer than before. The driver units are also engineered to work with higher pressures for more punchy, detailed low-end sounds, even without a subwoofer. That means more boom without crackles.
You want your soundbar to be easy to work with. With Sony’s Home Entertainment Connect app, the HT-S2000 is easier than ever to work with. The app takes you through the entire set up process without a fuss wirelessly. You can even control the soundbar completely with the app. The app offers full volume control, sound fields, and even the equaliser for you to fully customise your sound experience with the soundbar. Of coures, you can update your soundbar’s firmware via the app as well.
Price and Availability
The Sony HT-S2000 will be available in Malaysia June 2023 onward. There are no colour options for the soundbar, as usual. It will set you back MYR 2,199 when it is available. For more information on the HT-S2000 soundbar, you can visit their website.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 is one of the benchmarks in the world of mainstream wireless headphones. We regarded it as one of the best options for headphones of its type. It will set you back MYR 1,500 and above though, depending on when you get your hands on the device. In any case, it is not a budget friendly type of device to own. Then again, it is not made to be budget friendly. It is made with the word ‘premium’ in mind, and it shows in a lot of ways.
Still, what if you do not have MYR 1,500 to spend on a headphone? You might have to settle for something that is less powerful than the WH-1000XM5. You might have to compromise on build quality, and even size. With Sony’s latest WH-CH720N and WH-CH520, you might not have to.
Sony WH-CH520
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
This one is not an over-ear headphone like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or even its brother, the WH-CH720N (which we will talk about later). It is a smaller form factor on-ear headphone that is designed to be the perfect run-around listening tool to fit in your bags. It is designed to be a long-lasting all-round headphone for your daily usage.
The WH-CH520 offers up to 50 hours (music only) in battery life, that is 20 more than the WH-1000XM5, 15 more than the WH-CH720N, and 15 more than its predecessor, the WH-CH510. That also means that you might not need to get it to a USB port in a week, depending on how you use your headphones. Impressive, considering the compact design of the headphone.
Thanks to its mostly plastic construction, it weighs only 147g. That means that adding it into your bag does not add that much weight into your out-of-office or home set up. That also means that your neck and head bears less weight, and with that you might be able to work with the headphones for much longer.
Within the headphone is a 30mm closed unit driver. Alongside the large drivers is a plain microphone for calls and video conferencing if you connect it to your PC. Sadly, you will not find a 3.5mm AUX jack on the WH-CH520 headphone, which also means that you are out of luck when your battery goes flat.
You do get Bluetooth 5.2 connection on the device though, which ensures better stability and low latency connections with your Bluetooth devices. Android’s Fast Pair feature also ensures that you only need to turn on your headphone to quickly get it paired and connected to your devices with as little fuss as possible. There is also Swift Pair for Windows laptops or tablets. Of course, everything about the headphone can be controlled via the Sony Headphone app from your smartphone. If not, there are proper buttons on the earcups for that proper tactile feel. You can control the headphone or music via Voice too if you want with either Google Assistant or Siri.
As with Sony’s latest audio gears, you get 360 reality audio as a standard feature. You get to experience the feature with Tidal and if you connect the headphones with a compatible Bravia XR TV. If you do connect it to your Bravia XR TV, you even get to enjoy Dolby Atmos audio. You get DSEE, not DSEE Extreme upscaling technology. DSEE is still great for upscaling your Spotify music adding all the little details your music might lose in compression.
Sony WH-CH720N
Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
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Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
If you prefer a larger headphone to cover your ears, the WH-CH720N should fit the bill. Like its predecessor, the WH-CH720N is also a noise cancelling headphone. Unlike the previous headphone though, it is cheaper and features a flagship class noise cancelling technology.
The WH-CH720N comes with the same V1 Integrated Processor for noise cancelling that the WH-1000XM5 packs. It is regarded as the best noise cancelling technology to date, so if that is the only thing you care about in your headphones, it is money well spent here. But that also means that you are getting a much better noise cancelling experience than the older WH-CH710N with even better wind noise reduction algorithms when you are outdoors. Thanks to the better processor, ambient noise is also better than ever with the Sony WH-CH720N. The noise cancelling/ambient noise feature can also be set automatically depending on your geolocation via the app.
Within the large earcups are closed 30mm dynamic drivers on each end. The battery pack offers up to 50 hours of battery life if you turn off Noise Cancelling. Of course, you are not going to do that, you get 35 hours of battery life with Noise Cancelling, five more than its premium cousin, the WH-1000XM5. If you run out of battery though, you can still use it with an included 3.5mm AUX jack.
Unlike the premium WH-1000XM5, the WH-CH720N does not come with gesture or touch control. It has physical buttons instead, which we kind of like better than gesture controls. That also means that the headphones, while packing a few mics for better noise cancellation, does not pack a proximity sensor that pauses your songs when you take the headphones off your ears.
You get DSEE still on the WH-CH720N, which adds lost details on compressed audio including Spotify. You might want to get a Tidal subscription though to get into Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. If you have a Sony Bravia XR TV, you even get the full Dolby Atmos experience with the headphones complete with surround sound. For calls, you get the same Beamforming microphones as the WH-1000XM5, which should mean that you get crystal clear voice in all sorts of environments.
While it is not made of premium materials like the WH-1000XM5, the WH-CH720N is not what you call cheap in terms of build quality. There are a lot of plastics, true, but there is a metal piece that holds the headband together with its sliding mechanism. The faux leather earcups is also designed with all-day comfort in mind. It is also Sony’s lightest over-ear headphone in ever at 192g. That also means that you can wear the headphones all day and not feel fatigued.
Price and Availability
The WH-CH520 is available in four attractive colours – Blue, Cream, White, and Black. It will retail at MYR 229, reasonably affordable for what it offers. We think that it will be perfect for those looking to travel light and is looking for a compact audio set-up to go anywhere.
The WH-CH720N is a little more premium at MYR 649. It is MYR 50 less than its predecessor though. It also features flagship level noise cancelling and better mics all around. You can get it in Blue, White, or Black colour options. This one is for the budget conscious audiophiles that appreciates good noise cancelling, we think. More about the new Sony Headphones can be found on their website.
If you ask any photographer about their preferred lenses, or what lens you should start with as an enthusiast, most will respond with one lens length in particular. They will always tell you that you should get a 50mm lens. There is a good reason for that.
The 50mm prime lens is one of the most versatile lens you can find in your arsenal of lenses. In the right hands, it is an excellent portrait lens that is meant to capture everything from candid photos to magazine quality headshots. It is perfect for street photography, since 50mm is narrow enough for you to get portraits of people in their everyday lives without getting into their personal spaces. In open spaces, landscape photos can look good too. There is also the fact that they say that the frame you get with 50mm lenses is the closest to what you actually see with your own eyes. Whatever it is, you get the idea.
Sony already has two 50mm lenses in their stables. They have the SEL50F25G lens. It is a rather compact, budget-friendly 50mm lens with F2.5 aperture. It weighs only 174g and is only 45mm long.
They also have the super-premium FE 50mm F1.2 G Master lens that offers a lot of lens for three-folds the price of the 50mm G lens. It is not as compact at 108mm in length. It is also much heavier at 778g in weight. It offers F1.2 aperture though for beautiful bokeh. The F1.2 aperture means that it is amazingly fast and especially excellent video work. There are 11 aperture blades for smooth, round bokeh effects. The weight is also a direct contribution o the amount of glass elements within the lens, about 14 of them.
Source: Sony
So why do Sony need to introduce another 50mm lens? Because the new Sony 50mm G Master lens is meant to be a modern take of what a 50mm lens is supposed to be.
In terms of minimum focus distance and magnification, it is similar to the older lens. The minimum focus distance is at 0.41m and autofocus allows the lens 0.16x magnification for beautiful and detailed close-up photos. These are not the improvements made on the new lens though.
It features a slightly smaller maximum lens opening than the existing lens at F1.4 vs F1.2. But that does not mean that it is not a fast lens, it is still faster than most 50mm lens you can find in the market. It also weighs quite a little bit less than the older lens at 516g, which also means you might get more use out of the lens in one sitting. At 96mm length, it is also slightly more compact than the other 50mm G Master lens.
How they got the lens to go on a diet is by fitting a new high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors which is smaller than lighter than ever before. You still have 11 aperture blades, but they are new more compact units compared to before, so the lens can be made shorter than before.
The new linear motors are not just to reduce weight and make the lens smaller though. The XD Linear motors goes along with a new algorithm for smoother and more responsive focus control. That also means that your autofocus is faster than before. Thanks to smoother motors, the autofocus mechanism is also quieter than before. The faster, smoother operations means that it is perfect for shooting high frame-rate videos. To make it even better for videos, the lens offers focus breathing compensation to reduce the image distortion when the lens changes focus.
The new lens offers a Linear Response MF focus ring that directly responses to subtle controls when you work with it manually. There is also a new iris lock switch, first in a prime lens from Sony. There are now two custom programmable buttons on the lens. Sony has also coat the glass with a fluorine coating that is supposed to repel fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants from the exposed glass elements to ensure that the lens is still as excellent as it can be in any shoot conditions.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 G master (SEL5014GM) lens will be available in Malaysia at the end of March 2023 onward. They have not mentioned the price for the lens just yet. The previous 50mm lens from Sony’s G Master line-up sets you back MYR 9,499. With that as an indication, you might want to ensure you have anywhere between MYR 8,000 to 10,000 to spare to get the upcoming lens. It is just an educated guess though; we could be wrong. More information on the Sony FE 50mm F1.4 G Master lens can be found on their website.
