Keep on running

EXERCISE SESSIONS, running and even swimming need no longer be boring thanks to the new Sony NW-WS413 sports Walkman all-in-one player. 

Waterproof, dust-proof and happy to make music even in the most extreme environment, the MP3 player is guaranteed to keep you company no matter where you prefer to work out. 

Tommy Chen, the 30-year-old Taiwanese extreme ultra-marathon runner, is the presenter for Sony NW-WS410 series. Chen, whose notable achievements include finishing third in the 700km Yukon Arctic Ultramarathon, thus becoming the first Asian and youngest person to finish the race, says music inspired him to keep on running.

The NW-WS413 has a compact and light design so it won’t slow you down during your run or swim. The Walkman player is built into a headset and it has a built-in 4 gigabytes capacity for storing your favourite tunes.

The wrap-around headband links two control parts of the Walkman player and the earphones are connected to those controls so you can focus on your workout without worrying about a tangle of wires.

You get to choose an earbud size that feels comfortable and the headband that wraps around your neck prevents both player and phones from falling even while you are jumping. If you’re still not happy, further secure the NW-WS413 using the supplied adjustment band to tighten the headband around the back of your neck.

The NW-WS413 conforms to the IP65/IP68 specifications, meaning it can be submerged in water to a depth of two metres for up to 30 minutes. Best of all, it can be used in salt water so you can also enjoy music while swimming in the sea.

The package comes with two earbud types – standard and swimming – and four sizes of earbuds are available for each type.

You must remember to change the earbuds to swimming type before going into the water. The waterproof earbuds will prevent water from seeping into the player via the earphones. You must also wash the Walkman after using it in seawater.

The NW-WS413 is made for extreme temperatures from minus 5 Celsius to 45 Celsius and has a battery life of up to 12 hours – more than enough for finishing your work out. Its battery can be fully recharged in 1.5 hours and it supports quick charging, allowing you to get enough battery for 60 minutes of use with a three-minute charge. 

Loading music to the player is very simple. You connect the player to the provided USB cradle, connect the USB cable to your computer, then drag and drop music files to the player. The NW-WS413 supports folder playback so you can upload your favourite songs into different folders, which makes choosing the kind of mood music you want a whole lot easier.

Another feature I really liked was the Ambient Sound Mode. This uses microphones, which are built into the left and right side of the Walkman to let you to hear the ambient sounds around you so you’re never completely cut off from the outside world.

This mode is very useful when you are jogging on road because you will hear the sounds of vehicles behind you. During my 10-km run to test the Walkman, I heard birds singing and a motorcycle coming behind me in plenty of time to ensure I was well to the left of the road.

The NW-WS413 has no display so you must learn to use the control buttons built into the left and right sides of the player by touch. It seems a little daunting at first but it quickly becomes second nature. 

Among other things, there is a tactile dot on the left of the Walkman, which lets you know that this part has to be fitted into your left ear.

The power button, play/pause button, previous button (for returning to the beginning of the current song or to the previous song), and the next button (for skipping to the next song) are on the right. You double-click the next button to skip to the beginning of the first song in the next folder or album.

The mode button, Ambient Sound Mode button and volume button are all on the left. You can press the mode button to switch the playback mode to repeat or shuffle

An operation LED lamp is built into the right part of the Walkman and confirms the Walkman status by turning green when the NW-WS413 is fully charged. If it blinks red twice, it means there is an error.

The lamp is also used to confirm a special mode, such as the AVLS (automatic volume limiter system). You can press and hold the next button for about seven seconds while pressing the volume up button. The lamp then blinks green twice to confirm that the volume is kept to a moderate level.

The Walkman can also moderate the volume between songs to minimise the differences in volume level. This Dynamic Normalizer feature is activated by pressing the volume down button while pressing and holding the previous button for about seven seconds and again the lamp will blink green twice.

During the test, I enjoyed swimming while listening to music and didn’t encounter any disruption to music playback even while shallow diving. During my run, the player and earphones didn’t slip off and the 32g weight didn’t bother me in the slightest. And yes, the music did make my run much more enjoyable. Sony NW-WS413 Walkman retails for Bt3,490.

 

Key Specs

- Earphones’ frequency response: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

- Storage: 4GB (MP3 128 kbps: Approximately 880 songs, Linear PCM 1,411 kbps: Approximately 75 songs)

- Playback format: MP3, Linear PCM

- Sound effect: Dynamic Normaliser

- Connectivity: USB 2.0 with provided cradle

- Power: 1.5 hours for full charge, 3 minutes charge for 60 minutes of use

- Weight: 32g