NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- When you add the term "luxury" to any item it usually means expensive, and in this case, it's absolutely appropriate. Sony's (SNE) - Get Report new NW-ZX2 Digital Walkman is a high-resolution music playback device well worth the price of $1,200 -- if you can afford it.

A giant step up from Sony's much more affordable ($300) NWZ-A17 and stiff competition for the $400 Pono , the ZX2 has a number of features that set it apart from the competition.

The ZX2 runs on Google's (GOOG) - Get Report Android operating system, which allows it to do everything a modern day smartphone can do except call someone. You can get your email, appointments and download your favorite Android programs -- including music streaming services from Spotify, Tidal and others. Sony also offers free music and video file-transfer software for both Microsoft (MSFT) - Get Report Windows and Apple (AAPL) - Get Report Mac OS computers. The ZX2 can play all of the current digital music files, including ones such as Pulse Code Modulation and Direct Stream Digital, which some other music players can't do. 

The ZX2 has a 4-inch (854 by 480 pixels) touchscreen, 128 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot for as much as an additional 128 GB and comes available with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC capabilities. The battery can last as long as 60 hours with traditional low-resolution MP3 files, or 33 hours with high-res music playback.

That comes at a cost, though: The battery takes 4.5 hours to fully charge, a good amount of time, and it also adds a lot of bulk to the device.

Despite the beautifully sculpted aluminum outer shell and rubberized finish, the ZX2 weighs a massive 8.29 ounces. You definitely won't mistake it for any other music devices or any modern smartphones.

On the other hand, the sound quality is top notch. We tested it using a number of different types of headphones that we have on hand, as well as listening through household Hi-Fi systems and the Stax SR-9/SRM-007tII headphone/amplifier combo. Not only does the ZX2 operate flawlessly and sound wonderful, it provides noticeably more accurate, clearer, superior music reproduction than its less expensive competition.

The ZX2 is not the most expensive high-end portable you can get (the Astell & Kern AK240 retails for an eye-watering $2,500), but if you're serious about music and you're willing to pay for higher-quality, the Sony NW-ZX2 is a big step up from the less expensive devices we've tested. It's solidly designed, easy to master and sounds great. Very highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 8.6/10

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.