Sony has launched what it calls the Giga Juke HDD, a hard disc hi-fi device designed to rip your CDs into MP3s, label and store the files without the need for a PC or a Mac. It's a device that will appeal to people who want to get involved with digital music but who don't own a computer.
The Giga Juke stores, labels, and organises your music in its 250Gb internal hard drive using unique new software. And as it seems like a lot of Sony products these days, it's easy to use the Giga Juke with other Sony music products. When you're ready to go on the move, you can transfer your favourite tunes directly to a Sony Walkman or other portable audio players still without the need for a computer.
The Giga Juke can store up to 40,000 music tracks on its 250GB deck. Music files can be imported from virtually any source and stored in a choice of popular MP3, ATRAC and Linear PCM audio formats.
This will please music fans who are happy to listen to compressed music and also more discerning audiophiles who prefer to listen from a crisper, uncompressed source.
Compatibility
The device can even record directly from non-digital sources via its analogue audio Input to breathe fresh life into your vinyl or audio cassette tapes. It can also record radio broadcasts and has a unique new 'Radio Music Channel' feature which analyses recorded broadcasts, and separates music from chat - handy for those times when you want to remove an annoying DJ from the equation.
"The Giga Juke HDD Deck realises a higher sound quality, thanks to superior audio devices and circuitry such as EI core power transformer, separate power circuitry for audio, 24bit/192kHz D/A converter, aluminium front panel, high rigidity metal chassis and exclusive dumper to isolate the HDD," reads Sony's announcement.
NAC-HD1E GIGA JUKE HDD Audio Deck key features:
- HDD 250GB (Recording format : Linear PCM, ATRAC, MP3)
- ATRAC 48kbps: approx. 11100 hours
- Linear PCM: approx. 375 hours
- Up to 40,000 songs
- Up to 16x high speed ripping from audio CD to HDD
- Auto Title Labelling for CD and external analogue & digital sources
- x-DJ with Radio Music Channel & Music Surfing
- Music file import from PC (MP3, ATRAC without DRM)
- Up to 50x high-speed music file transfer to MP3 players
- Music file transfer with data compression (from Linear PCM to Atrac/MP3)
- 4.3" colour LCD display
- Radio tuner: FM(with RDS)/AM, Timer recording to HDD
