Sony Revives Walkman With $5,899 Gold-Plated Flagship as Premium Music Players Target Wealthy Audiophiles

TOKYO — Sony has unveiled three new high-end Walkman digital music players, led by a gold-plated flagship priced at $5,899, as the Japanese company targets audiophiles willing to pay a premium for portable sound quality.

The trio, announced Thursday, are the first new players in several years to carry the storied Walkman name. Prices range from $1,899.99 to $5,899.99.

Sony said the devices aim to deliver the "finest portable sound experience" for audiophiles, according to Bloomberg.

A golden flagship

The top model, the NW-WM1ZM3, features a precision-machined chassis made from 99.99% pure oxygen-free copper, plated in gold. Even its screws are gold-plated, a treatment exclusive to the flagship.

Sony says the materials help reduce interference and improve sound quality. The player also includes thick Kimber Kable internal wiring and Sony's S-Master HX digital amplifier.

The flagship has a 5.5-inch touchscreen and weighs 670 grams, or about 1.5 pounds, compared with 490 grams for the model it replaces. Sony rates its battery life at up to 35 hours when playing 128kbps MP3 files.

Two cheaper models

The NW-WM1AM3, priced at $2,999.99, shares the flagship's screen but uses an aluminum-alloy chassis with a gold-plated copper back. It weighs 425 grams and offers the same rated battery life.

The NW-ZX900, priced at $1,899.99, also pairs an aluminum chassis with a gold-plated copper back, has a 5-inch screen, weighs 345 grams and is rated for up to 40 hours of playback.

Upgraded audio processing

All three players feature an improved version of Sony's DSD Remastering Engine, which converts standard digital music files into a high-resolution 11.2 MHz DSD stream. Sony says the process produces a warmer, more analog-like sound.

For compressed music files, Sony says the players use AI to identify the genre and enhance high frequencies.

The devices also support Bluetooth codecs including aptX Adaptive and LC3 for wireless headphones.

Availability

Sony did not announce European pricing or a release date. The European Union's rules requiring user-replaceable batteries in portable devices take effect in February 2027.

In Australia, the two higher-end models are expected to be available in mid-December, with the NW-ZX900 arriving in late November, according to local reports. Sony's U.S. online store lists estimated deliveries in the new year.

A legendary name

Sony introduced the original Walkman cassette player in 1979, revolutionizing how people listened to music on the go. The brand later expanded to CD and digital players, but its mass-market appeal faded with the rise of Apple's iPod and later smartphones, which became most people's primary music devices.

In recent years, Sony has kept the Walkman name alive with premium players aimed at enthusiasts who want dedicated audio hardware. It released earlier gold-plated models in 2016 and 2022, each priced in the thousands of dollars.

A niche market

Some critics have questioned the value of such expensive players, noting that audiophile claims about materials such as gold-plated chassis are difficult to measure. Others note that Sony's use of low-quality MP3 files for battery testing is an unusual benchmark for devices aimed at listeners of high-resolution audio.

Still, the market for premium portable audio has remained resilient among dedicated listeners who use high-end headphones and lossless music files.

What's next

Sony is expected to begin shipping the new Walkman models in the coming months, with availability varying by market.