Sony unveils gold-plated $5,900 Walkman that delivers only 1.1 mW of power in some regions
Alongside the Walkman NW-ZX900 Sony today also unveiled the two latest models in the WM1 series. The NW-WM1AM3 and NW-WM1ZM3 are technically almost identical, with differences mainly in the casing. The less expensive AM3 is made largely of aluminum, with only the rear casing cover and the heat sink made of copper.
The ZM3, on the other hand, is made almost entirely of gold-plated copper, from the frame to the screws used. This is intended not only to look stylish, but also to improve the sound. According to Sony, the copper casing delivers richer bass, a wider soundstage and more detailed mids and highs, while reducing noise. However, this also increases the weight from 425 grams to 670 grams. Both models measure 15.8 x 8.6 x 2.3 centimeters.
For customers in Europe, importing from the USA or Japan may be worthwhile again this year, as the European version is limited to an output of just 1.1 mW, while in other regions the balanced 4.4 mm headphone jack is paired with an amplifier that delivers 250 mW per channel, and the 3.5 mm headphone jack supports at least 60 mW. This means that the European version not only has a significantly lower maximum volume, but is also likely to struggle to drive more demanding headphones.
Sony advertises a battery life of 33 hours of FLAC playback, either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage depending on the model, expandable via a microSD card, and a 5.5-inch touchscreen with a 1080p resolution. The music players ship with Android 16 and also support streaming apps and Bluetooth headphones.
Pricing and availability
The Sony Walkman NW-WM1ZM3 is now available for pre-order from Sony for $5,899, while the NW-WM1AM3 costs $2,999. Shipping starts in January.
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