Sony unveils gold-plated Walkman music player priced at $5,899
Japanese electronics maker Sony has announced three new Walkman portable players aimed at audiophiles. The top model, with a gold-plated body, costs $5,899.
Japanese electronics company Sony has announced three new Walkman portable media players designed for audiophiles, meaning listeners who prioritise sound quality. The cheapest, the NW-ZX900, costs $1,899.99, while the most expensive, the gold-plated NW-WM1ZM3, is priced at $5,899.
Three models
In the middle sits the NW-WM1AM3 at $2,999.99. It is nearly identical to the WM1ZM3 but lacks the gold-plated shell.
All three players use Sony's DSD (Direct Stream Digital) Remastering Engine. It upsamples standard PCM audio to an 11.2MHz DSD stream, which Sony says produces a more analog-like sound. All three also have gold plating on the rear chassis, intended to reduce interference and noise.
Features of the higher-end models
The WM1ZM3 and WM1AM3 add hand-soldered oxygen-free copper (OFC) wiring and upgraded power circuitry to cut noise further. A milled OFC block separates the digital circuits from the analog ones to limit potential interference.
What distinguishes the WM1ZM3 is that its entire chassis is made of OFC and then gold-plated.
Previous model
Sony has released a gold-plated player before. The earlier model, the NW-WM1ZM2, is currently on sale for $2,599.99.
