Sony has announced a new premium Walkman model, the NW-WM1ZM3, featuring a gold-plated chassis and a price tag of $5,899. The device is set to be available in January, with pre-orders now open.
According to Sony's official announcement, the gold plating is not purely aesthetic. The NW-WM1ZM3 incorporates a precision-machined, gold-plated oxygen-free copper (OFC) chassis, engineered to enhance sound quality. This includes a 99.99% pure OFC main chassis and an OFC rear chassis, secured with low-resistance gold-plated screws. Sony claims this construction provides a stable ground connection, contributing to powerful bass, an expansive soundstage, and smooth, extended high frequencies.
The new Walkman also features a larger 5.5-inch screen and utilizes Sony's DSD Remastering Engine to improve audio fidelity. It offers a battery life of up to 35 hours.
This release follows Sony's previous high-end Walkman, the NW-WM1ZM2, which was priced at $3,200 when it launched in 2022. Used NW-WM1ZM2 models are currently listed on eBay for approximately $1,500.