Sony unveils a Walkman player for $5899
Sony has unveiled three new Walkman players: the flagship NW-WM1ZM3, the NW-WM1AM3 and the more affordable NW-ZX900. All three devices are designed for audiophiles, but the top-of-the-line model is drawing the most attention. It has a gold-plated copper body, weighs 670 grams and costs $5899.
Body and display
The NW-WM1ZM3’s body is machined from a solid block of 99.99%-pure oxygen-free copper and plated with gold. Its back panel is made from the same copper. Even the mounting screws are special: they have a gold plating with low electrical resistance.
Sony says the choice of materials is about more than appearance. Copper provides effective grounding and helps reduce electrical interference that could affect sound. The obvious drawback, however, is weight. At 670 grams, the NW-WM1ZM3 is quite heavy for a portable device.
For the NW-WM1AM3 and NW-ZX900, the company opted for a lighter aluminum alloy, while retaining a back panel made of gold-plated oxygen-free copper. As a result, the NW-WM1AM3 weighs 425 grams and the NW-ZX900 weighs 345 grams.
The NW-WM1AM3 has the same dimensions as the flagship: 86 × 157,6 × 23,2 mm. The NW-ZX900 is noticeably more compact at 77,2 × 139,8 × 17,5 mm.
The two higher-end Walkmans also have identical displays: 5.5-inch touchscreens with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. The entry-level NW-ZX900 gets a 5-inch screen, but with the same resolution.
Audio components
The differences between the players go beyond their bodies and dimensions. Sony also took different approaches to their internal components.
The NW-WM1ZM3 uses thick Kimber Kable copper wires to connect its balanced 4.4 mm output. The NW-WM1AM3’s wiring is also made of oxygen-free copper, but without Kimber Kable’s involvement. In both models, the wire connections are hand-soldered.
The power supply has also changed. Previous generations of high-end Walkmans used a single large solid polymer capacitor; the new models have two. In addition, the LC filter for the balanced output now has a larger coil with a flat conductor made of 99.99%-pure copper.
Another change involves grounding the digital circuitry. The copper block responsible for it is about 34% heavier. All these refinements are intended to reduce electrical interference inside the device.
The NW-ZX900 has its own power supply design, featuring a dedicated ultra-low-noise LDO regulator. It also has low-phase-noise crystal oscillators, which are used in the higher-end models as well. They help keep the audio signal path stable and reduce interference.
Some technologies, however, are available across all three Walkmans. For example, each player is equipped with an S-Master HX digital amplifier. In the new version, Sony has added a predictive quantization noise-shaping system designed to reduce distortion when processing digital signals.
They also feature DSD Remastering Engine, which converts PCM audio into an 11.2 MHz DSD stream. Previously, this processing was available only when playing music stored on the device; it now works with streaming apps, too.
DSEE Ultimate is available for compressed audio files. It attempts to restore sound details lost during compression, and can also be used with wireless headphones.
All three players can play DSD in its native format through the balanced 4.4 mm output. A standard 3.5 mm headphone jack is included, too.
Storage and battery life
The models differ considerably in built-in storage capacity:
- NW-WM1ZM3 – 256 GB;
- NW-WM1AM3 – 128 GB;
- NW-ZX900 – 64 GB.
If the built-in storage isn’t enough, it can be expanded with microSD, microSDHC or microSDXC cards. Each player has a card slot.
Despite its more compact body, the NW-ZX900 has the longest battery life of the three. It can play 128 kbps MP3 files for up to 40 hours on a single charge. Listening to music offline through third-party apps reduces the claimed battery life to 35 hours.
The NW-WM1ZM3 and NW-WM1AM3 have slightly lower figures: up to 35 hours playing MP3 files and up to 31 hours using third-party music apps.
The difference remains when playing FLAC files at 96 kHz / 24-bit. The higher-end models can play them for up to 33 hours, while the NW-ZX900 can last up to 38 hours.
It’s worth noting that Sony’s figures are for a wired balanced connection. Battery life will differ when listening over Wi-Fi, so don’t expect the same 31-40 hours when using streaming services.
Software and connectivity
The new Walkmans run Android 16. Users can install music apps and listen not only to files they have downloaded in advance, but also to tracks from streaming services.
Wi-Fi is available for connecting to the internet, and Bluetooth 5.4 supports wireless headphones. The list of supported audio codecs is extensive: LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, AAC and LC3.
Charging and file transfers are handled through USB-C. Sony has also updated its Walkman interface. The home screen can now be customized, and album artwork is displayed at a larger size.
Pricing and release date
Preorders for all three Walkmans are already open in the US. Prices are as follows:
- Sony NW-WM1ZM3 (256 GB) – $5899;
- Sony NW-WM1AM3 (128 GB) – $3000;
- Sony NW-ZX900 (64 GB) – $1900.
Sales of the two higher-end models in Europe are scheduled to begin in November 2026. The NW-WM1ZM3 will cost €4999, while the NW-WM1AM3 will cost €2499. Sony has yet to say when the NW-ZX900 will launch in Europe or how much it will cost.
In Japan, all three new models will go on sale on November 27, 2026.
