D-T66

The D-T66 took the compact D-66 platform and added a built-in AM/FM tuner without making the slim body feel clumsy or overworked. It kept the same spindle system and overall proportions while integrating the radio naturally into the machine, with the headphone cable doubling as the antenna and the whole player behaving closer to a true all-in-one portable than earlier hybrid attempts.

By then, the Discman was already being pushed toward more ordinary daily use instead of just disc playback in isolation. The D-T66 works because the tuner was a natural extension of the machine instead of a separate feature bolted on afterward. That kind of flexibility was starting to matter more and more.