WM-23

The WM-23 was one of Sony's simplest and least expensive stereo playback Walkman models of 1985, built around a straightforward two-AA transport with manual tape selection and automatic shut-off at tape end. Its plastic body kept the controls and cassette window clean and functional, with the design reduced to reliable everyday stereo playback rather than display or spectacle. It was an entry-level machine, but it still looked and operated like a real Walkman.

Sony understood how important it was to keep a genuine entry point in the range. By 1985 the Walkman was no longer just a novelty for early adopters, and models like this helped make personal stereo something ordinary that could be bought without much thought. Its importance is less technical than commercial.