WM-6

The WM-6 is one of Sony's first attempts to bring auto-reverse to a broader audience without carrying over the full complexity of its more expensive predecessors. Released in 1983 and manufactured in Korea, it used a horizontal plastic body with a simplified solenoid-based reverse mechanism, Dolby B noise reduction, support for chrome and metal tapes, and an LED direction indicator. Powered by two AA batteries, it also included anti-rolling support and mechanical cue/review, though the mechanism still had some audible roughness and reset behavior that made its cost-conscious engineering fairly apparent.

Auto-reverse was beginning to move out of the premium tier and into everyday use. Sony no longer treated uninterrupted playback as a novelty reserved for showcase models, but as something ordinary listeners could reasonably expect. The WM-6 is one of the early steps toward making Walkman use smoother in daily life.