WM-EX654

The WM-EX654 pushed that same late EX logic further, combining auto-reverse, Dolby B, Groove, AVLS, AMS, blank skip, hold, and full logic controls inside a slim metal-framed body with remote compatibility and external battery support. The feature set is dense without becoming strange, and the machine is clearly built around convenience, compact handling, and late-period cassette refinement instead of around bold styling or experimental mechanics.

This one reads like a high-end playback Walkman from the point when Sony already knew exactly what a premium cassette player should do. It does not rely on one dramatic feature. Instead, it feels carefully assembled: the right controls, the right sound processing, the right carry behavior. That quiet completeness is what gives it weight.