WM-EX85

The WM-EX85 is a slim playback Walkman built around the same late-period EX-series formula as the radio-equipped FX85, combining auto-reverse, Dolby B, Extended Dynamic Bass Boost, and an EX Amorphous head in a compact portable body. What distinguished it most was not the transport but the includes international quick charger, which supports 100-to-240-volt operation without manual switching and comes with plug conversion support for travel. A split-earphone remote kept control accessible while keeping the player's compact footprint.

This model makes sense once Sony had started thinking about the Walkman more than as a domestic commuter object, but as something users might actually live with across borders. The EX85 is less about feature escalation than about removing one very practical source of friction for frequent travelers. That gives it a slightly different kind of usefulness than most of the players around it.