WM-F2097

The WM-F2097 is a more capable radio-recording Walkman that paired a digital AM/FM tuner with cassette playback and recording, including the ability to capture broadcasts or external audio and shipping with a stereo microphone for more flexible recording use. Auto-reverse playback rounded out the machine, which was clearly built for more active tape behavior than ordinary listening alone. The body remained portable, but the feature set pushed it beyond the standard tuner branch.

With the F2097, you can see Sony still preserving cassette as an active medium even as the format aged. It was not simply about listening to tapes or radio, but also about recording, collecting, and reusing sound in portable form.