WM-FX1

The WM-FX1 is the radio-equipped companion to the EX1, carrying Sony's vertical pop-up cassette-loading platform into a more versatile multi-source Walkman. The upright body integrated a dedicated AM/FM tuner section alongside the cassette transport, allowing quick switching between tape and radio without sacrificing the logic-controlled interface of the base model. Auto-reverse, Dolby B, Extended DBB, AVLS, Automatic Music Sensor, blank skip, and remote compatibility all remained in place, giving the machine the same sense of mechanical novelty paired with familiar late-era usability.

What makes the FX1 notable is that it extends the EX1's physical rethink without turning it into a gimmick. Sony was more than experimenting with vertical loading for the sake of visual difference, but proving the new format could support the broader everyday functions people actually relied on. The FX1 is the point when the anniversary platform started becoming a real family instead of a one-off statement.