WM-FX808

The WM-FX808 is the radio-equipped counterpart to the EX808, carrying over the same aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis while adding AM stereo reception and Sony's area retrieval tuning system for faster station access. It retained auto-reverse, Dolby B, Extended Dynamic Bass Boost, AVLS, Automatic Music Sensor, blank skip, and remote control without losing the slim, rigid feel that made the non-radio version notable. The tuner hardware expanded the machine's usefulness, but the body still remained one of its strongest selling points.

What makes the FX808 notable is that Sony managed to add radio without losing the object quality that defined the base platform. That balance matters more than it sounds, because many radio Walkman drifted toward feeling slightly bulkier or more compromised than their playback-only siblings. The FX808 still is a material-first premium portable that just happens to include broadcast listening.