Sony's gold-plated Walkman NW-WM1ZM3 costs $5,899

A three player lineup

Sony has announced a trio of Walkman portable media players aimed at the audiophile market, with prices running from $1,899.99 to $5,899. The entry point in the new range is the NW-ZX900 at $1,899.99, followed by the NW-WM1AM3 at $2,999.99. The flagship is the NW-WM1ZM3, a gold-plated player priced at $5,899.

Sony describes the NW-WM1AM3 as nearly identical to the top model, minus the gold shell. The gap between the flagship and the rest of the line is not just cosmetic, but the materials used inside are also different.

Gold, copper and lower noise

All three players use Sony's DSD Remastering Engine, which upsamples standard PCM audio to an 11.2MHz DSD stream. Sony claims this delivers a more analog-like sound. Each model also has gold plating on the rear chassis, which Sony says is meant to reduce interference and lower noise.

The two higher-end models add hand-soldered oxygen-free copper wiring and upgraded power circuitry that Sony says lowers noise further. A milled oxygen-free copper block isolates the digital circuits from the analog ones to limit potential interference. On the NW-WM1ZM3, Sony goes further by building the entire chassis out of oxygen-free copper and then gold-plating it.

A familiar formula

This is not the first time Sony has released a gold-focused media player. The previous model, the NW-WM1ZM2, is on sale for $2,599.99, which the report frames as a relative bargain next to the new flagship. The Verge notes that an old iPod bought on eBay is still probably the better value.

Sources: The Verge · Techmeme