the story
The year is 1997 and Sony has somehow managed to make carrying a Walkman look like you’re about to answer an urgent call from the regional manager at Sears. The WM-FX251 itself is pure late-90s cool, all metallic gray curves, little LCD display and enough buttons across the front to suggest serious electronic business is taking place. But then there’s the pouch. A magnificent black leatherette holster that transforms your portable music player into something a grandfather might clip to his belt before announcing that long-distance calls are cheaper after 7 PM. And against all odds, this one survived beautifully. The Walkman is remarkably clean and its original pouch looks like it spent the last 29 years patiently waiting for pleated khakis to come back into fashion. We brought the whole time capsule through the APD lab, where the FX251 received our thorough restoration treatment, and the cassette playback coming out the other side is superb. This is a legendary little piece of 1997 Sony, complete with its original carrying case, ready to go wherever you go. Wear it on your belt, you coward.
What You Get
• The unit itself — in great external condition with very minor bumps and bruises, fully serviced and ready for use, you’ll only need to supply 2 AA batteries. Pictures show the exact unit you’ll receive.
• Your choice of a freshly curated APD 80’s mixtape or a retro prerecorded tape from our archives
• A pair of period-correct headphones (new)
• Original Sony leatherette carrying case
• Iconic Sony Sound - arguably sounds better than anything on the market today
• Legendary APD packaging with a custom sticker pack for a gift-worthy unboxing.
Features + Highlights
• Cr02 tape support
• AVLS - save your eardrums if you want
• Digital FM/AM tuner
• Medium-sized format Walkman build — sturdy, built for real use
Service Provided (Nerd Stuff)
• Full off body cleaning and restoration
• Belt pathways fully cleaned and new premium belt installed
• Motor lubricated
• All contacts cleaned (crackle free)
• NAK-T100 Speed Adjusted, wow and flutter within spec
• Capstans and pinch rollers cleaned
• Head cleaned and demagnetized
• Transport cleaned and lubricated
• Full playback tested
Condition + Character
• This reborn legend has great cosmetics with some minor visible wear happening in it’s 29 years of life (see photos).
• Controls, sliders, knobs and tape door feel rock-solid and responsive.
• Cassette porthole clean and clear.
• Clean and corrosion-free battery contacts.
FCC information: This vintage Walkman is sold as a used device. The FCC’s adopted online-marketplace FCC-ID display rule exempts listings for used devices (47 CFR § 2.803(c)(3)(iii)).