Former Sony engineer confirms that Walkman is extinct: Verifying 6 core reasons
30 years ago, Sony created the iconic WM-EX2000 cassette player. The device weighs only 145g, meets the frequency range of 20Hz - 20kHz and maintains the wow and flutter index at an excellent level of 0.09%. So far, this prototype still works well, but Akira Tanaka - a mechanical engineer who has participated in the development of more than 25 Walkman models and is the head of the MZ-RH1 project (the last MiniDisc Walkman), affirms that Sony can never recreate such a device.
After retiring in February 2025, Tanaka gave 6 reasons to explain the permanent disappearance of the classic Walkman line. Although his arguments sound extremely rigorous, when analyzed closely, some factors are simply business problems and not purely insurmountable technical barriers.
The first reason pointed out by Tanaka is the disruption of the original component supply chain. Tanashin, which manufactured the tape reading mechanism for most cassette players since the mid-80s, stopped production in 2009. Currently, new cassette players are forced to use copies from China because the old patent has expired.
Tanaka emphasized that miniature motors, magnetic heads and proprietary integrated circuits have all disappeared from production lines. However, the market still witnesses remarkable efforts such as the FiiO CP13 model. Instead of trying to copy Sony's old components, FiiO redesigned the entire motor system and audio circuit around the remaining mechanical assembly on the market, proving that production is still feasible if manufacturers are willing to invest in research.
However, the biggest difficulty lies in restoring technical brain matter. Integrating the brass flywheel, OFC copper read head and complex circuit board system into an ultra-light chassis like the WM-EX2000 requires an extremely sophisticated manufacturing engineering platform. According to Tanaka, this in-depth knowledge is not located on papers or technical drawings, but is stored in the memories of previous generations of retired engineers. Rebuilding a manufacturing knowledge base that has been eroded over decades will cost a lot of time and money, while the rate of return is unclear.
Besides, the shortage of storage discs is also a difficult problem for the MiniDisc Walkman line, when Sony has officially stopped producing blank MiniDisc discs in early 2025. However, this barrier does not apply to cassette or CD formats, which are still maintaining a stable supply on the market. In terms of commerce, Tanaka believes that current sales are too small for a corporation like Sony to offset the costs of researching and manufacturing new molds. However, actual figures show a more positive picture: the global cassette market is worth about 345 million USD, with sales in the US increasing 17.5% to 446,500 tapes in 2025, and expected to exceed 580,000 units in 2026.
In a different approach, Maxell launched the MXCP-P100 model (about 90 USD) mainly aimed at the Japanese domestic market. The device emphasizes convenience with Bluetooth 5.4 connection, USB-C fast charging port and 9-hour battery life. In return, the device only supports Type 1 tape, has no Dolby circuit and omits the auto-reverse feature.
