Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player
Pop in that favorite cassette or relive the magic of the mixed tape with Sony's WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player. When you're feeling more like the radio, tune into the AM or FM dial. You can also get up to the minute weather info with local Weather Band broadcasts. And, in the name of keeping things economical, just a single 'AA' battery has the Walkman up and running for hours on end.
When it comes to the functions of the WM-FX290W you'll benefit from 40 station presets, an automatic volume limiter, and a local/distant DX switch, to name a few. The cassette player also includes a carry case with belt clip and a pair of stereo headphones. Turn on, tune in, and experience those cassettes with the Sony WM-FX290W.
- Slim Design
- Take the Walkman anywhere you go thanks to its svelte styling and easy to use controls
- Tape Cassette Playback
- Get lost all over again in your tape collection or shake things up with memory-inducing mixes
- Weather Band
- Go beyond the FM and AM dials with up to the minute weather from local weather band broadcasts
- Digital Synthesized AM/FM Stereo Tuner
- The synthesized tuner provides accurate, drift-free tuning of AM/FM frequencies
- Station Presets
- Enjoy one-button tuning of your favorite 4 WB, 24 FM, and 5 AM stations
- Digital Auto Preset Scanning
- The auto scan function plays a few seconds of each memorized radio station, in sequence, allowing you to select stations for listening and setting into memory
- 1 'AA' Battery
- Just 1 'AA' battery provides you with up to 35 hours of audio, keeping things affordable and long-lasting
- Mega Bass Sound System
- Benefit from deep, rich bass reproduction for a powerful listening experience
- Battery Level Indicator
- The indicator keeps you apprised of battery levels
- Automatic Volume Limiter System
- This system automatically adjusts sections of music that vary widely for improved comfort and clear sound
- FM Local/Distant (DX) Switch
- The DX switch provides optimal reception of stations near and far
- Digital LCD Display
- The LCD provides you with station frequency, preset status, and cassette operation info
- Carry Case w/Belt Clip
- These included accessories let you wear your Walkman for hands-free listening
| Tuner | |
|---|---|
| Type | Digital |
| Display | LCD |
| Frequency Range |
FM: 87.5-108MHz AM: 530-1710kHz Weather Band: Ch. 1-7 |
| CD Playback Format | N/A |
| Presets | 40 (5 AM, 24 FM, 7 TW, 4 WB) |
| Speaker | N/A |
| Power Output | Not specified by manufacturer |
| Connectors | Stereo mini jack |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Power Requirements | 1.5VDC (1 x 'AA') |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | Not specified by manufacturer |
| Weight | Not specified by manufacturer |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 43 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
90%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (36)
- Good sound (33)
- Simple controls (29)
- Long battery life (16)
- Durable (12)
Cons
Best Uses
- Home use (23)
- Travel (13)
- Commuting (6)
- Running (6)
- Walking (5)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Practical (30), Traveler (7), Gearhead (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (35)
Most Liked Positive Review
Does what is says
Looking for a cassette player these days is very challenging, as they are not very common at all. I ended up paying more than I would have wanted for the Sony, at thirty dollars...Read complete review
Looking for a cassette player these days is very challenging, as they are not very common at all. I ended up paying more than I would have wanted for the Sony, at thirty dollars, but in all honesty, there are many features that it came with that make it more than a cassette player.
I'll give a brief outline of the different features and my impression of them.
The sound output is excellent and clear, and can be boosted loud enough to make you cringe, perfect for those cassettes that are recorded with very low volumes. The only down side I see with it is that it receives interference from EDGE network cell phones. Which means, a really loud and annoying doo doo doo doo sound everytime someone with one of those phones comes near you.
The radio function works well, and it has an antenna booster that is basically just the wires of the headphone. I don't anticipate using this feature too much, but when hurricanes strike, as they always seem to in the south, it would be something I'll be looking for.
The battery compartment accepts 1 AA battery, and I've been listening to about 10 hours worth of audio, and my battery meter is still full. Compared to my old walkmans in the past, I was impressed with that.
Other than that, it's made of plastic, with plastic buttons, and plastic casing. I expect it will damage if dropped hard on a solid surface. I anticipate the buttons becoming loose or falling off, but after shopping around, it seems all portable cassette players suffer from this. So far in the month I've owned this, I haven't had any problems with the case.
The visual screen is a nice touch for those who are interested in fiddling with the different options. Really, it seems that it just supports radio and megabass, a deeper tone booster. I haven't really used it much.
With the market for cassette players the way it is today, I would buy this product again, since it seems reliable and fully functional compared to some other brands that break apart and disintegrate within the first couple of months. For that, I gave it a 5 star rating.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Diminished Cassette Player Functionality
The WM-FX290W is used primarily as a cassette player during daily walks. I use it to replace a broken Sony WM-FX451 that had served me well over many years.The WF-FX290W has a great sound and...Read complete review
The WM-FX290W is used primarily as a cassette player during daily walks. I use it to replace a broken Sony WM-FX451 that had served me well over many years.The WF-FX290W has a great sound and probably a great AM/FM Radio which I don't use.The following things that are not so great in my opinion: Access to the cassette area is limited by the carrying case with no means of quickly switching cassettes while walking. Without the case there is no way to hook it to a trouser belt. The main body of the player must be tilted to load the cassette into the lid. I have been thinking of attaching with super glue the belt hook to the lid, but this perhaps will cause too much stess on the cassette door hinges. It has only one AA battery, while that may be fine for the radio functions, it reduces the time that the cassette player can operate satisfactorily. It does not have an auto reverse function. In view of these difficulties I would welcome the chance to buy another WM-FX451. Thank you for your interest.Ralph Ruhterruht[@]
Reviewed by 43 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Durable
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Travel
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I have too many casettes and wont be able to convert them to CD. This handy and portable unit will be great at the beach and aboard my boat. The sound is fine, the quality is there and the new digitized unit is an improvement. The bad news is I may never be able to get another if I should lose this one. The AM radio side is not the best receiption. And, I dont get the weather at my home location. Have'nt tried it elsewhere. I've not had it long enough to rate battery life.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I needed a cassette player (old Sony Walkman broke) to convert some French language tapes into digital audio files for use with my iPod Touch. This Walkman proved excellent for this project. B&H is always a pleasure to do business with.
Cheers.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
If you have a bunch of favorite old cassette tapes (maybe, like me, recorded from your LP collection), and like to walk or run or enjoy music doing housework from room to room, you need one of these. A quality Sony product, very compact, runs on a single AA, digital tuning, great AM/FM and tape sound, good headphones, excellent value. The weather radio feature can be handy, as is the belt clip. The bass boost feature distorts and will not be of use to adults.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Long Battery Life
Cons
Best Uses
- Running
- Travel
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
Hard to beat a mixed cassette tape of all favorite songs! The Walkman is still king and better than ever!!!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
Best Uses
- Running
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
Great product. The battery life is very good. Good tape playing for Books on Tape listening.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
Best Uses
- Commuting
- Home Use
- Travel
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
You will love this walkman. It is light, only 180 grams with a tape and battery and has a beautiful slimline design. The sound quality is excellent. And although it only has one battery in it, it keeps on going for weeks. I mostly use it to listen to my meditation tapes and it is great. Being a Sony I would expect it to last. My previous Sony walkman is still going strong after 15 years. Also the delivery was quick only four working days to Melbourne Australia. Buy and enjoy.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Carrying Case
- Designed for left-handers
- Ease of accessing buttons
- Radio quality
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I expect a lot from a brand name like Sony. And I'm sad to report that this Walkman doesn't deliver. There are 2 main problems: the radio part isn't that good. The AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player that this replaced (about 20 years old) was able to get a lot more stations than this model can. I believe that this has to do with design. The second problem is ergonomic design. The cassette player is designed for left-handed people. That is, if you are carrying the Walkman in its case on your belt on your right side then there is no way to get to the cassette buttons without twisting your right wrist in an almost impossible position. You could wear it on your left side and use your left hand but why should you have to?
Overall the price is decent and it will do what you want it to do but if you're looking to replace your "old" AM/FM Cassette players then you should probably look elsewhere and not expect too much
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
- Poor AM sound quality
Best Uses
- Home Use
- Running
- Walking
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
For many years I used similar product by Panasonic. It was a great product. I listened to books on tape and when condition changed easily navigated between cassette, News (AM), or music (FM). Then I could return to my books or my music on cassette. It had removable clip and controls that was easy navigate without looking on it.
SONY Walkman although has all these functions it is losing in many points... The AM radio is a grade worse and requires continuous turning radio to get a stable signal for the most powerful stations. Control knobs are although visually appealing are not efficient to use them by finger feels. All design and controls looks like made for the left handed people - I would like mirror-image design. Also would prefer to have clip mounted directly on the radio.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
excellent sound from tapes, and the radio is fine; a good buy
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Commuting
- Home Use
- Walking
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
How happy I was to find this product! My last Walkman lost its ability to play cassettes and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to find another. Saw B&H had one and ordered it right away. [...] It works GREAT and the sound quality is better than my old one. Highly recommended!!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
- One battery is better
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
- Nighttime listening
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I used my old one till the off button stopped working. All the functions of the new one work fine. It takes some getting used to because the control buttons are set up differently but still do what I need. It's pretty good for the price though I've only had it for a couple weeks. If it lasts as long as my first one I will be happy. Thanks for asking.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
- Lacks autoreverse
Best Uses
- Bike riding
- Travel
- Walking
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
It makes a very unpleasant job(exercize) much easier.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I enjoy listening to really old cassette tapes. I attach the unit to my pocket and enjoy music from a byegone era. Sound is great.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
My Sony Walkman worked when I opened it on Christmas Day. Then I set it down on my dresser and did not touch it again for a few months. The next time I went to use it, it would not power up. Tried it with new batteries, but still no response. It was a complete waste of the [$]. I'm very annoyed.
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I have owned Sony Walkmen since the late '70's or early '80's -- too long ago to remember. I bought this one mostly to listen to my old tapes, and tapes from The Teaching Company, which I love. I've had no problems, everything works as it should. The earphones are serviceable - decent but not great quality. They are fine for speech. For music I usually use Sennheiser noise reduction phones, and the limit of quality is obviously the audio cassette themselves -- the Walkman and Sennheiser phones are giving me everything on the tape. The Dolby works as it should. I particularly like the AM radio, since I do listen to both AM and FM. The headphone cord is the antenna, so radio reception depends a lot on how you have the headphone cord positioned. I would recommend this unit, and I am actually thinking of buying a spare, just because I think the Walkman will probably disappear long before I'm finished using my cassette tapes. (Yes I am digitizing some of them, and replacing a lot with more modern downloaded sound, but it is not worth it to digitize all of them, so I want to have a portable cassette player.)
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
- Travel
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
excellent cassette sound quality. Radio reception poor however in our area, but didn't expect much of this feature: used mainly for cassette use.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I Like this Sony Walkman, Everything, about it is Great! I use it every day, when I work in my shop.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
- No auto reverse
- Short Battery Life
Best Uses
- Walking
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
The WM-FX290W is used primarily as a cassette player during daily walks. I use it to replace a broken Sony WM-FX451 that had served me well over many years.The WF-FX290W has a great sound and probably a great AM/FM Radio which I don't use.The following things that are not so great in my opinion: Access to the cassette area is limited by the carrying case with no means of quickly switching cassettes while walking. Without the case there is no way to hook it to a trouser belt. The main body of the player must be tilted to load the cassette into the lid. I have been thinking of attaching with super glue the belt hook to the lid, but this perhaps will cause too much stess on the cassette door hinges. It has only one AA battery, while that may be fine for the radio functions, it reduces the time that the cassette player can operate satisfactorily. It does not have an auto reverse function. In view of these difficulties I would welcome the chance to buy another WM-FX451. Thank you for your interest.Ralph Ruhterruht[@]
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Long Battery Life
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
- Travel
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
I searched and searched for the old fashioned cassette player and could not find one. I use it with a pillow speaker under my pillow at night to listen to selected cassettes to fall asleep. Suffering from insomnia I find it ideal to fall asleep to as it takes my mind off stupid thoughts. The auto off was essential and the one battery last months. I found this player on [...] for the same price and am wondering why you matched theirs. I would have thought you could have discounted their price. I love it and know it will be an endangered item and go by the wayside soon. The cons about it are finding the volume or off buttons by feel in the dark.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Controls
- Good Sound
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Use
Comments about Sony WM-FX290W Walkman Digital Tuning AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player:
wonderful to listen to my old tapes... they still sound great. I'm very happy with my purchase.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
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Batteries & Power
- Price: $3.99
- GBP 2.54
Headphones
- Price: $7.99
- GBP 5.09
What's in the Box
- Stereo Headphones
- Carry Case with Belt Clip
- 1-Year Parts and 90-Days Labor Limited Warranty
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