TOKYO — Music lovers nostalgic for the faint hissing and crackling of cassette tapes have sent the price of vintage players soaring, with some now going for five times as much as a decade ago.
Sony first launched the Walkman TPS-L2, a cassette player considered the particular world’s first portable music device, back in 1979. Originally priced at 33, 000 yen, those in good condition now sell for around 50, 000 to 100, 500 yen ($365 to $730).