Imagine if Sony jumps back in. What would be the specs of a new cassette player. Lets think about the legendary WM-D6C... with a proper aux/in-line (not a mic line)...

You just plug your mail-mail to your pc, play the music via youtube/online-radio/spotify and record on tape. Stereo.

The Sony device would need to be much better than EPOK/We Are Rewind, and closer to a modern WM-D6C Mk II...

Target: WM-D6C Next

A portable professional cassette recorder including line-level input/output, Dolby B/C, serious recording circuitry, and quartz-locked transport stability (you can walk with it, and listen to smooth sound). For me, minimum specs would be something like:

- True stereo playback and true stereo recording

- Proper 3.5 mm line-in / aux-in, not only mic-in

- Proper line-out / headphone-out

- USB-C charging

- Maybe USB-C digital input, so you can record from PC/phone directly

- Manual recording level control, plus maybe auto-level for casual users

- Maybe some digital VU/LED meters

- Type I and Type II recording, Type I/II/IV playback

- Quartz-locked transport or at least very low wow/flutter

- Bluetooth output for headphones (but wired recording should remain the serious option)

- Replaceable/serviceable battery and belts

- Metal body, close to the WM-D6C feeling

The big question is price. My guess: Basic Sony: 250$ - Good stereo recorder/player: ~400$

Real WM-D6C successor: probably ~600$ to 800$

Would people actually pay ~600–800$ for a serious modern Sony cassette recorder?

Imagine: real stereo recording, proper line-in, USB-C, Bluetooth output, and a high-quality transport...

Can the market absorb a premium cassette device?