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 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 100,000 yen ($365 to $730).
