Which Sony Walkman? Retro Buyers Guide.
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- Опубліковано 23 сер 2017
- With countless cassette Walkman sold across 30 years, choosing a good one can be difficult. This video and the links below will help first-time retro Walkman buyers to narrow down that choice.
I could never hope to cover all the models, so I'm featuring some of my favourites. The links below will give you professional opinions and in-depth reviews on many, many more.
walkman-archive.com
stereo2go.org
www.walkmancentral.com
Additional Link:
A great forum for for all things tape related www.tapeheads.net
Ebay links
Sony WM-D6C Professional Walkman
UK ebay.to/2vXYJAO
US ebay.to/2wxG4NS
CA ebay.to/2g3YMpd
DE ebay.to/2xsa8qz
AU ebay.to/2veGi81
NL ebay.to/2v509e3
Sony WM-EX Walkman range (Some good, some not so good)
UK ebay.to/2g5yanC
US ebay.to/2wmWbNy
CA ebay.to/2v5gUWu
DE ebay.to/2xc8hXC
AU ebay.to/2vXRtVr
NL ebay.to/2wxtX3d
Quick tip - If you know the model you want but it isn't there - used the "Saved Search" Feature on ebay - so you are notified the next time someone lists that model for sale.
DD Centre Gear Repair on ebay: ebay.to/2wnhVZT
New Gumstick Batteries: ebay.to/2w0hNhI
'Troubled Hearts' Music Cassette Provided by eox.no
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FAQs
Q) Why two intros?
A) One is an intro, and the other is a transition...just like this
• Video
Q) Why don't they use 3D Printing to create a new centre gear for the DD walkman range
A) Too thin, too weak - not possible. Check the forums linked above for more info.
Corrections
1) The WM-EX900 does have limited functionality without a remote. The machine has a single button that you can tap once to play or stop. Double-tap to FF, Triple Tap to REW and hold to play the other side.
2) The new brass centre gear for the DD range is a prototype - the finished version will be plastic. - Наука та технологія
![ПОЛНАЯ ИСТОРИЯ ЭКЗОРЦИЗМА [Топ Сикрет]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qBySr6Bt0B8/mqdefault.jpg)
I think Sony should bring back a limited edition 40 th anniversary walkman
and make it the wm f10
I walk to work everyday with my sony hd walkman i get lots of FLAC so please dont criticise for that using tapes...
They are
Sony is making a 40th anniversary Walkman though it’s not a cassette player but rather a digital audio player (DAP). Sony has been reusing the Walkman brand for DAPs these days since the stoped making cassette Walkmans in 2010. It will have a touchscreen like the iPod Touch but will come with a case that makes it look like the original Walkman from 1979. It will also have a feature that will show an animation of a compact cassette playing when your listening to music on the touchscreen. The case has a area cut out where it covers the screen so that when the Walkman is in the case and the Cassette animation is playing, it looks from a distance like the original 1979 Sony Walkman playing a tape. I’m sure if you look up close it will not fool anyone but it still looks cool IMO.
Jch *E*
*has no intention of buying a walkman, yet watches entire video*
DigitalRiesNL why not tho
Buy one tho, I did and am happy with it.
*has just found childhood walkman in attic, watches to see if this lad has it*
Dozens of times
😂😂
I’m 13 and I just found my mom’s old WM-FX290W. I’m gonna pick up some cassettes and start listening, I’ve always been fascinated by old audio tech
How about today?...Still into old audio tech?
I'd say the situation for Sony DDs improved over the years. I replaced the broken center gear in my DD II today, got really good spare parts off ebay and there are good instructions on the internet on how to take everything apart. I had zero experience fixing a walkman, but now it's running better than ever :)
...same experience ...
I'm guessing we're all talking about that Slovakian Chad who made the repair guide and sells improved parts
@@YourMiddleBroPhil Tomu ver kamo :)
you'd make a great TV presenter. Very informative and always well dressed.
I believe too. He is very profesional. He knows what he is talking and make it with passion.
C Bull I agree. I wonder what Mat’s job is. I hope he’s a teacher...
Like a motor trend for music
D Danny judging by his average views and subscriber count, UA-cam is probably his full time job.
Been saying this for years
Aaaahhh the walkman. The beginning of my hearing problems. Such nostalgic memories.
Hope that’s ironic,because i always turned it very loud,but until today i can’t complain about my ears 👂- luckily...🍀
f
My wife blames the Walkman for my hard of hearing problems.
when everything electronic device was made in japan...wonderful years....
Mainly just home electronics.
(US and Europe made a lot of electronic devices in the 70/80s.)
Depends on which market.
In West-Europe, almost everything was made in W. Germany, there were much less products made in Japan.
But for example on the Asian market, a lot of stuff was made in Japan.
Little works of art,I’ve got loads of Sony Walkmans of all formats,Cassette,Minidisc,Discman,FM/AM radios,I love them always have,I love Sony gear
The Sony Walkman quality sound is so good... Even in 2020...Truly respect that...
Well, you know what they say..."It's a Sony!"
still got one collecting dust :)
Back then hardware was built to last and quality was prioritized in the development process.
This ethos has been significantly reduced to appease demand and accessibility.
A good example is how an Atari 2600, SNES, Sega Saturn, and N64 all typically work well if kept in healthy conditions (away from debris & humidity) compared to disc-run consoles which started to see failure as soon as 12 years after their release.
Why would anyone want to buy one in this day and age?
Prices on Ebay just went up......
Mike James That's the only thing I don't like about these videos.
Mike James thank goodness i got plenty while i still could. damn it i still want my boodo khan DD100. i hope he won't start talking about ghettoblasters because everybody needs a sharp 777 before they end up in museums
Prices were ridiculous before this video tbh
Yes! Yes, everyone quick go to eBay and buy a Walkman! Or a boombox!
And sell your MiniDisc player or DCC player, before they're worthless. We can make a deal ;-)
ya cause he's the expert right ? show's how dense consumers are.
Marty McFly didn't like Sony. He had a Casio watch, a JVC camcorder, an Aiwa cassette player etc.
Aiwa all the way!
I'm an AIWA boi
I'm pretty sure Aiwa was Sony..
@@colinjohnston8519 Yes and no. Sony bought Aiwa eventually and sold some of the lower end walkmans under their name. But they also had some great models from before them.
"All the best stuff is made in Japan!"
I was a young man when the Walkman came out. I worked in a retail store that sold these. It was exciting to see the new models arrive and the competition between Sony and other brands. The Walkman name became universal with personal stereos (as the name Kleenex was with tissues) but the Sony brand was very strong. Sony was the product everyone wanted but as you pointed out the price kept it out of the reach of many consumers.
In the late 8os my mate had a twin cassette back-to-back walkman that could even copy tapes and it was smaller than the twin cassette cases the tapes came in. Amazing machine - the peak of micro-engineering.
I really miss the smell of freshly unpackaged cassettes. The acrid black plastic, and smell of chemicals from the glossy inlay.
carpii same as when u first took a new vinyl record out of the sleeve.
The smell was propanone (acetone) used to eliminate any moisture.
Yeah torrents doesnt Smells , right kids? My cds still Has its smell
Ever smell a vhs?
You make it sound almost bad. : )
The last cassette walkman I purchased was the WM-FS221 around 2000. It was like a tank version of a sports walkman-- waterproof made from highly plastic with a metal hinge that kept it secured. It was heavy in weight but had a streamlined design with a hand strap so that you could hold it naturally. It also came with 4 tuners AM/FM/Weather Band/TV Audio. Very useful and durable unit that served me well.
I just picked up a FS233. Same design basically.
I was surprised to not see the sports Walkman not mentioned in this video. They always felt like very sturdy units that had a lot of the same features as the higher end units. Them being bright yellow would probably make them less desirable, but if they have a quality mechanism, and have good playback quality, they could be a "hidden gem" of sorts for people searching for a quality Walkman.
The FS-393's really good on paper, though mine is broken.
Horrendous sound
throughout high school I used a WM-SXF33 Sports and that thing took a beating by golly, but I dont believe many of the sports (at least the one I had) has NR.
I still have my first Sony walk, bought it in the 70's working condition 😍
You brought one in 1979 that’s cool
I'm surprised the belts have not turned into black goo .
My first walkman-like tape player was a Philips; it was all plastic, the sound quality wasn't very good and it could only fast-forward, not rewind. But it was affordable when I was 15 years old or whatever.
My next player was a Panasonic with an AM/FM radio and a 3-band equalizer. It looked good, sounded really good too but unfortunately it stopped working for no apparent reason.
I still have the AIWA PX547 player that I bought after that. The lead-acid gumstick battery has a date code of 06-94. That battery doesn't hold a charge anymore but the player still works and it can also use two AAA batteries. This was a high quality player. It has a remote control but no display and no radio either. You don't need the remote to operate the player.
Back in the day, Sony Walkmans were to personal cassette players what Apple is to personal computers nowadays: they were good, but for much less money you could buy something that works just as well. I hope you'll do a video on Aiwa and other players in the future!
I took a similar route...a couple of Saisho models (Dixons own brand) one with FF only, then one with a 5 band graphic equaliser and a radio. The best machine I had was an Aiwa HS-R20. Unfortunately I don't see many fully functional high end Aiwa machines around any more. One reason I chose to focus on the Sony models this time is because I can still get the gumstick batteries.
I still have my Saisho...red it is! Got most of my stuff from Dixons back in the day.
Muttley i recently unearthed my old Sharp JC-196X. It's a really simple machine, but I think it's better than nothing.
I do wonder, what happened to Aiwa though....
Growing up poor I could only afford really cheap Chinese generic portable players. Later on I got one of those huge yellow waterproof Sonys. I think I only used it in the water once.
Cassettes are making a comeback...i had the sony yellow one with two headphones jacks
Kinda. I know prices are stupid. Yeah, but it's not like Target or any mainstream store in the U.S is gonna start selling Cassettes, let alone type 2's or type 4's
@@thecmm4602 Here in Europe ,FNAC which is s mainstream store like best buy carries brand new pre corded Cassete tapes, I've bought firm then about 6 tapes already
Two were type 2 pre corded
And if they do, they would obviously run the cheapest.
Now that I think about it, are they still selling takes for kids?
no they are not coming back. Although i love them for the good memories, there is no reason for using them instead of mp3 or streaming stuff on a digital base.
The ones who tell "they sound better" or "its another music experience" are stuck back in ye olde days.
@@snakeplissken2148 LP''s have come back ..but are crazy expensive
We had a Japanese exchange student come to my school in 1994, he had a walkman that was spectacularly tiny, barely bigger than the cassette, with a small battery stuck on the side. Very impressive for the time!
My brother's friends father travelled to Japan quite often back then for work and remember him having something similar (or perhaps the same). I was definitely jealous of that as a teenager.
The WM-EX900 (and a couple other models not featured) actually does have one button on it that becomes accessible when the Operation slider is in normal position. There's a guide on the back that tells you how to press the one button to get the desired operation (one press for Play/Stop, two for FF, three for Rew, hold for direction change). The other features are on the remote same as the previous model.
You're so right. I bought my DD Quartz new, some thirty years ago. After watching your video, I toke it out of storage (i.e the attic), put some batteries in it and (after putting a cassette in it) it made the same noise as I had heard in your video. Fortunately I still have the battery lid. I think only a fool is willing to pay 1.600 dollars for it.
You know I just bought my first dd walkman! I encountered the same problem, but It was just a matter of replacing that center gear. Get one on Ebay and fix your old walkman!
The DD quartz (DD3) are around 250 euro's. The DD9 is most expensive. I can fix the ticking noise on tour walkman.
This video got me deeply into cassettes and helpEd me with my first Walkman selection. Thanks a bunch been watching for a good while now.
You should do a video repairing the WM-DD series Walkman’s! I’d be very interested to see that and replacing the broken plastic gear. Possibly upgrading it with the metal ones would be very interesting too.
Very useful, I wish to put together a physical library of my favorite music, and cassettes fit my habit for collecting old stuff. Thanks a lot!
I remember the speed of the eject mechanism played a big part in my decision when it came to buying a walkman
Oh yes. Damped eject was the way to go... errr, are we still talking about cassette players?
eleven38 I have a stereo with me that when I click the eject, the door opens in slow motion, more than five seconds to remove the tape, I always pull it before that
I had to have auto-reverse since I was big into cycling and listening to music.
For me it was the one cell battery ( 1,5V ) wich decided if I buyied the walkman or not.
Bloody hell you can put together a good show. I'm not even in the market for one of these but your video was compelling enough for me to happily watch through. (As always.)
I actually bought the DDII because of this video. A fairly hefty price, but definitely worth it. This one I payed extra for the cog to be replaced. I love this thing dude!
Dear Techmoan i love your videos. They are very interesting and informative. I love retro technology especially tapes and Vinyl. They were my everything when I was young!
My Sony walkman got me thru high school.
I traded my discman for a mongoose race bmx
College in the 80's-90's MIX TAPES! :)
My iPod touch git me through high school
I had a couple of them, I really wish I knew where the last one went, it was an Aiwa but equal to any of these Sonys.
I LOVED my AIWA CS-J1.
It was Heavy. With an Aluminum body. But,..
That thing Got LOUD 🔊
and had a decent FM Reciever
My jazz professor back in the 80s had a D6 professional model, and used to record all the Jazz Ensemble rehearsals on it with a stereo mic - the quality was incredible. Could almost master an LP off of it - almost - but ridiculously good quality.
Chris Mezzolesta I have a mint D6 being restored. It’s arguably better than the latter D6C or so I’ve been told by my restorer.
Neil Riley did you receive it yet?
Excellent guide to the Walkman range, thanks for producing it.
Thank you for the excellent video, I’ve been thinking about finding a walkman myself, and you gave me a lot to consider.
Picked up a D6C at a garage sale today for US$4.00. Thanks for your video. If I hadn’t already watched this I might not have recognized what a great find it was!
It definitely needs some work (missing door window & rubber foot, some battery corrosion, General dust, and I suspect will probably need a new band as well), but it’s worth it.
holy moly what a steal!
I have a Panasonic RQ-P155 which I bought in 1990. I used it for years almost daily and when I found it back recently it was all a matter of new batteries, put a tape in, connect it to a decent headphone and the machine still works! A very reliable and well constructed piece of equipment.
Couldn't agree more whether its Sony or Panasonic.Walkman was such a sweet part of my childhood 😍❤❤❤❤❤
I had the WM-EX662. When it came out it was like a flying saucer for me. I loved it so much and the sound was great. I had the complete silver version.
I used to use a pen to rewind tapes in order to save battery back in the days.
yeah batteries back then used to be really expensive!
I remember when I was young, all my tape recorders stopped working. Even my personal tape recorder, or Walkman recorder. All I had was a Walkman which could only play or fast forward. Don’t know how I ever survive without the rewind feature.
Yea we used to do that.
Same here! Used to spin out around
I had that Walkman at the start of the video, the WM-fx423. Brings back so many memories as soon as I saw it. Its a fairly decent machine for the the cheap price.
A few websites used a picture of that specific model in their articles about the discontinuation of the cassette walkman. Unfortunately I just couldn't find if that really was the last model sold, or just a stock photo they used.
Techmoan mine came in a cardboard box, that plastic packaging looked cheaper, like it was a knockoff or something. But it was a really good machine.
Packaging can sometimes vary depending on the store the product is sold in. I remember seeing personal stereos in blister packaging like that in Walgreens in the US.
Techmoan tempted to buy one & see if it's as good as I remember. The radio presets & tape side switching is what made it stand out for me.
i dont even think they sold the wm0fx423 much into the 2000's so highly doubt it was the last one sold, it was a bulky 90's model mostly, fairly budget, very similar to an aiwa that i bought in 1993
Great video. I bought a D6C new when they first came out in the 1980s and used it for years recording Grateful Dead concerts live. I still have it and it works as well as it did new.
Great job as always! I think I have one of the pro Walkman you showed. Sony used to make two kinds, I don’t remember what the difference was. Maybe 1 was more compact and had the same transport mechanism but without the other bells & whistles such as VU meter. Before that Walkman, the best one I had was an Aiwa device w/ in-line remote which I used to record music off the radio while visiting Europe in the 80s. I wish I had kept buying newer Sony models as they were released just to have on-hand now. But thank you again!! Very informative and thanks for the great links!
Techmoan is my drug
Tommy Sands techmoan dosent take drugs, drugs take techmoan
@@rygdoomed442 😂😂😂😂😂👌
Well, I guess, stay in drugs, eat your school, don’t do veggies.
Where have the years gone? Nice trip down memory lane, I still have my D3, beautifully made & still sounds wonderful.
I got a SONY WM-D6C for free today! I had to use some contact cleaner to bring it back to life but holy crap! I have been enjoying your videos for awhile and was delighted when I got it...I wish I could have called you and shared in the excitement :)
I highly recommend the Sony WM-FX313 Auto reverse cassette player. Ive owned one for a few years now n I love it. It didnt break the bank to buy. It sounds great and has been really reliable. And its super easy to service if the belts ever need replacing
The first thing I bought when I got a proper job after college was a lovely little WM-EX53 Walkman :-) So small it had to have a bulge where the battery (single AA) lives. After a decade or so of cheapie (Saisho, Aiwa, and then chunky Sony) ones, it was very luxurious.
Howard Jones I've also had a Sony WM-EX53, actually I still have it lying around somewhere. Indeed a great compact Walkman. Actually preferred it above the bulky Discmans at the time.
I have one too! Just ordered a new belt for it.
At my local resale shop I always see so many interesting tapes! I feel like I'm missing out on some random and interesting music.
You probably are. There was quite a lot music that never really got put into any format besides cassettes/records. There's some music you can only find in analog formats
I just found your channel and subscribed! I just remembered that I still had a Sony Walkman that I bought when I was a teen, a Wm-f75 in grey. I just found it in storage, and perhaps I will find a decent tape to play too! Thanks for the great videos!
I had a Sony wma 39. Loved it. Mega bass, multidirectional playback, eq on the front. Accompanied me on my arduous commute to and from college in elephant and Castle. Loved it
I actually had an RCA personal stereo in the 90s because I couldn’t even afford the Aiwa. I was about 14 when I purchased it. It was nice because it had a built in radio and I enjoyed listening to FM broadcast back then quite a bit. I do, however, remember going to Walmart and Garking at the Sony Walkman’s marveling at how thin and light they were compared to my RCA.
Here's a pro tip, get a DD11. This model has an easy replaceable belt drive mechanism and almost all the models suffer from dead capacitors, which means they're pretty cheap. You can replace the 10-12 capacitors in one go, clean it up and have beautiful little machine which actually sounds pretty great.
sound wise is it any worse than dd2 and dd9 tho?
@@user-yk1cw8im4h The snobs would say otherwise, but the DD11 is really good.
The puppets at the end are amazing!!!!!!!!!! I love this channel, just subscribed, not sure how I hadn't after the last few videos.
I'm an old fart and used to be quite the walkman-freak... I still own two of them.. a DD9 and a D100 Boodo-Kan and although I haven't used them in years, I would not sell them because of nostalgic reasons actually. They remind me of better days :)
I would like to recommend the PANASONIC RQ-SX15 had it when it first came out. great sound compact and good battery life.
Aiwa made some great budget ones.
Pro Walkmans were bootleg machines, and they sounded GREAT. Also really common for documentary and indie film crews to record their sound on Pro Walkmans -- Jon Jost shot several films all by himself with an Eclair 16mm camera and a Pro Walkman to record the sound.
great video, actually does it in an intuitive manner and pours knowledge and helpful hints... bravo
I happened to have found my dad's Walkman in the model WM-F2,it works as smooth as butter 😍❤❤❤❤👌
I really love those metal builds!!!
When i was young my auntie gave me a walkman Sports WM-SXF10 in the early/mid 90's.
I wish I knew where it has gone.
Memories.....
I really enjoy your puppet assistants. They’re green and relatable. Great Walkman review. I had two of them in the 80’s.
I had many cassette players, but only one Sony Walkman - WM-7. According to The Walkman Archive, it was the worlds first autoreverse Walkman.
I loved it because the feather touch control buttons, Dolby B noise reduction and the headset remote control.
12:50 I like the sound the device does when it starts and stops playing. It sounds like something substantial.
I'm such a piece of shit. My parents bought me a Walkman when I was a kid. They bought me lots of things. I am sure I wasn't appreciative enough. I am not saying I didn't like or didn't use the Walkman, cuz I did. I just know they did everything they could for me. They deserve a better son.
just ask them to forgive you, and you will be a great son. I hope they are alive.
You're being too hard on yourself. Nobody appreciates what they have as a kid.
that is just beeing a kid, relax
Fucking Slayer
Man, stop being so tough on yourself. You need to know that it's okay, and there are still people who appreciate you. If your parents are still with you, apologize to them, and it will be okay
From the age of 10, i already have walkmans, listening to songs all the time. Now, i still listens to song wherever i go
I love these walkmans, your collection is really great and DD series are great devices ✌️
Sony walkman professional... my dream walkman....lots of bootleg recordings of gigs were done with this amazing device
guillermo sahuquillo yep, mine too... just bought one on eBay, hope it arrives ok.
Awesome! Bought a Sony WM F-18 a few years back brand new in a box. It’s an absolute beauty if you haven’t seen it already, but you most likely have. It’s from 1985 and has an equalizer. It’s much better than the mid 90’s ones I own. Of course the 90’s ones are more budget than this monster
I have a wm-F18 in silver it’s beautiful
i bought a sony digital am/fm cassette recorder player (no speaker). took the cassette parts out, replaced it with a thin, but good, speaker, made holes in the case, and it plays perfectly! it also has 40 pre-set channels! (a similar unit on amazon is for $100, with only 9 preset channels).
i bought another sony, different kind, but did the same thing, and it too, works perfectly! got them from a thrift store for $5 apiece!!!
This was really interesting even though I’m not looking to buy a Walkman at all. I’m loving these days of having practically infinite music to stream on my phone. But I didn’t realise just how many models of Walkmen there were. And that pro-journalist one was pretty damn sweet. Seeing the prices of different models is always interesting too. Thanks for making the videos!
LOL...looking at them i wanted to collect them all...they look so good nowadays...
That WM-D6C sound awesome.
Do one on aiwa models. There was nothing wrong with them at all.
AIWA was the one to have if you couldn't justify the cost of the Sony.
That is not strange since Sony was a major share holder of Aiwa.
BoloYung That was later.
Sanyo too...
I'm an AIWA boi, but I have a Walkman lol. Everything else like my VCR is AIWA tho.
I still have the Sony WM-EX672 hidden away somewhere. Loved it when it came out and found it reliable, sounds and looks good
The first Sony Walkman I really looked at, and lusted for was around 1980. I have no idea what model it was, but it was one of the high-end super compact silver metal cased radio-cassette units WITH recording. Alas, it was also at least $200! As a self-employed, working stiff, paying solo for his first apartment, $200 wasn't happening. Several years after, I did buy a basic plastic Sony radio-cassette model new, for about $40 maybe. Over the years, I've picked up a bunch at thrift-stores and yard-sales, including a D6-C for $10. But the only other Walkman I ever bought new was sometime in the early 90s. Again, I don't remember the model. But it was black plastic radio-cassette WITH recording, including a mini tie-clip stereo-mic for $90. I still have that one, plus its' twin from a yard-sale. But the walkman I currently use is a WM-FX290 from I'm guessing - late 90s. Cassette/AM/FM/TV/WB two-tone charcoal & silver plastic, digital display, with (according to the flashy sticker still present) 40 preset stations and up to 35 Hours on ONE AA battery! 🙂
I've got a Sony MP3 Walkman. The sound is so much better than the tinny iPod Classic I had before.
Apple always tried making people believe their stuff was better than it actually was...They still do...
I had a DD9 - not sure if i threw it away! Absolutely amazing sound and build quality. Wow and flutter were non-existent unless you shook the hell out of the unit.
I also had the first Sony Walkman (TPS-L2) which as a kid was amazing because it had a (orange) 'TALK' button which made you feel like you also had a Walkie-Talkie - although you were only muting the music to talk to yourself through the headphones!
I had a kick ass Aiwa walkman with the "super bass" slider. it was a 3 band EQ on it with mid and treble too. Loved it!
These are some fancy Walkmans. The last one I had a WM-FX28 - all plastic and no auto-reverse but loved it none the less. I still remember being at the store with mom to buy it - these things weren't cheap. Used it through high-school. Now I'm gonna have to dig it up the next time I'm over at my parents.
Dam you - now I also need to buy a walkman...
iooi Just waiting on a method to convert my Flac files to 8 track.
I wouldn't mind having a DD just for the repair experience.
Wav-or-any-sort-of-files through D/A converter to U-matic video tape. That's a thing, I heard. Wouldn't a U-matic machine make a great "walkman" portable player? I remember when I used a full-sized VHS-HiFi- as a cheap alternative to reel-to-reel. Unfortunately my ears were too sensitive to the audible artefacts, then. My ears are older now, so perhaps I should try it. Probably wouldn't hear the flaws these days. Buyt what kind of music to play on it? Rings of Saturn? :/
Tapes sound like garbage, just listen to the bass on that brand new tape, it's barely there and horribly distorted.
That's right, the sound isn't all that good. Which is why i used a CD-player and an MP3 player as soon as those were available. Even S3 Rio with its rather horrible sound and just 64MB Flash beat a cassette player.
But still, mechanical things have their own appeal.
I'm currently rocking a 1981 Sony Walkman WM-1 Myself.
The one cassette walkman you need to review if you can get your hands on is the solar walkman that is also waterproof. It came from those awkward yellow rubber feel water gasket knobs, but this unit could be charged by the outdoor sun as well as indoor light. It also used one AA battery for backup. Worked best by the pool or beach.
I have wm 36 and absolutely love it. I don't take it out its just at the side of my bed and find it really relaxing to listen to takes me back to the 1980s.
At the end of the cassette era, I got an Aiwa unit with a gum stick battery. One thing to note is the older units that had a play push button was pushing the play head into the tape. The units with soft touch leave the head on the tape. Some of the tapes I forgot were in there, the head could cause that portion of the tape to get degraded. Not totally blanked out, but noticeable. I knew what had happened when I flipped the side and heard the same distortion on that side as well.
I am holding a YELLOW WM-AF59 Sony SPORTS model I found in the recycling bin a few weeks back!
Thanks for the sound test! That was the best part. Please re-post this video once you get the DDs working.
Great video. I love Walkmans. the very first one I had was a Panasonic, can't remember the model. Then I had the original Sony TPLS L2, which a mate gave me in 1986. His mum had won it in a competition years before and didn't use it, so it was mint when it came into my hands. It had a great sound. I can't remember what happened to it in the end, but I wish I still had it when I see what they go for nowadays. My last Walkman that I bought new was the EX672, identical to the one in the video, which I bought in a shopping mall in Spain in early 2001. Gawd knows what happened to it. Maybe I've still got it in a box somewhere in the loft... I actually just bought a mint EX501 in classic Sony blue on ebay for £45. It also has the port for the remote control, but doesn't use the stick batteries. I actually prefer that as I remember they seemed to run out very quickly, and I'd have to use the adaptor for the AA battery regularly when out and about, which was a faff to fit, and, as well as looking ugly, takes up more space in your pocket. The 501's battery life (one AA) is allegedly 35 hours, which it boasts on the original sticker which is still on the front of the unit. It certainly seems to last a long time. I'm still using the battery that was in it when it arrived at my door. Unlike the EX672 the 501 doesn't boast Dolby, but that doesn't bother me as I tend not to turn Dolby on for playback on any machine, and I didn't use it on the EX672. The 501 sounds great, as good as I remember the 672. maybe it uses the same head etc. I'm using a pair of Sound magic E11C in-ear head phones I bought separately for £50, so a fiver more than what I paid for the unit itself. Cheers for the heads up on the DD units btw. I was thinking about bidding on one, but will steer clear of them now.
0:24 Video was recorded on August 21 2017 day of the eclipse. Nice clock by the way. Military time.
I've got a request...could you do a video on different styluses for a vinyl player? I'd like to upgrade mine.
Well, that would be very hard. It depends on your record player and the amp, so would be very specific
It’d depend on the cartridge and cartridge type.
A few months ago I bought a wm af59 on amazon and personally its a really good, I use it whenever I go out and it's durable and sounds good.
Great video my dad’s first Walkman he bought was Walkman wm-f15 from 1984 and passed it down to me wish I still had it
Take a drink every time he says "Beautiful".
Freako "You know that is actually before my time!"
Feeling drunk isbeautifull
Im so really to get drunk.
Damit im drankNaw
i clocked out 3 martinis ago, im barely concious
This could've EASILY had a click-bait title. Major props for never going that route!
How would it be written??? Cmon!
The last and best cassette Walkman I owned was the WM-F74. I loved that thing, it was an eye-catching red, had auto-reverse, an AM/FM tuner and because it was a sports model, it was nigh indestructible. I used it from the mid-eighties to the early 90s when I transitioned first to Discmans and then MiniDisc players. I certainly do not miss tape hiss, though, which is why have no interest in getting back into cassettes.
@Techmoan You left out a great model. This had a speaker which played when you pulled the headphones out. I ended up listening far more with the speaker in my room than walking around with headphones. It became my whole music system through grad school and a few more years. Used it till the belt gave out. A true joy.
BTW the professional series doesn't sound as good as a cassette deck so if you're not going to move around with it buy a cassette deck instead. To hook up to your amp.
I just missed the Walkman era by a few years. I've used a Discman though. I want both now but not at these ridiculous prices.
I've seen something on Facebook I'd like to see a video on. It's a record eater. They are ways to play your 45s anywhere. Introduced in the 60s. Please like this so techmoan can see it
Just got my WM-D6C in the mail yesterday. Completely mint condition, not a single scratch on it. It came with its leather case but no other accessories besides the battery cage. The sound from this thing is absolutely insane. If you can find one of these in good condition for a decent price, BUY IT!
As before every thing old is new once again. Clever and informative as well.
Sony WM-DD33 was 'best of the test' in the Dutch consumer association "Consumentenbond" back in the days.
One of the best. Very low wow and flutter.
I recently bought sony wm ex 512 with remote and the remote didn't have headphone jack. So i unsoldered the original headphones and replaced them with a headphone jack. Now i can use any headphones with this remote.
Just bought a Wm-fx407 for about 50 on ebay (the belt fell off in transit and was worn out so I had to replace it, and the seller compensated me 22 dollars for the new belt and time, so really I payed about 40 for it) Really happy with it and I think it's a good walkman for the price they go for, had everything you could want on a portable Cassette player, Dolby Nr 2, auto reverse, Mega bass, and an Am/fm radio. It's suprisingly small too, it's a little thick but it fits in my jean pocket fine. Only downside I've noticed so far is that it has tabs instead of screws and you have to pop off 2 of them inside the cassette bay to get the back off. Luckly once you carefully remove the back, the belt is right there along with screws that adjust various things. Cool think is if you need to adjust the speed, theres a hole on the back that lets you get to the screw that adjusts that. Really happy with it though, highly recommend.
Great video. Belive it or not I got all my wailkman still to this day. I have 4 sony wailkman and one Panasonic wailkman and there are all in good working order. I always look after wailkman like my baby's and I even still play with them to this day.