A while back I bought a Sony WM-EX672 that needed a new belt. While looking for the service manual, I found a seller on AliExpress that offered a complete housing including battery door for it, entirely transparent. After the housing and new belt from @mihokm were installed, I was simply amazed. It is mesmerizing to watch, the back more so than the front!
I’ve seen these a while ago on Aliexpress. Not real cheap (I would have thought around $10 but I saw about $60 for only a door) and I wondered if the fit well. do you recommend? Are they made well?
This one was 35 euros approximately delivered, so I decided to buy it. Occasionally, only the cassette door for 50+ appears in my list; I find that a bit too expensive. The fit is good, down to the plastic tabs that touch the domes of the buttons on the back. The only change I need to make is the cut outs for the battery sidecar, they are a hair too small. It should be easy to enlarge carefully with a drill. It seems so, I can't imagine it being 3D printed.
I'm not a user of 3D but I think you can see the lines of the rod with 3D. With injection you might have some flashing (smushed plastic that squeezed through the mold), or even round ejection pin marks. Injection would be impressive since they would have to mill a metal mold. They might also be resin casting, I'm not sure how you can tell the difference.
Funny, I remember back in the day it was cool not to show the cassette to make it more modern, now I really enjoy watching the cassette spin whilelistening.
I tried to fit the housing on an EX900. It won’t fit, the battery door could be made to fit perhaps. The rear casing differs too much.
@T-ster: Help me find one for a DD, 700 series, or EX900 ! I am willing to fund a first 10 or so when the price is reasonable.
There is a EX500 for sale in Germany with only the transparent door: https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/sony-wm-ex500-walkman-mit-tuning-wie-wm-504-seltenheit/
have to say i'm not a fan it cheapens the whole walkman for me lads. yup i guess i am the odd one out as usual lol