After seeing this article that I've already commented in this thread, I decided to create my own list. That article is ok, but I barely coincide with the author in 20% of the list. There are big missings there, and also many models that shouldn't be there. But before publishing my list, I'd like to know your thoughts: do you think I'm missing an important one? Maybe you would remove someone? Let me know your thoughts. Here's the list (in no particular order): SONY TPS-L2 WM-7 WM-DD30 WM-DC2 WM-DD100 WM-D6C WM-EX5 WM-DD9 WM-DD WM-EX20 WM-II WM-10 WM-505 WM-701C WM-W504 WM-701T WM-B39 WM-EX9 WM-F5 WM-F107 WM-W800 AIWA HS-PX101 HS-PX101 HS-JX2000 HS-JX3000 HS-P05MkII HS-PX303 HS-J707 HS-PX1000 HS-JX505 HS-JX707 HS-PX20 HS-G08 HS-PX410 HS-JX303 HS-J500 HS-P2 HS-JX101 Panasonic RQ-S80 RX-HD10 Sharp JC-C50 JC-TV10 Sanyo JJ-P5 ES-P7 JJ-P101 Infinity Intimate Astraltune JVC F7K CX-V9 Toshiba KT-V500 RT-CS1 TEAC PC-7RX This list is actually 52 so I have to remove two... but first I want to know what you think.
One on your list is 505 and another is W505. Shouldn't it be 501? And I never heard of W505, only about 505.
This list is sort of rubbish, it's made from the perspective of somebody looking for an elite walkman to play tapes 40Y after their introduction. It is not a collector's list. By far the #1 most significant walkman was the WM-2. That's the one that - historically - set the market on fire. Not the TPS-L2, not the DD2, not the DC6, not anything else. WM-2 was the bomb that set off the explosion in walkman sales! The next step in that evolution was the WM-10 (and its cousin the WM-F10). As small as a cassette tape when empty. But customers were discerning and said, "Oh that's kinda pointless it's only hyper compact when its empty which is NEVER so in 99% of cases its about the size of the WM-2 I won't buy one because I am a discerning customer." The final and perhaps #2 most significant walkman was the WM-F41 (and similar models, WM-41, WM-F31, WM-31, and WM-43/F43/33/F33). These were the design for manufacturability walkmans. Whereas the Walkman 2 cost about $140, and other models retailed for $70-$120, the WM-F41 included AM/FM, had outstanding sound quality, and in 1987 cost only $40! Consumer reports rated it #1, beating many products over $100! It was designed for manufacturability with only 5 screws holding it together. Everything else mounted to the circuit board and/or snapped together! To save money - for the first time - there was no latch on the cassette compartment! An arm hooked the cassette which itself held the door closed. Brilliant! Because the WM-F41 was so simple to construct, it was made in Malaysia and you could buy a walkman in a blister pack in a drugstore for the first time in history, and put one into every room in your house! I did that! Together with a set of computer speakers, the WM-F41 could form an outstanding component stereo system for less than $100 with unmatched portability and sound! It's not features that create a walkman collection. It's the importance and impact on the market that a particular model had. While it's fine to play with your japan-made all-metal elite gear-driven walkmans, they frankly had no impact on portable stereos because they were far too expensive to change the way consumers enjoyed personal music playback... Disclaimer: I was a college student and graduate student 1980-1990. I was gifted a WM-2 in 1981, I purchased a WM-F8 in 1984 (WM-2 was stolen and didn't have the bucks for another), and in 1987 bought several WM-F41's and in 1990, a Sony Pressman TCM-74V.
That's of course one point to say which walkmans were important for customers then, but for me this list can contain a lot of models which at time of manufacture and sale had some qualities that weren't well known and/or are impotant now like: Repairability, quality of mechanism, quality of electronics (capacitors, IC's). I for once when I had my first walkman clone it was so bad I could hardly play 2 sides of 60 minutes tape on decent volume on two AA bateries. Next one was better, but a MOTL. Now I have few TOTL, and now I see what I was missing sond quality and usability wise.
when walkmans were sold in blister packs that was the end for me i would add the aiwa hs px 10/2o they had a better quality head than the hs px 1o1 and sounded better 1 was available in white.....rarer than hens teeth only available in Japan
Oops, I'm sorry. I meant WM-504 not WM505. In this 3 years absent my memory partially deleted some models info The other is the W505 which is correct: the first walkman with wireless headphones.
Best in which way, the performance or importance of release? Or maybe the looks and design? It’s a big list but I guess all very subjective too.
To me there all five key things to make this list: - to be the first to have some important technology - to have a very high quality sound - to be a landmark due to its engineering - to have a look/design that made it stand ahead the rest - to be a special edition, truly special in some way.
I think we can break the list to 5 or max 10 to discuss about it. when it comes to 50 most of the viewers dont pay attention to the models you put, thats why they are recommending models that you have already recommended. A member recommended WM-41 and called your list rubbish! I guess its ok. new members will learn about these units more and will have a better opinion in time. You placed a lot of good models BUT few models can be placed in the list and I don't see them in the list: Toshiba KT-G 701 (best Toshiba walkman) AIWA J-600 Sony WM-504 Sony WM-3EX
I thought about it, but I'm not sure about what it really offers. It is said that it's the poorman's DD9, but I'm not sure that it's just a legend... I have to check my catalogues to see the specs.
I think your comment is a bit aggresive by calling my list rubbish. I thought at first sight that you were talking about the list in the magazine but I realized you are talking about my list. Well, 'best' is a term that has to be put in context to understand what it means. To me means the most advanced, stylish, interesting by the engineering standpoint ot best sounding walkmans ever; but seems to me that to you means the best quality/price. Well, that's ok, I understand your point and that's why I included the WM-B39 which was one of the most advanced and featured models, yet cheap at the time, with autoreverse, Dolby B, tape selector and the brand new MegaBass back in 1989. The WM-31 and 41 were predecessors and indeed popular, and I'll take them in count. thanks for the contribution. Anyway, please share your 50 best ones list and well see how do you see things... because it's easy to criticise without jumping to the pool. BTW: I've already included the WM-2 (it's called WM-II too) and the WM-10 (also called WM-20 in some countries).
Well, we can make other lists for 5 or 10 best, of course - Which ones the Toshiba? I cannot find info about it. - AIWA J600 or J9 in some countries. Well, I have thought about it. It's the J500/J08 predecessor, but I preferred to keep this one because I found it much more interesting from the technological standpoint, with it's feather-touch buttons which were ground breaking at the time. - The WM504 is already there, it's just a mispell that I wrote WM-505. I'll correct it. - The WM-3EX is exactly the same as the WM-3 but in gold, so it could replace indeed the WM-3, but I'm not sure if that special edition really deserves that or maybe keep the WM-3. Maybe the first special edition?
Toshiba KT-G710 is the best Toshiba walkman. Toshiba walkman units have faulty FFW and REW buttons installed on spools. they break easily, Toshiba made several with normal! FFW and REW buttons. among them this model KT-G710 is a good looking, good quality walkman. It is a low maintenance model, doesn't have a significant weakness except using alcohol or certain cleaners on front panel can destroy the material. I have few of this model and all work with no issue at all. I have over 50 Toshibas and found this one with better quality. So if i want to place 2 Toshibas in best 50, I place this one and KT-CS1 as you recommended.
oh, you know what? I have this one, but I didn't remember the model name And I also have the supposedly better G780. I'll check for the differences.
I was going to add the nice looking Sanyo JJ-P101, with the see through touch buttons, but I see it’s already on your list.
Ok so, seems that more or less we all agree with the list. So, what would you choose as the top 10? What would be the key aspects to put a model in or out of that top 10? To me it would be a mix of the features, design and, very important, the impact on the society in one way or another. So I think I would say this is my top 10 best walkmans of all time Warning: please don't be cruel and bear in mind that this is a subjective list... TPS-L2 WM-701C WM-10 HS-JX3000 HS-G08 WM-F5 WM-II WM-D6C CX-V9 WM-DD If you are curious, I can explain why these ones and why this order.
