MONO, show us your old stuff.

Discussion in 'Gallery' started by Mister X, Jul 3, 2024.

  1. Timewarp

    Timewarp Active Member

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    TC-55b_e.jpg
    My TC-55b and M909 next to each other...
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2024
  2. Cassette2go

    Cassette2go Well-Known Member

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    I wish I could see the picture but the phone kicks me out after I view the picture and I have to go use the history to come back. Once again, I've never seen a miniature or micro cassette Walkman before. I've seen boomboxes that have a micro cassette in them along with a standard. Is that the right word cassette in them but this is the first I've seen a micro or mini cassette. Again, don't know right language here because there are so many different sizes of cassette, but I've never seen a Walkman for a micro or mini cassette before next to a regular standard cassette. Hope I'm using the right language for the sizes. Anyway, thanks for that view.
     
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  3. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    I believe mini-cassette is the Philips format that uses rim-drive and thus not very accurate for music. In the micro-cassette (and mini) thread I added my IBM Mini-Cassette which is kind of a cool shelf queen. The format was featured in Clockwork Orange, with music cassettes, but Olympus's Micro-Cassette, with Metal Tapes provided much better sonics and less wow and flutter using traditional belt drive. The Metal Tapes didn't come around until around 1981 and are one of the rarest tapes to find. While there were several manufacturers for stereo-micro, Sony's Two Stereo Walkmans were the M-1000 and M-50.
     
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  4. Timewarp

    Timewarp Active Member

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    I do not collect the mono recorders but I happen to have a few:
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    Aiwa TP-25, nice solid device

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    Sony TCM-37V, how do you like the CUE MARKER green button?

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    Sony TCS-430. Oops, that's actually stereo, but it belongs to this category IMHO

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    Also stereo, a really nice one this WM-R2

    TC-55b_a.jpg
    Back to mono, see description and more pics in my gallery

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    TCM-55, a very common model

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    TCM-38V, featuring a nice digital clock

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    TCM-S66V, this one I actually bought new and used it myself, long time ago

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    TCM-17, nice model when it first came out

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    Aiwa TP-S30, this is a very basic plastic model. Does have speed control though.

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    This is a CAS-R538Y, unknown model

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    Sony M-550 micro cassette, pretty basic

    IMG-20241001-WA0013.jpg
    TCM-R2, pretty nice model but unfortunately this one is damaged

    IMG-20241001-WA0014.jpg
    Panasonic RQ-L11. I haven't seen many Panasonic mono recorders, it's one of the few I have

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    Same for Hitachi, this is their TRQ-5 with Sound Zoom Recording System. Zoom zoom!

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    TCM-48

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    Sony TCM-36, one of a series of model numbers that are very similar

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    TCM-40, the next in line

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    TCM-400

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    TCM-50, the next in line. Feels a lot better than the lower models with it, more metal, more solid, even though it looks similar. Auto reverse.

    IMG-20241001-WA0028.jpg
    Another TCM-50

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    The TCS-60 is a similarly nice model, but stereo. I know this is about mono recorders but for completeness I add it.

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    You gotta like the back of this one... such a nice sturdy old Sony speaker look!

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    The R-909... what's not to like about this super miniature micro cassette recorder, incredibly small and feature rich including auto reverse

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    Cool, isn't it?

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    A cheap plasticky micro cassette recorder, the M-430

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    A M-750V micro cassette recorder, they came in these boxes


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    And the Aiwa TP-M9, a very nice metal device, very solid, much nicer than the two Sony's above

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    And now for something completely different, a TCM-IC100.

    I like this one. A lot!

    It plays tapes through its speaker with pretty nice audio quality, very clear. And it has an IC recorder, which works very well. Mine came from Japan and actually had a lot of recordings still on it. I do not understand Japanese, but the interviews between a man and a lady are so super cool to listen to. This is basically a plastic device lacking the sturdyness of the high end models, but the looks and the functionality are just so cool in my view

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    Talking about cool... this Aiwa TP-750 falls into the same category. Soft touch buttons, auto reverse, many other features and a great look. I like it, it was a reason for me to refurbish this one.

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    The TCS-90. Again cheating as this is stereo, but it was in the same category so I photographed it anyway. For me, a 9 out of 10 at least. The look, the feel (metal case all around), the nice display... this one is super super nice. Unfortunately mine has had so much battery leakage that it's beyond repair, so I'll be looking for a mint and working one. Talking about battery, as far as I know this is the only one where the battery compartment takes both a gumstick and double AAA batteries, quite neat.

    IMG-20241001-WA0016.jpg
    What do you think?

    In the same category of super-cool, but mono this time is the TCM-77V

    TCM-77V.jpg
    I love this design. The display is nice too, with a cassette animation

    TCM-77Vb.jpg
    I think this may be my favourite mono recorder actually, it's a genius
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2024
  5. Michiel

    Michiel New Member

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    Wow that's a lot of mono's Timewarp. Very cool collection!
     
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  6. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    It's hard not to end up with some along the way.

    The green strip is interesting, the color also shows up on other equipment especially car tape decks always seem to have a green button or painted dot.
     
  7. AE_Stereo

    AE_Stereo Active Member

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    That is a half GF-777!
    Never imagined a mono with a woofer!
     
  8. Cassette2go

    Cassette2go Well-Known Member

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    What did you mean by this? Who is MJ?
     
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  9. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Michael Jordan, he played for the Tar Heels, the team that is printed on the can in the photo before my post.
     
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  10. Cassette2go

    Cassette2go Well-Known Member

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    Carolina blue soda tar heels soda can number one. I finally saw that but didn't make any sense of that to me. I was thinking Michael Jackson for the letters. MJ and I couldn't begin to think that he even had any boomboxes. Yes, I don't follow sports. I only root for the winning team after they've won LOL
     
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  11. autoreverser

    autoreverser Well-Known Member

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    mate, i'm glad you're not collecting monos :lollegs:
     
  12. Timewarp

    Timewarp Active Member

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    Yeah me too... the mono's are collateral damage :) and I only showed a few here.
     
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