(EDIT: Sorry for the kinda diary format. I'm exstatic and don't know if this goes somewhere else on the forum rather than the gallery...) I can recall, it wasn't more than two months ago. I had no interest in Walkman in particular but the thought of having a 90' themed desktop (including a period-correct computer) crossed my mind for a decade now. Eventually time goes backwards and the 80' became even more exciting, with the "portable stereo" craze (in France, we called them "Walkman" even to this day, regardless of brand), the good, all brushed aluminium audio gear... I gravitated towards all that without finding my bearings. Until now. I watched Techmoan's video on his favourites Walkman and it hit me hard, I needed one especially since I was struggling to set up some space for a decent hi-fi setup in my room. So anyway, my hunt begins and instead of looking through eBay (after all I was a newbie and all models looked the same to me, I hadn't read the Archive over and over ten times back then), I looked into my local craigslist equivalent and found the Holy Grail: A D6C, in pristine condition with its beautiful leather case. It's a weird comparison but the only time I've felt such a sense of sturdiness and utilitarism from something, was in weaponry. The D6C is a warmachine, it only needs maintenance (and lots of, I changed the belts and rubber tyres but some electronics need changing to restore fully its sound quality). The D6C as it's being restored to its former sounding glory, or close to that. But the D6C is not really portable. It's my solution for a room space problem and a trophy: having a one-of-its-kind, flagship model. With this I can now make tapes of my own, but I need something to listen to them on the go. While searching for the ideal DD, Introducing the 701C. I love this machine, it's so sleek, elegant and well-crafted. Also very flimsy and once you disassembled it enough times in a week you realize it's a pain to work with. The remote plug is also a pure nightmare, I am forced to listen to proprietary headphones (MDR-A20, thank the Goddess they sound decent until I can get my hands on a 3.5mm jack adapter). Got it from eBay, never used (or not much at all), needed new belts. The 701C. Sleek, small, with a touch of luxury, especially in champaign finish. Flimsy and fragile nevertheless. DD-30. I only received it today (thanks DPD for being the worst delivery company I ever had the disgust of dealing with) but god is it gorgeous. I prefer it to the other DD's, especially the DD3 which looks too "modern" for me. But the most important thing is... IT'S RED. Actually, red with sometimes shades of orange or purple. Gorgeous. Like jewelry. Got it from eBay, the center gear isn't cracked yet and it's like the rest, pristine condition, not a single scratch, thanks to its leather case. Pictures won't do it justice. The shade of red is bright and changing whether its direct, indirect, natural or artificial light. It's a sturdy device with a bit of luxury. Should I say it's a bit... girlier, than most DD's. And now for the family photo...
@Strangelove , You got 3 beautiful walkmans. Thanks for sharing pictures. The red DD looks very shiny and minty
Yes it is grainy aluminum with a brushed finish panel and top. The panel, and the contrast between the two textures is why I love the design of the DD30 so much. It's also one of those "bright", "colourful" device that didn't look cheap even back then, long before Sony started the EX range with plastics, bright colours and cheapness all around. I suppose the previous owner let it sit in its leather case for a loooooong time. Only blemish was some oxidation on the battery connectors. You can bet this one will take place on my belt playing mixtapes for another thirty years now
The 701C is a lovely machine, though it won't be able to properly drive your AKG once you get your hands on the jack adapter. Well that's my mileage at least. Your Walkmen are really very nice, especially your DD30 is so gorgeous! So are you still aiming at a 90' themed desktop? Or have you completed it now?
Glad you noticed the AKG's. I'm actually surprised by how well the D6C drives them without effort. Even the DD30! But you're most certainly right about the 701C, even though I probably won't bother using that Walkman often, it's more of a novelty item. Actually I wonder if the jack plug isn't too big to fit with the 90° angled adapter anyway. Maybe in the summer when I can't carry anything bigger, but still I would be using my Bose QC25 for noise cancelling purposes on the go. The 80-90' theme has been postponed completely. Maybe when I move to a bigger place I will make a dedicated room for vintage computing and audio, who knows.
@Strangelove Nice trio for a start, the only problem I see is that it looks like an end-game. Everything else will sound like a step down, unless @buzbox corrects me... I kind of get your reference, after a few weeks of struggle with Panasonic RQ-S15 I refer to it as my AK-47: soon I will be able to desolder its main board with my eyes closed, and under 15sec! For space-saving rig I have Linn Classik (the original, Not movie!!) with Kans speakers: sounds wonderful!
The three you have are for sure great sounding players. I've never had a D6C so can't really say much until I get one myself. But the DD30 Walkmans are surprisingly a great sounding player. I've been using it ever since I got one 3 weeks ago. I suggest getting the heads demagnetized too. Makes quite a difference.
It's exactly what it looks like, @Jorge. But the goal is not to get the best gear from the start, but the fun in making everything in working order by myself and learning how to do it or at least most of it before I let someone else fix what I can't. The D6C is the answer to my space problem, the DD-30 is the device I chose for everyday listening and the 701c is, I admit, a little too much but I just couldn't resist. Now, it may become something I'd want to collect. I know I'm getting a WM-10 eventually and perhaps a Minidisc MZ-RH1 because they're both historically important. So it's not really about upgrading my gear but getting new, exciting stuff.
Congratulations on your 3 great acquisitions! They all look stunning to me As for your comment regarding the 701C flimsiness, I noticed that both my 701C plays better when I slightly force the front door while playing. Does your 701C have this issue?
With pre-recorded cassettes, dubbed at high speed onto some shitty tape, your Walkman collection shall be... just a collection. You should look into some half-decent TT and tape deck to make your Walkmans collection shine!! Just a thought... Slippery slope into hi-end craziness, I know...
@Jorge: These are only placeholders. Cassettes I used to have before or bought for testing purposes at a flea market. I'm stocking some BASF and Sony UX's tapes for my own mixtapes at the moment. I don't have any interest in turntables and vinyl in general but I will probably buy a decent deck and matching amp (to replace my old cheap Sanyo) when I have more time @ebuy05: Thanks. I don't think I noticed anything like that, but the door is only mechanically "held" from the left side by a single hook. You can literally bend the right side (and the very small cassette carrier at the bottom) yourself so maybe look if anything's bent? The hook should lock firmly, too, or the door will be able to move ever so slightly. You can tighten the screw (left top screw), check if the bolt is in place (improper placement will cause the hook to move from side to side and often fail to lock the door) under the battery compartment. Lastly, the hook spring should not be too loose.
