Sony DD portables genealogy

Amazing sheet @Emiel, very useful information!
Never knew that there was an actual boombox with a DD mech inside. Guess it was only sold in Japan.
If TechMoan is reading this topic, it would be nice if he could get one and make a proper review of it.
But it would probably impossible to find one.

Till this point, nothing to add from my side!

Regards,
Roland

 

The glitch is now corrected @theLAG80s , thanks again for browsing the overview and pointing out this mistake.

Thanks Roland, appreciate the kind message.

Meanwhile I uploaded a new version to the first post.
Change list:

1. DX100 is the first unit in the overview to feature AVLS, not DD22.
   Note: AMS of DX100 was already present in DD9.
2. I almost completed the column of paired headphones.
   Most of these details can be found in the parts list of the respective service manuals, like the crystal (part X..) indicating quartz capability.
   For some units there appear to be various releases in the field, for instance with or without headphone in a large or small box.
   Therefor this column should be interpreted as follows: the Walkman is paired with that particular headphone by design at the time of release.
3. Total current update. Default values (across the board) are measured without cassette installed per service manual.
   For WM-DD1 and DD11 also tape top, tape end and stall values are stored.
   The footnote has been updated accordingly.

 

@Emiel small update for your sheet.
There was a special Orange version of the WM-F5 with the Dutch KNVB logo on it!
Also a Red version exists with the "on the Beach" printed on it.
And a Green one with "Okinawa" printed on it.

 

Thanks for sharing @rolandd74 . I will update the WM-F5 colors in the next release of the overview.

 

The orange one is missing from the 1984 catalog ... maybe it came later

 

@Silver965 perhaps it was a version specifically made for the Dutch soccer division KNVB, and therefore only available in the Netherlands. Maybye it wasn't even for sale in the shops, i don't know.

 

Sure looks like it, according to the picture I just found. The paragraph title reads: The waterproof Walkman for the true soccer fan.
According to the linked tweet it was sold in 1984: https://twitter.com/hifimuseum/status/969645819740737542?s=20

 

Well, I'm happy with another rarity

 

Stereo2Go Forum Reader

They are already talking about it here ... SONY WM-F5 KNVB Limited Edition Promotional Walkman ...

 

Amazing, the equalizer in a housing as polished as the DD Walkman itself. I rarely see the equalizer units come up for sale locally.

 

Thanks for sharing, this is one of the reasons why I started the overview. All these disparate but related forum threads and sites.
I would like to have all the information in one location, without (deep) linking to other sources. And share it with other at the same time.
What good is it if it only resides on my Mac?
Some essential resources I just print to PDF and store in the same folder.

FYI, the overview is at present a 15MB Excel file with the related screenshots of the service manuals and other relevant sources, with one sheet per unit.
This does not include the service manuals themselves and related photos, I keep them in separate folders.

When it is complete and accurate enough I would like to release it in a easier to consume format, for instance a graphical timeline spanning 1978 - 1994.
Anybody with graphic design skills, your help is appreciated. I make everything green, or blue.

I updated the first post overview to reflect the WM-F5 colors; thank you @rolandd74 for pointing this out, and @Silver965 for providing additional information.

 

@rolandd74 , not just Japan but also Singapore - Right @Mister X ?

 

@Emiel were you able to find a proper service manual for the DDII? Despite a lot of searches online, i was not able to find one. Somehow service manuals for the DDII are always redirected to the WM-DD service manual.

 

As a matter of fact, I found the service manual a while back but forgot where I got it from. Find it attached.

 

Thanks a lot @Emiel!

 

Now I recall why I made the mistake @TooCooL4 .
On the Sony website > Design > Gallery, see the description of the WM-2 and the mechanism!
Link: https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/design/gallery/WM-2/
To me, the signature WM-DD design is a mix of the WM-2 & WM-5: WM-2 -> WM-5 -> WM-DD.

 

I started with a timeline concept recently based on the data gathered for the overview.
It is not complete and I am clearly not a designer, nevertheless here it is!

There are some question marks near relations / arrows: these need validation, as evidence is present by examining the specs and mechanisms but not confirmed (yet).
Later on it would be great to add photos and key / unique specs per unit in - or instead of - the colored shapes.
The current source resolution would allow it to be printed in relatively large format: 101 cm x 57 cm.

From now on, I will also attach this timeline view to the first post (when it has been updated significantly).
Let me know what you think, and how you would like it to be improved.