Hello, I have Sony Walkman DD, color Gold / Silver ? It is in superb condition. No scratch. Working but Led battery stay red on play, Normaly ? Do you know how to estimate the value ? Thanks Sony Walkman WM-DD -1 by quentinvip posted Jan 23, 2023 at 11:01 AM Sony Walkman WM-DD by quentinvip posted Jan 23, 2023 at 11:01 AM
Prices vary depending on many factors and at the end of day it depends on: - how big the demand is, meaning how many people actually want to buy this specific device in this specific color; - how large the the offer is, meaning how many other similar devices are for sale in a given timeframe (like within last 3 months); - if the device has been serviced, especially on these DDs which have known common problems listed here: https://stereo2go.com/forums/threads/sony-wm-dd-series-buyers-guide.7657/ - the cosmetic condition of the device, being in mint condition is a very big plus; - accesories/box, units that have a carrying case, original manuals and/or box have significantly higher value; "Working but Led battery stay red on play, Normaly ?" - Led is normal to stay lit during PLAY, FF or REW, it's indicating the device is ON. The label "battery" is a bit misleading, because it's not designed to indicate drained batteries, but the opposite: it goes dim as batteries deplete. And again what does working mean ? Does it have a clicking sound ? Has it been serviced before ? Please check the common problems thread as these DDs almost always require a full overhaul. In regard to the selling price, I would list it at a higher price and see the feedback I receive. If I don't see any interest (like people putting it in their favouries list), I drop the price. But to me the question is if this device is in need of a service or not. The center gear breaking along with other issues are not the kind that can simply be ignored (like an old belt) and sell the device as "fully working". Even if a walkman (I'm talking generic here) would only need a new belt, that should still be mentioned regardless.
Thank you for the information. It is in perfect aesthetic condition, no scratches. I have no accessories, no box, no documentation. Indeed on reading I hear a cyclic "click". The device has never been disassembled. I don't know much about it, but I have read that this color is quite rare.
As already mentioned, the mint condition is a big plus. However the device will have to be serviced either before you sell it or you will have to sell it as for repair. The clicking sound means the center gear is broken and that will have to be replaced along with capstan rubber and other items of maintenance. It's a problem on almost all of these DD units unfortunately, that's why I wrote that thread to begin with, as many people don't know about these issues. About rarity, the WM-DD itself is rarer than WM-DDII or DDIII, but not that rare that you won't find them for sale. They do appear regularly on auction sites. The most common colors seem to be black and red, but the gold one is not too far behind. The truly rare ones are the teal and green versions, but I've seen even these for sale. There is one for sale on ebay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/295474637601) however this price is not to be taken as a reference by any means as: 1. It's not a completed sale, the only relevant prices being of devices that were actually sold; 2. The item is in only what I would call "fair" cosmetic condition (the seller incorrectly labeled it as "near mint"), but it is serviced; Not sure about that belt clip, had the impression that only came with WM-2, but I might be mistaken. Then yours is in much better condition, but on the other hand not serviced. I would list in on the forum's 2nd hand market area as there might be forum members interested in this walkman. Then, if it doesn't sell here, I would list it on ebay keeping in mind what I've mentioned before: start at a higher price and go down based on feedback.
Led light on most sony walkmans stay on when play but it fade slowly away when battery is low and if you dont change battery then walkman will run slower and sound will be darker due to slow speed on play. When it comes to the value of this DD-1 it is hard to give that exact. It comes down to if you have manual and earphones to it and the box it did come with. It is a good idea to look on amazon and ebay and look what you find on different models. It will give you a idea what you can expect and where to start with the prise of value. Hope I able to help you some.
Agree with the good advice you have already received from @Valentin and @RetroTech but I think from the images attached you have the Silver DD which was part of the global market offerings from Sony along with the Red and Black DD's. The Gold is regarded as the hardest to find and along with Blue and Green all of which are rarer than the Red,Black and Silver units having shipped as JDM (Japan Domestic Market) only. I also have a silver DD fully restored and in near mint condition purchased in the UK several years ago. Shown in my graphic BTW. I ended up paying around $US280 at auction which some may consider a bargain in today's infltated market.
