schokobomb - 2010-05-16 09:57
I searched the web, but i cannot find any
information about the wm-5. There is a
picture in the pocketcalculatorshow and
in agentorange's nice flickr-album, but that's all.
Is it really rare or is it so boring that nobody talks about? Who owns one?
Thanks, Markus
Hello Markus,
The WM-5 was available only for Japan and the USA market.
Come with MDR-30
More information see you in walkmancentrale.
www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-5 I have both. The black one and the silver one.
Grüsse,Renato
Hello Markus, The WM-5 is far from boring a well made example of early 80's Sony with a wonderful all metal body and solid feel. It has very good performance for this time period. I have both the silver ( common) and extremely VERY RARE BLACK ( have two) with orig. headphones, case, owner manual and demo tape. You can view mine at following link scroll down half way. It is a older post as now have 141 Sony's in collection. I think only 3 other members have a Black example. Being a derivative further refined of the venerable WM-2 (1980) I believe it is the last BELT driven model using the many model versions of DD series all problematic with cracked center gears especially first DD model. The external body of the WM-5 is nearly identical to DD, DDII, DDIII 1987, DC2, DD11, DD22,DD30 and last of the DD series DD33 1990( actually believe this last sony with TWO HEADPHONE jacks ). Interestingly enough the WM-5 is almost half mm shorter in height than direct drive models so it is smallest of this external design. In 1982 when the WM-5 was released there was nothing on market that could compete with it. Interestingly enough the WM-F5 sports model is a direct drive with totally different internal mechanical workings than the WM-5 even though it shared the same model number with the F in model number Sony used to indicate FM or radio as a feature on top of cassette. The WM-R2 was direct drive and belt and generally does NOT suffer from cracked center gear but center gear is different cannot be modified or used in other DD models.
Fellow members correct if any of above is incorrect.
My SONY COLLECTION 40 of 141, WM-5 inclusive My WM-5 COLLECTION 
quote:
..........is incorrect
Excellent and great information John.
Only incorrect is: the DD11 and DD22 are not DD-Walkman of this series.
A little known fact is you could get with the WM-5 the MDR-A30 folding headphones with on/off switch inline. VERY RARE to find or own.
MY MDR-A30 & MDR-30 Orig. Headphone for WM-5 FOAM cushions NOT orig. on A30's
i have a black wm-5 which i picked off ebay in early december. everybody was asleep when i paid $14.00 delivered. it had a horrible picture taken of it and 3 black marks on the front. the black marks disappeared for some reason with a little rubbing with a soft cloth. it is near perfect now and the sound is what i consider well above average. it seems to get better all the time for no good reason either. there is a slight click but it doesn't seem to have any effect at all. it has a very solid feel like a good running tps-l2. i think if i were to get rid of all my players this would be the last to go.
Reopening for two reasons....
1. To highlight the superb knowledge of board-member John Edward
2. To find out more about the rare beast that is the Sony WM-5
I was talking walkmans with a fellow collector friend of mine recently (as you do) and we were discussing the WM-5. Some say the WM-5 was a very early model indeed and was developed alongside the WM-2 as a 2nd generation metal-cased model and that metal was used simply to get the size down, metal being able to be built thinner than plastic. There are also a school of thought that the WM-5 was initially a USA-only model distributed in an attempt to attract American's to the format following the relatively poor sales of the initial WM-2 design.
Just wondered if you guys have anything to add to the party?
Oh, does anyone have a WM-5 case and if so, does it actually say WM-5 on it?
hey, my WM-5 in champagne-colour was a trade with JohnEdwards, I'll seriously will keep it in honour !
I think he once showed me a picture with a bag saying WM-5 - well, if there is one, I want one...
