It's one thing to have a Sony WM-10, but then why not the WM-10II, WM-F10, and in all the different colors? 

I just got my 10th AIWA, and it dawned on my that at least need the AIWA JX-707 to keep my bases covered. And heck- why stop there?

Wondering what some of the more experienced folks on this site think about what some lynchpin or key or just plain important pieces to have. Ya know, if you're collecting more than one. 

Thanks! 

Me: 

Sony WM-2: the one the introduced coolness and style that Walkmans can have

Sony WM-10: holy cassette deck size, Batman! this thing is tiny!

AIWA HS-G08: 10 pounds of awesome technology in a 10oz package. remote too

Sony WM-7: Remote goodness

Sony WM-202: bringing sexy back to micro sized portables

Sony WM-DD: disc drive capstan servo, folks! WM-2 meets WM-5 TC-D5

Sony WM-DD-100 Boodo Kahn: ... "Kahn!!!!!!!"

AIWA HS-J09: majestic awesomeness for 1985 

AIWA HS-PX101: the brick shit house AIWA of the 80s?

AIWA HS-JX707: the pinnacle of AIWA quality?

Microcassette walkmans m909, m950 and the stereo + AM/FM m80

Anniversary walkmans and special ones like the 701S (silver plated)

DD-9, wm w800 (twin deck) wm R15 - only walkman with twin microphones mounted on the headphones for 'Binaural' recording

Wireless walkmans

Anything with a metal body

The AIWA JX707 is not the pinnacle of AIWA quality, but it is close to being the most feature packed and certainly the only voice navigation walkman recorder (AIWA also made a couple other models with the voice navigation). See JX929 (a superset of the JX707) as pinnacle of features in a walkman. There are some really ropey examples of the JX707 model knocking about - especially on ebay. Mainly due to poor quality control (dodgy hinges, badly aligned heads, gooey belts, leaky capacitors) and partly due to wear and tear (amorphous heads wear out, flat cables split or tear - causing unit to become paperweight), poorly designed internals layout (ie read nightmare to repair, tape guides easy to break off causing play back issues), and bodged repairs (you need someone really experienced to work on these). Despite what some people may claim on ebay, these are anything short of rare, since AIWA made a heck of a lot of these as they were hugely popular. So just be patient and keep looking out for a really good example if you really want the JX707. They do turn up with relative frequency on all manner of second hand places online and in real life.

Sorry for all the bracketed parts above.

IMO for pinnacle of quality from AIWA in the 90s, I'd go with something like the AIWA PX505.

Okay Minty- What other models do you see as essential? And where does one find a JX3000 these days?

What are the portable collector's "Must Haves"?

((( one that still work's ))) !!!!! LOL        

Below i have uploaded pictures of my JX-2000 and JX-3000.

Hot damn tuna! Fantastic stuff.

"Do you expect me to talk?"

"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to listen to my AIWA HS-JX3000"

Surely, Minty, there are other worthy must-haves in your collection.

from the 'title' 

Boxed Anniversary models that work. That's some rare stuff. 

When I got my AIWA HS-T600a I was happy as a pig in shit. however, it was in 'good' condition with a few dings and scratches. I was still happy, but who doesn't want a...

an HS-T09 in PRISTINE condition! which i got next. "Okay" i thought, "i can quit now". But no way. But I hear you- shut up about the damn T09 already, Mr. "T09/T600a"!!!

Recently I got an unbelievably unflawed silver HS-J09 and black SONY WM-202II which i enjoy. 

I had a hand-me-down Sony WM-41 that i used until i could save up for a real Aiwa.

That's somewhat of a volks-walkman, cheap and you didn't care about breaking it. 

Ah yes, the WM-701T. And how about the WM-F107 Solar?

Minty does raise an interesting perspective on what someone would define as a must have. For me a must have isn't the bling bling marketed walkman with its fancy box and all the sundry items that go with each. If I were to strive for that in my collection I would have a very select few and a very slim bank balance. Yes I agree the JX2000 and JX3000 both are very nice to look at, but come on reality check! At the end of the day these are just gold coloured JX505 and JX707. They are not even gold plated or low number limited, at least the 701T/S are silver plated and low number limited. All these box set units command ridiculous prices on eBay. When I say ridiculous I mean several hundred USD per complete example. Prepare to get your wallet well and truly spanked.

Just because they were boxed walkman, does not mean that AIWA took anymore care to make them. The JX2000 still suffered from very bad leaky capacitors like any early 90s AIWA. The JX3000 still suffered from all the above as mentioned problems with the JX707. Still want to throw several hundred bucks away on a hunk of metal that doesn't work as it should?

IMHO for that same several hundred USD I'd much rather have a few good examples of quality working walkman than fall head over heels for bling. When I define quality for a walkman, it is that it is well made or made to last (TBH most AIWA have a few age related flaws though), or have properties that extend my listening enjoyment.

For the prices commanded for the box sets I'd expect A1 condition. How many box sets are you going to have to acquire to find that all the originally included pieces are perfect? Besides I don't have much room at home for huge boxes to clutter up the place. If I did I would have also started collecting boomers too.

Indeed I think we should. I don't have deep pockets or the space to house all these items like you. Perhaps if I did, I might have followed a similar path in my collecting.

I am quite content with my diverse collection of fully restored AIWA walkman that all fit into a few packing crates.

and once again of those that I have that _ _ _ _

The JX929 is a better unit overall, has AM stereo and dolby NR for FM/AM, the AM stereo alone makes it worth more then JX707, plus took me over 4 years to find one worth saving. But the JX707 is a great unit to with voice navigation, as far as the AIWA HS-JX3000, very rare and sought-after, but built on the same design as the JX707, to be honest they are all great walkmans, you have to change the capacitors and belts and hope noone been inside them, as they all tend to have problems. The Sony 701T sought after, but had to paid over $2200  for mines and the 701S, is the same, but without the wooden box and a alot cheaper. 

Do do videos time to time on youtube on how to repair these unit, just look up "RETROPCDOS" have about 130 videos but only 2 videos on walkmans, will put more as I have time. But mostly into collecting vintage radios, camcorders and pocket TV's.

Hey,

sorry to threadjack, but James, when are you gona answer my pm question?

I see you are active on the site, so if you please, answer, the, question.

Thank you!

eric

Ha, yes, sorry I'm here, I've been reading this with interest.

I'm not 100% sure what a 'must have walkman' is exactly but I see it's an opportunity for you to mention units you already own, surely a 'must have' is one you don't won yet.

A note on the Aiwa JX2000, these are not rare, and nearly every one you find is boxed, reason being that these were a coorporate giflt often given to business people who never really used them, hence showing up in unused condition, there are a lot of these around and I hate to say it these tend to be the Walkman of choice for folks who really aren't into it that much & haven't really given the hobby that much thought.  Ask a school kid what car they'd like when they grow up, they'll say a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, same sort of logic.  Same with the Tiffany unit, under the bling is a rather ordinary WM-701 which was a £89 Walkamn in it's day.

So, for me, can I ask you define what you mean by 'must have'?

Units which I feel are mandatory for collectors to own i.e. to illustrate that they truly understand the hobby are these....

WM-2

TPS-L2

WM-10

WM-F5

DC-2

DD-9 (if you can find one)

D6C

AO-

Thank you! 

I appreciate the input. Thanks for sharing- I'm learning a lot here and i appreciate everything I can pick up. I agree with the units you suggest and they are in my cross hairs. 

If picking up a JX2000 was that easy I'm sure we'd all have one and that'd be that. In 2 years of collecting I'm proud of what I've gotten, look forward to future acquisitions, and lucky to have this community to share it with. 

If I find every piece that makes me happy, and spend the next 10 year tracking down a NIB Boodo Kahn, well... that's the nature of this beast. I have my mint HS-T09, and at the end of the day I can smile. 

One of life's great joys. 

Like I said, these models are 25 years old, and 25 years from now- worth their weight in gold. 

I work in Manhattan, NYC. Right by good old Madison Square Garden. 

In the cup holder next to me holds a black WM-30. I get bored I take it out and play with it. otherwise I'm just happy to have it near. 

Funny what floats the proverbial boat!

Then I forgive you, I didn't mean to be rude about this model, in fact, I've never owned one and probably would if the chance arose.

Here are the two other Aiwa's i mentioned. Maybe not must have items, but different none the less. The SR-92 is actually an RX-703, the RX-2000 is an RX-610. In reality, there is no must have in my view. All that really matters is whether you yourself like an item. And look, the boxes really aren't that big.

Hi,

Very interesting post. IMHO there are different categories of walkmans that made history and have to be catalogued differently.

What Minty and Aiwa vintage fan are aiming for are walkmans that are unique because of its finish, limited manufactured number or something similar. AgentOrange is aiming to units that represent a step ahead in terms of engineering, right?

I like both kind of cathegories and try to collect units that both represented a clear step ahead in terms of engineering (whether that step was to improve sound or usability) and ones that were made in limited editions or have characteristics or colors that made them rare or very unusual.

I wanted to do a small tribute to those fantastic walkmans Agent Orange is talking about, joining them together in one photo. As I don't have here my DD9 and my D6C, I just joined the rest:

But I wanted to add some of my 'must have' walkmans. some are mentioned by Minty and Aiwa vintage fan and some are from my personal taste:

Hope you like them!

Even I consider WM-10 & WM-20 a clear step ahead, I think WM-701C was too, as it was the first feather-touch, really small walkman SONY made, right? And I cannot forgive the WM-7, the first with logic-buttons, auto-reverse and a remote and the legendary DD100, the beginning of bass amplification in a walkman (correct me if I'm wrong).

Also, AIWA G08 was an incredible walkman too (I know J08 was too, but I like players without radio the most). PX303 included a superb DSL and a special HX heads and PX505 was the first with the fantastic BBE system.

The JX3000 was the joining of a bunch of features, a golden body and a voice navigation with remote and all that in a small walkman. For me is a milestone too, even that it was made in not so small quantities and the quality of the internal parts is not so good.

Regards,

Hugo.

Hugo, great post.  Sorry I've not replied to your PM yet.

Yep everyone has different taste when it comes to collecting these, I go after mostly Sony's as I have most of their 300 models and various colors. But usually with gimmicky titles, like "WORLD FIRST" or "WORLD SMALLEST", "DD drive", "Anniversary model's", or ones with special features like "AM stereo" or "quick reverse" which some AIWA's had that uses a optical sensor to detect tape leader.   

My favorites are the TCM-600 and the first Sony TPS-L2 1979 model before the walkman name, it was call Sony Pressman, but looks almost the same and the same basic case and mechanical parts, just with the fitment of a stereo and also like early 80's as they were pretty much made out of metal no cheap plastic gears to crack and easy to get working again. collect lot of the early mono recorders to. The problem with even some of the highend 90's and late 80's is the plastic gears crack due to they due to they shrink due to the lubrication they used. The bad offenders of this, is Sony DD series with crack "Center wheel" you will hear a faint clicking and will get worst unfortunately, can be fix with epoxy resin, you have to get the spacing right then sand. Even if they work now, if haven't been service, will crack sooner or later, dont pay ridiculous prices for these due to sellers will not adknowlege the center gear problem.

AO: Thanks. Don't worry, I wait.

AWVF: Indeed I think there are. Yes, it's a matter of patience and money. And these days I believe it's more money than just one year or two ago...

Retrodos: I also usually go for "world's first ...", special editions and rare models too.

Keep that good collecting alive ;-)