Hi, I recently got a bunch of NOS Panasonic portable players.

In the past I've only collected Sony Walkmen so I'm new to the PAN.

Just wondering what your thoughts are on these particular players:

RQ-J75

RQ-V197

RQ-V500

RX-SA73

RX-SA79

RX-1950 (not in picture)

Also, I'd be interested to know what you consider to be the best Panasonic player?

That way I can keep my eye out for it.

Thanks

Congrats. The last three look interesting, but seems that they are mid-level players. Don't they have logic controlled mechanism?

Yeah the V500, SA74 and SA79 are logic.

So, what's considered a high-end Panasonic player?

Thanks

Panasonic is probably my favorite brand of players.   The best quality build is the RQ-S  series with the RQ-S80 the best was made with dolby B and real time equalizer display and EQ adj. from remote only.   Very small player and prone to some reliability issues due to mechanics inside so small.   I have a fondness for the RQ-S75 also the RQ-S44 and RQ-S60 ( identical to S80 but dolby b only).   The RQ-SX line had some great models with best being the RQ-SX75 with probably the fastest Rew/FF of any cassette player ( not tje SX75V has radio and totally mechanically different and no where the sound of SX75).  Not the SX series most had duel amplifiers which really made for quality sound but the output is usually only 4-5mw per channel which will NOT drive most headphones to loud volume.  They do play reasonably loud but very clean.   The NX series no dolby b nice daily players reasonably good sound. Look for the NX-10 ( came in a awesome purple and the NX-60V ( v added to model for Panasonic usually means FM RADIO)  The RQ-V500 series I have two and IMO the mechanics are cheap and prone to failure internally.  Look impressive on outside both mine were not that good sounding and ended up with problems.  The SA series is late 80's some can be pretty good but by no means high end.   Not seen much and one of my most favorite players with a bassboost that does NOT distort at higher volume and is really punchy and strong with a STRONG amp can play LOUD is the RQ-JA160 one of my daily favorites to gym etc.   The RQ-SW09V is a really nice FM tuner/cassette with bass boost system that works well with the orig. special headphones over ear with vibration units for added bass.  the other models with the VMSS bass boost system used headphones with a vibrating unit that lays on back of neck which is cool but the headphone have a pressure loaded system to hold earbug tight in ear to keep neck unit in place that after 10 mins feels like a screw driver being pushed into ears ;-( nice idea but only the 09V is comfy and cool to wear .. the SW series are more the sport series.

  GOOD LUCK Do a search under Panasonic and there are tons of great topics on many models with photos and discussions.   Be careful as many model of Walkman the important features such as EQ adjustment, bass boost and dolby can only be initiated from the factory orig. remote which is often missing.   Always better to look for models with switches on main player for all features.

sory....john...i....had....the.....sx..80....diddnt....like...it....not...a...patch...on...aiwa...or...sony...players....would...love....that...500...though

To give you idea of model numbers here is list of the Panasonic's that I own.   Although I don't have them grouped in the different series but as I purchased them added to list.  The UNDERLINED models are the ones I like or use the most.

PANASONIC  ignore first col. of numbers

1. 1.    RQ-210S mid 70’s mono
2. 2.    RQ-J3
3. 3.    RQ-J11 NIB
4. 4.    RX-1960  Stereo Recorder/FM
5. 5.    RX-SA80   Digital Radio w/presets, A/R w headphones
6. 6.    RQ-JA63  5 Band EQ, A/R, Dolby B Red/Black
7. 7.    RQ-S75  Blue, Japan Release
8. 8.    RQ-SX52  Blue, European Release
9. 9.    RQ-SX43 Blue
10. 10.   RQ-S25 
11. 11.   RQ-SX70 R  Blue Recording Dolby B
12. 12.   RQ-X10
13. 13.   RQ-JA5
14. 14.   RX-1930

  RQ-S44   Traded to Maurice

1. 15.   RQ-X05
2. 16.   RQ-J6  SOLD To movie prop company May 2011 
   
3. 17.   RQ-SX21
4. 18.   RQ-NX60V
5. 19.   RQ-SX91 Blue
6. 20.   RQ-J6 all accessories
7. 21.   RQ-J36
8. 22.   RQ-SW99V NIB with shaker HP Blue
9. 23.   RX-S28
10. 24.   RQ-V520
11. 25.   RX-S35
12. 26.   RX-2700
13. 27.   RQ-S44 BOXED
14. 28.   RX-1950  Sold
    
15. 29.   RQ-SX72
16. 30.   RQ-345
17. 31.   RQ-X05 Silver NIB
18. 32.   RQ-SX10  Blue
19. 33.   RQ-X05 Silver
20. 34.   RQ-X11 Black
21. 35.   RQ-X11 Silver
22. 36.   RX-1930
23. 37.   RF-10 Boxed FM radio white
24. 38.   RQ-SX99F Blue Recording , mic, remote, HP, case, manual
25. 39.   RX-S40  Direct Drive  AM/FM  Center gear cracks like Sony DD series 
26. 40.   RQ-S60 Boxed
27. 41.   RQ-KJ1
28. 42.   RQ-J20X  DBX Super RARE w case
29. 43.   RQ-SX52  GREEN Boxed box not sent with player
30. 44.   RQ-NX10 BLUE
31. 45.   RQ-V154
32. 46.   RQ –WJ1
33. 47.   RQ-JA63 red w orig. HP 2^nd one
34. 48.   RQ-SX75V w remote/HP note mechanically different from SX75
35. 49.   RQ-SX75 Boxed Gold
36. 50.   RQ-SX25
    
37. 51.   RQ-S80  Brown  DOLBY C
38. 52.   RQ-SX52  BOXED GREEN
39. 53.   RQ-J5
40. 54.   RQ-J3  Mint
41. 55.   RQ-SX53  Silver
42. 56.   RQ-S90F Brown Recording
43. 57.   RQ-S75H Camouflage
44. 58.   RX-SA250 black
45. 59.   RQ-SX91 Boxed Blue 2^nd one
46. 60.   RQ-SX71 Silver not put on list purchased June 2009
47. 61.   RQ-SX71 BOXED silver
48. 62.   RQ-S85 Charcoal
49. 63.   RQ-J9  Silver none dbx sister to J20X
50. 64.   RQ-SX85
51. 65.   RQ-X11 Silver
52. 66.   RQ-SX21  Green

66.  RQ-S40 Blue

67.  RQ-JA160 Boxed Black

68.  RQ-SX5  Blue/Green

69.  RQ-S60 BLUE

70.  RQ-SX11 Black

71.  RQ-JA150 Silver

72.  RQ-SW09V  Red/Black  Japan release BOXED New

73.  RQ-JA63   YELLOW HP & owner manual

74.  RQ-SX3 Black

75.  RQ-J5 Mint player only

76.  RQ-SX75 Gold player only 2^nd one

77.  RQ-JA63  BLUE BOXED

78.  RQ-JA63 YELLOW with HP/Inst.

79.  RQ-S65 DOLBY C black

80.  RQ-P525 DOLBY C BOXED

81.  RX-HD10 Duel recorder Boxed Sold

82.  RQ-NX10 Purple

GREAT CATCH OF BOXED UNITS FOR SURE.   Agree for me probably the SA79 would be favorite.  Have to let us know what you think of sound each one.  Note most all Walkman the headphones that come with them are poor sounding its where the mfg. really cut corners on cost was in Headphones.  Use a good pair like Koss Porta Pro for under 100 bucks great phones although not great highs the bass is awesome.   Lots of High quality HP around costing hundreds to thousands over ear to ear buds.   Finding Walkman that are boxed is always the greatest treasure when it comes to collecting.  Great job. 

 Hey Radio..... most of the SX series I am also not really impressed with them and I never said anything about the SX80 model.  Only one I really like is the SX75.   Plus one must keep in mind that most of the time we all get players they have not been maintained and worse time effects the caps and circuits usually degrading the sound quality from when they were new.  Too often we get a player listen to it and think its not very good when had it been fully serviced , caps replaced , belt , lubed etc brought back to new spec then judging them would be fair.  So one should keep open mind that someone may have model that is not performing to spec as built new and say iits not a very good player while someone else has one that is in great condition electronically/mechanically and say its a nice player.  For most of us with large collections only probably 15 of my players have been completely gone through and serviced.  Rest are orig. or just had belt put on.   Just a fact of Walkman collecting and using them is we get them 15 to 30 YEARS after produced.  Even if we get a NIB unit TIME is still the enemy in which our little precious collectables age and lose the brilliance of just coming off the assembly line.

      Find a car that is 25 years old NEVER STARTED stored and put new battery in it and fuel and start up and drive it.  I ASSURE you being a person who restores cars that car may run even nicely BUT is will NOT perform in MANY FUNCTIONS like it would have new.   It will need a LOT of parts replaced but then yes it could perform as good as when first new... like a walkman if completely taken apart if I can use a car term and a FRAME UP RESTORATION DONE then you can properly judge that model for its performance.   The SX series was a model line Panny focused on value and price ( a few like the SX75 were real quality pieces) with some cost cutting measures yet for the money when new they were a great sounding player.    IMO its the RQ-S series ( not all of them ) that were Panasonics  best engineering and quality models along with a few of the RQ-JA series especially the JA160 has real quality to it, solid and excellent performance ( not DD9 territory but FEW players are in that upper 2% ).

RQ-JA160

Just picked up the RQ-S60 on ebay but the rechargeable battery is dead and it has no external compartment can anyone help out with location of spares.

cheers

cattlethief posted:

Just picked up the RQ-S60 on ebay but the rechargeable battery is dead and it has no external compartment can anyone help out with location of spares.  cheers

Repost your above request to here

Walkmans & Personal Stereos Wanted
http://REPLACEMENT ERROR/forum...sonal-Stereos-Wanted

 for faster response, ok?