Hello All

I'm sad to learn that there is a very good chance that Sony did not create the first portable stereo cassette player with headphones. A product called the Astraltune Stereopack portable cassette player with headphones and batteries was used in commerce as early as 1975!

Even one of our fellow members, Gedcom has this device. Please see below a link about the Astraltune Stereopack. If you closely look at the patent information in that link, it states that it was used in commerce as early as 1975. Gedcom mentioned in a previous thread that the batteries in his unit have 1978 on them.

To pre-date the Walkman (TPS-L2), a unit must meet the following criteria:

1-Portable

2-Stereo playback

3-No speakers, headphones only

4-Self contained batteries

5-Used in commerce before July 1979

http://www.justabuzz.com/astraltune.shtml

Jeez..it even had rechargable batteries!!!

Interesting read.....

Thanks for the link!

Is that a videorecorder?   

Let's be fair, Sony never claimed to invent the portable stereo cassette player, they just miniaturised it significantly and then marketed the hell out of it.  So, in a sense, they invented the Walkman.  There were loads of portable stereo cassette players around before the TPS-L2 but none that you could carry in one hand and that ran off two AAs nor any that had headphones that were so light you didn't even know you were wearing them.

Yep AO you're right that Sony invented the Walkman (trademark), and what you're saying makes sense. However, I thought that most peopled believed (including me) that Sony did in fact create the first personal stereo cassette player (criteria listed above). Other than the mention of Mr. Pavel who claimed to invent a similar device before Sony, I thought that Sony was the first.

It was very interesting to me that Astraltune designed, manufactured and marketed a portable stereo cassette player in 1975, that's all.

It would be very cool for us to see some of the other portable stereo cassette players (headphone type) that were around before the TPS-L2/Walkman. Do you have any pics/links, AO?

well.. portable taperecorders at that size even exist pre 1975, only they did'nt strap it on their body but carry it with a handle.

the real portable sound machine long time before sony (needs no battery !!)  :

Rofl! I bet that "man" can "walk" with it too ^^

Kin, yes but did the pre-1975 portable cassette tape recorders/players that you speak of, have stereo instead of mono, and only use headphones (no built in speaker) like a TPS-L2 Walkman?

Wow, that's an interesting finding.

However, it's not as portable as a common Walkman. Maybe the key is the exact definition of "portable". The D6C falls also in this cathegory.

Agent, which are those other players?

I'm a dumbass, just realised, there wasn't any portable stereo units around before the TPS-L2 apart from the above and the Pavel.  I was thinking that surely there was some kind of 1960 Phillips but they had speakers.

Interesting link with further information seems the orig. player was a adapted Sanyo Car cassette player.  A re application of an existing product into a new area or usage.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/...an-astraltune-92977/

OMG I spoke to him 6 months ago. I had no idea he RIP. Does any one have a working Astratune . I want to buy it if possible.
I was his Product Consultant on the project concerning the second Generation Model made by Yams Electronics . The first generation was a Sanyo FTC1 of which I sold to him when working for Sanyo.

Photo from above site link ( credit to ) 

Great link and great reading .

Always thought Sony were the inventors

They had an aggressive marketing campaign,

i guess luck and maybe the time was right (1979)

and the walkman sold well.

The Astraltune headphones look like a stethoscope !

Hey John, who are you referring to who passed? Did you work as a product consultant on this astraltune project?

NO I did not work for company that was just a quote from the link in my reply earlier of a guy that did work for Astraltune and he was referring to the owner of Astraltune passing recently in his response.

I know where a boxed Astraltune (?) machine is with the original manuals, headset, AC adapter, etc.  I think they were asking $20 but they usually have half off sales.  Do you think it is worth buying?  I think it was originally marketed to the skiing crowd.  It is odd looking as it has a strap that goes around your shoulders and the unit sits atop your chest.  Not very portable but I guess for that era it was considered portable.

If anyone is interested the Astraltune tape player is at a place called "Tammy's Treasures" (I think that is the right spelling) in Longview, WA.  Look them up and maybe they would consider shipping the unit.  They are nice folks and I believe the sales from the store benefit the church so if the price was right.....

Sony not so portable stereo before the Astraltune.. maybe!. But probably one of the Sony's most inspired idea to the invention of TPS-L2  ...LOL!

Living to the legacy of Sony walkman, enjoying music on Sony's patented design skateboard like, the Segway.