AIWA PX101:

It's considered the best sounding machine AIWA ever made by some. It's a very high quality player with unique parametric DSL-EX to control lows and highs.

I won't extend with it as I already published a full article for it here.

AIWA PX303:

Personally it's one of my favorite AIWA, both for its design and their sound. Over PX101, it has an HX Amorphous head and bi-azimuth mechanism. DSL system is similar, although PX303 one has much deeper bass. In fact, I believe it has the deeper bass amplification ever on a player (and sounds like heaven).

It has also a very stylish design which I like so much.

AIWA PX505:

Released about 1990, it came with BBE system for the first time, that replaces a simple treble control. All other features remain the same, which places this player as one of the best, with Dolby C, DSL, BBE, remote, feather-touch buttons, etc...

Mine is in decent condition but with some scratches.

Both PX101, 303 and 505 often become a bit crazy: if you press stop, it does reverse play, or FF, REW, whatever he like... it seems it has some inteligence... :-)

AIWA PX1000:

One of the most famous players ever. It's considered the most extraordinary walkman AIWA ever made and it's often called "the Bodoo Khan killer".

The most famous feature is the Titanium body and the sound analyzer LCD screen. But it also sounds very good, with an amorphous head, Dolby C, DSL, EQ and BBE.

It feels VERY solid in hands and looks even better. It's probably the most rare of them to find these days, and the prices often goes as high as 600$ and more.

I took mine to the official service and they sucessfully took back to life and now it sounds very very good.

I absolutely agree that the PX series always tended to be better looking, and apparantly better sounding- sadly I do not have many PX machines, as people here in the past preferred  the JX recording series, and most of the machines I come across are JX.

I think the PX303 is probably the best looking Aiwa, too bad I do not own one (or any of these)... On the flipside I own machines that are similar, except that they are JX/RX models.

When you compare the internals between player-only and recording models, they are so similar except of the addition of recording circuits. Yet, despite this, the PXes sound better!

I notice your PX410 has wear on the back similar to my RX628s (which are identical except with a radio and no Dolby C). Was it kept in a case?

On a side note, you should update your site- your photos are great!

Strange that some of your PXes go crazy though.

@Hurodal

Nice choice of exJapan PX players.

For the problems you are experiencing with the logic control, there are two different reasons why the logic appears to be of a mind of it's own.

On the PX10/101 and also the PX20, this is due to the flexible circuit board linking the main PCB to the daughter circuit board on the door. It can develop a hair line crack due to stress over a mounting point within the door. The symptoms of this are when you press stop it can decide to rewind the tape. Repair of this is extremely difficult but possible.

I had issues with my PX505 behaving strangely with any and all the logic controls. This was due to acid leakage on the main PCB causing short outs. I found increasing humidity would exasperate the problem as the dampness would help recreate the short outs. It requires meticulous cleaning of the main board especially near the semiconductors such as the transistors. Neither my PX303 or PX410 show any signs of this problem, since both main PCBs were free from acid leakage.

@Bub

In the early 90s PX was reserved for the top end play only models that AIWA brought out. The value of the PX badge was lost when Sony had greater influence on AIWA's product line and all matter of cheaper lower quality units flooded the market under the PX moniker.

The early 90s PXs have circuits greatly different from even their corresponding JX or RX companions. At the very least they had different amplifier IC chips not forgetting also the higher DC blocking capacitance values as well.

Thanks Bub,

Yes, my PX410 has some wear on the back caused by the original case... a strange wear, though.

Yes, I know I have to update it, but from launching until now I've been very busy with a personal project. I have finished taken photos of a P08 page and also retouching and optimizing (it's not so easy if you want high quality images...) so I only need some time to write...

Oh, yes, it's very strange that PX101 and 303 become crazy. Not only that, it happens on both my pair of PX101 and on both PX303 I have...  

regards,

Plop, thanks for the advice; I'll forward it to the technician that often repairs my walkmans.

Hope he can fix it... Now it has my PX303, so let's see...

Yes, let's hope he can for you. These are all treasures and AIWA's legacy.

So now that you have virtually all the grail PX AIWA personal stereo, which do you think has the best sound of all?

For me, I have to say I really like the PX505 the most, with the PX303 coming a close second.

I really need to get one of these! Plop I remember you said that some Aiwas actually was capable of having larger caps placed in compared to other models, it was  just an issue of space?

That wear on the back of your PX410 was caused by chemical seepage from the case, which dissolves the paintwork/plastic I believe. Which s why I never store my Walkmans in their cases...

Bub, yes that is correct. For some models it is possible to substitute larger valued DC blocking capacitors depending on the available space. By doing so, it will lower the cut off frequency of the bass roll off.

Interestingly that issue of the chemical solvent breakdown from the vinyl cases does not affect the paint work on the all metal cases of the older AIWAs.

Well, I'm not sure which one has the best quality, but from a subjective point, the extreme deep bass of the PX303 really let me blown!

Visually, I find the PX303 the best looking, the 505 looks a little plain to me.

The 303 even has care and attention to detail on the back of the cabinet! You are however, missing a screw on the back?

I'm not a fan of the design of the PX410 (or any of the RX610 series for that matter) and the fact that many walkmans from here on like to omit a window. The PX1000 looks a little dated, but that spectrum analyzer is really appealing, I just wish more walkmans had that...

I'm guessing that the addition of recording/radio circuitry reduces the amount of space available for larger caps?

@Hurodal

Yes, the deep bass on the PX303 is very very good. I like to push my open air headphones with the PX303 in the L and 2 position and the results are amazing especially for tracks that have the potential for bass.

I would have liked some treble control like that found on the PX101. I find the PX505 is a happy compromise, as it has a bass profile similar to the PX303 in the H position. I find my PX505 by default is a slightly bright sounding player whereas the PX303 more neutral in its default position.

@Bub

The PX303 was created at a time when AIWA started going through its square cut black 80s look. I remember this period quite well as I used to have some cheap furniture from this period in a similar style. The PX505 would appear to be a follow on from that, alas the back as you point out is a touch on the samey samey side as it is in common with all the other models from that period. You are right there is a screw missing from the PX303. There is a screw in that position on my one.

TBH, I don't really rate the PX410 either. Maybe it is the clumsy mixture of soft touch logic and manual switched control. Sound wise it sounds quite average perhaps it is because I need to recap the unit hence why I think the sound is ok. Yes the Dolby C is quite good, but the PC202 is a better player if you are looking for a no frills Dolby C performer, and of all three of my PC202 none are in need of a recap and sound amazing. The DSL is ok, but with an all or nothing switch not something much to report about. I always get the feeling that this was a unit created to fill a later demand for a Dolby C player because the market wanted one, and not because AIWA thought they needed to show the world they could still make damn good personal stereo.

I am going to reserve judgement on the PX1000, until I get to actually hear one. It could just be another vanity personal stereo - all style and no substance. I would like to be proved wrong, as  I'd like think that underneath the bells and whistles of that huge display panel there is a great sounding player too.

Interesting you say that about the DC blocking capacitors. Since the RL50 (which is a radio only model) is quite closely based on the PL50. They both share the same amplifier ROHM BA3513AF IC chips and also the same 330uF DC blocking capacitors and would therefore perform very similarly. The difference with the recording models is that there is additional circuitry required for the recording function and therefore different amplifier chips (from the non-recording models) are used. Should space exist on the board it should be possible to place higher valued DC blocking capacitors to benefit from the lower bass frequency cuff off. A good example of a player itching for an upgrade is the PL707 which has a 2 stage stepped DSL. It uses the ROHM BA3513AF IC chip, but AIWA used the standardised value of 220uF. Net result is that although the bass is very strong it is not very deep. There is no reason why not to swap in a pair of 330uF or higher 470uF 2V caps.

Bear in mind as well that the output from the player only sealed lead acid models typically are rated at 15mW/ch as opposed to the recording models at 10mW/ch, an interesting exception to this is the PC202 which is rated at 20mW/ch.

On the PX410 (or the Rx610 series): While I cannot say anything about the sound of that because I do not have the 410, and I too find the "semi-logic" controls strange, I feel that it has very reliable mechanism compared to other logic models as there is so little to go wrong. The PX1000 is similar mechanism to the JX707 I believe.

I too have observed that recording models use different chips, but the mW/ch output is new to me- it seems like this is one of the culprits that pull the recorders down...

hi, I just bought an AIWA PX 380for 1,000 yen form a recycled shop here in Japan, where does it rank in the pantheon? Man, it sounds pretty good to me!

You are so lucky to be in Japan. Home of some of the most amazing walkman ever made and rarely sold outside of Japan either. The main makers AIWA, Panasonic and Sony all made domestic models only sold in Japan.

If I were you, I would keep looking in those recycle shops. You should be able to get something more special than a PX380. The PX380 is a much later PX unit than most of the models featured in Hugo's original post.

Look out for the PX10, 20, 30, 50 (international versions 101/-/303/505 respectively) or 1000 in Japan and you will be getting a very nice piece of AIWA history. However be warned that if you get the PX30, 50 or 1000 as you will very much likely need to replace the capacitors, and the PX1000 will need new belts and possibly a new ribbon connector too. The PX20 (similar to the PX10, however in a landscape style with a HX head and extended AA battery pack) is a Japanese domestic model and no international version exists, so if you are going to find one it is going to be in Japan and is very rare indeed. I should know as it took me the best part of 3 years to find a PX20... in Japan.

Thanx for the info dude, i'm in recycled stores all the time and i NEVER see cassette walkmans. There seem to be a lot on the yahoo auction site but never in recycled stores. My last awesome score was stumbling across a flea market dude selling some very nice 90's Sonys

I just received a HS-PX310 and it says there is an optional remote for this unit.  Any ideas what the model number the remote is?  I really want that part of my collection.  I love my Aiwas

Thanks bryan