My WM-D6C had the sticker on out of the box... lined up to the left of the window. On all my other Sony's I removed them, but not on this model for some reason. In your case I probably wouldn't secure in the knowledge that I can do it if I really wanted... :) Maybe screen protector film on the window though...
I think this is the Walkman that Techmoan features on his channel awhile back. If this is that, it's an awesome cassette Walkman! Cassettes really got improved on in the 90s, amazingly good decks available at that time!
Fun fact: this specific Walkman was designed for journalists who were using Walkmans for interviews. Which explained its configurations and original price being considered exceptional compared to its peers at release.
Yes the Sony Walkmans I owned in the late 1980s did all shut off automatically at the end of the tape, and they were much thinner and lighter, not much bigger than a cassette case and included an FM tuner. Wonderful presentation 🙌
I couldn't get rid of my cassettes fast enough as soon as I got my first CD player, and I never imagined I'd come back to them. But that was before I happened into a free, fully-working Pioneer tape deck a few months ago, and after a family friend generously gave her and her late husband's 300-tape collection to me, I've been semi-hooked on them again! This was a fun video, Jarrett, and that Walkman is a beauty - never knew that Sony made one with all those features! Awesome!
People only think casettes sounded bad because they cheaped out on their decks or used crappy boomboxes, reason cd's seemed to sound better was they sounded pretty much the same on every player even the cheap ones where tapes were like vinyl and you get what you paynfor
i bought one in 1985 for $450 . i also bought a very high quality microphone that picked up in stereo . it was plugged into the side of the unit , only protruding about a half inch . it was used by journalist in the field to make very high quality recordings/ interviews on the spot . when i finally went to a shop to buy speakers ,amp and preamp the store owner asked what my source would be . i said " a walkman professional " he looked at me like i was crazy as this was a very high end set up with monster speakers . he wasn't familiar with the sendust heads that came with the walkman which were as good as any large cassette deck . anyway the sound was phenomenal .
I have a working Sony Walkman Professional which I purchased in the mid-1980's I would not play back on batteries but would when connected to the original AC/DC adapter. Actually, I forgot about the battery compartment so I am glad you brought that up. I cleaned the terminals with CRC and it plays on batteries now. Bought it with the carrying case and strap. Actually, this was not my first acquisition of this model. I purchased with a Sony service contract. I wore out the first one from constant use. Recorded vinyl and later CD's. Took it to the Sony service center and after a couple weeks was told to pick it up. What I got was a brand new unit because after taking it apart the technician could not put it back together again. I got it out to listen to an old tape I found and wondered if it still worked. Amazing! I wonder what it is worth.
I still have a Sony Cassette Deck set up in my Audio Cabinet at home. I’m an 80’s/90’s kid so I grew up with cassettes. Still buy them when I come across classic albums in the record shops.
I still play my cassette tapes every now and then on my Pioneer Full Auto Double Cassette Player Recorder deck. I am so glad I recorded my gospel choir's last concert in 1982 on a FUJI Metal tape! I still is clear and dynamic as ever. I did transfer it to MP3 format though as a backup. I am a music education college degreed black gospel fan of all genres - especially the vintage type. I do like other types of music too. I am an avid vinyl collector too. Jarrett, thanks so much for your very informative videos. Keep 'em comin'!!!
Remember this walkman being on every Sony catalogue at least in the 90s. At the end of 90s Sony had even full-logic controlled recording walkmen with remote control but this model was the 'professional' one, beside other line-ups (cheaper ones, Sports line, My first Walkman line, the DD quartz line-up, the ones with remote control and special editions
I can definitely say that the WM-D6C is a fantastic Walkman that sounds fantastic. I have one in my collection which I use occasionally and I love it. My absolute favourite though is my Sony WM-DC2, which I use almost every day. It doesn't have a record function, but it is probably the best sounding Walkman ever made, has doldy b and c NR, can play types I, II and IV tapes, has a direct drive system, (so no belts) and is quartz controlled, so very accurate speed control and very low wow and flutter. It's also much smaller than the D6C, so is considerably easier to walk around with. The early versions also have the amorphous head too, so they're the ones to go for if you can get one.
Real quick info for people who arent familiar with walkmans, the D6C is basically the best walkman made, best playback quality, it can record and etc etc you know all the features, but also thats why parts and accessories for it are so expensive, though the most advanced walkman *in my opinion* was the wm-7, 3 motors and first auto reverse walkman, pretty cool model
ALSO dont ever get a D6, their speed control chip goes out over time and it wont play right, and its extremely expensive to fix (quoted like 200 to fix mine)
I've been recording concerts with one of these since 1994 and it's still going strong !!! This think is sweet. Keep it clean and lubricated and it will give you YEARS of service ! The recording meters leave a lot to be desired compared to the analog vu meters on the D5, but once you get the hang of them, you can diel your levels right in. A GREAT unit !!
Do you have any tips for recording on the d6c? I've successfully recorded like 4 mixtapes so far but as of lately I've been having some distortion when it comes the bass region. I usually stick around the 3-4 region to get it peaking at +3dB. I've used both type 1 & 2 but the distortion is only happening on the type 1s.
I mean, this is an amazing sounding model, but there are others which are still awesome, such as the Aiwa hs-p07. There was a Walkman around 2000 which wasn't much bigger than the tapes that had auto reverse, megabass, and even a pair of earphones with an inline remote, and track skip. The thing could fast forward and stop and start playing the next track with just one button! Most impressive!
My first music bought was on a cassette tape. Modded a few as a kid, just to blast Limp Bizkit from a 2w speaker setup. Just bought my first 3 tapes recently, all Taylor Swift ones, as I’m as much a Swiftie as you are a Sade fan. Would love to have someone bring out the chrome tapes again, the TDK ones were the best, BASF not far behind. Since your last video, I’ve upgraded my vinyl turntable to a ProJect Essential II Phono. Now I’m hearing more depth in my vinyl. Especially on my dads old Blondie - Autoamerican vinyl that was last played in the late 70s. It’s been about 40 or more years since it was played. Stay well!!!
Nikko did you a solid by gifting you that rare, collectible, high-quality unit. Great video. Going nuts on all of the gizmos to go with it was awesome. Gotta go for it. Cheers!
Man, what a blast from the past! I remember seeing one growing up and marveled at just how great it sounded. I used to love making mix tapes all the time, Sony Metal SR 90s were my jam! Thanks for making this video, now going to hit up eBay!
I've started to record on cassettes in 1983, when i was 14.. later i buyed mostly Type 2 cassettes like Sony UX-S but Denon and That's too.. as for 2023 i only record and play digital as lossless audio (flac) .. many greetings from Brunswick in Germany and please stay safe 🙂
I've had mine since the 1990 and recorded loads of great concerts on it (Orbital, Ultramarine etc). Just had to replace the belts but it's a superb machine 🎧🎵
I have one….brought it new when it was still in Production. I’ve kept it in perfect condition with all the packaging and accessories……definitely a keeper.
I picked up one of these through Marketplace for an absolute song! It's robust and durable and the professional quality isn't just skin deep. Plus, It's probably the loudest Walkman I've ever owned. Mine had the case, but was missing the strap. So I found a 3d print file for one online and made a set. I used a Sony branded camera strap so that it stayed in the family.
3 years ago my neighbor gave me her Technics stereo system from the 80s Its in awesome shape. It has duel cassette tape deck. Remembering how I felt about cassette tapes back in the day I thought the cassette tape decks would be my least fav. To my surprise it turns out the cassette decks are my favorite part of the stereo. Now, every time I come across old cassette tapes in thrift shops I purchase them. I'm really enjoying getting to know my old school audio gadgets again. As for the Walkman cassette player, I wish I still had mine :(
What a cool walkman! I play tapes and record from mostly vinyl with my Yamaha cassette deck using all the old stock type 2 blanks I have. I got back into cassettes really starting about 15 years ago finding them at yard sales and flea markets. I still hope to find more great tapes this way but it is harder to find in the wild than it was.
Even though the D6C is the best walkman in specs, i’ve found out that the later 90s full logic control walkman are some of the best when it comes to functionality. Often these walkmans have music search, blank skip, auto reverse, remote control etc. also they are easier to find than the d6c, although they can be similar in price depending om the model.
Agreed, i think anyone getting into walkman/cassettes should explore the different models in the EX lineup. I dont mean some of the later chunky plastic ones but the thin aluminum feather touch ones. Loaded with features and are usually >$200.
@@xjmczar though the ex series are nice the f series that came before them are often cheaper and easier to service, especially the wm-f100iii the belts so easy to replace on them and sounds really good
@@cleverkitsune4302 those are really nice, i got one myself (F100II) my only gripe with them which made me prefer the EX line was just the fact that the 100’s feel delicate and a tad flimsy. Thats not to say they arent high quality, they are after super compact, made of metal, not to mention great sound. But in my experience refurbing one and encountered a series of problems which turned my project into a bit of a nightmare. Belt then pinch roller replacement, yet after there were some serious flutter and tape path issues which took forever to solve. The pinch roller would bounce up and down off the capstan, motor started making rattling noises, and a plastic nylon gear around the center flywheel cracked. It was an absolute nightmare 💀 Im probably kinda bias as im not sure i just got really unlucky. Also yeah i agree that the DD line is arguably the best, they are really damn reliable and they last FOREVER. you dont see them having capacitor issues like some of the EX’s do.
@@xjmczar the f100s caps are anorher reason i suggest them, you had real bad luck, yes the battery pack is the one flaw that annoyed me about them, only 1 clup holding it in but the sound is sooo worth the pain
About 20 years ago, I snagged a Sony D6C at an indoor flea-market for $15. Just the recorder in a vinyl case. I'd never seen or heard of one, but I knew it was something special. I went back about a week later to see if any D6C accessories were laying around, and in a Panasonic nylon carry-bag, found the Sony manual, AC adapter, Sony mini stereo mic, Sony headphones, assorted extension cables & adapters, plus a large Radio Shack stereo mic. No original shoulder strap, but I gladly paid an additional $20 for the lot. Used it quite a bit for several years, Mostly to make mix-tapes for the car. But also my brother's guitar performance with his group at the Bankok Blues Supper-club in Falls-Church Va. My brother's performance sounded great. Too bad the female vocalist's amp was way over boosted. But when she wasn't singing, the instrumental sets sounded perfect!
Very instructive content right there. I grew up with a Sony Walkman WM-EX36 in my hand, so I am aware of all these tips, but it's wonderful to know younger generations will have this kind of ressource the day they get interested in owning this marvel of an item.
Honestly been collecting cassettes for a little while and my favorite genre that I've been listening to on them is Future Funk. I have a Denon cassette deck in my set up and I was blown away with how they sound. So happy to have cassettes in my small collection.
I'm a total cassette nerd and into both Nakamichi and Sony. Bought a walkman pro exactly like yours in this video on ebay. it wasn't cheap as you know but i took the time to insure it was fully functional up to spec and cosmetically near mint. Back in the day I had a NAK DR-1 which was amazing and now aiming to get a NAK CR-7A soon. Since i have a high end Vinyl set up and hi res digital streaming i can make amazing Cassette recordings and yes i have a 1999 Mercedes with a cassette player that is auto reverse. wow. So much fun.
Of course cassettes are back. Because they are COOL 😎 and sound good 😉 major artists release cassettes of all their albums (Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, The Guardians of The Galaxy of course...) and I sure buy them and I got myself an awesome Sony 3 head deck and a few walkmans that after an easy belt replacement they now work as new 😊😉👍
I live in Springfield Mo. The home of National Audio Company. It is in a historic building downtown. The building used to be the home of Springfield Wagon Company. They made horse drawn wagons. The owner once told me that their largest buyer for cassettes was the federal government. It’s crazy to think the US government is still using cassette technology. I enjoy the channel!
So thanks to you I decided to look into this specific walkman. Turns out I found a fully functioning one with the original leather case and mic for 100€. So people don't be fooled by crazy eBay prices. Some people just don't know the value of such gears so you can get much better deals if you're patient enough in your research.
I still have 4 of these -- all with cases and original power supplies. They've been stored for over 10 years. I bought them off of eBay around 2010 or 2011 when they didn't cost that much.
I have two of these! I was lucky enough to spot them in a flea market. When I asked the guy how much he wanted for them he said £20, I thought he meant each, he said "no, both". I've never got my wallet out so quick before. They're both ex-BBC Radio so would have been used to record interviews in the field to be played on the radio later.
I had a Revox G36 and found my WM-DC6 Whitley in Hong Kong for a very good price. At home I found that Sony had better quality than Revox. I have made more than 70 live recording with my Sony and it it the best recording equipment I ever had.😊
Great vid. I feel like you should go mid-way between your nice modern headphones and vintage orange foam ones. The Koss Porta Pros has been made since 1984 (possibly when this was made). It's still popular, sounds great AND looks the part. haha
Found one in amazing condition in a skip this afternoon ..couldn't believe my eyes .been after one for yrs..it also came with the microphone.and strap ..and it already had a (it's a Sony) sticker on it
I have the WM-D6, Basically the same machine but without Dolby C. It's my "Go to" for digitizing cassettes. The speed control is nice as tapes recorded on different machines can vary in speed. It's easier for me to adjust by ear, rather than fixing it in software. Why pitch control wasn't a "thing" on full size tape decks, I'll never know.
Yep, my Dad was a journalist and we had a few of these. I still have one, along with the Sony mic. Listening back, gigs I recorded on this sound better than the mini disc recorder I used soon a while later. Can’t remember if I used the same mic though.
I bought this Walkman in the early 80ies and it was by far the best mobile cassette recorder i ever had. In these days SONY was creating real quality products.
I play tapes occasionally. I have a 1974 Akai unit that needs some attention, but it will play SHORT tapes. Anything longer than a C-60 it has problems with. My main deck is an Optimus (Radio Shack) SCT-86 from 1995. It's a cute little deck that works great.
My first Walkman was the Sony WM-FX435. It had TV sound so I would aways listen to Cubs games on WGN. Couldn't watch it on the Walkman..... But at the time I thought that was pretty cool.
I have a technics m7 cassette I just bought 3 weeks ago, it sounds great, it was produced in 1979! I just made a mix tape on it last weekend using dobly b!
Cassette players are also part on my life when growing up.I still think i should my my favorite sanyo player back😁Thank you for this review about the walkman.
I love to check my notifications and see a Vinyl Eyezz Video waiting for me! btw I really appreciate that time you commented on my Cassette video too! I Keep meaning to say thanks! and It's a shame Cassette Comeback has closed down his store too
Here is mine that I currently use when I mow, a General Electric Z8 stereo Headset Cassette Player. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles like yours, only earphone plug in, volume and play/pause/rewind.
6:10 The original headphones that were pared with the WM-D6C are the MDR-51. For this time it was amongst the best light headphones. The other Sony headphones with an orange earpads were asigned to the general public Walkman product range.
Jarrett hi. The WM-D6C and its kind were usually manufactured as professional field recorders for reporters like us and musicians who work on their early compositions. Their recording quality is comparably far better than simpler walkmans - or portable cassette recorders. By the way, "Walkman" and "Discman" are Sony brands. You would call the other brands as "portable cassette players" or "portable cassette recorders" by law. Of course, Sony was the king. Their TCM-5000 is one of their top of the line products in the business of professional field recording - I know you are also a follower of Techmoan. They were already expensive back then, but now are also overpriced because of the greedy collectors of vintage equipment. Of course, they hardly break down even under rough conditions. Well anyway, it is always safer to replace the rubber belts inside them every ten years to keep them working well. You might notice there must be a built-in microphone on that device somewhere. And the 8 mm microphone jack is for an external mike output, but I can definitely vouch it would work with a field microphone such as Electro-Voice RE50/B, Audio-Technica AT800 or Electro-Voice 635NDB at its highest performance without the need of phantom power. Even the internal built-in mike should have a certain quality on that device. Some excluded that feature though, because they are built to work with external mikes alone, out of professional concerns. We fed our recordings to our radio shows - or TV whenever possible - with considerable quality with those recorders. You had to work with those recorders, because you would always trust their recording quality. If you really want to listen your music tapes with it, it is not going to disappoint you, but you may not hear the details clearly. Later walkmans - should I call them walkmen? whatever... - without recording capability or portable (personal) cassette players - were built with bass boosters and tri-band equalizers especially for music listeners. Most of the times, I preferred my old AM-FM Sony WM-FX-423 with Mega Bass to listen to my music. I had a good Toshiba with tri-band EQ - something similar to KT-4548 - also but of course, Sony was always the king. What really turned me off from Sony was, when they began customizing their headphone and adapter jacks in the late 1990s. So when your headphone broke down , you were forced to purchase a compatible Sony brand that would fit in the "customized" output connector. Enjoy yours.
Cassettes were pretty cool in the day, but honestly I don't use them anymore. What I use all the time though, which I find real cool is the Walkman Minidisc, the sound is very pleasing, and they are highly durable.
Woahhh That's a pretty neat Walkman, I've always wanted to get my hands on a Walkman. I'm completely into the vintage music scene. I have me a turntable and tape deck which I use to record mixtapes, and I've always wanted to play those mixtapes on a Walkman. I also love the video too 😃👍👍 Oh and- Song of the Day: The Four Horseman by Metallica
Just for the question you had in the video "I'm not sure if other walkmans have autostop." Yes, some do and some don't. I have the WM-FX290W (The last cassette walkman model) And it has auto stop.
Jarrett completely forgot yesterday to suggest also that if you can get your hands on any Maxell XL-II or XL-IIS blanks that these yield great results even using Dolby B NR. They were my go to in the mid to late 90’s for making compilations. They do not make them anymore but you still may be able to find them on ebay. 😉
Thank you! In 2001, I was given a WM-D6C. Unfortunately, a lot of the print on the body had rubbed off, so I couldn't tell the model number, which in turn, meant I couldn't find a copy of the manual or a power adaptor. (I haven't used it in a number of years, but other than the worn off lettering, it was working flawlessly. (The case is in perfect shape, and even this "It's a Sony" sticker (though peeling a little) is still intact. I can finally start searching for the manual and power adaptor and hopefully get this baby up and running again. (And damn straight, you should put the sticker on.)
I have a Walkman WM-AF54, it has a tape bias selector but no dolby selector, it does have auto-stop but not on fast forward and rewind. But it's still amazing and use it everyday! Also love your videos!
This more a reporters device, but works great for playback as well. I use mine when on the train. It does not replace a tape deck, though. It lacks bias adjustment and calibration features.
Koss KPH40 are unintentionally made for this device, they are HiFi cans with the look of 80s headphones and unbelievable sound. Good pairing with this.
Have a big cassette collection which I play on a Marantz tape deck and only recently bought another walkman......I have a feeling there will be a cassette comeback worldwide
Wow! Great to see that. I have still over 60 tapes and maybe 20 record free tapes around me. I have bought a Denon Double Deck DRW-830 which have Dolby B and C, BIAS Fine tune and Input level, etc. I do remember in my young age, at the end of the tape-age it was another seems like RIAA for the cassettes maybe named Dolby X or Dolby Pro. I had dolby X on my Hi-Fi Tape player or tape-recorder that time but I don't remember if it was AKAI or Pioneer or another one. I just know in my car I had installed an audio system Clarion which is no-more common now.
I have two d6c’s - one from recent years and one from around ‘86 in mid highschool. Never serviced - work 100% - sounds 100% - waaaay better than any digi source since they are not perfect zero-and-one-machines but analogue. No -no-noice = no problem. I don’t even think of this fact. Some days ago I recorded Korsakows Scheherazade on my Pioneer deck from the late 70’ for playback on the d6c. Sounds so great. For the headphones I use the original ones from ‘86. The pads I changed some months ago - got a load of these from Amazon. Use this device to un-sharpen cd’s - meaning add a more silky sound from this wm. And think of it: +35y now! And why nowadays use mc at all - thats crazy - no, and this is why: 1. Concentrate on ONE piece of art at a time - ONE work. Can’t jump among 1M songs! 2. Off-grid: It’s your personal rendevouz - nobody on the internet knows what you enjoy NOW. No surveliance. 3. Sounds better from its soft grip. Just my two cents.
Most personal stereos (walkmans) have autostop (even modern models) some also have auto reverse (the kind that doesn't use rotating pinch rollers or read heads).
Honestly I have no idea why I love you videos so much. I really don’t want to disrespect you because, as I mentioned, I love you content, but objectively seen, It‘s weird to watch a video like this. Anyway great job, greetings from germany!
Love the videos, but you should really invest in getting a pair of speaker stands, the way you have it right now you not going to get a proper sound stage, I used to have my set up like this but, i then invested in a suitable cabinet/shelf system to put the equipment on, and speaker stands to put the speakers on so that they can be properly separated, trust me you won't regret it.
Should I put the "It's a SONY" Sticker on it? What do y'all think? 🤔 💭 🎵
Wow Jarrett this is such an awesome video I love it. :)
Hi Jarred!
I wouldn't put stickers on it. It is hard to remove later. I would keep those stickers unused.
My WM-D6C had the sticker on out of the box... lined up to the left of the window. On all my other Sony's I removed them, but not on this model for some reason. In your case I probably wouldn't secure in the knowledge that I can do it if I really wanted... :) Maybe screen protector film on the window though...
You should! It's going to wear naturally with the way tape mechanisms work, so it will never really be NEW, so why not customize it the way you feel?
I think this is the Walkman that Techmoan features on his channel awhile back. If this is that, it's an awesome cassette Walkman! Cassettes really got improved on in the 90s, amazingly good decks available at that time!
Fun fact: this specific Walkman was designed for journalists who were using Walkmans for interviews. Which explained its configurations and original price being considered exceptional compared to its peers at release.
I used to work for the B.B.C , and i picked one of these walkmans up (it was going in the garbage) it still has B.B.C Radio embossed on it
@@phillace that's awesome!
Yup, a field recorder.
Yes the Sony Walkmans I owned in the late 1980s did all shut off automatically at the end of the tape, and they were much thinner and lighter, not much bigger than a cassette case and included an FM tuner. Wonderful presentation 🙌
My dad had the very first walkman ever Made. A real sturdy Sony Walkman back in 1981. I still have several old Walkmans that still work.
I couldn't get rid of my cassettes fast enough as soon as I got my first CD player, and I never imagined I'd come back to them. But that was before I happened into a free, fully-working Pioneer tape deck a few months ago, and after a family friend generously gave her and her late husband's 300-tape collection to me, I've been semi-hooked on them again! This was a fun video, Jarrett, and that Walkman is a beauty - never knew that Sony made one with all those features! Awesome!
I got hooked on cassettes all over again about less than a year ago now, I now have amassed 500+ ! SMFH!
People only think casettes sounded bad because they cheaped out on their decks or used crappy boomboxes, reason cd's seemed to sound better was they sounded pretty much the same on every player even the cheap ones where tapes were like vinyl and you get what you paynfor
i bought one in 1985 for $450 .
i also bought a very high quality microphone that picked up in stereo . it was plugged into the side of the unit , only protruding about a half inch . it was used by journalist in the field to make very high quality recordings/ interviews on the spot . when i finally went to a shop to buy speakers ,amp and preamp the store owner asked what my source would be . i said " a walkman professional "
he looked at me like i was crazy as this was a very high end set up with monster speakers . he wasn't familiar with the sendust heads that came with the walkman which were as good as any large cassette deck . anyway the sound was phenomenal .
I have a working Sony Walkman Professional which I purchased in the mid-1980's I would not play back on batteries but would when connected to the original AC/DC adapter. Actually, I forgot about the battery compartment so I am glad you brought that up. I cleaned the terminals with CRC and it plays on batteries now. Bought it with the carrying case and strap.
Actually, this was not my first acquisition of this model. I purchased with a Sony service contract. I wore out the first one from constant use. Recorded vinyl and later CD's. Took it to the Sony service center and after a couple weeks was told to pick it up. What I got was a brand new unit because after taking it apart the technician could not put it back together again.
I got it out to listen to an old tape I found and wondered if it still worked. Amazing! I wonder what it is worth.
I still have a Sony Cassette Deck set up in my Audio Cabinet at home. I’m an 80’s/90’s kid so I grew up with cassettes. Still buy them when I come across classic albums in the record shops.
I still play my cassette tapes every now and then on my Pioneer Full Auto Double Cassette Player Recorder deck. I am so glad I recorded my gospel choir's last concert in 1982 on a FUJI Metal tape! I still is clear and dynamic as ever. I did transfer it to MP3 format though as a backup. I am a music education college degreed black gospel fan of all genres - especially the vintage type. I do like other types of music too. I am an avid vinyl collector too. Jarrett, thanks so much for your very informative videos. Keep 'em comin'!!!
This is so rad!
Didn't expect to see u here!
Hey Bryce! How you been dude? Thanks for checking out my video!
My mate had one back in the day he would swear by it he even took it on the street with him fond memories
Hey Jarett! Can't you make a whole room tour? Not just your wall, more like the whole room! 😊
Remember this walkman being on every Sony catalogue at least in the 90s. At the end of 90s Sony had even full-logic controlled recording walkmen with remote control but this model was the 'professional' one, beside other line-ups (cheaper ones, Sports line, My first Walkman line, the DD quartz line-up, the ones with remote control and special editions
I can definitely say that the WM-D6C is a fantastic Walkman that sounds fantastic. I have one in my collection which I use occasionally and I love it. My absolute favourite though is my Sony WM-DC2, which I use almost every day. It doesn't have a record function, but it is probably the best sounding Walkman ever made, has doldy b and c NR, can play types I, II and IV tapes, has a direct drive system, (so no belts) and is quartz controlled, so very accurate speed control and very low wow and flutter. It's also much smaller than the D6C, so is considerably easier to walk around with. The early versions also have the amorphous head too, so they're the ones to go for if you can get one.
It's really fun when one of the best songs on the cassette is at the end of Side-A
and the other is at the end of Side-B.
Real quick info for people who arent familiar with walkmans, the D6C is basically the best walkman made, best playback quality, it can record and etc etc you know all the features, but also thats why parts and accessories for it are so expensive, though the most advanced walkman *in my opinion* was the wm-7, 3 motors and first auto reverse walkman, pretty cool model
ALSO dont ever get a D6, their speed control chip goes out over time and it wont play right, and its extremely expensive to fix (quoted like 200 to fix mine)
I’ve got one. I bought it new. It’s a 1984 model with Dolby C. It’s still got it’s case and strap. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I've been recording concerts with one of these since 1994 and it's still going strong !!! This think is sweet. Keep it clean and lubricated and it will give you YEARS of service ! The recording meters leave a lot to be desired compared to the analog vu meters on the D5, but once you get the hang of them, you can diel your levels right in. A GREAT unit !!
Do you have any tips for recording on the d6c? I've successfully recorded like 4 mixtapes so far but as of lately I've been having some distortion when it comes the bass region. I usually stick around the 3-4 region to get it peaking at +3dB. I've used both type 1 & 2 but the distortion is only happening on the type 1s.
@@lvcid_ Interesting. I've only recorded with external mics so not sure I can really help. Sorry.
@@jimcombra3099 Ah I see.. Any tips for recording live then? Hoping I can do the same down the line with my d6c.
I mean, this is an amazing sounding model, but there are others which are still awesome, such as the Aiwa hs-p07. There was a Walkman around 2000 which wasn't much bigger than the tapes that had auto reverse, megabass, and even a pair of earphones with an inline remote, and track skip. The thing could fast forward and stop and start playing the next track with just one button! Most impressive!
My first music bought was on a cassette tape. Modded a few as a kid, just to blast Limp Bizkit from a 2w speaker setup. Just bought my first 3 tapes recently, all Taylor Swift ones, as I’m as much a Swiftie as you are a Sade fan. Would love to have someone bring out the chrome tapes again, the TDK ones were the best, BASF not far behind.
Since your last video, I’ve upgraded my vinyl turntable to a ProJect Essential II Phono. Now I’m hearing more depth in my vinyl. Especially on my dads old Blondie - Autoamerican vinyl that was last played in the late 70s. It’s been about 40 or more years since it was played.
Stay well!!!
Nikko did you a solid by gifting you that rare, collectible, high-quality unit. Great video. Going nuts on all of the gizmos to go with it was awesome. Gotta go for it. Cheers!
Man, what a blast from the past! I remember seeing one growing up and marveled at just how great it sounded. I used to love making mix tapes all the time, Sony Metal SR 90s were my jam! Thanks for making this video, now going to hit up eBay!
I've started to record on cassettes in 1983, when i was 14.. later i buyed mostly Type 2 cassettes like Sony UX-S but Denon and That's too.. as for 2023 i only record and play digital as lossless audio (flac) .. many greetings from Brunswick in Germany and please stay safe 🙂
I've had mine since the 1990 and recorded loads of great concerts on it (Orbital, Ultramarine etc). Just had to replace the belts but it's a superb machine 🎧🎵
I have one….brought it new when it
was still in Production. I’ve kept it in perfect condition with all the packaging and accessories……definitely a keeper.
I picked up one of these through Marketplace for an absolute song! It's robust and durable and the professional quality isn't just skin deep. Plus, It's probably the loudest Walkman I've ever owned. Mine had the case, but was missing the strap. So I found a 3d print file for one online and made a set. I used a Sony branded camera strap so that it stayed in the family.
I bought one a year ago on an ebay auction and I'm very happy with it was a good buy The sound that can be recorded with it is fantastic
3 years ago my neighbor gave me her Technics stereo system from the 80s Its in awesome shape. It has duel cassette tape deck. Remembering how I felt about cassette tapes back in the day I thought the cassette tape decks would be my least fav. To my surprise it turns out the cassette decks are my favorite part of the stereo. Now, every time I come across old cassette tapes in thrift shops I purchase them. I'm really enjoying getting to know my old school audio gadgets again. As for the Walkman cassette player, I wish I still had mine :(
What a cool walkman! I play tapes and record from mostly vinyl with my Yamaha cassette deck using all the old stock type 2 blanks I have. I got back into cassettes really starting about 15 years ago finding them at yard sales and flea markets. I still hope to find more great tapes this way but it is harder to find in the wild than it was.
Even though the D6C is the best walkman in specs, i’ve found out that the later 90s full logic control walkman are some of the best when it comes to functionality. Often these walkmans have music search, blank skip, auto reverse, remote control etc. also they are easier to find than the d6c, although they can be similar in price depending om the model.
Agreed, i think anyone getting into walkman/cassettes should explore the different models in the EX lineup. I dont mean some of the later chunky plastic ones but the thin aluminum feather touch ones. Loaded with features and are usually >$200.
I prefer the wm dd series mainly the ii and iii they never quit and after refurbiahing the drive gears amd rubber its bulletproof and sounds amazing
@@xjmczar though the ex series are nice the f series that came before them are often cheaper and easier to service, especially the wm-f100iii the belts so easy to replace on them and sounds really good
@@cleverkitsune4302 those are really nice, i got one myself (F100II) my only gripe with them which made me prefer the EX line was just the fact that the 100’s feel delicate and a tad flimsy. Thats not to say they arent high quality, they are after super compact, made of metal, not to mention great sound. But in my experience refurbing one and encountered a series of problems which turned my project into a bit of a nightmare. Belt then pinch roller replacement, yet after there were some serious flutter and tape path issues which took forever to solve. The pinch roller would bounce up and down off the capstan, motor started making rattling noises, and a plastic nylon gear around the center flywheel cracked. It was an absolute nightmare 💀 Im probably kinda bias as im not sure i just got really unlucky. Also yeah i agree that the DD line is arguably the best, they are really damn reliable and they last FOREVER. you dont see them having capacitor issues like some of the EX’s do.
@@xjmczar the f100s caps are anorher reason i suggest them, you had real bad luck, yes the battery pack is the one flaw that annoyed me about them, only 1 clup holding it in but the sound is sooo worth the pain
About 20 years ago, I snagged a Sony D6C at an indoor flea-market for $15. Just the recorder in a vinyl case. I'd never seen or heard of one, but I knew it was something special. I went back about a week later to see if any D6C accessories were laying around, and in a Panasonic nylon carry-bag, found the Sony manual, AC adapter, Sony mini stereo mic, Sony headphones, assorted extension cables & adapters, plus a large Radio Shack stereo mic. No original shoulder strap, but I gladly paid an additional $20 for the lot. Used it quite a bit for several years, Mostly to make mix-tapes for the car. But also my brother's guitar performance with his group at the Bankok Blues Supper-club in Falls-Church Va. My brother's performance sounded great. Too bad the female vocalist's amp was way over boosted. But when she wasn't singing, the instrumental sets sounded perfect!
Very instructive content right there. I grew up with a Sony Walkman WM-EX36 in my hand, so I am aware of all these tips, but it's wonderful to know younger generations will have this kind of ressource the day they get interested in owning this marvel of an item.
It’s a Sony I just got mine today wm-d6c great works of art...long live vintage!!!👊🏽
Honestly been collecting cassettes for a little while and my favorite genre that I've been listening to on them is Future Funk. I have a Denon cassette deck in my set up and I was blown away with how they sound. So happy to have cassettes in my small collection.
I'm a total cassette nerd and into both Nakamichi and Sony. Bought a walkman pro exactly like yours in this video on ebay. it wasn't cheap as you know but i took the time to insure it was fully functional up to spec and cosmetically near mint.
Back in the day I had a NAK DR-1 which was amazing and now aiming to get a NAK CR-7A soon. Since i have a high end Vinyl set up and hi res digital streaming i can make amazing Cassette recordings and yes i have a 1999 Mercedes with a cassette player that is auto reverse. wow. So much fun.
Of course cassettes are back. Because they are COOL 😎 and sound good 😉 major artists release cassettes of all their albums (Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, The Guardians of The Galaxy of course...) and I sure buy them and I got myself an awesome Sony 3 head deck and a few walkmans that after an easy belt replacement they now work as new 😊😉👍
I live in Springfield Mo. The home of National Audio Company. It is in a historic building downtown. The building used to be the home of Springfield Wagon Company. They made horse drawn wagons. The owner once told me that their largest buyer for cassettes was the federal government. It’s crazy to think the US government is still using cassette technology. I enjoy the channel!
So thanks to you I decided to look into this specific walkman. Turns out I found a fully functioning one with the original leather case and mic for 100€. So people don't be fooled by crazy eBay prices. Some people just don't know the value of such gears so you can get much better deals if you're patient enough in your research.
Wow that’s a great price! Excellent find! 👍
Any tips as to where to look for one?As of now i only have the one i bought as a teenager my F2081 and even this one sounds great....
wow ur so lucky...
@@vinyleyezz is speed adjustment pitch control?
Do you think you’ve got a link? Looking into this walkman myself, it would be very helpful.
I still have 4 of these -- all with cases and original power supplies. They've been stored for over 10 years. I bought them off of eBay around 2010 or 2011 when they didn't cost that much.
I have two of these! I was lucky enough to spot them in a flea market. When I asked the guy how much he wanted for them he said £20, I thought he meant each, he said "no, both". I've never got my wallet out so quick before.
They're both ex-BBC Radio so would have been used to record interviews in the field to be played on the radio later.
Damm what a great deal.
I had a Revox G36 and found my WM-DC6 Whitley in Hong Kong for a very good price. At home I found that Sony had better quality than Revox. I have made more than 70 live recording with my Sony and it it the best recording equipment I ever had.😊
The comeback is already here.. At least in the heavy metal community 😁
yep, metal and the golden era of rap (80's/90's)
Song of the Day: Wot’s Uh The Deal - Pink Floyd
Damn that's a nice cassette player, I'm jealous. I want to get into cassettes now !
Do it! just don't waste over a grand on this portable player, buy a higher end full-fledged tape deck, much cheaper really.
@@mickschnabel I want this one because I want to make my own mixtapes and play them back on my marshall Kilburn II on the go.
Best Walkman or decent Field Recorder for cassettes instead of the more common DAT. Very cool.
i got the sony walkman sport and tbh its amazing for anyone who wants to start off with getting into cassettes or walkmans
Great vid. I feel like you should go mid-way between your nice modern headphones and vintage orange foam ones. The Koss Porta Pros has been made since 1984 (possibly when this was made). It's still popular, sounds great AND looks the part. haha
I bring a Sony TPS L2 Walkman to school everyday! I'm VERY carful with it. but the sound is so rich!
Found one in amazing condition in a skip this afternoon ..couldn't believe my eyes .been after one for yrs..it also came with the microphone.and strap ..and it already had a (it's a Sony) sticker on it
Damn! That walkman is quite a come up! The best one I ever had was waterproof and had the auto reverse option-sooooo dope!
Taped many live shows with that fabulous recorder.
I have the WM-D6, Basically the same machine but without Dolby C. It's my "Go to" for digitizing cassettes. The speed control is nice as tapes recorded on different machines can vary in speed. It's easier for me to adjust by ear, rather than fixing it in software. Why pitch control wasn't a "thing" on full size tape decks, I'll never know.
I had one of these back in the Eighties. I used it with a Cambridge Soundworks Model 11 "suitcase system". The Eighties were a fun time.
Yep, my Dad was a journalist and we had a few of these. I still have one, along with the Sony mic. Listening back, gigs I recorded on this sound better than the mini disc recorder I used soon a while later. Can’t remember if I used the same mic though.
Getting this model of the sony walkman off of ebay as much as about 1000 to 1,300$ that's in great condition
I got a mint unopened Technics cassette deck 4 years ago for 60.00 bucks and a Technics t-shirt for free, best purchase ever!
I bought this Walkman in the early 80ies and it was by far the best mobile cassette recorder i ever had. In these days SONY was creating real quality products.
I play tapes occasionally. I have a 1974 Akai unit that needs some attention, but it will play SHORT tapes. Anything longer than a C-60 it has problems with. My main deck is an Optimus (Radio Shack) SCT-86 from 1995. It's a cute little deck that works great.
My first Walkman was the Sony WM-FX435. It had TV sound so I would aways listen to Cubs games on WGN. Couldn't watch it on the Walkman..... But at the time I thought that was pretty cool.
I have a technics m7 cassette I just bought 3 weeks ago, it sounds great, it was produced in 1979! I just made a mix tape on it last weekend using dobly b!
Cassette players are also part on my life when growing up.I still think i should my my favorite sanyo player back😁Thank you for this review about the walkman.
Hai un walkman che e' il numero uno,il migliore di tutti!.complimenti
I love to check my notifications and see a Vinyl Eyezz Video waiting for me!
btw I really appreciate that time you commented on my Cassette video too! I Keep meaning to say thanks!
and It's a shame Cassette Comeback has closed down his store too
No problem! Glad you like cassettes too! I know! I just heard about cassette comeback, so sad :/
Here is mine that I currently use when I mow, a General Electric Z8 stereo Headset Cassette Player. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles like yours, only earphone plug in, volume and play/pause/rewind.
For their size those D6C's were amazing machines that sounded fantastic! Enjoy!
You got that right what you did to get that all together was definitely cool. Excellent video.
6:10 The original headphones that were pared with the WM-D6C are the MDR-51. For this time it was amongst the best light headphones. The other Sony headphones with an orange earpads were asigned to the general public Walkman product range.
Jarrett hi. The WM-D6C and its kind were usually manufactured as professional field recorders for reporters like us and musicians who work on their early compositions. Their recording quality is comparably far better than simpler walkmans - or portable cassette recorders. By the way, "Walkman" and "Discman" are Sony brands. You would call the other brands as "portable cassette players" or "portable cassette recorders" by law. Of course, Sony was the king. Their TCM-5000 is one of their top of the line products in the business of professional field recording - I know you are also a follower of Techmoan. They were already expensive back then, but now are also overpriced because of the greedy collectors of vintage equipment. Of course, they hardly break down even under rough conditions. Well anyway, it is always safer to replace the rubber belts inside them every ten years to keep them working well. You might notice there must be a built-in microphone on that device somewhere. And the 8 mm microphone jack is for an external mike output, but I can definitely vouch it would work with a field microphone such as Electro-Voice RE50/B, Audio-Technica AT800 or Electro-Voice 635NDB at its highest performance without the need of phantom power. Even the internal built-in mike should have a certain quality on that device. Some excluded that feature though, because they are built to work with external mikes alone, out of professional concerns. We fed our recordings to our radio shows - or TV whenever possible - with considerable quality with those recorders. You had to work with those recorders, because you would always trust their recording quality. If you really want to listen your music tapes with it, it is not going to disappoint you, but you may not hear the details clearly. Later walkmans - should I call them walkmen? whatever... - without recording capability or portable (personal) cassette players - were built with bass boosters and tri-band equalizers especially for music listeners. Most of the times, I preferred my old AM-FM Sony WM-FX-423 with Mega Bass to listen to my music. I had a good Toshiba with tri-band EQ - something similar to KT-4548 - also but of course, Sony was always the king. What really turned me off from Sony was, when they began customizing their headphone and adapter jacks in the late 1990s. So when your headphone broke down , you were forced to purchase a compatible Sony brand that would fit in the "customized" output connector. Enjoy yours.
Great comment! Thank you for adding this valuable information 🖤🖤🖤⚡️
Cassettes were pretty cool in the day, but honestly I don't use them anymore. What I use all the time though, which I find real cool is the Walkman Minidisc, the sound is very pleasing, and they are highly durable.
Man it have been a long time since I've been here I completely forgot about this channel
One of the best ‘Walkmen’ (???)
Woahhh
That's a pretty neat Walkman, I've always wanted to get my hands on a Walkman. I'm completely into the vintage music scene. I have me a turntable and tape deck which I use to record mixtapes, and I've always wanted to play those mixtapes on a Walkman. I also love the video too 😃👍👍
Oh and- Song of the Day: The Four Horseman by Metallica
Just for the question you had in the video "I'm not sure if other walkmans have autostop." Yes, some do and some don't. I have the WM-FX290W (The last cassette walkman model) And it has auto stop.
Got also this walkman, i use it to record my vinyls and cd to tapes. It got good quality sound recording.
I've been wanting a d6c for so long. My dad stands by it being the best as he had one. Still can't believe he got rid of it 😢
I still play cassette tapes in my sony deck on my audio set up! I do this so the belts don't get a low spot in them!
Jarrett completely forgot yesterday to suggest also that if you can get your hands on any Maxell XL-II or XL-IIS blanks that these yield great results even using Dolby B NR. They were my go to in the mid to late 90’s for making compilations. They do not make them anymore but you still may be able to find them on ebay. 😉
Thank you! In 2001, I was given a WM-D6C. Unfortunately, a lot of the print on the body had rubbed off, so I couldn't tell the model number, which in turn, meant I couldn't find a copy of the manual or a power adaptor. (I haven't used it in a number of years, but other than the worn off lettering, it was working flawlessly. (The case is in perfect shape, and even this "It's a Sony" sticker (though peeling a little) is still intact. I can finally start searching for the manual and power adaptor and hopefully get this baby up and running again. (And damn straight, you should put the sticker on.)
the Sade cassettes tops it off! love it!
I have a Walkman WM-AF54, it has a tape bias selector but no dolby selector, it does have auto-stop but not on fast forward and rewind. But it's still amazing and use it everyday! Also love your videos!
Queen - Its a kind of magic
I feel you I just bought a carrying case for my tps - l2 I was tired of carrying it in my inside pocket
Your videos are amazing! They’re super entertaining and I always learn something new!
This more a reporters device, but works great for playback as well. I use mine when on the train. It does not replace a tape deck, though. It lacks bias adjustment and calibration features.
Aiwa JX -707 had all of the features plus remote, voice navigation AND was 1/3 of the size
Koss KPH40 are unintentionally made for this device, they are HiFi cans with the look of 80s headphones and unbelievable sound. Good pairing with this.
I think about this Walkman every day of my life I need it so bad
I have one, but I’m selling it, they are all right but not really useful any more. Worth quite a bit though!
Song of the day: Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress- The Hollies
Nice song, I like it too.
Have a big cassette collection which I play on a Marantz tape deck and only recently bought another walkman......I have a feeling there will be a cassette comeback worldwide
Wow! Great to see that. I have still over 60 tapes and maybe 20 record free tapes around me. I have bought a Denon Double Deck DRW-830 which have Dolby B and C, BIAS Fine tune and Input level, etc. I do remember in my young age, at the end of the tape-age it was another seems like RIAA for the cassettes maybe named Dolby X or Dolby Pro. I had dolby X on my Hi-Fi Tape player or tape-recorder that time but I don't remember if it was AKAI or Pioneer or another one. I just know in my car I had installed an audio system Clarion which is no-more common now.
I have two d6c’s - one from recent years and one from around ‘86 in mid highschool. Never serviced - work 100% - sounds 100% - waaaay better than any digi source since they are not perfect zero-and-one-machines but analogue. No -no-noice = no problem. I don’t even think of this fact. Some days ago I recorded Korsakows Scheherazade on my Pioneer deck from the late 70’ for playback on the d6c. Sounds so great. For the headphones I use the original ones from ‘86. The pads I changed some months ago - got a load of these from Amazon. Use this device to un-sharpen cd’s - meaning add a more silky sound from this wm. And think of it: +35y now! And why nowadays use mc at all - thats crazy - no, and this is why:
1. Concentrate on ONE piece of art at a time - ONE work. Can’t jump among 1M songs!
2. Off-grid: It’s your personal rendevouz - nobody on the internet knows what you enjoy NOW. No surveliance.
3. Sounds better from its soft grip.
Just my two cents.
Great video! I got a Sony sports walkman and I use it all the time
Song of the day: Stay in the light - Honeymoon Suite
Thanks Jarret for the recomendations. I just recently got active klipich speakers and a lp120 x
Most personal stereos (walkmans) have autostop (even modern models) some also have auto reverse (the kind that doesn't use rotating pinch rollers or read heads).
Absolutely fantastic sound quality from TDK SA or TDK MA tape .
I love these videos. I had seen a handful of your prior uploads. But recently have been loving you vids on cassettes! Keep it coming please! 🖤🖤🖤⚡️
Nice, I've been wanting a WM-D6C for the last couple of years
Honestly I have no idea why I love you videos so much. I really don’t want to disrespect you because, as I mentioned, I love you content, but objectively seen, It‘s weird to watch a video like this. Anyway great job, greetings from germany!
Love the videos, but you should really invest in getting a pair of speaker stands, the way you have it right now you not going to get a proper sound stage, I used to have my set up like this but, i then invested in a suitable cabinet/shelf system to put the equipment on, and speaker stands to put the speakers on so that they can be properly separated, trust me you won't regret it.
Only held one metal tape in my childhood. It was that exact TDK one you showed. That thing was built like a tank.