It was a cold day in Shenzhen, an unusual occurrence for October. On weekends, the room was filled with people enjoying the good weather. I accidentally picked up a sealed WALKMAN and flipped through it. A man leaned against the cabinet, silent and still. He stared for a long time, lost in memories... Ah, such nice weather makes everyone want to step outside and breathe it in.
This is one of the last models from Sony’s tape era—the WM-FX200. It's not the classic ultra-thin design, but it's the one I used most often. I took great care of it. The two sections on the fifth track had strong playback, and even after years of use, it still works well. The only issue over the years was the drive belt, which I replaced with a new one. It’s still in excellent condition today. Listening to music on it feels unbiased—still good to hear the old bands. Compared to today’s lossless formats like FLAC, the cassette player offers a different kind of experience. The background noise and slight pitch shifts may seem imperfect, but that’s what gives it character—a unique, irreplaceable feeling.
The tape I played was my own recordings from high school—favorite songs and radio shows. Back then, I just wanted to keep the music I loved close. I never thought it would become so precious now. I remember the radio segments like “Front of the Music†and “Wind Comes from the Sea.†The hosts were always calm and professional, especially Yining (I can’t recall her exact name). The newer hosts were funny, often making mistakes in their speech. I don’t know where they are now, but I hope to hear them again someday and share the experience.
The era of the WALKMAN has long passed, gathering dust. I’ve always wanted to upgrade, to replace the WALKMAN with a hard drive. I also prefer the simple keystroke interface to keep that original feel. Imagine listening to the latest music with this retro device—it would be pretty cool. I’m looking forward to seeing Sony bring back its classic designs.
One of my favorite machines is the WM-F70, which I borrowed from a friend because of its amazing industrial design. Even though it's an old model from the 19XXs, it still sounds great. I changed the belt this year, as that’s usually the first thing to go. The sound quality is rich and full, unlike today’s digital music. It feels real and alive.
Then there’s the WM-FX2, my absolute favorite. I just love how it feels when I listen to it. The vertical top of the machine pulls the belt smoothly, creating a satisfying mechanical experience. I also have a pair of Apple headphones that feel really balanced, with just the right bass and comfort. However, I find the in-ear style a bit uncomfortable after a while, and sometimes there’s a bit of noise in my ears. Maybe it's just my old ears.
I also have a pair of XE888 headphones, legendary in their time. I originally had two, but one broke due to aging. The other one is still with me, and you can see it in the photo. I don’t use it much anymore, but it still holds a special place in my collection.
Looking at the lineup: the upper left is FX2, upper right is GX674, lower left is EX633, and lower right is EX900. The adhesive on the EX900 looks great, still holding strong. The EX633 is a big window machine, allowing you to see the tape progress. This feature was very practical, though many later models didn't include it. The EX900 is a Sony anniversary edition, a classic ultra-thin design from the peak of Sony’s innovation. But with the shift to digital, the analog sound started to fade. Still, the overall progress was inevitable, and user habits adapted accordingly.
I love the big window design, but the most classic one is the EX5—unfortunately, I don’t have one. The EX900 is truly slim, almost the same size as a cassette. There’s also the EX701C, even smaller than a tape cartridge. These were true masterpieces of their time.
The WM-GX674 was my main recording machine during my time in Changsha. It was a 20th Anniversary Edition from 1999, and I owe a lot to it. The GX58 is another solid machine, using both 5th and button batteries. Though a bit thick, it was very practical. The only downside was the headset jack, similar to the newer Apple 7 connector.
The WM-GX707 is another big, advanced machine with a socket connector. Its design is sleek and functional. After collecting so many WALKMANS, I mostly chose them for their appearance. They still look classic, and despite some wear and tear, they’re well-preserved. Replacing belts and fixing capacitors was part of the process. Touching and listening to these machines brings back memories of a bygone era.
When my wife came to check on my work, I wrote this, and it felt like a reunion with my WALKMAN. I was in a good mood, taking out my CDs and MDs from storage. Haha, my real collection is the MDs. Taking photos will take some time, but it's worth it.
Another update: the WALKMAN I'm currently using. Looking forward to the next post.
Servo Electric Cylinder,Linear Actuator With Speed Control,Parallel Drive Linear Actuators,Long Stroke Electric Linear Actuator
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