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COMEBACK KID: THE CLASSIC WALKMAN RETURNS

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The Sony TPS-L2 is fetching hundreds of pounds on the auction websites, according to recent news reports.

The classic Sony TPS-L2 Walkman seen in the Hollywood movie Guardians Of The Galaxy is now selling for hundreds of pounds on eBay. One was sold for £600 (about US$775). Used by Peter Quill, played by actor Chris Pratt, the Walkman has made an appearance in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. It is also the first Walkman to ever be produced, reported UK pop music site NME.

Models are fetching hundreds of pounds on eBay, some are even bagging thousands - especially if they come in the original box along with the iconic orange foam headphones. The TPS-L2 was released July 1, 1979 and originally cost US$200. You could also use the Walkman to record, using its microphone. It also had two headphone jacks, so that two people could listen at the same time.

The UK Mirror also reported in May the prices of collectible Walkmans on eBay (click here). Completed listings on eBay.co.uk for vintage Sony Walkmans include a 1979 working original for £600, another that sold for £422 and a Sony micro cassette radio Walkman for £293.01. Working Sony Walkmans command the highest prices, followed by Aiwa. You’re also more likely to get a good price if it’s an early version, or a particularly rare type.

Jason Kennedy writing for The Vinyl Factory in March 2017, gave a long list of cool and collectible portable cassette players. “In much the same way that Apple dominated the mp3 market in the Noughties, Sony was the brand to beat in personal cassette players back in the Eighties. Sony players dominate the second-hand market, which is a testament to the build quality of the machines that it started making in 1979 and continued to produce up until 2003 when Apple’s devices changed the way we listen on the move.

“As with any vintage electro-mechanical device a portable tape player needs to be in good condition if it’s going to give reliable service. Thankfully a lot of personal tape players were made in Japan to a very high standard which is why so many are still working today up to 30 years later. But if you want a trusty source of portable sounds I recommend going for one that’s in the best condition you can afford.”

Kennedy concluded that while Sony was the leader in the field, a number of other Japanese companies made good quality players and brands including Aiwa, JVC, Panasonic and Sharp are worth considering. “Aiwa was the second biggest player and was strong in tape technology so their machines represent good value.”

Portable cassette players continue to be made but no longer by Sony. The Groov-e (priced at just £18) was reviewed by Kennedy. “One of the few contemporary personals that doesn’t have USB out, the Groov-e is a recorder and player with AM/FM radio and built-in speaker and microphone. It doesn’t accommodate more than basic ferric tape and build is very plasticky, but its newness should confer reliability, although buyer reviews don’t always back this up. Don’t expect amazing great sound.” Newbies can buy this to get a feel of their parent’s listening habit.

Back then, there were also pro-portable cassette decks and the ones that Kennedy showcased in his article are the Marantz PMD-222 and 430. The pictures below show just how much was invested into these machines back then.

Marantz PMD-222.

Marantz PMD-430.

The Marantz players even had VU meters for recording level monitoring. The 430 had three-heads making it a full-fledged pro tape recorder.

We are still waiting for Bruce Wayne to show us his Sony Mini Disc player. Ours is still unopened in the box.

Read Jason Kennedy’s article here.

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