Walkmans & USB walkmans

[tiny_tove]

I have two questions regarding walkmans. If there is a topic (which I didn't find) please link ite.

Some years ago I bought USB-walkmans that were promoted on forums (not this one) as godsends for tape to digital conversions, but I found immediately disappointing for two reasons:

- having to rely on audigy
- the fact that most times quality is very poor. Listening carefully I could spot background noise or, even worse, subtle reverse sounds coming from the other side. Surely funny if you work with some noisy stuff, but it sucks when you have to convert cleaner things.

I have two models and they both suck, one looks like this. https://www.amazon.it/Reshow-registratore-Cassetta-riproduttore-Compatibile/dp/B018WBUJBS/

I immediately went straight back to transferring from tape deck to digital recorder.
Does anybody know if there is a similar high-end machine that actually works?

Second topic.
Considering the tape trend after the hipster sickness, are there any very good walkmen you would recommend? My two old ones are calling-it a day and begging for mercy. Maybe which feature also the usb connection I need?

[host body]

unfortunately all, every single modern "walkman" uses the same mechanism made by the same chinese company. it's not good, maybe on par with lower end walkmans of the past or some of the less expensive brands back in the day. there's a french company we are rewind who have a bluetooth walkman, they supposedly did what was possible to make it better but it's still hissy: https://www.wearerewind.com/products/lecteur-cassette-bluetooth-orange-serge

if I were you, i'd just buy a refubished high q. walkman, one of the models that have 3d printed spare parts available. old sony units from the 80s, maybe early 90s are still the high point of walkmans.

[tiny_tove]

thank you so much.
Yes I'm trying to see if I can find my dad's walkman he used it less than me and was a sony.
thanks

[Balor/SS1535]

Not a Walkman, and I have not attempted it myself, but for transferring tapes to digital, maybe try using a boombox and linking the headphone/audio output cable into an audio input for your digital recording equipment?

[kiiski]

Seeing as the original poster has a tape deck, I wouldn't recmmend using a boombox instead.

Should've bought every cassette deck and walkman around 10 years ago. Could buy a house today...

[tiny_tove]

Not a Walkman, and I have not attempted it myself, but for transferring tapes to digital, maybe try using a boombox and linking the headphone/audio output cable into an audio input for your digital recording equipment?

thanks, but I already do that with a technics tape deck!

[Theodore]

Seeing as the original poster has a tape deck, I wouldn't recmmend using a boombox instead.

I wouldnt recommend using a walkman for this job either. Definetely his Technics is far superior than any walkman, unless maybe if we speak about old Sony direct-drive walkmans, but these cost a lot nowdays, and again we will probably have 'equal' results with an OK deck.

If you have to use walkman cause of mobility, to not have to carry the deck around, then avoid USB models if you have an external sound interface. Let this do the convertion. I would say that even the on-board sound chip would be better than walkmans DAC, if you have checked it that doesnt pick up noise from the other electronics in your PC / laptop.

[tiny_tove]

Seeing as the original poster has a tape deck, I wouldn't recmmend using a boombox instead.

I wouldnt recommend using a walkman for this job either. Definetely his Technics is far superior than any walkman, unless maybe if we speak about old Sony direct-drive walkmans, but these cost a lot nowdays, and again we will probably have 'equal' results with an OK deck.

If you have to use walkman cause of mobility, to not have to carry the deck around, then avoid USB models if you have an external sound interface. Let this do the convertion. I would say that even the on-board sound chip would be better than walkmans DAC, if you have checked it that doesnt pick up noise from the other electronics in your PC / laptop.

totally agree
btw I just got for 25 euro an apparently perfect SONY TCS-30D stereo.
I may have found a bag with two older machine of mine. I hope they still work.

[HateSermon]

btw I just got for 25 euro an apparently perfect SONY TCS-30D stereo.
I may have found a bag with two older machine of mine. I hope they still work.

Just found one on ebay here in the states. Looks like a powerhouse.

I've been eyeing the Emerson CRS25BP tape recorder because it has an EQ. Anyone have experience with one of these? Is it garbage? I've only ever seen the Emerson name on refrigerators and microwaves.

[Theodore]

To correct myself above : I did some reading and looked pictures of Sony DD walkman mechanisms. They arent direct-drive. The DD is misleading. It actually stands for disc-drive. Still better than belts, and still they are considered the best. But honestly, even them, their specs look poor compared to decks. - I wont comment the price they are sold. No, i will do. Insane.

[tiny_tove]

btw I just got for 25 euro an apparently perfect SONY TCS-30D stereo.
I may have found a bag with two older machine of mine. I hope they still work.

Just found one on ebay here in the states. Looks like a powerhouse.

a friend highly suggested this. The cool thing the guy shown me is new and unused, he bought it and never used it, so the mechanics is perfect and does not need cleaning. He sent me a file recorded with that and sounds perfect so also an interesting mic for stuff I can then use with my HC-TT by Landscape

I am now considering this by Gieskes:

https://gieskes.nl/instruments/?file=man

Give a look to his other Walkman hacks. He uses very cheap ones, but I tried and result is good.

[tiny_tove]

So, yesterday I finally got: SONY TCS-30D stereo.
semi-mint condition, a little issue in the rewind on 90 mins tapes, but not a big issue since I'll be using mostly with shorter tapes and tape loops. There is a very handy speed control and the external stereo microphone works perfectly, better than the inbuilt one which is already very good.
No background noises nor issues. I'd get another one if I find at decent price, but considering I paid 25 euro + 6 it was a miracle...

Got the Gieskes  ?man+ and works amazingly, and already recorded some very satisfiying backing tracks for non noisy thing using acappella Italian Alpini songs recorded live some years ago. There is a noise button that I'm not a big fan of, but also an additional noisy background that you can level up with that is fantastic. It's a lo-fi machine, so some background humming that it can be easily edited in daw but yes I like it.

Now considering this, always from Gieskes:

https://gieskes.nl/instruments/?file=zachteman

ps: so definitely given up the usb thing, totally useless concept. If anybody want any of those usb walkmen I have two spare, mostly unused for 15 euro plus postage. Maybe you can hack them somehow.

[tiny_tove]

got a second SONY TCS-30D stereo by chance and it's in even better condition than the first

[Cementimental]

one good use for even the worst walkman is to record source noise material onto an expendible tape, load it into the walkman with a length of tape pulled out so that it bypasses the capstan, press play and pull the tape out manually by the handful