[sony_md]

I recently won a WM-DD11 cassette walkman on eBay.
Any spec for this model? I searched on the net but could
only find some info and history of the DD9, it was of the
top quality players(DD for disk drive?), I'm just wondering
if all Sony WM-DD line-up were in the same class/quality?
And how do they compare to modern Sony cassette walkmans?

Any info would be appreciated, Thanks!

 

[krayzie]

Enjoy! http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~an4t-tkn...an/walkman.htm

 

[sony_md]

hi kraizie
I knew the website, it only has info about DD9, but not other WM-DD line-ups, (DD, DDII, DDIII, DD11, DD22, DD33),
I suspect that most DD models were only available to European market? thanks anyway!

 

[leon]

WM-DD itself was a replacement for the WM-2, but has a disc drive, capstan servo mechanism. Wow & Flutter is 0.08%WRMS, frequency response is 40-12kHz (15kHz with type IV tape). Headphone amp output is 20+20mW.

The DDII adds Dolby B NR but doesn't come with any headphone. The WM-D3 is also a derivative based on the WM-DD's mechanism (same wow&flutter, amp output) even though you can't see the discs when you open it. The DC2 is playback-only, also uses the same mechanism (0.07% wow & flutter) and amorphous head.

These info are from the link Krayzie provided (it's a collection of Sony catalogs).

Disc drive itself doesn't always guarantee THAT much accuracy (the mid-80s ultra slim WM-101 series also used it), but when executed at a high-quality level it's very impressive.

 

[sony_md]

what is good about capstan servo mechanism?

 

[krayzie]

Yeah, even Sony employs disc drive in its DD series, they still require two huge short belts to drive the entire mechanism... but those belts are more reliable as opposed to the thin long ones used in the conventional single motor drive system... The disc drive quartz locking capstan servo mechanism provides more accurate speed in tape playback... otherwise I don't know any other reason (probably reliability I mentioned earlier)...

Your best bet is to find a machine made on or after 1988 as most of those players use the more capable amorphous EX head, which is laser cut with 20-18,000Hz freq. response range (with the exception of the DD9 which can go upto 19,000Hz if I remember correctly with its Advanced Amorphous EX head, probably 9 micron gap)... the gap between the tape and the head is something like 10 microns for these EX heads. Aiwa also had this technology by the early 90s namly the amorphous HX head also with a 10 micron gap... Don't know about Panasonic, but generally the term "high-end" is not associated with their Mi-Jockey tape players. edit: Panasonic employs 12 micron gap in their heads... I got these info from Tina of head-fi.

 

[sony_md]

thanks for great info guys.
so indeed DD9 is really the top of line cassette player.
i just saw one on ebay.de, it's going $40 euro and 5 days to go, too bad i'm already broke bought a home theatre and used MD this month

 

[krayzie]

LOL! Same here... just saw another one on eBay last month... bought another tape Walkman and some earphones... =*(

edit: Hey What this is the exact same one from last month...
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...category=19636

 

[Yang]

I actually won the auction last time, but the seller won't do international deals.

 

[NEO]

There are also the famous WM-D6/6C and the infamous WM-DX100 which use the disc drive mechanism.

 

[Yang]

NEO, do you know about the sound quality of the DD series (not specs)? There are a ton of them going for pocket change in Ebay Germany.

Also, what's wrong with the WM-DX100?

 

[leon]

Quote:

Originally posted by sony_md what is good about capstan servo mechanism?

Once we're looking for audiophile quality in cassettes, one of the things to consider is how accurately an equipment can transport the tape. In other words, the speed should be as steady and constant as possible. The capstan servo mechanism (and disc drive) is a way to achieve this.

("Same speed as everyone else" is not achieve-able in reality - different cassette makers have speed variations. The difference between 4.76cm/sec and 4.8cm/sec is enough to change the sound.)

 

[krayzie]

And of course the quality of the tape is also an important factor in audiophile cassette playback quality... So even if you've bought a DD9 and such, you still need high-quality tapes in order to exploit that full potential... and I assume most of us here in head-fi has a pair of decent headphones...

So grab some TDK MA-XG Fermo or Sony Super Metal Master and off you go...

 

[leon]

Quote:

Originally posted by krayzie So grab some TDK MA-XG Fermo or Sony Super Metal Master and off you go...

Don't you have to sell your soul these days to get hold of those?

Or is that for the Maxell Metal Vertex

 

[krayzie]

No selling your soul is more like trying to get the THAT's Suono Metal...