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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: creatured on January 13, 2010, 05:40:27 PM
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I was wondering if there is a site or if someone has access to reading the serial number of Sony WM-D6C's
It came with a Sony ECM102 mic if that helps narrow the year down.
Mine is 55690
I gather from what I've found that mine is pretty early deck as I've seen 6 digit numbers listed for late 80's. The batteries left in it(yes 1 of them leaked) had Jan.1994 printed on them. So I know it is at least 16 years old.
I think it has a circuit board issue too as when it gets bumped,it sometimes stops recording, then another bump starts it back up again, but seems ok if your careful. It takes a good knock on it to stop it. I'm going to open her up and see if it is a circuit board problem and attempt to solder it. I'm taking an electronic course, so that helps. It seems in good shape otherwise.
Thanks
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I bought mine in early 1986 and still have it - I can check my serial # when I get home. I seem to recall that one version had "D6C" written on the front of it in big letters, while another version had the word "Walkman" written across the front - I can't remember which came first.
This also reminds me of a Sony D5 difference many folks didn't realize existed - the early version was simply the Sony "TCD5" and the later version was the "TCD5M". I have one of each - the D5 was bought in the early 1980s and the D5m was bought ~1987. They look basically identical, other than the model # on the serial# plates are different. I never thought anything of it, assuming they were the same deck, until I took the older deck in for repairs one time and my repair guy said the curcuitry was totally different and he couldn't repair it without the schematic from the original deck...which after some searching I finally tracked down. Anyway, I was always curious when the change occurred and what the significant difference between these two decks was. Functionally and appearance-wise they were identical, but obviously there were circuitry differences.
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Just from a failing memory, the M was designed to handle Metal tapes. Didn't realize there was a significant difference in circuitry.
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I just checked my D6C and it is serial#10336, purchased if I'm pretty sure in early 1986 or it may have been in 1985...I can't exactly remember now. It does say "D6C" in big white letters on the top of the case, just below where the cover closes over the battery compartment, and next to it in much smaller writing it says "Stereo Cassette-corder TC-D6C, Dolby B-C NR". I seem to recall that versions that came out later on said "Walkman" in big letters instead (?).
As for my D5 and D5m...good thought, I'll have to dig out the D5 and see if it handled metal tapes. Somewhere I have the service manuals and schematics for both if folks are interested in seeing the difference circuit-wise.
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Mine says WAKLMAN then next to it in smaller letters "Professional" then below that the Dolby B-C NR
So maybe mine is later that 86. I was guessing.
On the right side below the meter, it says in really small lettering
"Stereo Cassette-Corder WM-D6C"
I had read in a couple places about the circuit boards, I assume that is why people ask for the serial numbers for D6's on ebay, I didnt get mine on ebay. Maybe I got the D5 and D6 confused as far as circuit from what you say. I'll try to find where I read about the boards and link, if I remember
Yes, I would be interested in the schematics. I've seen a few D5 & D5m's around, but I cannot afford at the moment, but maybe in the near future.
thanks
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Thank you for posting the query about WM-D6C serial numbers, because when I went to look for mine, I discovered that I'd stupidly left batteries in it for I don't know how long. Fortunately they hadn't leaked.
Anyway, the serial number here is 21563, and I've had this one since the time of the third Punic War. (Seriously, I might actually have bought it in the 1970s, if I recall correctly that the model existed then.)
In my opinion there's what people call "no comparison" between the WM-D6C and the TCD-5M; the TCD-5M has a much better transport with lower scrape flutter and modulation noise, plus more reliable connectors, metering that's actually usable for setting and observing levels, and a built-in limiter. The TCD-5M is more expensive than one might feel it should be, but it is the only fully portable cassette recorder in its performance class. If only it had three heads and adjustable bias ... but then it would be a $1000 recorder, and the time window for that passed 25 years ago.
--best regards
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plus you could "lock" the record button down
when stopping, flipping and rewinding the tape
and never drop the signal passing thru on the D5
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Thank you for posting the query about WM-D6C serial numbers, because when I went to look for mine, I discovered that I'd stupidly left batteries in it for I don't know how long. Fortunately they hadn't leaked.
Funny you would find that - I found the same thing...long expired AAs that fortunately hadn't leaked. Thanks also for the tip. I better go check my D5s as well.
I don't exactly know when the D6 was first made but I'm pretty sure it was sometime in the 80s and not 70s. I know the original TC-D5 was made in the 70s and I'm not sure when the model switched to the TC-D5m. Indeed the D5 is a far superior deck and the price reflected it at the time. I'm not sure what either of these would go for now but given the decline of the cassette deck, even the mighty D5 can't hold it's old value that much.
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The D6 debuted in 1982, the D6C in 1984:
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d6c
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d6
And yes, the D5m did allow for metal tapes:
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/tc-d5/d5 - at the very bottom.
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The D6 also had metal tape (type IV) setting. I think that mic actually came with the D3 recorder that Sony made. A lot of sales people ended up putting the mic back with the d6 if they were both opened together. I believe it is the little stereo mic with no cord, at least that is what I am refering to. The D6 had only dolby B with two headphone jacks. The D6C had dolby B & C with a single headphone jack. I believe both versions had the -20db pad. I don't think that any D6 ever came with a mic standard. I sold my D6's (one for parts, one working) about a year ago for $175 and was happy/surprised to get that much. There was also the D5 pro, I think it was called, which had xlr mic inputs instead of the 1/4" TS inputs. I think the had the same heads but as Mr Satz point out the whole transport was more stable in the D5. Those were the days.......
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walkmancentral - cool site. Odd how they have the D10 Pro II but no other DAT machines.
I bought my D6C in spring '87, not quite sure where it is to check the SN.
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walkmancentral - cool site. Odd how they have the D10 Pro II but no other DAT machines.
I bought my D6C in spring '87, not quite sure where it is to check the SN.
Inside under battery tray
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walkmancentral - cool site. Odd how they have the D10 Pro II but no other DAT machines.
I bought my D6C in spring '87, not quite sure where it is to check the SN.
Inside under battery tray
No, I'm not sure where the deck is. :D
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Notice that the image they show for the D6C has "Walkman Professional" on it, while mine has "D6C" in big white letters at the same location. I'm assuming there's no functional difference but rather they just changed the appearance at some point. I'm not sure which came first but I'm guessing mine was the earlier version of the D6C and at some point they switching the labeling to say Walkman Professional. My deck defintely has Dolby C.
Boy, all this D5 and D6 talk makes me want to go get them serviced while there is still someone out there (hopefully) that can do it. I hold on to them mostly for sentimental reasons but I'd like them to be fully functional. I have used my D5 on random rare occasions as a pre when I run my Nak 300s - basically just pass the mic signal through the deck to a digital recorder because I always liked the sound of the D5 pre with the Nak 300s. Haven't done it in a while as I don't have batteries for the Naks.
The D6 debuted in 1982, the D6C in 1984:
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d6c
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d6
And yes, the D5m did allow for metal tapes:
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/tc-d5/d5 - at the very bottom.
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Found another thread about when various Sony decks arrived on the market:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=103971.0
and from a link in that thread I found an interesting page with various decks listed by year of introduction, but so far nothing with details of serial numbers
http://www.pocketcalculatorshow.com/walkman/sony/
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Found another thread about when various Sony decks arrived on the market:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=103971.0
I think they were confused about the D3 in that thread - wasn't there also a D3 cassette recorder well before the D3 DAT recorder? I think that's what the original post was referring to.
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Here's the cassette version of the "D3":
http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d3 (http://www.walkmancentral.com/products/wm-d3)
It doesn't say when it was first released.
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http://www.pocketcalculatorshow.com/walkman/sony/graphics/wm-d3.jpg
indicates released in 89, which seems kinda late but then I had no Sony decks until I got a D7
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I think they have the cassette confused with the DAT in that article also
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Here is a pic from the link in the last post. Just to make it easier to see.
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I always disliked having only 1 set of LEDs for both channels on the D6 >:(
that screwed more than 1 recording not being able to visually monitor both channels
when I sold my last 1 to a tech buddy he replaced the <0 red LEDs with green
that at least made it easier to monitor peaks
thank GOD I gave up on them and went with a D5 by 1984
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The one thing that was cool with the D6 compared to the D5 was that is was a much easier deck to get inside a show you had to stealth.
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I always disliked having only 1 set of LEDs for both channels on the D6 >:(
That went right along with only having one level knob on the thing...most recordings I made with my D6 are unbalanced, which of course you never knew until you got home. Not a big deal anymore in the digital processing age but it was a stupid corner cut by Sony IMO.