Let's Refurb! - 1984 Sony Sports Walkman

Remember the Walkman? Well it recently had its 40th anniversary since the release of the Sony Walkman TPS-L2. To celebrate that, I have found a Sony Sports Walkman WM-F35 to repair!
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[@EpicLebaneseNerd]

i got chills from the memories, this was my first ever walkman , i got it because it was sold for cheap because no one loved it and no one bought it, i remember it was a friday in 1991 , after school, i needed a decent walkman and found this at a shop and asked for price, it was around $37 with no box because it was a display model and the shop owner told me it isn't and this was the only one they have since no one wanted to buy it , so i took it for what was at the time around 2 weeks allowance and some change and i had the time of my life with it...but as expected, the cool kids at school laughed at it with their sleek , black and think walkmans , but me ? i was over the moon with it, it lasted years and years and never broke , i loved it so much, i got for it matching small speakers that were yellow also, thanks man for the memories, this video is awesome.

[@Ry5PPlus]

But the yellow Sony Sports Walkmans looked cool as hell!!

[@goodatbeingnoob1336]

about the speed issue, the rubber cover that fell off at the beginning actually covers a flathead screw, not for A/C, which adjusts the speed of playback. You can't really see it but you just have to feel around for it. I know this because I have a WM-f45 which looks absolutely identical to the f35 and works the same way, I had speed issues with mine and this is how you adjust it, also quick tip, if the sound is muffled at all, the little Phillips screw next to the read head which only shows when the walkman is playing adjusts the alignment of the head and can have a very large impact on the sound quality.

[@Rezigunn]

Wait is that a thing in most walkman?

[@goodatbeingnoob1336]

@@Rezigunn I'm not sure since I only have the F45 but I'd assume so.

[@Rezigunn]

@@goodatbeingnoob1336 well I'm hoping so. Mine just hasn't had the right sound since I had gotten it

[@snaj9989]

All walkmans have them. Some reachable from outside like this one some need to dissasemble to reach but all of them have it.

[@Mr.Zariguello]

@@Rezigunn indeed it is. My TPS L2 got one. Is called "potentiometer" on my manual.

[@TheRetroFuture]

Psst, there’s a little extra clip on the end for ya!

[@rebecca8124]

first comment for this comment :)

[@trevorrandom]

Last nights live stream was fun ☺

[@boblowes]

I'm assuming the shit-loads of hot glue is some attempt at water proofing the internals.

[@Hungyball_]

Open an aiwa they were simillar to Sony but a fraction of the price

[@Pizzamanrule]

Hello retro future I need a help for finding replacement party for this type of Walkman I’m missing two of the volume and tuning knobs and a battery door is there a way to find a place that can remake these parts???

[@SparksNZeros]

in future when reattaching clear plastic theirs a glue made for modellers attaching clear canopies to model aircraft, it doesn't produce any fumes so the plastic doesn't fog up or darken any painted finish.

[@TheRetroFuture]

Oh great! Thanks for the info mate.

[@TheScottyvdubs]

@@TheRetroFuture and when cleaning with good old Mr sheen avoid areas that will need glue, I imagine it has some type of silicone that won't help with the bonding 👍but another awesome job yet again

[@unitedunitedunited_]

Try repairing an md Walkman, since there’s an over abundance of broken ones on eBay

[@TheRetroFuture]

I try to avoid laser related tech.

[@marcp.]

@@TheRetroFuture So everything laser related is your repair limit 🤔

[@danielpitterly]

@@TheRetroFuture I don't see why people are so nasty, I like your videos a lot, keep repairing walkmans, greetings from Uruguay, latin America

[@CannondaleCAAD]

I have this model! It has the crappy tanashin mech Edit : You should repair a DD walkman. Hard yet fun to repair. Also that small hole in the side is the speed ajustment. you need a thin screw driver but put a tape in it and just play around with thesound for your liking.

[@TheRetroFuture]

00123 ooooh very interesting! Thanks for the info.

[@rapisuandhamutarou1318]

F5 brings to mind. It's a DD FM Sports Walkman and superb mechanisms. :) Way better than today's players.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@rapisuandhamutarou1318 Sorry, which Walkman are you talking about?

[@ondrejkleibl5806]

Young man, thank you for this video. If you owned this walkman in 1987-88, you would be the king of the street. I bought it myself for my sister, but without the radio. In the history of SONY, all SONY walkmans have been marked WM. The dash is followed by FX (with radio) or EX (without radio). These yellow walkmans are waterproof, so they have a battery hole inside. The rubber edges have also been adapted to this. The connector inputs as well as the potentiometers were waterproof.

[@JSunBurns]

I had that Walkman back in the 80's or maybe early 90's, can't remember the exact date. It was an excellent Walkman. That little port where the rubber was ripped was a port to release pressure so you could open the door because sometimes if the pressure changed it would create a vacuum and you wouldn't be able to open the door to get to your cassette and batteries.

[@klb6453]

I had this one back in the mid 90s. I kept it in great condition. But one day it just stopped working. It wouldn’t play. I put new batteries in it and still it wouldn’t work. Not sure what I did with it.

[@AMPISOUND]

I like this snappier intro!!

[@TheRetroFuture]

Thanks man!

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

Or lack there of 😂😂😂

[@Techrewinds]

Love these Sony Sports walkmans they were so durable! just like cellphones back in the early 2000s 😅

[@RogerSartet007]

Cool job. I had a Sony Sports, like 30 years ago, a late 80's model: They were way too expensive for what they offered. Keep up the good work and find an Aiwa ;-) Cheers

[@TampaTec]

Looks brand new. 👍

[@TheRetroFuture]

Tampatec yeah man!!

[@darianalejandro1489]

i dont mean to be so off topic but does anybody know a tool to get back into an instagram account..? I somehow lost the login password. I would love any help you can offer me

[@elinehemiah8156]

@Darian Alejandro Instablaster :)

[@darianalejandro1489]

@Eli Nehemiah Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and im in the hacking process atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@darianalejandro1489]

@Eli Nehemiah it worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thanks so much, you really help me out!

[@imnotangry7594]

I don’t recommend to use 80’s walkman. You should use 90’s Japanese walkman. (Like FX-77, DX100, EX-1 etc...)

[@stevensmith2228]

I had this exact Walkman back when it was new! Awesome to see it brought back to life

[@peshalraina1322]

That looks great and makes me remember some of my childhood days(although Walkmans were ending at that time but I listened to cassettes back then)

[@TheRetroFuture]

PESHAL RAINA good times I’m sure!

[@SimonNemeth]

Is seems slow rather than fast. Vince's fixed a load of portable cassette players in the past and in most of his cases the speed was fixed by adjusting a small potentiometer on the board. I think this is just something that happens with age and is often taken in to account with the design of some devices a with the use of said pot.

[@westsenkovec]

Jesus. You just reminded me that I had one of those as a kid but it ran slow and my dad couldn't fix it. I was always hoping I could fix it one day.

[@andysmith1996]

If only you'd known that all you had to was lift the rubber cover below the buttons (the one that was perished in the video) and use a screwdriver to adjust the speed.

[@mjolnirmayhem5701]

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

[@bluererry]

"I'll never forgive the Japanese, then again they make some rather nifty gadgets."

[@lyingonthekitchenfloorasus608]

*plays bloody stream*

[@Left-Earth]

_The secret to removing hot glue is_ *isopropyl alcohol* . No matter how much glue or how old it is, the alcohol will make the glue release it's hold. ✌️🤓

[@iloveappleyoutube7198]

7 pounds is $9.50 in US dollars if you’re curious

[@Eric-jz3pz]

That's a chunky boy The Walkman

[@senmedin2174]

Hey Elliot try refurbishing a WM-A12 Walkman

[@iampoppyseeds]

I legit love that you're doing other things besides just game stuff, not that I mind that at all! It's just awesome and refreshing to see other retro tech! 😌

[@sammyh5304]

Hi I like that this video is about fixing retro technology

[@lynchpyn7805]

Great video, however I really would've liked to see you adjust the Pot and get it running at the right speed.

[@MartinPaoloni]

For the desintegrarse rubber cover, you could design something and 3D print it in black TPU. That might work! Also, to glue the lens, I recommend the double sided tape used for mobile phone screens. It's super strong but reversible.

[@MrKozlosPL]

it's the best design ever, so modern and full of energy.

[@senmedin2174]

k2 it's kinda cool but I prefer a WM-A12 just a personal opinion

[@TheRetroFuture]

Very!

[@JB-js4xi]

When I got my original walkman in 1984 I did think it was amazing technology. I used it through the 90s. I didn't have the newer bright colors....mine was just drab gray and black. The hinges finally broke

[@westonblock7097]

I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE A MONTH AGO, FOUND NO DATA/REPAIR INFO ABOUT IT, AND NOW MY DREAM COMES TRUE WITH A RETROFUTURE REPAIR!!! This is amazing Sadly I think my WalkMan has a slightly larger issue because when I put in a cassette it either makes no sound, or a very highly pitched whistle sound. I have opened it up, and everything seems to be in order, so I have no idea what the issue could be 😓

[@TheRetroFuture]

Caps by the sound of it!

[@westonblock7097]

@@TheRetroFuture4 years later and I just now see this reply 😂 I will look into that and see if that is the issue! Thank you Elliot!

[@eddierodriguez9323]

Hey pal I have the same one the speed adjustment is on the side

[@ShapeyFiend]

I'd a similar model as a child it didn't just look like a tank it operated like one too. I dropped it a hundred times there wasn't a dent on it. A second headphone port was a cool feature as well my friends used it surprisingly often.

[@TechieZeddie]

As the belt loosens, it will actually speed up a bit because less tension on the motor. Give it more time and it will slow and have worse wow and flutter as it lose traction. As for setting the speed right, if you have a trusted cassette deck (recently service and calibrated by someone), you can record a 3 kHz tone generated by Audacity (free audio editing software) on the deck, then use a free software wow and flutter measurement tool to dial the speed close to 3000 Hz. You can also measure the W&F figures between the factory belts and the new ones to see if the new ones are indeed better. If you don’t have a trusted deck, you can start a really long song from a prerecorded tape (like you have in the video) and a digital version at the same time and see if it ends at the same time as the digital version. If not, adjust the speed and retry. Try to get it as close as possible because (especially if it’s only a 3-5 minute song) because if it’s slightly off, the difference compounds as time goes on (up to 50-60 minutes per side for some really long tapes - 110 and 120 minutes respectively). The belt thickness consistency doesn’t just affect the traction, but also increases W&F. Nicely done on the repair. :)

[@TheRetroFuture]

Thanks for the info!

[@8bitinnovations553]

Just some clarification from another Walkman enthusiast, the sports Walkman as a series started in 1983 in japan, the US and the UK and in early 1984 in the rest of the world, but the unit you’ve shown here is not one from 1984, but rather the amazing floating Walkman from 1986. Anyway, great video, I would definitely recommend you to get a wm-f5 from 1983-84, they make for a very good repair experience since they do not have any sort of belts, downside is that their value has skyrocketed since the 40th anniversary of the Walkman, but with a good amount of patience you might grab one for cheap; or heck, even a non yellow unit, which is even more rare. Wishing you luck from Puerto Rico!! Keep the good stuff up!!

[@johnscott1173]

8bit Innovations hi my wm-f5 won’t stay playing unless you hold the play button down, any ideas

[@8bitinnovations553]

John Scott, did someone open the unit?? It may be a problem related to the autostop lever, mine did the exact same thing until I found that the previous owner conducted a repair and forgot to place the lever correctly, it needs to be aligned to the lever that raises the playhead for it to work properly. Good luck repairing!!

[@ΗλιαςΣαχινίδης]

The retro future where did you bought it ???

[@DamianChirek]

🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌🛌 0:13

[@sdmalpas]

I got one of these for my birthday when they came out! Fuck, I'm old..

[@michaelpalm2210]

I am 50 . got one brand new in like 1987 at service merchandise. fuck I'm old too!

[@koalakun3195]

Cool

[@king007t3]

First like

[@michaeladams9807]

Great job Elliot 👍👍

[@TheRetroFuture]

Thanks!

[@marvbloke]

Clip at the end is hilarious. And I love the use of the classic orange foam headphones from the 80s. I’m old enough to remember wearing those when they were new.

[@michaelpalm2210]

I had both the cool orange ones and the yellow hard plastic ones that came from sony. Had this same walkman in the late 80's. Bought it at Service merchandise.

[@rebecca8124]

Cool vid!

[@adamhenry6793]

Nice vid!

[@RadioIlluminaticom]

My parents sent me to a language school in the UK in the summer. I lived with several other students. I purchased that exact walkman, and I was super happy, because it was so cool. It was the 80s. The most epic time in human history. Don't we all have fantasies about finding a time machine and get back to the 80s? However, 2024 is intense and awesome too.

[@jspencer89yt]

B7000 epoxy is a bit more forgiving than super glue consider trying it.

[@beavis6363]

Especially on something that might take flex. Maybe that's what you mean. Super glue is strong but brittle, epoxies tend to have a slight bit of plasticity when set. Also with the clear plastic involved I'd have opted for epoxy. The duel syringe dispensers make mixing up a puddle super easy and seem to keep for months (forever?) after opened.

[@TheRetroFuture]

Thanks for the info!

[@LL-ck4ei]

I think you could calibrate it, playing a 440hz tone on the cassette like an instrument 🤷‍♂️

[@mikecoxlong7072]

starlord wants to know your location

[@odius94]

I had like 3 of these Sports Walkman in the '80s/90s and every single one of them had the volume dial snap off.

[@Nerdperson555]

Hi. l'm someone who loves cassettes and tape players in general and I'm wanting to learn how to actually fix and repair these machines. As a beginner or someone who has no or minor experience in tech restorations or anything on the mechanical (how to fix them) side of them. Where should I start to learn and gain knowledge?

[@FoxintoshPlus]

ahhh I forgot about this channel and how much I love the style of videos you put together keep up the great work!

[@ff_crafter]

I love walkman

[@kirkmooneyham]

I know, old video. I really like your videos, I do. However, the music you have playing while you disassemble, etc, could be a bit less loud. Minor thing, but still.

[@shawnrodgers2180]

Ive bought xbox 360 disk drive belts from China. Got a baggie full of different size belts. Took them 6 weeks to get in the U.S

[@xvelliseraptor]

I bought a pack of 2 belts for 5$. I changed the belts. They were maybe a little too tight. Now it plays terrible. Way too slow. Thanks for not answering

[@cy8646]

I love the Gameboy videos because they're so nostalgic but I'd like to see more audio. Really enjoying the start of the eBay challenge, I think it should be a regular bit and do polls to set your criteria. Keep it up!

[@systemBuilder]

Could you melt the hotglue with a heat gun? Even though I also bought belts from China, I worry that they are all QA rejects ...

[@jamesdougan8789]

hot glue can be removed easily buy applying ipa 99% isopropyl alcohol let it stand and evaporate and the hot snot glue will come off easy it works its way underneath and frees the contact of the glue ..... hope this helps cheers james D

[@christophermaitland]

Any recommendations for getting a TPS-LS2 refurbed?

[@ryanmaguire8229]

Hi all I have the same Walkman and my buttons are not staying press down i.e. the play button forwards and rewind any ideas what the problem may be cheers Ryan

[@AshokSingh-iv1dq]

Hey I have a sony Walkman nd wants to repair that plz help model is Walkman EX190

[@adammedbery4454]

Not sure why you scraped all that dried adhesive directly into the mechanism. Should have taken the door off.

[@JamesCollects]

it's a shame the transparent bit is a little scratched, but it's a lovely looking unit

[@xvelliseraptor]

I have the same one. I also have the issue where it’s not playing at the right speed. I have ordered new belts and will try to open it. If i have to do soldering i will not do anything. Do i have to solder anything to open and change belts?

[@jamiecruickshank9697]

You need to get the Sports CamCorder to match! www.digicamhistory.com/SonyCCD-SP7lot.jpg

[@rh-oy5uw]

"heartbreaker" dionne warwick play on the radio 😁

[@adilsonsonzeiraatemporalve9881]

Tive um cceamarelo nós anos80 hoje quero comprar uma sucata madeiras do rolo então achamais

[@ГурГур-п6р]

японцы для себя делают лучше , вот в чем разница Элиот.😊

[@CapnHilts]

I have this exact model that wont turn on even with brand new batteries. Any tips?

[@OldDave1]

I think my grandpa had that one in the 80s I want to get one of those, any ways great video

[@volcna6620]

You’re so good at this stuff, I hope you grow so much bigger

[@TheRetroFuture]

GJA _ thank you!

[@valdemarlarsen3395]

If it doesn't run at the rigt speed give it New batteriets an let it sit playng over nigt

[@Oldgamingfart]

That circuit board glue doesn't look like much, but it is somewhat notorious in equipment of this age for turning ever so slightly conductive over time (more so if it turns brittle and dark brown), leading to all manner or weird 'n' wonderful faults! I tend to scrape it back with a dental pick whenever I see it..at least away from PCB traces and component legs. On saying that, it doesn't look too bad here, but it's something to note. Anyway, good work as always! :)

[@BentangAlam]

Does Mr Sheen gives you any sponsor yet? Ot at least free supply?

[@iananderson3925]

How do I put the spring back in the battery door?

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

Comparing the playback speed to the one you played on your phone it actually runs a tad slow. So not fast. Probs would just need to adjust the speed pot a touch.

[@audioFail06]

Is it normal that the fast foward button feels very loose

[@CarlosMurakami-pianist]

running slow, not fast, pitch was lower on the tape

[@JacklapottTv]

Didnt open the motor clean it and apply some grease ?

[@Gamer-wf3jx]

Hey do you know that have a Sony Sports stereo I have one it’s water resistant

[@audioFail06]

The battery cover on mine doesn’t shoot up

[@ChrisKewl]

You may have had some luck if you soaked the glue in some isopropyl alcohol for a bit.

[@ywuen]

what if the battery door is broken?

[@gamenfix2586]

More original game boy restoration please

[@ThisKid0123]

Who the duck hot glued a mother board

[@rocket1035]

There would have been a little nob, on the inside of the circuit board to ajust the speed, and i would advice you to turn it since, it's gonna be quite a while until the belts ware off and even if the do, it might not return to the regular speed. But i liked the video! Since i'm sony walkman repair guy too👍 GL with future projects my dude

[@dennisp.2147]

Mr Sheen contains silicone, according to it's MSDS. Its exactly what you don't want to spray on a surface you are trying to bond. Cyanoacrylate was the wrong adhesive to use.

[@ebmeverything9035]

Hey Elliot, I recommend 303 Protectant,it on my car and it protects the plastic from UV rays, and it stays black

[@Deses]

What a nasty board. Looks like it was dunked on flux!

[@emptytomb4967]

the walkman's music was flatter than the phone, so the walkman was slower (unless you're comparing the sound to something else?) i envy your jogging while listening

[@paultiu3212]

you should have use double sided tape

[@AlfredoRichner]

My first Walkman ❤

[@ak2112]

Well done. Watching you scrape that glue off around the window was incredibly satisfying. I am a true weirdo.

[@goodboiadvsp3297]

I may be crazy but it sounds like, based on the difference in pitch, the Walkman is playing just a little bit slow

[@juuzaoftheclouds4503]

Oh lol. I bought exact this one last week. Everything works fine, but if i put my headphones in, the sound only comes from the right side. Cool Video!

[@SureShotSourcing]

Off topic question: What is your favorite/best backlight kit for original gameboy? Looking to buy one.

[@Raptor50aus]

There will be a speed adjust pot on the board inside. easy to fix the speed problem.

[@Raptor50aus]

Through hole capacitors don't usually leak like the SMD types found in AIWA and Sony models like the DD series.

[@user-cg9yu4gx2q]

thats a beatufiull walkman never seen one of those before, that thing in the future will be a collectors thing certainly

[@nathanlopez5610]

@The Retro Future you could try to remove the hot glue by using a heat gun. Maybe epoxy as well, but definitely look into it

[@virtualworldsbyloff]

Beautiful, had a white one from Sony and remember how we had to restrict to radio when batteries were weak and dragging Kassettes to slow playing

[@jochenwuerfel]

While you are into a lot of interesting retro stuff, I wonder if your into vinyl too.. maybe refurb a player?