Sony Walkman WM-FX407
This is my favorite cheap Sony Walkman from 1990s, the WM-FX407.
Make no mistake — like the other mass-produced Walkmans of this period, it has the same bulky and noisy plastic mechanism, directly attached to the circuit board.
For a cheap Walkman, the FX407 is loaded with features. It has autoreverse, tape type selector, Mega Bass, a built-in radio with digital tuning, automatic volume limiting system, and a cherry on top, Dolby Noise Reduction system. It also has digital clock and alarm.
Its serious and reserved appearance draws upon ideas from the previous decade, when Sony’s design language was full of straight lines and right angles.
With flattened sides it can be put on its longer side, for easier use of tape transport buttons and to connect an external power adapter, or vertically, for better access of the volume control and headphone jack. The switches are clearly identified with white lettering.
The body is made of matte off-black plastic, the gray cassette door is lacquered for a bit of visual pizzazz. Even when scratched, the FX407 still retains its dignity.
It looks like a small brick. With a cassette and batteries inside, it also feels like a small brick. The plastic appears to be thicker than on other models of this family. The gears are made of low friction material and do not require lubrication. When I opened it to replace the belt, I put a little of synthetic grease on the gears, and now the mechanism is almost silent.
After I replaced the belt, I checked wow & flutter. The numbers are not remarkable, yet acceptable for most types of popular music, about 0.17%-0.20% WRMS.
I am going to keep this Walkman in my collection. It is an honest and functional machine from 1994. Not bad for a design that was supposed to be disposable.
