Recently I have been bidding in a German Ebay auction for a Sony D6C. The Walkman was unused, basically new in original packaging. I would love to have a brand new and shiny D6C in my collection. Although the question would arise: should I use it or should I keep it in it's original package just as a collectors item? I don't like to posess something withput using it, so I probably would have killed the collectioneurs value.... In addition to that it is one of the later models, not having the notably better amorphous head. Anyway, I put in a maximum bid of €275 and lost... it was sold for €411! Now it is being relisted by the buyer for €799... https://www.ebay.nl/itm/282572455305 Of course it is not said that he will get this price. The market was at €411 last week... I personally find this a pretty crazy price level. Even for an almost new one. A D6C in good condition goes for €150-€170 on German Ebay recently (I've followed 7 recent auctions). That seems a fair price. Although I assume that very few of them (or none) have been serviced to high standards. But even then this machine often functions OK. A used one with original packaging went for €269,87 about 4 weeks ago. What do you think about these kind of prices?
To be honest people are chancing on the fact that some personal stereos have been selling for a lot. They can ask the price and like you said it does not mean they will get the price also they my get more it only takes a few people really wanting the unit. If you are just going to keep it on the shelf to look at and not use it, then you are wasting your money. These units are designed to be used.
I agree 200% with the philosophy behind the above statement, since I use all my units and I have a very hard time to imagine that I could just put them on a shelf. But, we like it or not, there exists a market for this stuff. Some people see collecting as a form of investment. From this point of view, then, "wasting your money" is possibly not an accurate statement. Of course, the modern antiques market that really matters does not involve walkmans or boomboxes. Real stellar prices go with other stuff, mainly artworks. Yet the philosophy of collection-as-investment is the same in both cases. Paintings too are made to be used, ie, exhibited in plain sight. Shark collectors prefer to lock them in the vault of a bank because they treat them as capital. In my opinion, this philosophy is responsible -- at least in part -- for the crazy prices you find on ebay for an item such as the DC6 or the M90. I remember a M90 being sold for 4,500 US $ a few years ago, and I've seen a Sanyo M-X820 recently listed for 4,999 euros. Those prices are enflated, no doubt. But until rich guys keep paying ridiculous amounts of money only to get themselves a new toy, those prices will keep skyrocketing. Is it a waste of money buying a DC6 for 800 euros? It depends on the philosophy behind your purchase -- and on the money in your account. If you're using it, I'd say yes: you can easily find one at a reasonable price. If you're buying it as an investment, I'd say "maybe no", even if I am all against the philosophy behind it: the item can be resold, one day, at an even more outrageous price.
In investment management there is a nice term for it: "the greater fool theory". You pay a crazy price because you believe there will be a greater fool after you that pays an even higher price. Sometimes the hype cools down and the bubble bursts... As said, I personally would always want to use it instead of keeping it on a bookshelf. An item like this (new in original package) is quite unique and very much subject to (as we say in Dutch) "wat de gek er voor geeft" no clue what it is in English. But it would be something like "the price depends on how crazy the market is". Personally I'm glad I didn't pursue this one further, even the EUR 275 was a bit too crazy for me on hindsight. I have a D6C in very nice condition now at ⅓ of the price and I don't feel guilty that I use it
I know too well about artwork being bought and locked away not to be seen as I work for the biggest private arts gallery in the world, this is a shame as some of these artwork should be shown for everyone to enjoy.
You can always find good deals on walkmans including D6C. Patience is very important. I have 3 boxed D6C, 2 of them brand new and the 3rd one in a mint condition. I also have another perfect functioning D6C that i use it for my regular recordings. ( I have another D6C that clicks and i got it from a dishonest member) Anyway, I have plan to make a mini museum for vintage electronics in the future. What i want to do is not an investment at all, its all about the passion toward these beauties. Have i paid crazy money toward my collection??? the answer is YES for some difficult items to find. A good D6C can be found on eBay almost every month. So be patient. Don't buy an expensive boxed one If this is going to be your main unit.
I paid £180 (€202.54 at current exchange rate) for mine when I bought it just over a month ago. It was in excellent condition and came with the case and strap. I've used it almost every day since, so I would say it was a great investment.
This thread needs a picture or few. Here are mine 2x D6 ( both with the box) Sony 2x D6C (one with the box )
An interesting thread. A couple of thoughts about collecting in general. My late Father was an avid collector, mainly of toy trains but in his later years all kinds of models. What I have learnt from selling large parts of his collection is that things that were marketed as "collectables" were his worst investments. Some items like Matchbox "Models of Yesteryear" cars aren't worth today what they cost new thirty years ago. The problem is that tens of thousand of people bought them as an "investment" carefully looking after them. Now when people try to sell supply far exceeds demand. His best investment were Lego trains, which went up in value five fold in about twenty years. In that case the supply of twenty year old Lego sets that have never been opened and played with is very limited while there is a large demand from people who had or more likely wanted them as children and now have plenty of free cash to spend on them. Finally back to Walkmans and Boomboxes. How much was a D6C new ? How many weeks of the average wage back then was that ? It would surprise me if 400 or even 600 Euros is less than the original purchaser would have got if they had put their money in a decent savings account over all these years. p.s. Haven't found a new price yet but did find this from 2010 http://www.goldminemag.com/collecto...s-show-auction-love-for-sony-portable-players Now have a price of $240 in the 1980s. https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile...my_audiophile_1982_sony_walkman_professional/ I'm sure he could have got a nice bike for that (not that bikes were cheap then either).
I can give you UK prices new the D6C was £250 in the 80's - 90's when they stop making them back in 2003 the last price was £330.
Thanks. I was earning £7000 a year in 1983 and about £16000 a year in 2003 so in either case it was over a weeks wages. Of course there were other things to spend money on. The popular computers of the late 1980s and early 1990s i.e Amiga and Atari were about £300 to £400 each. Unlike the D6C they did get cheaper as the designs aged.
I remember that in the early 90's a D6C would cost NLG 899 in the Netherlands (about EUR 370). I couldn't possibly afford a new one at that time while still being in university. Today, buying one in good condition for EUR 163 (as I did 3 weeks ago) is actually cheap compared to that. The nice thing about the D6C is that it came with a very strong case so many players out there are still in excellent condition. In addition to that the mechanics are the most stable and reliable ever made by Sony and will, with some cleaning/new belts/proper lubrication and alignment/(maybe) recap sound as new. This I believe to be the real charm and collectors value of these devices: you can own a good one and use & enjoy it while still maintaining it in good condition for many years (decades?) to come. And highly likely not lose any money on it... I think you are spot-on here! Both on the scarcity value and the low absolute amount of money compared to what people could afford when they were a kid or a teenager (like my example above!). In that sense I believe that a WM D6C is actually a bit of an underperformer when comparing to a DC2. Most likely because they were probably sold in larger quantities and are still available in better condition and larger quantities today. I've been hunting for a DC2 now for half a year and recently decided to settle for a less than perfect one (clicking) for more money than I initially was intending to spend. They are scarcer, go for higher amounts and are in worse shape than the average D6C. At least based on the auctions that I have participating in.
It just got a little more crazy: https://www.ebay.nl/itm/282588387450 I think it's still the same eBay member. Probably trying the 'if you make it crazy expensive, it might attract even more buyers' - strategy!
I don't know why anyone would pay that much? i don't care what it comes with. I have 3 x D6C's and a while back someone on here asked me to sell him an empty box for one.Ii did as i have no need for the box i use the units.
Well if i had more i would sell them to you as i don't use them. What i do have is a box for WM-DD33 and WM-DC2, i have no need for Walkman boxes as i am always using the units.
@TooCooL4: all I can say - Cool!!! I use D6 almost everyday but I am keeping the box. In case I find something better (not sure which Walkman is better though...) or decide to fall back onto Dolby C and then will have to trade boxed D6 for D6C. My reason for selling all original boxes for Linn Sondek was to stop myself from worrying about "better" turntables. Now I am happily stuck with it
