the story
1989 was getting weird. The Berlin Wall was about to come down, Batman owned the summer, and Sony was busy in Japan making the WM-F2015, a Walkman that nearly four decades later still has collectors quietly calculating how much trouble they’ll be in if another package arrives this week. There’s just something right about this one. It’s the proportions, the substantial Made-in-Japan construction, that beautiful glimpse of the cassette turning inside, and the unmistakable sense that Sony built it during an era when a portable tape player was still important enough to take seriously. This particular F2015 makes the argument even harder to resist. It has survived since 1989 in almost absurdly beautiful condition, looking less like something we rescued and more like something that somehow took a 37-year lunch break. Of course, we still brought it into the APD lab and gave it the attention a machine like this deserves, and it rewards you with rich, stable, genuinely wonderful cassette playback. There are Walkmans we restore because we want someone to fall in love with them. Then there are Walkmans we put in the APD Private Collection because we already did.
What You Get
- The unit itself — in near perfect external condition with very minor bumps and bruises, fully serviced and ready for use, you’ll only need to supply 2 AA batteries. Pictures show the exact unit you’ll receive.
- Your choice of a freshly curated APD 80’s mixtape or a retro prerecorded tape from our archives
- A pair of period-correct headphones (new)
- Original Sony belt clip
- Iconic Sony Sound - sounds better than anything released new on the market today
- Legendary APD packaging with custom sticker pack
Features + Highlights
- Cr02 tape support
- Intact “It’s a Sony” sticker
- Made in Japan during Sony’s golden era
- Brass flywheel (increases tape stability)
- Analog FM/AM tuner
- One of the most sought after models of the era.
- Medium-sized format Walkman build — sturdy, built for real use
Service Provided (Nerd Stuff)
- Full off body cleaning and restoration
- Belt pathways fully cleaned and new premium belts installed
- Motor lubricated
- All contacts cleaned (crackle free)
- NAK-T100 Speed Adjusted, wow and flutter within spec
- Capstans and pinch rollers cleaned
- Head cleaned and demagnetized
- Transport cleaned and lubricated
- Full playback tested
Condition + Character
- This reborn legend has beautiful cosmetics with some very minor visible wear happening in it’s 37 years of life (see photos).
- Controls, sliders, knobs and tape door feel rock-solid and responsive.
- Cassette porthole clean and clear.
- Clean and corrosion-free battery contacts.