I have vivid memories of my first personal stereo device
experience in the year 1984 (that’s almost 28 years ago.) Before this
experience, I had never got the opportunity to experience hi-fidelity sound,
which I experience on a Sony Walkman Personal Cassette Stereo.
My First Walkman: In 1984, my father had an opportunity to
visit the United Kingdom for a three month Management Development Programme
sponsored by the Indian Railways. When he asked me about my wish list, The Sony
Walkman was on top of the list. When my father returned from UK, he also
brought me a Sony Walkman (WM-22) model.
I used this walkman really well and also most of the time I
used to connect the same to my Philips- Gramophone player which also had an
amplifier built-in.
I have still been able to preserve the same, but only that
it is not functioning.
I used this walkman for a good 10 years, and then purchased
an AIWA make Personal Stereo which also had a built in FM/AM radio. FM
transmission had just begun in the beginning of the 1990’s and it was in Hi-fidelity
stereo.
I could use the AIWA Personal Stereo for about 3 years till
1994 and then it was stolen. It was a setback.
Then, I again saved some money and purchased a
new similar AIWA model.
Another Sony Walkman purchased on my visit to Dubai.
This time, I wanted to pick up a model which had servo
mechanism feather touch features and a long battery life. I used this model for
about three years till my ex-boss gifted me a Panasonic-Disc man.
This era saw the audio cassettes format being replaced by
cd-audio and mp3. A CD could pack in numerous songs as compared to a cassette.
I was super fun using this CD player. I used this device for about four years till 2008
which was replaced by my first ipod.
I would cover my three ipods I won in my next blog.
