(sony) PORTABLE TAPE RECORDER TABLE

Small guide/comparison of (mostly sony) tape recording devices (although some are just tape players). It's not an exhaustive list by any means - these are mostly just the ones i've found on ebay or local flea markets. Most of the info is derived from photos on those ebay auctions, some is from manuals and some i own.

educated guesses

tcM ---> something something MONO
tcS ---> something something STEREO
wm ---> walk man

tcm-69DV ---> D=double length(=2.4cm/s)(?) ... V=VOR ... K=??

legend

color code: nice and good, it's ok or so-so, property is not desired/feature is missing
MODEL: name of the item... for this column (the first): verified because i own one, derived from photo/internet, info missing, i didnt bother or i didnt find it
MIC: built in mic?
EXT MIC: support for external mic?
SPEED ADJUST: is there an easy way to adjust the speed (preferably a pot)?
2.4CM/S: can you make the tape go in half speed?
VOR: "voice operated recording". stops recording when you are quiet, kinda.
ETCETERA:anything else?

table

MODEL mic ext. mic speed adjust 2.4cm/s VOR etcetera image?
TCM-AP5V "flat mic" 3.5mm jack "digital pitch control" - off/low/high tape counter
TCM-10 "flat mic" 3.5mm jack - - - counter, "walkman" brand, looks lush, gonna be expensive
TCM-150 yes - not accessible without opening - -
TCM-20DV yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" -10% to +30% or smth - only affects playback on/off-switch - affects recording as well off/low/high
TCM-200DV yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" -10% to +30% or smth - only affects playback on/off-switch - affects recording as well off/low/high Same feature set as TCM-20DV (see above), some button placements differ. I suspect the internals are extremely mismatched
TCM-210DV yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" yes - probably only affects playback on/off-switch - affects recording as well off/low/high
TCS-310 stereo 3.5mm jack, stereo - - - counter, speaker is on backside and not front, good looks
TCM-353V yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" yep - off/low/high
TCS-370 stereo 3.5mm jack, stereo as well - - - counter, speaker is on backside and not front (what does this mean for disassembly?), good looks
TCM-400DV "flat mic" 3.5mm jack, "plug in power" yea ? on/off "cue marker"-button, tape counter
TCS-430 Stereo! 3.5mm, i suspect "plug in power" yeah - - stereo mic, stero jack, actually plays back in stereo (some sony mono recorders plays back a mono signal to both ears). stereo image is not too great. some really weird sounds (capacitors?), aggresive and strange reactions to wind. different profiles for type I/type III tapes
TCM-454VK yes, small 3.5mm jack, "plug in power" yea - off/low/migh
TCM-465V mono, adjustable direction, automatic sens setting 3.5mm jack, "plug in power" yea - on/off "cue marker"-button, tape counter
TCM-500DV yes yes yes on/off on/off auto reverse, direction switch, counter
TCM-57 "flat mic", with high/low sens 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" slow/norm/fast on/off-switch - affects recording as well off/low/high auto reverse, playback direction indicator, counter, nice design
TCM-59V "flat mic", with high/low sens 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" ya on/off-switch - affects recording as well on/off auto reverse, playback direction indicator, counter
TCS-580 stereo, nice separation of L and R 3.5mm jack (stereo?) with "plug in power" ya - - type I/chrome-switch, counter, mic sens high/low
TCM-600 yes, small ? ? ? ? counter
mark HME-66 - - speed hole - - auto reverse, seamless direction lever
TCM-S66V yes, small, mic sens low/high 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" fast playback on/off - off/on counter, nice black finish
sanyo TRC-860C yes, small yes - on/off called "VAS", on/off counter
sanyo M-1110C yea yes - no plug in power so any 3.5mm could potentially work - - called "VAS", adjustable with volume knob counter... i've a circuit bend hack for "2.4" cm/s (its slower), see link to the left
sanyo TRC-2300 yes yes, didn't check if it supplies power yeah - - mono output. (big and) heavy as fuck >;) uses four (4) LR6 (AA) batteries. as a consequence speaker is incredibly loud (and not too bad either!)
too big: TCM-737, TCM-939

"Plug in power" usually gives four volts phantom power and thats what it is. I dont know how it works. Mono connector i think?

micro cassettes

MODEL mic ext. mic speed adjust 1.2cm/s VOR etcetera image?
M-1PD yes 3.5mm jack - - - type I/metal-switch
M-19V "flat mic" 3.5mm, "plug in power" - on/off off/low/high counter, aaa battery, built in rechargeable battery
M-100MC super large, three modes (lecture, meeting, dictation) 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" "fast playback" on/off on/off on/off counter, "cue marker" button, built in table stand, weird design bc of the large mic
M-200MC "zoom mic" - large, retractable, three modes (lecture, meeting, dictation) 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" "fast playback" on/off - on/off counter, "cue marker" button, tape direction indicator, weird design bc of the retractable mic
panasonic RN-202 yes - "fast playback" on/off on/off - mono headphone jack
M-560V yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" ? on/off on/off counter, end of tape alarm lol
M-630V yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" - on/off off/low/high counter
M-670V yes 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" fast playback on/off on/off on/off counter, AAA battery
M-730V quite large 3.5mm jack with "plug in power" - on/off on/off counter, auto reverse, direction indicator

others...

MODEL tape type mic ext. mic speed adjust half speed etcetera image?
grundig Sh 10 steno-cassette (one sided, 30min max, cool length indicator) yes - - - funky control scheme, no headphone outs
grundig Dh 2220 steno-cassette (see above) yes maybe, probably - - funky control scheme, "index" points (records a mechanical growl, will pause at these points when reversing), headphone outs and possibly mic ins with a strange connector i've never seen before

nice further reading, better info, etc.

http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TCM-100.html
http://www.walkmancentral.com/list/walkman
https://www.petervis.com/Tape Recorders/Sony TCM-20DV Cassette Recorder/Sony TCM-20DV Cassette Recorder.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpFmuSfDfy0 - Sony Micro Cassette Recorder M-100MC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNuqs-oJ_P0 (this guy has this whole business figured out) you can use youtube automatic subtitle gen if youre not a japanese speaker

while you're here check this shit out

noot noot
cats on mars
tape canon

updated

2020-09-29