Sony Walkman D-171C Personal CD Player
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Tribute to my dead Discman.
Pros
Durability, ease of use, and quality sound.
Cons
It finally died after many years of use. :(
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Note: You probably won't find a new model Sony Discman 171C on sale anymore. But if you find a used one, you certainly will get a quality machine.
It's not very often that I read reviews here on Epinions about items that no longer work. However, I must make an exception for my dear old Sony Discman, which is about to enter retirement (e.g. the trash) at the ripe old age of.....well, you know I can't remember how old it is. I think it's been at least five years. But I do know that it has served me faithfully throughout many ups and downs in my life ? literally.
This Sony Discman was the first portable CD player that I have ever owned. Before I tell you some of the great features of my Sony however, I first want to describe a few of the more horrible abuses that my wonderful Discman absorbed patiently and without a whimper.
THE EARLY DAYS.
I bought my first CD player at Costco for a fair price of $59.00. Since the model I bought had no car accessories (it had no shock protection), I had to buy a car kit to go with it. Thus I was all set.
About this time, my experience as a diesel mechanic / equipment operator was just beginning. I began by spending many hours behind the wheel of a farm tractor. Needing something to break up the monotony, I began brining my (non-shock-protected) Discman out to the field with me. It was then that I learned the perfect technique for keeping my CD player from skipping.
The "perfect position" for my shock-susceptible CD player was between my legs on the seat, leaning against my leg at about a 60 degree angle. As such, it almost never skipped.
No matter how dusty, how bumpy, how cold or hot the weather ? my faithful CD player kept on chugging out the sound. And the batteries...... Finally I got smart and installed some 12 volt cigarette lighter plugs on those old tractors.
BIGGER TOYS.
After a while, I turned to bigger and better toys ? but everywhere I went, my CD player followed along, singing it's unwavering songs. I began running a dozer for long hours, clearing land, spreading soil, and even digging a couple of manmade drainage ponds.
My bones would get sore from the rattling and shaking and my eyes were full of dust. But my CD player never offered the slightest hiccup of protest. Day after day in horrible conditions, it kept on working.
THE FINAL DAYS.
The last days of my sturdy Discman began when I started spending many hours driving a truck across Alaskan roads. (Note: Alaskan roads are unlike any other roads I've seen in the US. They are horribly curvy, hilly, and treacherous. However, the thing that makes them the worst is the frost heaves. The freezing and thawing of the ground underneath the highway makes bumps that can literally throw your car or truck off the highway if you are going too fast. In fact, these bumps never seem to go away. Even if the road is complete redone, it will be back to normal in a matter of a year or two. )
Now, granted I'm not the slowest driver in Alaska. I am careful and try to drive AROUND the bumps whenever possible. But even in the best of "positions" my CD player couldn't keep from skipping at times. I think the horrible frost heaves finally did my CD player in.
After withstanding over half a decade of terrible injustices, my CD player couldn't take the abuse any more and died. It was a great machine, and it was well worth the sixty dollars I spent.
In conclusion, I'd like to list many of the fine qualities and features that my CD player displayed during its long and fruitful life:
-digital, easy-to-read display
-three different play modes: auto stop, repeat, and random program
-digital mega bass ? norm, mid, and max levels
-AVLS ? allowed for safe sound volume control ? norm, limit
-headphone jack and "line out" jack for input into car stereos etc.
-4.5V DC current input for battery free use. Otherwise, two AA batteries were needed.
Note: You probably won't find a new model Sony Discman 171C on sale anymore. But if you find a used one on sale, you certainly will get a quality machine for a great price. If my Discman lasted as many years in less than good conditions, how much longer could yours last if you take flawless care of it?
This Sony Discman was the first portable CD player that I have ever owned. Before I tell you some of the great features of my Sony however, I first want to describe a few of the more horrible abuses that my wonderful Discman absorbed patiently and without a whimper.
THE EARLY DAYS.
I bought my first CD player at Costco for a fair price of $59.00. Since the model I bought had no car accessories (it had no shock protection), I had to buy a car kit to go with it. Thus I was all set.
About this time, my experience as a diesel mechanic / equipment operator was just beginning. I began by spending many hours behind the wheel of a farm tractor. Needing something to break up the monotony, I began brining my (non-shock-protected) Discman out to the field with me. It was then that I learned the perfect technique for keeping my CD player from skipping.
The "perfect position" for my shock-susceptible CD player was between my legs on the seat, leaning against my leg at about a 60 degree angle. As such, it almost never skipped.
No matter how dusty, how bumpy, how cold or hot the weather ? my faithful CD player kept on chugging out the sound. And the batteries...... Finally I got smart and installed some 12 volt cigarette lighter plugs on those old tractors.
BIGGER TOYS.
After a while, I turned to bigger and better toys ? but everywhere I went, my CD player followed along, singing it's unwavering songs. I began running a dozer for long hours, clearing land, spreading soil, and even digging a couple of manmade drainage ponds.
My bones would get sore from the rattling and shaking and my eyes were full of dust. But my CD player never offered the slightest hiccup of protest. Day after day in horrible conditions, it kept on working.
THE FINAL DAYS.
The last days of my sturdy Discman began when I started spending many hours driving a truck across Alaskan roads. (Note: Alaskan roads are unlike any other roads I've seen in the US. They are horribly curvy, hilly, and treacherous. However, the thing that makes them the worst is the frost heaves. The freezing and thawing of the ground underneath the highway makes bumps that can literally throw your car or truck off the highway if you are going too fast. In fact, these bumps never seem to go away. Even if the road is complete redone, it will be back to normal in a matter of a year or two. )
Now, granted I'm not the slowest driver in Alaska. I am careful and try to drive AROUND the bumps whenever possible. But even in the best of "positions" my CD player couldn't keep from skipping at times. I think the horrible frost heaves finally did my CD player in.
After withstanding over half a decade of terrible injustices, my CD player couldn't take the abuse any more and died. It was a great machine, and it was well worth the sixty dollars I spent.
In conclusion, I'd like to list many of the fine qualities and features that my CD player displayed during its long and fruitful life:
-digital, easy-to-read display
-three different play modes: auto stop, repeat, and random program
-digital mega bass ? norm, mid, and max levels
-AVLS ? allowed for safe sound volume control ? norm, limit
-headphone jack and "line out" jack for input into car stereos etc.
-4.5V DC current input for battery free use. Otherwise, two AA batteries were needed.
Note: You probably won't find a new model Sony Discman 171C on sale anymore. But if you find a used one on sale, you certainly will get a quality machine for a great price. If my Discman lasted as many years in less than good conditions, how much longer could yours last if you take flawless care of it?
