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2024
Walk Away From This Walkman
Pros
Durable, basic unit
Cons
Poor reception, static.
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
Spend a little more and get a better Tuner.
I walk a lot. If you like to eat and drink like I do, and if you happen to be diabetic, exercise is essential. To me, there?s just no better form of exercise than a brisk walk on a beautiful day, taking in the surroundings while you breathe in the fresh air. It?s also a very effective form of exercise, since it?s not as easy to give up on as a treadmill or a Stairmaster. With those, it?s easy to give up after a short time or end your workout early thanks to a distracting phone call or surprise visitor. When you?re out walking, however, its nothing like that. If you walk out a couple miles, hey, now you have to get home so you?ll need to do a few more. When you?re walking, its just you, the open road, and most importantly, a handy Walkman-type personal stereo.
Sony invented the Walkman a few decades ago, and it became a smash hit back in the eighties. It was and is one of the defining products of our society: always on the go and always looking for convenience. The first Walkmans only offered AM/FM radio and cassette, but today you can buy personal stereos that also play CDs and even MP3s. They?re perfect for exercise, work around the house or in the yard, or anytime you want to hear your favorite music without disturbing others.
The SRF-M32
I bought this model a few years ago, shortly after purchasing a portable MP3 audio player. My MP3 player did not have an AM/FM function, so I needed something that did. I didn?t want a cassette player. I didn?t want to spend a lot of money, either, having just plunked down a handsome sum to purchase my MP3 unit. The Sony SRF-M32 seemed to fit the bill.
Durability
I have used this AM/FM Walkman on and off for the past few years, and it has proven to be a fairly sturdy unit, if not an exceptional one. The case is constructed of black, rugged high-impact plastic and has survived assorted drops and falls quite well. It has scratched but never broken.
Features
This is a basic unit, designed to play AM and FM radio and that?s it. It does that fairly well. The unit is about an inch and a half tall by two inches wide. It is compact, lightweight, and easily fits in your pocket. A convenient belt clip is also included. The volume control is on top of the device, and there is a Distance/Local FM sensitivity selector on the side.
The main controls are on the front of the device. They are basic: Power, Tune/Time Set, Key Protect, Band, Enter, and five Memory Preset Buttons. The time or current station setting is displayed digitally on a small LCD screen. You can set up to ten presets with the unit, five AM and five FM. The Key Protect function will lock out the keypad so that you don?t accidentally turn the unit off or change stations by bumping a button.
Two AAA batteries are required, battery life is fairly good. I paid $29.95 for this model.
Headphones
Rudimentary ear pad type. I was not happy with them and replaced them with a better set.
Pros
This is a basic digital Walkman radio. It is fairly inexpensive and has held up well to use.
Cons
I have noticed quite a few. Since I bought the SRF-M32 it has produced an annoying static burst whenever the volume is increased or decreased. This goes away as soon as your desired volume level is achieved, but it is still a distraction to say the least.
Reception has never been good. It often has difficulty even with moderately distant stations. I often must stretch the unit as far from me as possible to get best reception, and that still will not always get good results.
When the batteries approach the end of their life, the time will reset to zero, even though you still have some playing time left.
The DX/Local sensitivity is completely useless. DX (distance) must always be selected. We have several radio stations here in Rome that broadcast from the surrounding mountains, and if I change to local there is a marked degradation in quality.
Conclusion
I don?t recommend this model. In hindsight, I would have spent more money for a better one, and suggest that others do so. There are just too many cons associated with the SRF-M32 to make it worth buying.
Sony invented the Walkman a few decades ago, and it became a smash hit back in the eighties. It was and is one of the defining products of our society: always on the go and always looking for convenience. The first Walkmans only offered AM/FM radio and cassette, but today you can buy personal stereos that also play CDs and even MP3s. They?re perfect for exercise, work around the house or in the yard, or anytime you want to hear your favorite music without disturbing others.
The SRF-M32
I bought this model a few years ago, shortly after purchasing a portable MP3 audio player. My MP3 player did not have an AM/FM function, so I needed something that did. I didn?t want a cassette player. I didn?t want to spend a lot of money, either, having just plunked down a handsome sum to purchase my MP3 unit. The Sony SRF-M32 seemed to fit the bill.
Durability
I have used this AM/FM Walkman on and off for the past few years, and it has proven to be a fairly sturdy unit, if not an exceptional one. The case is constructed of black, rugged high-impact plastic and has survived assorted drops and falls quite well. It has scratched but never broken.
Features
This is a basic unit, designed to play AM and FM radio and that?s it. It does that fairly well. The unit is about an inch and a half tall by two inches wide. It is compact, lightweight, and easily fits in your pocket. A convenient belt clip is also included. The volume control is on top of the device, and there is a Distance/Local FM sensitivity selector on the side.
The main controls are on the front of the device. They are basic: Power, Tune/Time Set, Key Protect, Band, Enter, and five Memory Preset Buttons. The time or current station setting is displayed digitally on a small LCD screen. You can set up to ten presets with the unit, five AM and five FM. The Key Protect function will lock out the keypad so that you don?t accidentally turn the unit off or change stations by bumping a button.
Two AAA batteries are required, battery life is fairly good. I paid $29.95 for this model.
Headphones
Rudimentary ear pad type. I was not happy with them and replaced them with a better set.
Pros
This is a basic digital Walkman radio. It is fairly inexpensive and has held up well to use.
Cons
I have noticed quite a few. Since I bought the SRF-M32 it has produced an annoying static burst whenever the volume is increased or decreased. This goes away as soon as your desired volume level is achieved, but it is still a distraction to say the least.
Reception has never been good. It often has difficulty even with moderately distant stations. I often must stretch the unit as far from me as possible to get best reception, and that still will not always get good results.
When the batteries approach the end of their life, the time will reset to zero, even though you still have some playing time left.
The DX/Local sensitivity is completely useless. DX (distance) must always be selected. We have several radio stations here in Rome that broadcast from the surrounding mountains, and if I change to local there is a marked degradation in quality.
Conclusion
I don?t recommend this model. In hindsight, I would have spent more money for a better one, and suggest that others do so. There are just too many cons associated with the SRF-M32 to make it worth buying.
