There are not many people who still keep D-5, the
predecessor version of mobile generation of Sony Discman.
In the end of 1984, only about a year after Sony introduced
the first family CD player CDP-101, they continued launching the first mobile
CD player, D-5 version. This version created a music revolution in audio market
at that time. In 1970s, portable cassettes of Sony Walkman ruled the roost as
iPod nowadays, so the mobile CD player will undoubtedly be the next revolution.
Sony D-5 was
released in late 1984.
However at that time, people were still absorbed in analog
music. Most people still played plastic records, tapes, partly because CD cost
twice than a LP. The spokesman of Sony, Marc Finer recalls, the combined output
of all CD makers who sold in North America in the first years was only 35000
products. Thus, Sony launched D-5 whose retail price was 300 USD, acceptable
price to enter the market because it was less than half the price of the most
expensive home CD player of Sony at that time. In addition, Sony launched a
promotional campaign with MTV program along with CBS, RCA, Warner and Polygram
to attract young people to access to new technology. Simutaneously, Sony also
released the same version named D-50 for markets outside North America.
Despite being portable disc player, D-5 is equipped with
removable AC power to use at home. Finer recalls that there was a large number
of D-5 which users always kept at home to use as home CD player instead of a
mobile device.
Till now, there are, even though not many, people keeping
the first D-5 version of Sony with good quality. This device was not useful as
a mobile CD player because D-5 didn’t have cache memory to prevent from turning
to another song, so it was just only brought while walking slowly. It couldn’t
be worn while users were running as current players.
Sony D-5
