“Retro” doesn't necessarily mean finding a device with 30 or 40 years on its shoulders and using it today. It can also serve as inspiration to create something new with modern components, based on a classic design. Previously we talked about an audio player that mimics the look of old recorders, but today it's the turn of the Walkmp3rson, an MP3 player shaped like the unforgettable Sony Walkman.
The original Sony Walkman went on sale in July 1979. The company's commercial predictions pointed to about five thousand units per month, but it ended up selling more than 30,000 in the first two months. From that point, the way we listen to music changed forever. The Walkman arrived in the United States a year later, Sony released several updates over time, and basically it didn't stop until 2010, the year the brand was retired.
These days, listening to music is a streaming ritual, and it depends on platforms like Spotify and YouTube. However, many users still prefer a more traditional and manual experience, so to speak. Today's proposal is not a return to cassette or CD, but rather building a “Walkman” with modern parts, a Walkmp3rson that uses microSD cards and a small LCD screen.
Walkmp3rson: An MP3 player with Walkman essence
The project was originally published on the Adafruit portal, and makes good use of the components that platform offers, such as the Adafruit Feather RP2040 (I imagine a Raspberry Pi Pico would be a suitable replacement), a two-inch IPS LCD screen, an encoder with integrated NeoPixel, and an amplifier. Obviously, nothing prevents us from looking for local alternatives, as long as the adaptation process doesn't become a headache.
Adafruit offers the STL files and the CAD source, ideal for making modifications. The software is based on CircuitPython, and its code is explained in great detail on the official page. In general, we don't need to modify anything, and it's enough to download the complete package, which includes some MP3 files as samples.
The last steps are reduced to assembling the circuit (yes, I'm afraid you have to solder wires) and final assembly. The colors are up to the user, but I think the original pattern is quite good. Another option would be to return to the “blue and metal” of the first Walkman, or make it all yellow to remind of its sports models. One more thing: The audio is mono! Remember to modify the MP3s, or adapt the jack to duplicate channels..
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