Walkman players, vinyl records, boomboxes, iPods, and portable audio.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
How many minutes of music fit on each side of a 1960s vinyl LP?
LPs spun at 33 1/3 rpm and held about 22 minutes of music per side.
Which speed did American kids use to play a full-length vinyl LP on a home stereo?
The Columbia LP spun at 33 1/3 rpm and held about 22 minutes of music per side on consoles.
Which pocket radio introduced in 1954 let teens listen to AM stations under a pillow?
The Regency TR-1 launched in October 1954 as the first transistor radio for portable AM listening.
What yellow plastic insert let kids play a 45 single with a large hole on turntables?
RCA 45 singles had a large center hole so kids used a yellow spider adapter on turntables.
How did an 8-track tape cartridge play continuously without needing to be flipped over?
The 8-track cartridge contains a single endless loop of tape with a pinch roller built into the cartridge, divided into four stereo programs that change with a click.
What large wooden furniture piece housed speakers, amplifier and turntable in 1960s living rooms?
The 1960s stereo console was a large wooden cabinet that integrated a turntable, AM/FM tuner, amplifier and built-in speakers as living-room furniture.
What small plastic insert allowed 45 rpm singles with large center holes to fit a standard turntable spindle?
The 45 rpm single had a 1.5-inch center hole for jukeboxes, so home listeners used a plastic 45 RPM adapter nicknamed a spider to fit a standard spindle.
What was the first mass-produced transistor radio sold in the United States in 1954?
The Regency TR-1 launched in October 1954 for $49.95 as the first mass-produced transistor radio, selling about 150,000 units in its first year.
What was the model name of the first Sony Walkman released in 1979?
Sony launched the iconic metallic blue and silver TPS-L2 cassette player in Japan on July 1, 1979.
Why did Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka request a portable stereo prototype?
Ibuka wanted a lightweight portable stereo to listen to opera during long flights; Akio Morita later supported its commercialization.