CP-200RUK

The CP-200RUK was one in a series of stereo portable radio cassette players consisting of CP-200R, CP-200 RC, and CP-200REX. The Hitachi Corporation of Japan manufactured them, and they were available in 1984. They shared the same electronic engineering and had the same chassis SP-10A. Their design was in the style of early Walkmans, but they were large measuring 82 mm × 160 mm × 34 mm, and mass 350 g with batteries.

Review

There was a very short time when Hitachi made portable stereo radio cassette players, and therefore it is rare to find one in mint condition. This unit consists of five integrated circuits, four diodes and varicap tuning for the radio. Consequently, it is rather large and bulky even though it is a 3 V system and takes a pair of AA size batteries. Having a power output of 25 mW per channel, makes this retro cassette player an advantage to have.

This is an interesting design concept where all the controls are on the front side, whereas other manufacturers usually had controls on the front and side. With this unit, you get rewind, fast-forward, and stop tape transport functions. There are sockets for headphones and supplying power through a mains adapter. There are switches for selecting between tape and radio, and switches for selecting either AM or FM reception.

Price/eBay

The CP-200RUK is a rare unit that I have not seen often on the Internet. There is a huge following for Hitachi stereo cassette players, and always much interest. A unit in mint condition together with the original box can fetch a premium price on a good day. Even one with cosmetic damage can be worth something as many people may be looking for parts.

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