I have always had a soft spot for Weltron products. This Weltron 2001 (sometimes known as ‘the spaceball’) was designed and released in 1970 by James Pratt Winston and has earned a reputation as a bit of a cult classic. As the first machine Winston would design, the 2001 incorporated an 8 track player with AM/FM radio into a space age spherical plastic form. When released it retailed in the US for $160 (the equivalent of nearly $1000 today) but was an instant commercial success selling extremely well around the world. This inspired Winston to create further machines to add to the Weltron range.
The 2001 came in a selection of vibrant colours and while I’ve had several of the other colours in the past, I’m rather liking the canary yellow on this one. This machine was purchased from its original owner. It was distributed in the the UK under the name ‘Prinzsound’ (model SM8) so runs off of a 240 volt lead (or battery). It is in good working condition (although I’ve not tested it on battery) and has been PAT tested for the UK . There are a few age related marks and scratches to the case as well as two small chips to the chromed surround. Also one of the plastic clips of the battery compartment is broken off but still seems to hold the compartment fine.
Vintage Weltron products have continued to rise in popularity over the last few years as more and more people come to appreciate their space age designs. Therefore while the 2001 model is still quite common, it never fails to get admiring comments from friends.
