The CA 800 Clip Amp listed for $89 in the 1984 catalog from MCI (the US Distributor of Daion). You plug in a guitar using the 1/4” phono jack labelled “INPUT.” Using the 1/4” phono jack labelled “EFF-OUT” (i.e. effects out), the unit could be used as a stand alone distortion box to send a signal to a full-sized amplifier. If you didn’t want to use and external amplifier, you could listen via headphones and even wear the unit utilizing the belt clip. There is a small metal toggle switch to turn distortion on or off. The dial on the side of the case allows you to increase or decrease the volume.

The Clip Amp is a rather small walkman-sized accessory measuring approximately 70mm X 90 mm X 25mm. The belt clip measures approximately 35mm X 45mm. To access the battery, you squeeze the edges of the case to release the metal cover. Like most “stomp boxes,” the CA 800 Clip Amp takes a standard 9 volt battery. Serial numbers are located on the inside of the metal cover.

It is interesting that there is a 50,000 number gap in the serial numbers of the two examples pictured below. If there were actually this many made, we would see more examples floating around. In fact, they are very rare. Also interesting to note is the variation in the thickness of the stamping on the brass cover.

The scan below is from the January 1984 issue of Music Life magazine out of Japan. There is a two-page spread of walkman sized amplifiers. The blurb on the CA-800 translates as: “A very compact and low-priced model. That said, it has ample performance, with a focus on the minimum necessary functions. As the name suggests, it is a headphone amp with a new concept that can be hooked to a belt and used as an amplifier or as a distortion effector for a large amp.” In Japan it listed for ¥‎8,800. It’s interesting to see what the original packaging looked like - and that it came with headphones!