Here’s another in Paul’s collection: a 40 watt thumping classic Sharp. With detachable grills for the three-way 6-speaker system, 7″ woofers, and chrome trim, you know this sucker means business. Sold in ’82 for around $550.
Another Sanyo, this one from 1983 boasts a 4 band tuner, 10 step VU/Sound Level LED display and AMSS, aka automatic music search. What’s AMSS? It’s a “smart” feature that allows you to rewind or fast forward through songs, then stopping just before the next one begins (similar to skipping through a CD’s tracks). It’s nothing more than a noise detection mechanism, that stops the motors when the player hits a spot on the tape with no audio.
Sony’s CFD-5 is true craftsmanship in an otherwise dying boombox world. This was the boombox to have as it was the first to offer a CD player. Jeff in San Francisco bought this in 1986 and admits that he, like the rest of us became caught up with the “one-upsmanship” that proliferated in that materialstic age. This gorgeous example faithfully provided music poolside while Jeff and his friends lounged the day away, sipping margaritas. Thanks Jeff!
This Emerson was a successful seller–it was under $150 in 1985, and offered everything the average consumer wanted at the time.
No-name brand boomboxes proliferated the 80s from places like Taiwan and Hong Kong, that’s why this obscure MI “Master Blaster” boasting its Japan manufacture is unusual. It’s a pretty large system (2 feet long!) but lacks the quality of the Sonys and Sharps of the era. This particular model offered left and right volume control, five band graphic eq and shortwave tuning. It was dubbed the “Master Blaster;” we’re not sure Stevie Wonder would be honored by the tribute.
Probably one of the rarest boomboxes out there, this Casio surfaced briefly in 1985. It was their second effort to create a crossover musical intstrument/entertainment system, preceeded by their KX-101 a year earlier. This one has a simple look but don’t be fooled! The keyboard is feature-packed with percussion options and instrument selection. The radio is a three-bander, tuning AM, FM and shortwave. The system is light, compact and very portable. Imagine our happiness when we grabbed this one as “new old stock” at a local electronics shop, brand new in the box.
St. Louis’ Chucko strikes again with this unusual Electro Brand. At first glance it appears to be one of the popular “Ranger” style shortwave radios, but a closer look will find the stereo speakers, shoulder strap and side-loading cassette drive. Pretty exotic, but we haven’t even mentioned the band coverage on this baby: Ten, that’s right, ten bands of coverage! Check the pic showing AM, FM, CB, PSB, Air, Ham, Weather and shortwave tuning. Much like the Casio and their hybrid systems, we presume Electro Brand was trying cross over, targeting radio freaks and general stereo enthusiasts with this one. Great find, Chucko!
Whoa, Sean in Canada has the same boombox as the one featured above! His is a Clairtone, and was distributed throughout Canada in the mid-80s. This beast is protected by a promximity sensor (ALARM!) which lets out a deafening siren when someone walks near it. Good luck trying to sneak off with this one. Weighing in at a whopping 20 pounds and measuring 2 1/2 feet in length, this very well may define the blaster in ghetto blaster. Sean is desperately seeking a cassette door for his, so if you’ve got info, send us message! Thanks Sean!!
Dean from Boston is an avid ghetto blaster collector and provided us with this picture of a Magnavox D8443 aka the “Spatial Stereo Power Player.” This was probably the most ambitious release of Maganavox ever, featuring 5 Speakers, 3 Amps, SW tuning, Mic, Line In/Out via RCA jacks and a “Stereo” control which goes from Mono to Spatial. The system is quite large: 13″ high, nearly 2 feet in length. Dean’s quite talented in obtaining his boomboxes for free: “I had to make a pickup at a Postal warehouse, some package or something. I went to a caged-in room in the back and saw a Sanyo M9935K behind the clerk that I had to give my yellow slip to. He told me that it belonged to some guy who used to work there. I didn’t say anything more than, ‘I’m kinda into those old radios,’ before he walks over, unplugs it and hands it over.” Thanks Dean!
Early 80s Aiwa portable offering multi-band radio coverage, and dated looks. We’re intrigued by the illuminated position indicator on the frequency display. It’s red until you hit a station–when you center on a station’s frequency, it turns green!! Very unusual feature not commonly offered on portable stereos.
