Questions about the Magnavox D8443

So, I just scored a Magnavox D8443 of ePay for super cheap. If for no other reason, I wanted it on the shelf because they look so damn cool.

What I do know:

I know these are super weak sauce in the sound department.

I know they don't have a proper line in and that you need to have the record button pushed down to make that work and they have a weak link / gear issue in the decks rendering them useless.


Questions:

Are there other model numbers for the same platform?

What is the "Stereo Knob" for?

Does this have proper tweeters?
If so, does this have a 5 channel amp?

Is the center speaker a sub or just full range?

Is the center speaker an 8"?

Side speakers 5"?

How many batteries do they take?

Forget about answering any of those questions and just shoehorn some TDK 3-speaker guts in there!

I did one for a friend a year ago. I still have some pics bit I'll answer what I remember.

The tweeters are piezos. The center is 8", buts it's weak. Adds a hint of bass, but barely any. I'd consider it more of a full range.

I believe in took 8 D cells. It may have actually been 9.

I believe it's the same as the D8444.

You will be disappointed in the sound. Not so much quality, but terrible lack of volume.

I'll see if I can find the pics I took and jog my memory more. I do agree though, these are great, mean looking boxes.

I believe the "Stereo control" changes the sound from mono-stereo-spatial. Spatial being kind of like Panasonics Ambience. Poor man's version. Lol.

JustCruisin said:

Forget about answering any of those questions and just shoehorn some TDK 3-speaker guts in there!

Click to expand...

I think your reading my mind (sort of)

trippy1313 said:

I did one for a friend a year ago. I still have some pics bit I'll answer what I remember.

The tweeters are piezos. The center is 8", buts it's weak. Adds a hint of bass, but barely any. I'd consider it more of a full range.

I believe in took 8 D cells. It may have actually been 9.

I believe it's the same as the D8444.

You will be disappointed in the sound. Not so much quality, but terrible lack of volume.

I'll see if I can find the pics I took and jog my memory more. I do agree though, these are great, mean looking boxes.

Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info....I remember these always looking so bad ass, but I know from what so many have reported, that they are just shiat! But I still needed one

trippy1313 said:

I believe the "Stereo control" changes the sound from mono-stereo-spatial. Spatial being kind of like Panasonics Ambience. Poor man's version. Lol.

Click to expand...

OK, gotcha.

So, there are obviously, many of these radio's around. There are 5 on eBay every week, they must have sold a ton of them, so no one is going to be butt hurt when I saw into it like a lumber jack

I have some idea's

Here's specs off the box:

The unofficial Three's Company swingers boombox.Haha.

Feel free to hack away! Every store had a pallet of these. I've thinned my herd(hoard) down to 7.

The only difference is the radio bands. Phillips is LW/MW/SW/FM,Mag has AM/SW1/SW2

Mags came in grey or silver.
I've never seen a grey Phillips.
(I want one)

8 batteries=12v so you can add a big ol' battery for camping trips.

Radio-Active said:

The unofficial Three's Company swingers boombox.Haha.

Click to expand...

LMAO

Lasonic TRC-920 said:

So, I just scored a Magnavox D8443 of ePay for super cheap. If for no other reason, I wanted it on the shelf because they look so damn cool.

What I do know:

I know these are super weak sauce in the sound department.

I know they don't have a proper line in and that you need to have the record button pushed down to make that work and they have a weak link / gear issue in the decks rendering them useless.


Questions:

Are there other model numbers for the same platform?

What is the "Stereo Knob" for?

Does this have proper tweeters?
If so, does this have a 5 channel amp?

Is the center speaker a sub or just full range?

Is the center speaker an 8"?

Side speakers 5"?

How many batteries do they take?

Click to expand...

I had one a few years ago. It's a nice looking box for sure...but I did not like the sound. the tape did not work, so I cannot plug any MP3 player to it. I got rid of mine....but nice looking box.

Good choice of box Chris for an upgrade. Dump the internals. Grab a 2.1 channel D class 24v amp https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/271987593459 a 4 ohm 8 inch driver, 2 5.5 inch 4 ohm mid woofers and a pair of silk dome 4 ohm tweeters, a pair of passive crossovers and 2 small 4aH SLA batteries wired in series.

Extend the amps' bass, treble, balance, volume and sub volume pots to run through the factory front panel so you can reuse the factory knobs.

Seal up the rear vents etc to make it airtight and the bass should be super solid.

Grab yourself a 24v SLA battery charger and you're done.

Sit back and crank!!!

Am I close?

James....

Absolutely mod the heck out of this. I think everyone on here will appreciate an upgrade of this. Make this BOOM!!!!

Radio-Active said:

Feel free to hack away! Every store had a pallet of these. I've thinned my herd(hoard) down to 7.

The only difference is the radio bands. Phillips is LW/MW/SW/FM,Mag has AM/SW1/SW2

Mags came in grey or silver.
I've never seen a grey Phillips.
(I want one)

Click to expand...

Damn R-A, I had no idea you had this many. I would have just asked you directly!

What the hell is with that Jack Tripper, Janet Woods and Chrissy Snow action on the box! That is classic!

Thanks for all the great pictures and info.

mancardo said:

I had one a few years ago. It's a nice looking box for sure...but I did not like the sound. the tape did not work, so I cannot plug any MP3 player to it. I got rid of mine....but nice looking box.

Click to expand...

I have wanted one for so long. I wanted one back in the day till I heard it. But since I have been collecting, I have wanted one at least for the wall. And since building the Louder Blaster project years ago, I knew I had to get my hands on one. I even spoke to Norm about building a special 5 channel amp, but it was just going to be too much work.

jimmyjimmy19702010 said:

Good choice of box Chris for an upgrade. Dump the internals. Grab a 2.1 channel D class 24v amp https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/271987593459 a 4 ohm 8 inch driver, 2 5.5 inch 4 ohm mid woofers and a pair of silk dome 4 ohm tweeters, a pair of passive crossovers and 2 small 4aH SLA batteries wired in series.

Extend the amps' bass, treble, balance, volume and sub volume pots to run through the factory front panel so you can reuse the factory knobs.

Seal up the rear vents etc to make it airtight and the bass should be super solid.

Grab yourself a 24v SLA battery charger and you're done.

Sit back and crank!!!

Am I close?

James....

Click to expand...

Man, we are on the same page.

Although I have not seen the inside of one of these, I want to try to isolate the 8" Sub(standard) enclosure and really try to drive it.

The pizzo's F'n Gone!
Not sure where I will find 5 1/3" speakers
Cassette Deck, F'n GONE!
Bluetooth and MAYBE try to keep the tuner...if not F'n GONE!

trippy1313 said:

Absolutely mod the heck out of this. I think everyone on here will appreciate an upgrade of this. Make this BOOM!!!!

Click to expand...

Wow, seems to be pretty unanimous on doing the 'ol slice and dice

Of course....there will be a thread
(once I get everything else on my workbench finished )

Dude.I am probably gonna copy your rig. I rarely play these due to way better options.
But as my "sentimental box",I cant help but hold onto them.
It's time to change-out the engine on one.
Thanks for lettin' me watch.

Owned one of these some years back and they do look nuts for sure☺ I always thought mine sounded ok but having no led lights was the thing that pissed me and made me get rid. Can't understand why they don't sound so good? All other Philips boxes sound great, my d8614 is one of the best sounding mid size boxes around. I remember mine was made in Malaysia, and my 8614 is made in Austria. Maybe this has something to do with it?

Anyway for looks you can't go far wrong here Chris☺but a good modding will do this box justice and give it the fire power it deserves☺

Problem with Philips is most of their boxes use feeble amps and tiny speaker magnets. It's like they took them out of their TV sets or something. And those pizeo tweeters self-destruct after a certain amount of use. I have a D8554 that still has great highs because I bought it new in box, but all my other Philips have shitty highs because the tweeters don't work any more, if they ever did. Pizeos are nothing more than Hallmark greeting card speakers. Cheap crap. All so the manufacturer can save $2 or 3 from not having to use a cone tweeter.

Oh and my D8554 has that same 8" woofer, it's not a sub at all, it's basically full-range.

I agree with what Reli says here but if you get one that is performing properly then not many boxes come close in sound...The d8614 that is☺

Hello,

I´ve worked on it, for me it´s a disgrace and a pain of work. Yes, i agree, it has mean looks, very promising looks i gotta admit, but performance..... not even worth a thing. These plastic speakers look really miserable, really, i know they tried, but what, is this a budget CS-800 or what ? Hydraulic eject, that´s a joke, it has a spring loaded door that didn´t work too good either. Amp, what is that ? Don´t know, i personally would avoid this box, cheapo CS-800 which is not the cutest one to service. Very disappointing in overall. The one i worked was my friend´s one luckily

Here's a pic that'll give you a little idea. Plenty of room for the 8". The small ones mount really oddly.