New boombox in 80's retro style with radio, cassette, cd, usb, bluetooth, line in, mic in.

goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
New boombox in 80's retro style with radio, cassette, cd, usb, bluetooth, line in, mic in.

There is many links and videos.
I posted them here for more detailed information.

In 2022, I found official site of chinese factory LEOTEC.

I found a few interesting things in the cassette player section:
There I found this 80 style retro boombox.

1 version: LEOTEK LT-CD1908BUCT - modification / clone of SHARP 575:
The same size, but with new features.

LT-1909BUCT

www.leotec.hk www.leotec.hk

LT-CD1908BUCT

www.leotec.hk www.leotec.hk

In 2022, these 2 boomboxes only existed as a project - a photo.
There were no real photos anywhere and they weren't for sale on the internet.

2 version: Medion Life MD 44238
For sale in Australia and Philippines in 2023.
There are 3 different colors: yellow, blue and gray:

3 version: AIWA Retro Boombox
This version appears in January 2023 at CES 2023
And it is a clone of Medion Life MD 44238, in gray color.


This version appears in January 2025 at CES 2025
And it is a clone of Medion Life MD 44238, in black color.

www.techlicious.com

Blast From the Past: Aiwa Retro Boombox Brings Back Mixtape Magic

Bring back the mixtape magic with the Aiwa Retro Boombox, blending cool vintage vibes and modern tech like Bluetooth and USB playback.
www.techlicious.com www.techlicious.com

4 version: Medion P 66538
This version appears in Europe in Germany in December 2023.
Apart from a different color scheme, the new version have a DAB tuner and a new display.

www.medion.com

MEDION® LIFE® P66538 Retro-Boombox | MEDION.DE

✅DAB+/UKW-PLL Radio ✅Bluetooth® 5.3 für kabellose Musikwiedergabe ✅CD-Player (CD-R/CD-RW/MP3) ✅Kassettendeck mit Aufnahmefunktion ✅AUX-In, USB, microSD, Mikrofonanschlüsse
www.medion.com www.medion.com


5 version: Soundmaster SCD1980
This version appears in Europe in Germany in December 2023.
It is a clone of Medion P 66538 but in gray color like Medion Life MD 44238.



6 version: MUSE M-380 GB
This version appears in Europe in France in October 2023.
It is a clone of 2 version: Medion Life MD 44238, in gray or black color, without DAB tuner.

www.muse-europe.com

M-380 GB – MUSE

www.muse-europe.com www.muse-europe.com

www.muse-europe.com

M-380 GBS – MUSE

www.muse-europe.com www.muse-europe.com



7 version: Orion SCR-B9
This version appears in Japan in 2023.
It is a clone of 2 version: Medion Life MD 44238, without a DAB tuner.
Apart from a different color scheme, the new version have a remote control.

SCR-B9｜AUDIO ORIONオーディオ｜株式会社ドウシシャ A＆V事業部

ORION(オリオン）｜テレビ 株式会社ドウシシャ テレビ/オーディオ機器総合サイト
www.doshisha-av.com www.doshisha-av.com




All boomboxes have the same technical specifications
with a difference in the radio tuner, some also have a DAB tuner.

www.muse-europe.com

M-380 GB – MUSE

www.muse-europe.com www.muse-europe.com


That's all info about this boombox for now.
I will be doing a video review very soon.
I waiting for your comments.
 
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Reli

Reli

Boomus Fidelis
The Soundmaster is the best looking version.
The Aiwa video proves that Aiwa has become a joke. They take kitchen appliances made by other companies and put their name on them. Dumb.
 
goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
Thomy71 said:
I guess none of any new boombox really makes sense unless finally someone starts to produce new decent tape drives.
Click to expand...
In the 21st century, when the cassette tape is a nostalgia of the past, no one will start making complex tape mechanisms.
The Tanashin mechanism is used, which is still produced. It is not made of plastic, but of metal and easy to service.
Since the 90s, many famous companies have used it in their bоomboxes, and they do not sound bad.


I like that they used the classic design of SHARP 575 and included so many different sources for playing music.

As for the look, I like the Japanese version with gold buttons - Orion SCR-B9
I like too MUSE M-380 GB (black) and MUSE M-380 GBS (Silver).

I don't like Medion P 66538 and Soundmaster SCD1980, because of their dark purple display, which they have for DAB radio.

Would you buy any of these versions and which one exactly?
 
Transistorized

Transistorized

Member (SA)
goodman said:
In the 21st century, when the cassette tape is a nostalgia of the past, no one will start making complex tape mechanisms.
The Tanashin mechanism is used, which is still produced. It is not made of plastic, but of metal and easy to service.
Since the 90s, many famous companies have used it in their bоomboxes, and they do not sound bad.
Click to expand...
I did some research on Tanashin mechanisms. The original Tanashin mechs had their logo by the erase head and featured auto stop by using the take-up spindle. I have found that a lot of these newer boomboxes are using Tanashin clones from China. Usually you can tell because the pinch roller arm is stamped with JS or HS or the the number 2 with no logo stamped on the main chassis. They also tend to use an auto stop that uses an arm to detect back pressure on the tape instead of the take-up spindle. This type of auto stop mechanism has more of a tendency to eat cassettes if they aren't very smooth and low in resistance or if the secondary drive belt driven off the main flywheel gets loose. All it takes is a cassette that has a slightly sticky or dragging take up wheel or a worn slack belt driving the clutch for the take up to cause a major issue. If the take up spindle ever stops, it will go undetected by the auto stop pressure arm positioned before the capstan. The result is a pinch roller that keeps pulling a tape that isn't being wound back onto the cassette. By the time you realize the tape is being eaten, it has screeched to a halt and wrapped itself around the pinch roller so tight, you almost need a knife to remove it. Even once this occurs, the auto stop never activates because the jam is after it, so it keeps on going, even if the motor has also been halted. The worse design ever if you value your cassettes.

The best modern transport I have seen for a modern boombox, is the GPO Brooklyn. It has auto stop using the spindles and also stops on Rewind and Fast Forward.
 
Reli

Reli

Boomus Fidelis
Hmm, my GPO Brooklyn tape drive makes rattling noises at certain angles, and it's brand new. Sometimes FF/RW doesn't work at all.
 
Transistorized

Transistorized

Member (SA)
Reli said:
Hmm, my GPO Brooklyn tape drive makes rattling noises at certain angles, and it's brand new. Sometimes FF/RW doesn't work at all.
Click to expand...
Not surprising. They're still a cheaply made clone albeit an improvement over the base clones. That definitely sounds broken Reli.
 
goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
I agree with you that they use a cheap cassette mechanism, but nowadays that is available.
I like this MUSE M-380 more than the GPO Brooklyn because of the classic design and many features.

I am not sure that they will make something better than this MUSE M-380 in the near future.
This boombox you can buy in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and maybe in USA...

From the other side there is no news about New Wave Toys 777.
We can wait more that 4-5 years, who knows?
Their products is for sale mostly in USA.
 
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goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
When a new boombox appears, there are usually a lot of comments and discussions.
This was the case with Lasonic 931, GPO Brooklyn, ION Street Rocker.
But for this Sharp clone, I don't see such euphoria here in the forum.
Are the big collectors of classic boxes interested in these new clones?
What do they think about this concept of uniting old and new technologies?
Are they thinking of buying one? Is it worth such an investment?
These are some of the questions that seem interesting to me for discussion.
This way we will also give guidance to other collectors who have not yet decided what to do.
That's why I tried to give as much information as possible
about the development of this project and about the various clones available today.
I hope you have something to write about this topic.
 
Reli

Reli

Boomus Fidelis
Thank you for gathering all the information on this model. I think it's cool that they imitated the Sharp 575, just like the GPO imitated the Lasonic 920.
If there's lack of interest from this forum, it's probably because:
  1. The market is saturated with "retro style" boxes.
  2. Quality expectations are low. The more audio sources you cram into one box, the lower the quality will be. We saw that with the GPO.
  3. Inflation has cut into every discretionary hobby. Fewer people are spending $200+ on boxes.
  4. Most of the "old heads" have moved on
 
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mudman

mudman

Member (SA)
The big mystery is the Sony CFD-S401, seemingly still in production for JDM and it has soft touch controls!

Some of the new "boomboxes" are interesting but most look like poor build quality. and personally I'd invest in a classic before something new. I'm sure there's a market for someone new to cassettes and boomboxes but just like the GPO's, Lasonics and Bumpboxes, they're starting to turn up at the Goodwill along with Crosley Turntables.

​

 
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Transistorized

Transistorized

Member (SA)
I purchased the Lasonic i931x, ION Retro Glow, GPO Brooklyn, JBL Boombox, -That other BT speaker which shall not be named-(long time ago), the mini M90 from NWTs and the DJ-Tech. I greatly appreciate that there are manufactures who want to revive what once was, but the quality simply isn't there. The only modern boombox that I really have been impressed with is the DJ-Tech.
 
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goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
Transistorized said:
I greatly appreciate that there are manufactures who want to revive what once was, but the quality simply isn't there.
Click to expand...

Yes, I completely agree with you...
Even the big manufacturers have stopped making audio equipment.
There are no more HI-FI, DVD and Blu-ray players.There are only cheap eggs boomboxes.
When I enter the store, I only see phones, tablets, laptops, TVs and soundbars.
They don't sell movies and music on disc anymore.
When I want to buy something, I order it from eBay or make it myself
(like what happened with Kylie's last 2 albums):


I haven't bought any of the new boomboxes. I wanted to buy only one, but to like it.
It should have a retro design, like the old boxes, and not stand out too much, but also have modern features.
That's why I've been doing this research for the past 2 years.
 
goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
I assume that most of you (or those who are interested) have reviewed the topic.

I showed you the different models and a few videos,
but I haven't written about the technical and functional capabilities.
As you know, I bought the MUSE M-380 version and I can already mention some personal impressions.

The design is a copy of the SHARP 575.
I like this look, as well as the layout of the buttons and functions.

Radio:
The tuner works well and receives a lot of stations without even opening the antenna.

Cassette:
We commented on the cassette mechanism used in this boombox.
It has it's pros and cons.
It is currently new and works quietly and without any complaints.
The auto-stop at the end of the cassette also works.
I haven't tried recording, because I make my recordings on a cassette deck.

CD player:
It works well with original and recorded CD-R discs.
It also plays MP3 CD-R discs well.
The display only shows information about the song number.
There is no CD text or MP3 text.

MICRO SD / USB player:
It plays MP3 files well.
The display only shows information about the song number or folder.
There is folder navigation (+ -). Тhis is good for finding individual albums.
Тhere is no MP3 text.

Bluetooth:
It connects easily to a phone or other device. The display says PAIR.

Line input and Mic input:
The line input is suitable for connecting other audio devices.
Mic input have volume and echo controls.

Display:
Shows information about the different sources and for CD and MICRO SD / USB players.

VU meters:
They have lighting. They show the signal level and do not depend on the volume control.

Treble, Bass, Volume:
When adjusted, information is displayed on the display.

The sound quality is good and there are no vibrations from the plastic housing.
The volume is sufficient for a medium or larger room.

Power supply:
AC 220 volts, but it may be multi voltage. DC 12 volts on batteries, I have not tried it.

In conclusion, I can mention that I am pleased with both the design and the capabilities of this boombox.
I miss the remote control from the Japanese version.
Whoever has decided to get something with a retro design and modern functions will be satisfied.
This is my personal opinion and I am not trying to advertise the product, but to share my observations.
 
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Transistorized

Transistorized

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That is interesting with the VU meters. That is nice to know. Most use them for volume output. I actually would prefer them to be with input source.

When you get a chance, can you confirm if the VU meters are in stereo, or only connected to the right or left channel? I know a lot of boxes, including the ION, tend to only use one of the channels for both meters both LED and VU.
 
goodman

goodman

Member (SA)
Reli said:
What file formats can the USB play
Click to expand...
According to the specifications, USB and micro SD card play mp3 files.
This is good and enough for me and I haven't test it with other files.
Play good MP3 at 192 or 320 kb/s.
You can recording to USB too, but maybe it's at 128 kb/s and I don't test it.


Transistorized said:
That is interesting with the VU meters. That is nice to know. Most use them for volume output. I actually would prefer them to be with input source.

When you get a chance, can you confirm if the VU meters are in stereo, or only connected to the right or left channel? I know a lot of boxes, including the ION, tend to only use one of the channels for both meters both LED and VU.
Click to expand...
I searched for my old demo tapes with stereo recordings and made some tests
and I can say that VU meteres work in stereo mode and show the signal level of source
and do not depend on the volume control. Мaybe there are improvements over some other models.
 
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goodman

goodman

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8 version: Roxel Camden
This version appears in UK in January 2025.
It is a clone of Medion P 66538 with a DAB tuner and a new display.


www.roxel.co.uk

Roxel Camden Retro Cassette CD Player Boombox with DAB/FM Radio, Portable with D Batteries, BT 5.3, USB/TF/SD Playback, Mains Power, Headphone Jack, Vintage Design - Roxel

About this item Retro Vintage Design for Every Space: The Roxel Camden Retro Cassette CD Player Boombox boasts a nostalgic design that brings retro vibes to any setting, be it a garden party, office, kitchen, or living room. Its vintage aesthetic is paired with modern features for the ultimate...
www.roxel.co.uk www.roxel.co.uk


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