GE vs Panasonic

[Transistorized]

I'm having a showdown between the GE 3-5259A and the Panasonic RX-5050.



These two boxes tend to be the radio I grab when I don't want a huge amount of weight but a decent sound. The JVC M70 is in the general mid-size range but it weighs much more and is in another class in regards to power output so it is being excluded. These two models seem to be the best match in my collection for a showdown.

Panasonic

Pros:
I like the EQ on the Panasonic. It feels lighter to me than the GE. It's obviously a little smaller which is great when going on vacation and every square inch of vehicle space matters. It has a full motor driven transport with feather touch controls. It is a decent performer in the AM/FM category. It goes loud and is easy on batteries. The best thing about the Panasonic is the Ambience. Turn that on and the radio really comes to life. One of the best I have heard. It has the typical Panasonic tradition of being dependable and reliable.

Cons:
Not as crisp on the highs as I would like. Has a slightly hollow sound to the mid range to my ears. Bass rolls off quickly. Tuner needle has lots of play in relationship to the tuning knob on the side. Only has a single VU meter LED output without tuner/battery strength indicator albeit the power LED will dim when batteries are low. No music search but you can cue up your song manually. This is being picky but I'm not as much of a fan of knobs and switches being on top. That's just another place for dust and dirt to find its way inside. While not part of this showdown, I'm looking primarily at you JVC M70

GE Blockbuster

Pros:
What's not to like? It's aesthetically pleasing. It has decent AM performance and awesome FM performance. In the right atmosphere it sounds really good with warm bass and the treble is crisp. It also has excellent mid-range. Dual VU meters that are there with purpose - signal/battery strength / input signal strength. High end full motor driven transport with music search (3 songs forward/backward). It's a solid machine with knobs that are smooth and the tuner needle is precise as you move it up and down the scale.

Cons:
Suffers from a few design flaws. The head assembly and idler gear are the main culprits that are prone to fail. Another common issue is sticking VU meters. It's easy to distort the bass at higher volumes (5/6) when the bass is at max (mine might need caps). Stereo wide feature is nowhere near as good as Panasonic's Ambience. I mainly leave it off. The music search feature automatically engages when you simply want to cue a cassette back just a bit - very annoying. There is a workaround for this.

So which one do I like better? I enjoy them both for different reasons. But, if I had to choose between the two I would take the Blockbuster's features and overall natural sound and build quality over the Panasonic. Its components may not have held up over time as well as the Panasonic, but it makes up for it in performance once you get over the hurdle of it's common failures. The Panasonic still has a place over the GE. It has held up better over time and it kicks the GE's butt when you turn on Ambience. The sound just floats around you in the room and it can actually over power the GE with this mode on. It's unbelievable. Despite this, it's not as solid as the GE. Knobs and sliders are a bit wobbly with some play in them. So fit and finish goes to the GE. Plus the GE has metal speaker grills where the Panasonic is a single molded piece of plastic to look like a grill. You can't really see the speaker like you can with the GE. What's not to love about those huge chrome dust caps?....even if the voice coil underneath isn't but the size of a nickel

So, earlier I was talking about the Blockbuster's MLS auto engaging and that being annoying (Con). Unless my unit is malfunctioning, this is what I mean. If you are playing a cassette and you simply want to go back and hear what the lyrics in the chorus were without rewinding to the beginning of the song, you have to stop, rewind and then press play to do that. If you press Rew/FF at any time during playback, the MLS automatically kicks on. It lights the number 1 LED on the MLS panel and then proceeds to FF or Rew to the beginning or end. One would think that it would simply Cue the tape unless you press the MLS button at the top to light the LED's and turn it on.

Good thing is, I found a workaround for this. If you lightly press another function button to where the tape function pops out but no other function button locks in, it still outputs the cassette for audio playback. You will need to turn the volume down to not get blown away from the high pitched sound but, at that point the MLS is turned off and you can then Cue back or forward within a song without the MLS system taking over. Maybe some of you that have had a Blockbuster for years might confirm this with your radio If so, maybe I hacked a new unlocked potential that has yet to be discovered with this model.

 

[Eddy]

The GE looks better but hey Panas are just better built . Cool pic

 

[autobot84]

the sanyo on the left wins hands down

 

[Transistorized]

The GE looks better but hey Panas are just better built . Cool pic

Thanks Eddy. I always tell my wife that Panasonics are like older Toyotas. They just go and go.

the sanyo on the left wins hands down

I have been using it a bunch here lately. I enjoy the meters and sound. This is a relatively new box for me so we will see how well it holds up over time. I believe this GE radio was made by Funai although I know it has a Hitachi amplifier chip and likely a few other shared components. I looked up the GE date code which is 2323 online. The internet says it was made in 2023..lol. Going to do a little digging. I am certain its 81 or 82 this came out.

 

[Reli]

I wonder how that Panny would stack up against the RX-5150 and 5250

 

[Transistorized]

I wonder how that Panny would stack up against the RX-5150 and 5250

I don't own either but if I judge a book by its cover, I would say it would be comparable to the 5150 but I think the 5250 might sound better. It certainly looks like a superior model.

 

[floyd]

I don't own either but if I judge a book by its cover, I would say it would be comparable to the 5150 but I think the 5250 might sound better. It certainly looks like a superior model.

I don't know about the rx 5150 but I do know the rx 5250 is next level compared to the rx 5050 mind you it's a lot more expensive than either the 5150 or the 5050. I love the rx 5050 and there's a reason I have 2 of these because their worth having . thanks to Ryan this man is a true friend he sent me one for free.

 

[Transistorized]

I don't know about the rx 5150 but I do know the rx 5250 is next level compared to the rx 5050 mind you it's a lot more expensive than either the 5150 or the 5050. I love the rx 5050 and there's a reason I have 2 of these because their worth having . thanks to Ryan this man is a true friend he sent me one for free.

I appreciate that brother Floyd. It was my pleasure. It needed some work as I recall but it had plenty of usable parts and/or a perfect candidate for restoration.

If I recall correctly, you sent me a parts deck that was compatible with my C100F. I was able to use that to repair an issue I was having with Goldie. It was making a clicking sound and recording that onto every tape I played through it. Very concerning at the time. Ended up being a broken spring on the auto-stop mechanism. It just so happens your parts deck had the cure for its problem. It's all fixed thanks you your parts deck so trust me when I say this, I consider you a great friend as well. You along with others on here have truly helped keep the dream alive around my home.

That goes back to what I have been saying about the boombox. It's just a pathway to the memories and meeting great people in our lives.

Rock on

 

[floyd]

I appreciate that brother Floyd. It was my pleasure. It needed some work as I recall but it had plenty of usable parts and/or a perfect candidate for restoration.

If I recall correctly, you sent me a parts deck that was compatible with my C100F. I was able to use that to repair an issue I was having with with Goldie. It was making a clicking sound and recording that onto every tape I played through it. Very concerning at the time. Ended up being a broken spring on the auto-stop mechanism. It just so happens your parts deck had the cure for its problem. It's all fixed thanks you your parts deck so trust me when I say this, I consider you a great friend as well. You along with others on here have truly helped keep the dream alive around my home.

That goes back to what I have been saying about the boombox. It's just a pathway to the memories and meeting great people in our lives.

Rock on

Now I remember . that parts deck came from a trident cx 473. It has many similarities to the c100 deck.
.

 

[floyd]

I appreciate that brother Floyd. It was my pleasure. It needed some work as I recall but it had plenty of usable parts and/or a perfect candidate for restoration.

If I recall correctly, you sent me a parts deck that was compatible with my C100F. I was able to use that to repair an issue I was having with Goldie. It was making a clicking sound and recording that onto every tape I played through it. Very concerning at the time. Ended up being a broken spring on the auto-stop mechanism. It just so happens your parts deck had the cure for its problem. It's all fixed thanks you your parts deck so trust me when I say this, I consider you a great friend as well. You along with others on here have truly helped keep the dream alive around my home.

That goes back to what I have been saying about the boombox. It's just a pathway to the memories and meeting great people in our lives.

Rock on

i needed a battery cover for my rx 5050 he sent the whole boombox for free. To me that means a lot because I don't have a lot of money to spend . I have too many bills to pay . and something like a free boombox means a lot to me. I don't expect it but sometimes it just makes you feel good.

 

[goodman]

You described both the positive and negative qualities very well.
If I had to choose, I would choose the GE model.
Besides the better rating, I like the way it looks.

 

[Eddy]

Thanks Eddy. I always tell my wife that Panasonics are like older Toyotas. They just go and go.


I have been using it a bunch here lately. I enjoy the meters and sound. This is a relatively new box for me so we will see how well it holds up over time. I believe this GE radio was made by Funai although I know it has a Hitachi amplifier chip and likely a few other shared components. I looked up the GE date code which is 2323 online. The internet says it was made in 2023..lol. Going to do a little digging. I am certain its 81 or 82 this came out.

I know , have a 2006 corolla . Bullitproof car

 

[Eddy]

I wonder how that Panny would stack up against the RX-5150 and 5250

Have 3 RX5250 s . They sound sweet . RX 5050 is rare in Europe............ Don't own one

 

[Transistorized]

What is interesting is how easy they are to service. On either one, the face just lifts away after removing/ejecting the cassette door. I took the GE outside yesterday. It was very humid and the left VU didn't like the humidity and started sticking. Not to mention the day before, I made a bonehead mistake of moving the radio with the antenna up. It wasn't extended but high enough to where I crammed it into the underside of the kitchen cabinets. I immediately check to see if any damage occurred. Sure enough the antenna post was wobbly and loose I could only get mad at myself (which I still am because it was stupid). The radio went over 40 years without anyone managing to break what I did in a few weeks.

I lived with the loose antenna post but outside when the left VU started to act up again, I knew that wasn't going to fly. The VU's are what I love about the GE. I had previously researched how to repair sticking meters. I found a YouTube video with a technician repairing a VU meter in an amp. He went over how to use acetone to remove/dissolve the coating securing a tiny set screw on the front of the VU meter. Once the loctite coating was dissolved, he loosened the screw 1/4 turn or until the meter moved freely again. Remembering this and now having two reasons to head back into the radio, I tore back into it. I did have to remove the entire circuit board to get to the antenna support screw but it was super easy to remove the entire radio circuit board. The simplicity of this thing is amazing. No dial cord removal or anything. It's all on the main board and comes out in one piece.

So I get to the antenna screw and noticed that when I had bumped the antenna, the shock of that transferred to the screw and the post it screwed into which slightly cracked the top of the post causing the screw to not stay tight. The screw only went down 1/4 of an inch. So the next thought I had was, I wonder how deep the predrilled hole in that post goes? I used a toothpick and it went in 3 times longer than the screw. YAY! Uncharted territory! So I went down into my basement and went through my bins until I found the exact screw size I needed that was at least twice as long. I carefully inserted the replacement self tapping screw into the unused lower new section of the post. Tightened up beautifully and now that problem is fixed. I was thankful they drilled the post way longer than the screw they used. Made my repair way easier.

Next was the VU meter. I carefully removed the factory tape on the top and sides. I left the bottom so the front cover would swing down like a door. I grabbed my wife's fingernail polish remover and a q tip and moistened the black sealant they used to secure the screw. With the tiniest precision flathead (used for repairing glasses), I went in and gently nudged the screw in both direction until it broke loose. I turned it out slightly until the meter freed up and bounced on its way back to its resting point. I put back together and success! I took the radio back outside in the humidity where the VU started sticking and it bounced happily for the rest of the evening while I enjoyed beverages all night. Not to mention the antenna is nice and secure again. I enjoyed working on it. I am thankful they kept service in mind when they made this thing.

Anyway, my whole reason for telling this whole story is to go over how repairable they both are. I have rebuilt both cassette decks and appreciated how easy they both are to get apart and fix. In service they both get an A.

 

[RoZyBoom]

the sanyo on the left wins hands down

If it's Sanyo, isn't it really in the Matsushita family just like the Panasonic? In essence the choice is Panasonic or Panasonic.

Matsushita had a hand in so many brands back in the day. JVC was majority owned by Matsushita too. I think it was pretty much Matsushita and Sony as far as boomboxes choices go. Sony owned Aiwa too, right?

 

[Transistorized]

The GE Blockbuster was made for GE by Funai which as far as I can tell, has no affiliation with Sanyo. But it is Japanese vs Japanese

 

[Transistorized]

You described both the positive and negative qualities very well.
If I had to choose, I would choose the GE model.
Besides the better rating, I like the way it looks.

I agree. The Blockbuster is a timeless design. I love the way it looks more every day.

 

[Matrixambience]

Oh this an excellent time warp rush to my brain!!
Those two same boomboxes were side by side for sale and on display in early 1984, at Jewelcor department store in Lancaster, PA, which is now defunct.
I was so impressed with both, tried them both out, on display in store.
The Panasonic was like $20 more!
I like the Pannys size to sound ratio, for the 5050 just screams!!
The GE also is great in sound, and I love the stereo accent on lower volumes.
The Ambience is awesome at all levels..
The controls on the GE are little better feel, but the cassette player in Panny seems more robust.
The GE cassette player was troublesome.
Both are gorgeous designs!
I was amazed of Pannys use of 22 watts input vs. GE’s 49 watts input.
I love GE’s big silver caps on woofers!!

 

[Patron]

great radios Both of them , on the GE the handle is a bit too close to the top of the radio.

 

[Transistorized]

Oh this an excellent time warp rush to my brain!!
Those two same boomboxes were side by side for sale and on display in early 1984, at Jewelcor department store in Lancaster, PA, which is now defunct.
I was so impressed with both, tried them both out, on display in store.
The Panasonic was like $20 more!
I like the Pannys size to sound ratio, for the 5050 just screams!!
The GE also is great in sound, and I love the stereo accent on lower volumes.
The Ambience is awesome at all levels..
The controls on the GE are little better feel, but the cassette player in Panny seems more robust.
The GE cassette player was troublesome.
Both are gorgeous designs!
I was amazed of Pannys use of 22 watts input vs. GE’s 49 watts input.
I love GE’s big silver caps on woofers!!

That is very interesting. I would have thought the 5050 would've been less. That's good to know. GE's always did seem to be the more budge radio in price.

great radios Both of them , on the GE the handle is a bit too close to the top of the radio.

Yeah. The thing I hate the most is the antenna interferes with the handle. I imagine quite a few antennas got broken/bent in the day.