I am declaring a KING !

[Matrixambience]

LOL!! Ok OK Holly.......JVC is king/queen ( your opinion). I love my JVC M70's...yes I have two of them, and love those bad boys, but I really cherish my Panasonic RX-5080,RX-5180 mini, and my RX-DT-707 Cobra Top. The Panasonics have a quality feel that no JVC can match. I wished the M70's wasn't so slider happy. Ugh! Man hate those sliders, especially the dual volume sliders...feels cheap and cheesy like a playskool radio! Wished they used at least a rotary knob for the volume control on the M70. Forget the balance control, its a useless feature. If I want to listen to a mono radio, I would buy a mono radio.

 

[jaetee]

What a great debate!!!

Having heard LOTS and LOTS of boomboxes since meeting up with this crowd, and also back in the day when I had to bag groceries to earn money to afford tapes, records and D-cells.... I'm cool with JVC being crowned overall king manufacturer of boomboxes. But there are lots of really, really close seconds. (Sanyo, Sharp, National/Panasonic immediately come to mind)

Now, having said that, I'm feeling a bit disappointed that JVCs current efforts are so kaboom-centric, but they are still in the game with the biggest, baddest bass you can pull out of a box, plug batteries into and lug around. The batteries might only last about 85 seconds, but you can do it.

I really wish they would also do a new box along the lines of the new TDK...

I still remember that first week the M70 came out and when my friend Larry B. showed up with the first one we ever saw.... he was all super-proud and abundantly confident, with a big ole' grin on his face. That box kicked all of the other boomers to the curb when it came to battery-powered loudness battles at the basketball court. Especially if you were playing tapes, which we did. And while there are a lot of mid-size boxes out there that might sound better at low and medium volume, or had more features, none could touch the M70 past 6 on the sliders, including my better-looking Sharp GF-9292. Pretty much all challengers would either distort or they just didn't sound nearly as loud. And the batteries lasted pretty long in the M70, too.

That box had an awesome rep back then, and still does. I think there are still so many of them out there because it kicked some serious butt and was built to last. And then there's the M90 that we could talk about, too... (Juan, you had the M90 back in the day, where do you stand on this one???).

Anyway, I was proudly toting my Sharp GF-9292 back in 1980 and have since developed a soft spot in my heart for lots of different brands and models. And if a king manufacturer were to be crowned, JVC makes the most sense to me.

Panasonic and Sony can compete for "king of portable stereo" honors, but JVC is the "king of boomboxes."

 

[MONOLITHIC]

I remember hearing a Kaboom back when they first came out... The bass was impressive but its looks absolutely sucked a$s (and still do)!

I guess a tube is a step up from an egg design, but the only tubes with speakers in 'em that I liked were Bazooka subwoofers for cars.

 

[THAFUZZ]

Gotta agree with Mono. Though I've never heard a Kaboom- and believe the bass from it.The design is ugly. I don't wanna lug around a tube.

 

[baddboybill]

too although sound in kaboom is awesome it's not in a rectangular type shape as the boxes from decade of decadence (70-80's) I do agree that the tube shape is above and beyond the P.O.S of egg shape But he'll at least JVC is still trying to keep up with the market.... Panny/National was great back in the day but have nothing to show now Then you got 2 company's who also trying to fit in with superb sound and looks in a box Altec Lansing and TDK Got to get me that TDK 3

 

[Matrixambience]

Panasonic Corporation has owned JVC since 1953, so both are tops. Why would Panasonic produce a boombox to compete against themselves?? Doesn't make any sense. They had the market cornered in their favor. Its like what happened to Aiwa. They made a superior product and I believe sony owned them at the beginning of 2000 decade, and then they killed the Aiwa name for streamlining marketing. Aiwa's boomboxes I feel were actually better quality than sony's...while sony concentrated more on the "walkman" route. I am no marketing exec but can kinda figure out how some companies use the names they buy to push certain products they were originally known for and make money in the process. Just my 2 cents...

 

[Matrixambience]

....and looks like Panasonic sold the JVC name branch in 2008

 

[mellymelsr]

JVC M70 speakers are made by Panasonic........so......Panasonic is and always will be super king!

...for every Panasonic 1-piece you can name, there is a JVC model that will out perform it. The same holds true for there 3-piece models...

 

[stormsven]

JVC M70 speakers are made by Panasonic........so......Panasonic is and always will be super king!

...for every Panasonic 1-piece you can name, there is a JVC model that will out perform it. The same holds true for there 3-piece models...

National Panasonic 5180 just for starter ? This dwarf outperform some midsize JVCs. Not trying to say JVC is not good. But we should be fair . Sony sports will outperform any kaboom on the beach too just because the kaboom is really bad sealed and should stay on dry and no dusty environment (i own 2 kabooms but sony is weapon of choice on vacation and not just because outperform the JVC on batteries life). IMO the manufacturers was enough smart not to get in boombox battles. Why we are trying to do that . They are all great

 

[Reli]

How about in the mini category? Seems like Sanyos and Panasonics are the most sought-after minis.

 

[redbenjoe]

the 200 is definitely a 'full size' kaboom --

and if you guys want to enthrone that model as the
'king of kings '


that is right !!!!

 

[stormsven]

the 200 is definitely a 'full size' kaboom --

and if you guys want to enthrone that model as the
'king of kings '


that is right !!!!

Must get me one before kick up the price . Use to have 100 but no LEDs on 100. Yes, they are kickin hard. I believe is the loudest ever box so far ?

 

[redbenjoe]

the 200 is definitely a 'full size' kaboom --

. Yes, they are kickin hard. I believe is the loudest ever box so far ?

--------------------------------

its really very hard to judge which box is the loudest --
because it all depends on your own personal tolerance for distortion -

the big conion is THE loudest box --if you can ignore how horrible it gets

to me --the boxes that play the loudest before the horror show kicks in -
are the sony FH 3 piecers

the big kabooms come in second to those

 

[kaboomer]

This is hilarious ! The guy defending Panasonic needs a cassette door ? Did Panasonic have poor workmanship we should know about ??? Just kidding !

Also, if you want a Kaboom that will stand the test of time and volume, only get a RV-B90 Any color but prefer the LTD Blue as it didn't get that textured spray krap applied to them. I have already left 1 in the rain for 3 hours and let it drip dry, still works fine, and dropped 1 from the roof of a condo 2 story's high onto grass, still works. Now I have had 3 different NEW Kabooms and had trouble with all 3. Sent back to JVC 2 times before firmware upgrades were public, I do not ANY kaboom other than the RV-B90 period. The cassette mechs really are designed poorly and lock in the UP position but I only use the LINE IN anyways.

There is no doubt Panasonic and JVC are the top 2 , just tell me who wins. I have no Panasonics but have owned enough in the past to know they are built well. I am in LOVE with JVC but Panasonic just had more flagships ! Does more mean better ?

 

[ford93]

OK the M-90 may look boring to some but the M-90 along with the M-70 these boxes are rugged and on a handball court they display their loudness.

I've bought so many boxes back in the days that I finally settled with the M-90 back then and still to this day!

Another series that I consider to be top of the line are the Panasonic RX series.

 

[floyd]

i gotta admit i don't like the kabooms , i'm sure they're bassy but too me that's not enough to justify owning another one , after sitting in my jeep with 2 15 inch old skool kicker competition subwoofers it will make you forget any box real fast

as far as the king of boomboxes is concerned i think each person has their own king for whatever reason it excites them and that's all that matters , hell i seen big ass boxes ,loud boxes ,flashy boxes ,rare boxes you name it . sometimes it's the simple boxes that get the most use .

everybody wants a princess but hell you can't take a princess out in the wind and rain without ruining her for life ,and watching the gleem wash away
but you can with an everyday joe box all that's gonna wash off is the dirt .

 

[kaboomer]

That's the exact reason I tote the Kabooms !!! So they can get scratched and banged, it's loud and who cares if I ding it up, I bought them used for that purpose. I would never take a grail that was built in the 70's or early 80's outside in the UV rays and wind and dirt ! That's the void Kaboom fills nicely. I take a deep cycle battery and 2 Kabooms and rock it for 8 hours about half to 3/4 volume and it is plenty for picnics and party's . Don't have to worry about them gettin kicked or knocked down. Sacrificial lambs they are.....