JVC m90 vs Victor m90

[Tinman]

I guess my specs have changed over the years also Most of my values have gone down..haha.

"What a drag it is getting old"

 

[Transistorized]

"What a drag it is getting old"

You aren't lying brother. The rolling stones wrote a song about it.

But, I enjoy us seasoned boomboxery members. We can lean on one another, and there is something to be said for that

We lived the best years of this world IMO. Our existing working radios are the icon of an era.

 

[Tinman]

You aren't lying brother. The rolling stones wrote a song about it.

But, I enjoy us seasoned boomboxery members. We can lean on one another, and there is something to be said for that

We lived the best years of this world IMO. Our existing working radios are the icon of an era.

Not sure if you clicked on my quote but it's a link.
I can't get the song out of my head.
It'll be in there for at least a few days
Growing up in the 80s was pretty great.

 

[Ghettoboom767]

This is a great reminder of these ratings and outputs and again this has all been 'put to bed' it's all fairly simple.Different aging electronics and how they were kept and treated and used over the years gives us all different results.
Great job Norm for your experience and electronics genius!!!
I just need to someday restore my M-90.
Have new grills and eject button to put in and needs deck fixed.

 

[Transistorized]

Not sure if you clicked on my quote but it's a link.
I can't get the song out of my head.
It'll be in there for at least a few days
Growing up in the 80s was pretty great.

Haha. I just now realized it was a link

 

[aiwapanasonic]

I've got some more stats on the different models; I would assume correct unless someone has played around swapping parts with the machines I got hold of; unlikely but just to keep that in mind as a possibility.

My observations:

• The two non-JDM models are both rated at 70W with seemingly identical AC to DC power transformers. However, the speakers are differently signed models- one has the 20W speakers, the other the 25W speakers (I'm not saying the speakers are indeed different because it's been discussed elsewhere that they are most likely identical, regardless of the W and model number written on them)
• the JDM Victor has a higher DC output coming from the power transformer at 20.5v but this could be due to the fact that my AC voltage for two JVCs is set to 240v at the switch; but the mains only has 230v currently. The LD/W models have both 19v DC at the power plug
• Now I get that mod by the guy who used 12 batteries instead of 10; it brings the battery DC output to the same level as what's coming out of the AC/DC transformer inside; still, I'm not sure if it's safe to do this because the two power circuits may still be different so I wouldn't do this myself
• The BIGGEST difference: the Volume pot is marked differently on the Victor vs the JVCs. The halfway up mark is at 5.5 on the victor vs 5 on the JVC. So if you want to set both at 4, it means the JVC machine is about 5-7% higher on the volume pot. It makes quite bit of a difference. I wonder if we got caught by this during the listening tests

JVC RC M90 LD:
- DIN for Rec/Playback.
- 70 W written on the back
- woofers: JVC HSA2005-01J , 25W written on them.
- DC in: 15v written on the back
- AC 240/220/110v
- voltage measured at the power plug after the power transformer: 19v (AC switch set to 240v; power in the mains: 230v)

JVC RC M90 W:
- Line in / out;
- 70 W written on the back
- woofers: JVC HSA2005-01G; 20W written on them
- DC in: 15v written on the back
- AC 240/220/110v
- voltage measured at the power plug after the power transformer: 19v (AC switch set to 240v; power in the mains: 230v)

Victor RC M90:
- Line in / out;
- 28W written on the back
- woofers: JVC HSA2005-01G; 20W written on them
- DC in: 15v written on the back
- AC 100v
- voltage measured at the power plug after the power transformer: 20.5v (this is a 100v only; power in the mains: 100v; using a step-down converter)

 

[aiwapanasonic]

some photos

 

[aiwapanasonic]

I would like to reopen the topic and close it again. This is why:
- I found and listened to a third specimen of a JVC m90 LD. The one with Din for Rec/PB. It sounds identical to the other two LD machines: crystal clear highs, almost piercing, champaign-like sound; and a bit more ooomph overall. This difference is definite on tape; while on Radio/Line in, I'd say it's not there or at least I cannot hear it. I have also heard the m90 W model, which is identical to all the Victors. All restored by the same person, and no recapping. I am not ignoring the comment on condition and recapping; but then again, recapping isn't a must for these machines. And the bottom line is that without recapping, they all (about 8) sound great and they sound like each other, I would say in two groups for Tape: JVC LDs in one group; Victor and JVC W model in the other. For radio / Line in, I'd say all sound identical.
- I found today this ad on Ebay and it turns out that JVC RC M90 W was made not just in Japan but also in Indonesia. The back plate says: "Peringatan ... something in another language ... PT Panggung Electric Industries under licence of Victor company of Japan". I don't know if this means it was different, but it goes to say that there were variables in the production line of the m90... This Indonesian W model has 25W woofers; while the W model I found recently (originally from one Middle Eastern country, I don't know which one) has 20W.

So again, to me, trusting my ears (and two other pairs), the LD model is differently tuned, especially on tape. I don't know about the Canadian model or the JW model, because I have not heard them.