This is like a recurring thread, I've been through all the old threads on this and the old forum, but also the walkman archives is what started my interest.
To me, the last 90's one-piecers are great - Aiwa CSD SR8 has this BBE option that makes the highs just amazing; while it also has a good but not overwhelming bass. Mine has a CD that works and Line in that works and two decks that both work, even with the original belts. They just cannot do REW but I am about to rebelt them. So I'd call the AIWA the queen of the 90's one-piecers. It has a very refined sound and look. The sound is Hi-fi to me.
The king of the one-piecers from the 90s IMO is the Panasonic RX DT8 or RX DT9. I have the DT8 and it is like the AIWA but the highes aren't as expressed while the bass is much more powerful. The overall power is greater. You could say the Aiwa is good for vocals/jazz while the Panasonic is for modern beats. Some people say the best Panasonic is the platinum series RX DT 680 but I just compared them last week. The bass on the DT8 is of better quality, not as booming as the RX DT 680 (which is a 3-piecer of the same age). I need to do more listening but my initial impression is that the DT8 is the better one. I also have the RX DT-99, which is the top Cobra egg in the basement but not restored yet. Some say it is on par with 909 or 707.
All of these (Aiwa CSD SR8; Panasonic RX DT8/9; Panasonic RX DT-99) are JDM-only models. You have to import them and you won't be sorry. The only trouble is they don't have the full FM radio but I seem to forget this because you have the three other options. There are some 90s black plastic Victors that should be good too but I haven't heard them.
The good ones from the 90's are generally only for indoors and with some good room acoustics. I have read this from others; and my findings are the same.
I have not heard a Kaboom but would not put it in the same bucket as it is mainly for outdoors and is just loud and good on bass but not balanced.
Ok, and what about the 80's? Obviously the King JVC m90 (the woofers do use a unique technology). IMO the runner-up is Aiwa CS880 - mine had the speakers redone properly; while it does not fart, it can get overwhelming on the bass so I need to dial it down. You have to position the Aiwa a bit further away from the wall, and it sounds close to a modern hifi system.
I have not heard the top 80s Sharps. I have heard the top Panasonics and Sanyos and Toshibas - all are very very good but don't blow you away like the JVC m90 and the Aiwa CS 880.
The 80s one-piecers have the open backs which is a criticism in the Walkman Archives article but I think the idea was just different: the 80s boxes were done for outdoors and they have amazing looks and they get super loud. By the way, the Aiwa CS880 is an exception - its speaker box is closed, which is how the passive radiator works.
Then getting into 3-piecers is tricky because they have enclosed cabinets. There is so much choice and lots has been written about 3-piecers, but they are kind of a hybrid because they have a handle but the speakers can detach and overall aren't that portable IMO. You wouldn't be moving a Telefunken around to the BBQ area and back every week. But smaller ones could be portable; it's a matter of preference.
And what about the modern times? It's a bit like modern walkmans vs the good Sony/Aiwa/Panasonic walkmans, it's a conversation that goes quiet pretty quickly.
I never auditioned a Panasonic DT-8 or 9. I never even saw one. I only recently discovered there was a higher model than the RX-DT75, which I owned at one time. I am really considering buying an old RX-DT909. I know it's a risk, tho. It's old. Ships from Japan, as you say. I really like the dual display. I liked the quality of the DT75 and I remember being impressed by the sound of the DT707. imo, the 707 outperforms the 75, sonically, but not in electronic function.
I never heard the DT680, but I had owned the DT690 and I liked it's sound overall. I recall it sounding more like a home audio bookshelf system. Did it have the motorized volume knob? I seem to remember. I liked their adjustable deep bass output. I think my only negative was the bass seemed more boomy than deep. Kind of muddy.
I had owned the CS-880U. I liked the sound of that one as well. The look was excellent. Nothing better than large professional looking analog VU meters for me. And side by side with a digital tuner display. The best of the old and the new. Really sharp looking unit. Plus, the first one-piece to offer a true enclosed speaker system. Very nice. I never noticed any issue with the passive. I disagree that a passive requires a cloth spider. I've used heavier flat passives and they work well. It's more a matter of adjusting diaphragm mass for the size of the enclosure and matching the passive to the active woofer. Trial and error, imo.
As you say, bass was very full. More of a true home speaker system sound quality. But the treble was only so-so. As I previously said, I found the tweeters had an open-back design, not sealed. If I had that unit now, I'd replace the tweeters to see if the treble improved. imo, the Aiwa had limited volume. It did not seem to get as loud, for me. But, then again, I was 30 yrs younger lol.
Another one piece which I thought delivered very natural full sound was the Pioneer Sk-71, I think(?). It featured removable cloth grills. 6" 'woofers'. Tweeters. and a pair of LCD VUs. I recall bass was smooth. Mids were natural and treble was fine. But, it too, did not get very loud, for me, anyway. Tape deck had "power assisted" piano keys. Not full solenoids. Deck response was very good. The VU meters moved very fluid-like. Many segments. Very nice unit overall.
I had owned several JVC Kabooms. Very good quality. High power output. But, not for the critical listener, imo. Very boomy bass. Sounds amazing, at first. But, then seems to cause fatigue. No real bass detail. And I had to turn up the Bass control to max or bass seemed disappointing. Mids became distorted if played too loud. Either due to lack of amp power, lack of current from power supply or simply the front 3" drivers were too small and pushed beyond their physical limitations. Treble was fuzzy. Very 'processed' sound. Not natural at all, as one might expect from a single cone front firing driver. Great for parties. Not for critical listening.
Portable 3-piece components were awesome, in their own right. But they could be subdivided into two groups. imo, the lower group would consist of 3-piece boomboxes like the Sony CS line, the Panasonic DT680 and 690, etc, and other lower powered 3-piecers. Then you have the true mini component portable 3-piecers like the Sony Hi-Density line and the Technics SA-C line. I think I'd place the JVC PC-5 and PC-R55 with the higher mini component subdivision.
idk what to say about current audio trends. The best sounding of all the 80's styled boxes that I have tried, honestly, is the GPO Mahattan. But, it is really just a bluetooth speaker dressed up as a 80's style boombox. No CD. No cassette.
Chrome looking top control panel. Does have mic input with mic vol and mic echo. USB and AUX inputs.
Sound quality is very pleasant. Smooth overall. Bass is good, at all volume levels, low or high. Mids are clean and treble is nice. Detailed but not shrill.
Inside, are separate left/right wood enclosures (1/2" MDF or compressed paper construction) but works well. 4" long throw woofers, of good quality, with about 10 oz mag. Bass-reflex design with side firing 1" ducted ports. Tweeters appear to be a soft mylar 1" dome type loaded into a waveguide config. Features bass/treble/balance/volume. Volume/tone controls are analog, I believe. Power output claimed 50/ch. Of course, it's bs. It's a D-class amp. I think I measured between 15-20W/ch, at full volume, flat setting, 1 Khz.
I really despise the seemingly spectrum analyzer display. It is useless! Pisses me off. Why didn't they include a true spectrum analyzer? Or a pair of decent VU meters? It is just blinking lights for show. More like a party light display, synchronized to the music beat.
I don't like the oversized woofer grilles. Why? Because I'm tempted to replace the 4" woofers with larger drivers. I think a 6"'driver will fit, without modifying the grills. Drives me crazy lol.
The Li-ion battey is decent too. Rated 14.8 VDC at about 4 Amps. Good enough for loud undistorted playing for a few hours, without issues. The brick power supply is good. Rated 18 VDC at 5 Amps. That's a decent amount of current.
This unit currently sells for under $150. Looks pretty nice overall.
I like the 'new' Lasonic i931BT with rechargeable battery only for its sheer size and its 8" woofers. Other than that, I believe its quality will probably suck and sound will be disappointing.
I did hear a mini JBL bluetooth speaker once, outdoors, by a public pool. Crazy amount of sound. For a moment, I thought someone was playing a home stereo nearby. But its not a boombox. Just a high quality min speaker. No aesthetics. No user controls to play with. No other functions other than bluetooth. I guess that's the trend, nowadays. Boring to me lol
