Telefunken Comparison Test!

[Reli]

Here is a tale of two AKA's....And how 2 companies can make them look so different even though they share the same chassis.

Remember back in the 80's, when all the Chrysler K-cars shared the same chassis? Or how the Chevy Blazer was just an S10 pickup with a different body? That's how I define an AKA.....a box that shares the same "chassis" as another box.

Witness these two gems, the Telefunken CR100 and the MacDonald Instruments 06-33-63. Same dimensions, same exact back panel, same battery door, same vents, same screw holes.....everything. Well, except the MacDonald has some extra antenna leads, but all they had to do was drill some holes......it's still the same chassis.





Now, look at the front sides.....Totally different. Not just different style, but different knobs and switches. Same tape deck though, of course.





The Telefunken has square grills and a "brushed" appearance, versus the MacDonald's chrome.






The MacDonald is a stunner, with its chrome knobs and tape keys. Plus it's just got MORE of them....It has knobs for Mic Mixing and Manual Recording, which the Telefunken lacks.







Here's a close-up of the Telefunken's main attraction -- that badass lighted tuner
Looks freaking SWEET at night....







The MacDonald doesn't have a tuner light, so as a consolation prize, it gives you a longer LED meter with a 3-position switch that allows you to change whether it measures VU, signal strength, or watts.......SO freaking awesome.







But wait, there's some MORE differences on the side......The MacDonald has more options






So, to summarize: The Telefunken has a badass tuner light, but the MacDonald has more features and more LED's. So now you're thinking......The MacDonald's gotta weigh more, right? WRONG....It only weighs 12.4 lbs, while the Telefunken weighs 13.6. Why, you ask? Well, I popped 'em open, and the Telefunken has different speakers with bigger magnets.....The amps are different too. Result? More bass.

So, whatever fits your fancy......Want more bass? More knobs? More LED's? Tuner light? Make you choice!

 

[Cpl-Chronic]

Nice write up & comparison, Reli. I really enjoyed it.

Cheers,
Cpl

 

[Gluecifer]

Rockin comparison, Reli!

This has taught me that I obviously need both models to be truly happy.



Rock On.

 

[bklyn sound]

Rockin comparison, Reli!

This has taught me that I obviously need both models to be truly happy.



Rock On.

 

[jimmyjimmy19702010]

Wow, those are both such beautiful boxes. I'd love to own both as they are sufficiently different from each other.

If I had to choose, I think I'd take the box with more bass.....!

James....

 

[skippy1969]

Great comparo!!!!!
I always wondered how these two compare.
I had the Telefunken before and it was wonderful.

 

[AE_Stereo]

Mercedes vs Cadillac!

 

[Reli]

Ha ha! Good analogy......The Mercedes is all about performance and understated style, while the Cadillac is all about chrome and tons of useless features!

 

[-GZ-]

Great comparo!!!!!
I always wondered how these two compare.
I had the Telefunken before and it was wonderful.

Yeah ya did.
I love how the tuner dial lights up on the cr100. I stared at mine for quite some time when I got it. Excellent sounding box. Always wished it had round grills but after the side by side I think I like the square ones better. Nice job Reli.

 

[=ml=]

Nice write up & comparison, Reli. I really enjoyed it.

Cheers,
Cpl

Same here!

Go!

=ml=

 

[redbenjoe]

Same here!

Go!

=ml=

ditto -- thanks

 

[Reli]

Yeah ya did.
I love how the tuner dial lights up on the cr100. I stared at mine for quite some time when I got it. Excellent sounding box. Always wished it had round grills but after the side by side I think I like the square ones better. Nice job Reli.

Yeah, lots of square grills look good, like the 9494, 9696, C126.... but only if they have prominent round rings behind them.

My biggest problem with square grills is that you need to look straight at them, because if you're looking at an angle, the grill washes out everything behind it.

 

[baddboybill]

Yeah, lots of square grills look good, like the 9494, 9696, C126.... but only if they have prominent round rings behind them.

My biggest problem with square grills is that you need to look straight at them, because if you're looking at an angle, the grill washes out everything behind it.


I'm not really a square grill fan except for the ones you mentioned and this Clairtone




Bad Boy Bill

 

[baddboybill]

I like it at angle too





Bad Boy Bill

 

[-GZ-]

Reli's dead on. With the cr100 you can't see through the square grills like on the 20/20. They look too plain. Smaller holes and thicker.

 

[baddboybill]

Reli's dead on. With the cr100 you can't see through the square grills like on the 20/20. They look too plain. Smaller holes and thicker.


Looks more like a mesh for sure


Bad Boy Bill

 

[Reli]

Yep, mesh is harder to see through than the stuff on the 20/20

I bought a Sanyo MX650 and promptly sold it, cuz from an angle it looks lame. It only looks good dead-on, or with light pointed at it.

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Great review Reli....AKA's have always been so strange to me. I guess companies could buy pre-made cases and stuff them with what ever they wanted to save on mold making costs. I have never owned a MacDonald, in my mind I thought they might be a low end box, but some of them look SO GOOD!

Like a sweet Jaguar that has the chrome in all the right places but won't start!

But this is the first time I ever saw a review this in depth.

So, are MacDonald boomers worth the price of admission?

 

[Reli]

They seem so rare, I'm not sure what the going price is. MacDonald used to make CB radios for trucks..... Not sure why they put their name on a boombox, lol. They can't possibly have sold very many.

 

[Zippy]

Great comparison! Cool to see the differences beetween the CR-100 and the AKA.
I think the Telefunken looks a lot better - chrome is nice and great for accents, but you can never go wring with (brushed) metal.