Brutus442
Member (SA)
I never thought about it that way floyd, you're absolutely right! This looks exactly the same style JJ Evans would paint on the show....DYNOMITE!
The M90 mini by New Wave Toys
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I never thought about it that way floyd, you're absolutely right! This looks exactly the same style JJ Evans would paint on the show....DYNOMITE!
trippy1313
Member (SA)
I'd be interested in that, too. In the "ESQ A30" thread I promised to make a comparison to the Slick Rick M90 I just got on Saturday. And after the first few impressions I must say I'm a little disappointed. Not "over all disappointed" but "compared to the about half-priced A30 disappointed".
So while I keep on testing it myself I'd be interested what you guys think who already own (and use) this cute little Mini for a while.One annoying thing I can report by now: My M90 Mini Slick Rick edition empties itself. When I put it aside fully charged and want to use it after a couple of days there's no power left. Did anyone else experience that? After this happened the 3rd time now I contacted NWT and wait for what they say. But would be interesting to know if I'm the only one. 
Only thing I could think about: I leave the USB stick with music in the USB port. Of course I do. Could that cause such waste of power..? I do the same with the ESQ A30 and it lasts, lasts, lasts although it's got 4.000 mAh less battery.
Only thing I could think about: I leave the USB stick with music in the USB port. Of course I do. Could that cause such waste of power..? I do the same with the ESQ A30 and it lasts, lasts, lasts although it's got 4.000 mAh less battery.
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Transistorized
Member (SA)
Mine is not the Slick Rick version but I am willing to bet the internals are the same. I have not left anything plugged into the radio while sitting but I have not had this issue with my blue speaker editionOne annoying thing I can report by now: My M90 Mini Slick Rick edition empties itself. When I put it aside fully charged and want to use it after a couple of days there's no power left. Did anyone else experience that? After this happened the 3rd time now I contacted NWT and wait for what they say. But would be interesting to know if I'm the only one.
Brutus442
Member (SA)
First reaction of NWT was they somehow re-typed my own mail, telling me it might be the USB stick left in the port. 
So I will now just leave it for a while without the stick and see what happens. If the charge remains, I'll try another USB stick, maybe it's just that certain model. When I removed this one it was really pretty warm, there must be something going on inside. 
Quite unusual so far. I sometimes also forget a cable in one of my powerbanks and (of course) they don't uncharge by that... Well, we'll see.
So I will now just leave it for a while without the stick and see what happens. If the charge remains, I'll try another USB stick, maybe it's just that certain model. When I removed this one it was really pretty warm, there must be something going on inside. Quite unusual so far. I sometimes also forget a cable in one of my powerbanks and (of course) they don't uncharge by that... Well, we'll see.
trippy1313
Member (SA)
Sounds like maybe that's a valid reason why.
I have the blue speaker edition and my experience is the same as the others. I can leave it for however long and it appears to have held the charge just fine.
I am really interested in your comparison to other devices. I'm impressed with it though compared to other people's bluetooth speakers I've heard.
I have the blue speaker edition and my experience is the same as the others. I can leave it for however long and it appears to have held the charge just fine.
I am really interested in your comparison to other devices. I'm impressed with it though compared to other people's bluetooth speakers I've heard.
Oh, that is already done by me in the A30 thread.
First impression about the other issue: Removing the USB stick "caused" that the device still had power after about 5 days standing in the board. But then again... it didn't recognize the SD card anymore that was still in it's slot. Mode skipping told me "Media Mode" twice, but none could play any music.
Transistorized
Member (SA)
Update on the latest batch of NWT mini M90's.
They have completely FIXED the volume on these newer models they are selling. In fact, I am not sure if they are using a stepper style volume pot anymore like in my kick starter model. I am almost convinced they are using a standard linear volume pot like the good old days. The volume response is that smooth. It doesn't cut out at lower volumes either like the initial FW update did to the kick-starter model I have. They are using a stiffer damping fluid in the handle which keeps it from oozing out around the handle. The only drawback is that they used the same fluid for the cassette door soft eject which makes it too stiff IMO and it opens way too slow. Everything else is about the same performance wise. Obviously your not getting an analog tuning capacitor. It's all chip based. Sound quality is about the same as far as bass and treble.
They are running a sale on these from $159.99 to $119.99 with free shipping. I played around with my computer and used the discount code WELCOME10 which actually applied a slight discount on top of the already discounted price. For $118 and change, I got it delivered to my home. Has cassette, extra blue knobs along with the silver knobs and the remote.
My whole point in bringing all of this up is to say that the newer version performs better than the kick-starter models. The volume is perfect and it doesn't cut out on soft or quiet moments like the kick-starter did. There is next to no amp hiss. So while it costs more than the kick starter model, it's better.
I wish the OG model was as refined. I'm not sure if this was all done with FW or if there were hardware changes but I like the performance of my black speaker model over my OG Blue Speaker model.
They have completely FIXED the volume on these newer models they are selling. In fact, I am not sure if they are using a stepper style volume pot anymore like in my kick starter model. I am almost convinced they are using a standard linear volume pot like the good old days. The volume response is that smooth. It doesn't cut out at lower volumes either like the initial FW update did to the kick-starter model I have. They are using a stiffer damping fluid in the handle which keeps it from oozing out around the handle. The only drawback is that they used the same fluid for the cassette door soft eject which makes it too stiff IMO and it opens way too slow. Everything else is about the same performance wise. Obviously your not getting an analog tuning capacitor. It's all chip based. Sound quality is about the same as far as bass and treble.
They are running a sale on these from $159.99 to $119.99 with free shipping. I played around with my computer and used the discount code WELCOME10 which actually applied a slight discount on top of the already discounted price. For $118 and change, I got it delivered to my home. Has cassette, extra blue knobs along with the silver knobs and the remote.
My whole point in bringing all of this up is to say that the newer version performs better than the kick-starter models. The volume is perfect and it doesn't cut out on soft or quiet moments like the kick-starter did. There is next to no amp hiss. So while it costs more than the kick starter model, it's better.
I wish the OG model was as refined. I'm not sure if this was all done with FW or if there were hardware changes but I like the performance of my black speaker model over my OG Blue Speaker model.
Transistorized
Member (SA)
Brutus442
Member (SA)
Well based on this new info from Transistorized I went ahead and ordered another one. I wasn't pleased with the hiss and the low volume drop out but I chalked it up to COVID supply issues (IC's) and endless delays (rushing the final product out before thorough testing). I do wish they offered a unique discount code to original backers as a thank you and incentive to get the updated model after all of the growing pains were identified and not fully corrected
The AM feature is not a huge deal breaker for me however it was promised during the Kickstarter campaign so I feel that should have been included originally. The slow cassette door does bother me because they got it right on the first model. Why tamper with something that works?
In the end it is the sound I'm after and I'll give NWT another shot based on their arcade game quality history. In the meantime, my oldest son gets to have my original Mini M90.
Thanks for your update Transistorized. It helped with my decision immensely.
The AM feature is not a huge deal breaker for me however it was promised during the Kickstarter campaign so I feel that should have been included originally. The slow cassette door does bother me because they got it right on the first model. Why tamper with something that works?
In the end it is the sound I'm after and I'll give NWT another shot based on their arcade game quality history. In the meantime, my oldest son gets to have my original Mini M90.
Thanks for your update Transistorized. It helped with my decision immensely.
Reli
Boomus Fidelis
My Slick Rick version has the AM/FM button and the ultra-slow door, but the volume knob is dead for the first 25% just like the original kickstarter version
Yep, I noticed that, too. But it depends on the source, at least to me it seems like that. Thin it was the Bluetooth mode when the first 20/25 percent also react on my M90 Mini.
When I had that little issue with my USB stick sucking out the battery even with the device turned off, I used the opprtunity to ask them about other models following. Seems like that is far away. They replied they are working on other boomboxes but it takes a lot more time than those little arcade games.
When I had that little issue with my USB stick sucking out the battery even with the device turned off, I used the opprtunity to ask them about other models following. Seems like that is far away. They replied they are working on other boomboxes but it takes a lot more time than those little arcade games.
Transistorized
Member (SA)
I have noticed that the volume does start off from silent to a specific level immediately (albeit a little higher than I would like for sleeping) but very smooth after that. The only other thing that bothered me was the tuner needle didn't line up with the tuned station on the graduated decal, so I took it apart and moved the needle over two gear teeth to the tuning wheel inside which solved that. Next I looked that the cassette door. The spring that opens the cassette door is just a tad weak. That along with the stiff damping fluid causes the slow to non existent open requiring you to pull it open by hand. I found that the damping gear plate is held in place by two screws. The mechanism uses a tapered seat. The further you press the gear plate into the tapered slot, the tighter the gear is meshed with the door gear. I removed some of the damping fluid with ISO and bent the spring to encourage more force. Then I didn't slide the damping gear as far to reduce friction. When I was done it flew open and I thought...well...is what it is. I don't have damping fluid to replace what I removed. Later after it sat and some of the ISO evaporated, it stiffened up again. The first opening of the cassette door is as slow as it was originally. If you open close it many times by hand (approx 10 times) it loosens up and opens great but it also depends on the environment it's in. If it's outside in the sun, the heat helps thin the damping fluid. Inside in the AC it gets stiff. Really no good way to adjust it other than finding the perfect damping fluid combo. With all of these variables, it just became too much of a hassle for me to worry with. It's like trying to adjust drum brakes with a warped drum. What part of the egg do you adjust it to? I just don't feel it's worth taking apart and monkeying with that aspect anymore. The tuner dial is now accurate and the rest is great. I enjoy AM. Listened to AM all night last night. They use a single AM ferrite rod at the upper right corner of the radio interior. This picks up AM very well but, in true AM ferrite rod fashion, you may need to rotate the radio for maximum signal. They modified the handle and it now has a reservoir that houses the damping fluid. This keeps it in check unlike the kickstarter model which was a open post/slot design which allowed the fluid to ooz out. Lots of fine details addressed. The only thing that works better on the kickstarter is the cassette door being smooth to open.
I have also had my kickstarter model apart as well .Now that I have seen the newer model where they activated the AM portion, I can see that the spot for the switch is there and so are the places on the board where the AM antenna leads are soldered. C11 has a missing surface mount capacitor that would need to be installed but there's no doubt in my mind that if you installed C11, an AM antenna and a switch, you would have AM on your kickstarter models. All chips appear the same.
Just food for thought.
I have also had my kickstarter model apart as well .Now that I have seen the newer model where they activated the AM portion, I can see that the spot for the switch is there and so are the places on the board where the AM antenna leads are soldered. C11 has a missing surface mount capacitor that would need to be installed but there's no doubt in my mind that if you installed C11, an AM antenna and a switch, you would have AM on your kickstarter models. All chips appear the same.
Just food for thought.
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Reli
Boomus Fidelis
The 20,000 Mah battery really is impressive, as are the sealed speaker chambers with passive radiators behind them.
Transistorized
Member (SA)
Well I tackled the cassette door again but this time I cheated. I thought about how to resolve without taking it apart again. I remembered how well volume cleaner washes out grease from volume pots so I gave it a blast.
The results are in this video along with a short demo of AM and FM
The results are in this video along with a short demo of AM and FM
Hey, that helped on my Slick Rick Edition already, thank you! After unboxing it didn't even react on pressing the button, so I ddin't give it a further chance so far.
Transistorized
Member (SA)
Hey, that helped on my Slick Rick Edition already, thank you! After unboxing it didn't even react on pressing the button, so I ddin't give it a further chance so far.
It will work for a while but after it sits for a few hours it'll go back to being stiff again. If you blast the yellow gear with deoxit with oil content in it like fader lube and work the door a few times, it will make it appear to be no damping left. The door will fly open but after a few hours it will slow back down and settle down to actually opening softly versus needing pulled open.
I wouldn't hose it down. Just a little spurt at a time to dilute the heavy damping fluid until it settles in to opening well enoughto tickle your fancy after sitting. So far, that worked the best for me out of all I tried.
The proper fix would be to take the gear out and remove all of the damping fluid and replace with dielectric grease like what's used in fader sliders to make them have that smooth resistive movement. You can also buy damping fluid of varying thicknesses and try that if you had the patience to find the right spring tension to damping fluid thickness combination.
So far, mine is about as good as it needs to be I guess. I normally wouldn't be giving it so much attention except I have the habit of honing in on things I am not completely satisfied with...lol. My kickstarter opened great so I only opened it 2 or 3 times since I've owned it and one of those times was to put the tiny tape in.
But I expect if you leave it sit for a while it will be stiff again. Opening and closing it quickly shifts the damping fluid away from the gear resulting in less damping but it eventually flows back into position and increases resistance.
Brutus442
Member (SA)
Has the hiss been eliminated when in BT mode? The firmware update was little to no help at all on he original.
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