What's Your Oldest Boomboxes?????????????????

[Ghettoboom767]

Hi everyone-Here's a good question for us all: What's your oldest 2 or 3 boomboxes??
I know the majority started coming in around the late 60's to the early 70's then it boomed-THE 80's!!!!!!!!!! The best decade ever for the boombox!!!!!!!!!
But how about 1956'??
Yes this is my first-A Wards Airline mono sw,fm,am, boombox with 8' antenna & yes-it takes batteries!!!
It works but needs a new resitor-it get's hot. Got it from a haunted house & that's another whole story-super scary!!! :'-( Found it in 78'!!
After about 5 minutes it cuts out so I'm going to work on this someday,the last year I worked on it was in 1979' in HS!!
The 2nd. for me is my Craig 2606 mono lay down type which is like NIB!! (Circa 1970'!)It's mint with box and all papers.
These are old!!
Let us know about your real vintage boomers!!
Have a great week-GB.

 

[restocat]

Good topic. I will post mine tomorrow.

 

[redbenjoe]

http://www.antiqueradio.com/Dec09_Hayden_SonyCF580.html

 

[Drew]

Thanks for posting the link to my Cf-580 article. I also have a CF-550 which is 1972-3. As I mentioned in the article, the CF-550 first hit the streets in 1971 and have yet to see a BBX which predates this Sony.

I've been talking to a radio collector who says he's got a circa 1968 Voice of Music portable stereo cassette recorder that is in the BBX style.....(suitcase intigrated unit - am/fm cassette stereo). When he sends a photo, i'll post it. This certainly would be as early as it gets !

Until then I'd say Sony's CF-550 is going to be the first. It's great because these are out there for cheap money....mine cost me $12.00

Love to see some photos of other mid 1970's box's....

 

[71spud]

In my opinion a "Boombox" must have ALL of the following---

-A tuner and ONE or MORE other "source"
-At least one speaker (of course)
-Some type of handle or strap to carry it
-Ability to run on batteries or a battery pack
-The ability to operate while "on the move"

 

[redbenjoe]

drew --thanks alot for posting and for creating that important sony article

are you planning on publishing any other boombox reports ??

 

[71spud]

Hmm... the post I was responding to "disappeared" after I posted.... I guess I should have quoted it...

 

[MasterBlaster84]

The CF-550 is also my oldest box, snuck that one out of Goodwill for $5 and it has the orginal 4 prong AC power cord.

 

[Boom Shaka Laka]

Here's my oldest, a Crown SPH-140. Is it a boombox? It has a radio, handle, AC/DC operation, and a phonograph. So.... if a cassette deck is necessary for a unit to be a boombox, then no. (But then, what should I call my portables that have radios, handles, AC/DC operation, and 8-track players [but no cassette]?) If any type of pre-recorded audio player will do, then yes.

My best guess as to the vintage of this unit, based on design, is early -to-mid sixties. If it's not considered an actual boombox, then it at least set the stage for what was to come!

 

[restocat]

Here are some of mine:

A Goldstar. This thing is a tank, high quality all the way around

A realistic 8 track player:

A worldstar. Found a microphone in plastic in the back, possibly original as it fit in its own compartment.
This thing is built like a suitcase. It has leather all around, and the compartment in the back is all leather with leather snaps to open it. Made in Hong Kong, from a suitcase manufacturer most likely.

 

[cadlimo76]

This is the Panasonic RX 1480 from 1980. Ac/dc power, built in am/fm tuner vhf tv tuner (which is worthless now) and capable of recording a cassette from the built in tuner or the built in mic and had jacks for external mic and ear piece. price was 85 dollars. Still works good.

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Wow, those are amazing radios...Its great to see a visual evolution.

 

[ViennaSound]

No idea about the age of my boxes.
Think the BELAIR mono must be of the ending 60s...

My oldest PHILIPS spatial is for sure the 774
It´s from 1975 and so as old as i am

 

[Terry]

My Sony CF-550A

[youtube]YqW-968MMLo[/youtube]

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

My personal oldest boombox is the 1978 Victor / JVC RC-838.

But I have some old turn tables (no pictures) and some other classic electronics.

 

[Drew]

To follow up on 71spud's comment on what makes a audio unit a Boombox ?

In my mind it should be a suitcase style ac/dc portable am/fm stereo cassette player/recorder with condsensor mikes. it seems to me these featurees are what took off after the CF-550 came out and what just about every box consisted of through the 70's until the mid 80's when they morphed into the three piece units.....CD added, then ipod box's of today

Of course this is all an evoution of portable audio which paved the way for the next technology......the Zenith model 25 made in 1925 was really cool portable suitcase radio made at the earliest days of radio.

I guess the integrated unit came of age in the early 70's........and what we call the classic boombox. was born and the word boombox became popular at this time

But hey.....anything that travels and plays music is cool .

 

[restocat]

I think for this thread a boombox shouldnt need a cassette deck. If we limit it to that we may miss some of the evolutionary steps.

For example, the worldstar has the metal side loops..seen later on some boombox models.

 

[ViennaSound]

Another old one, this AIWA.
Jens told, it´s from 1972

also this HORNYPHON

 

[Ghettoboom767]

Hi Guys-Thanks for the response.
My Wards airline is a boombox,maybe not in the stereo with 2 speaker type but it does have a handle and does take batteries.
I will post photos of it someday-it's in storage.
It takes I think a 45 watt battery-large type.
But yes it is a boombox and is from 1956'!!
Nice older boomers there!
Have a great one-GB.