Cool stuff for sale mega-thread.

Interesting article, I had no idea how much trouble Timex was in and they were making the computers. I disagree with the software part of the article, none of the computers we had at the time had good software and if you wanted to buy it, it was silly money. The first "real" software started popping up around 82, I used to play around with VisaCalc and it's suite of software but didn't really know what it was for being a kid. WordStar was popular and CP/M-80 was the mysterious software that needed computer cards to work properly. The Sinclairs were cool because you could get a computer magazine or book and type their programs into the computer and run them, if you were a little more ambitious you could run math problems through them and check your homework. The VIC-20 really killed Sinclair over here, a little more expensive but tons of game software and the ability to program graphics that were printed on the keyboard was a huge selling tool.

 

Wow, mega-find, not even on WikiBoombox http://www.wikiboombox.com/Quasar The Quasar XP1239QE Boombox with TV set. I have no idea what the first boombox with TV is but this has to be one of the first from September 1978. Quasar was one of the last American TV manufacturers but was bought by Matsushita (Panasonic) in the mid 70's, although they did continue some production in the US. Our first color tv was a Quasar and it was a workhorse in the 70's, I think an electrical storm finally doomed it. This unit would have been put out when the name still had some credibility to it. This is something I'd love to find out thrifting someday.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quasar-Ste...739866?hash=item1ef8b6ab5a:g:m3gAAOSwjBVcsh0-

 

A nice accessory for your Sanyo Sportster, J37 speaker and battery kit.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-SA...871550?hash=item2f2f1cadbe:g:S98AAOSwvC1cs5RH

 

Wow, that's going deep Longman. We had the big wooden consoles, about six feet across with tv and radio/turntable components built in but nothing like those everything-in-ones. Cool finds, it's too bad they look like mass-marketed models, I wonder what JVC or Technics would have done with something similar.

 

Check out the RCA Dimensia, this website used to have a full rundown on it (I think), you might have to get on the Internet Wayback Machine and check out old versions of the site. The Dimensia had, VCR, TV, Stereo, etc, it was pretty impressive and kind of expensive from a company that wasn't know for higher-end electronics.
https://www.cedmagic.com/history/rca-dss.html

 

80's Sanyo T-Shirt!, where you going find one of these?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/279521...irt&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1

 

I've always loved Technics, there's something about the brand that makes me think high-class working-class. Some of their designs were cutting edge cool in the 70's and nobody can dispute how much they disrupted the turntable market with their low-cost mostly plastic turntables that actually looked really nice and have aged very well, still looking cool today. I saw this little Technics Mini Stereo Set and almost jumped on it, these are really cool and I wouldn't be afraid of the quality. It's much more than I want to spend but I'm going to keep an eye out for these.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/352643758324?ul_noapp=true

 

Another mini stereo that looks pretty cool, Teac usually has quality equipment so I doubt it's a dud but the shipping is killer on this, I hope they use unicorn peanuts to ship it. While it may look kind of cheesy, I think this was cutting edge when it came out, the design is kind of odd but check out what Pioneer was putting out during the same time period.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TEAC-STERE...m=232917399117&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

I'm on the fence with this one, the price is great (shipping stinks) and it's a nice big square boombox with 8-track. I'd love to pull up at a party and pop in a Jimi Hendrix 8-track and get things going. Sure it's a private labled made in Taiwan box but it has some cool looking features so it wouldn't be too embarrassing. Reader's Digest was a small format magazine popular in the 70's and 80's, it used to have a ton of short stories and non-fiction. They always had a condensed book at the end, believe it or not, Mister X was an avid reader way back in grade school. Reader's Digest also put out audio equipment on payment plans, this would most likely have been one of those units. I have an amp/tuner from the late 60's, it's actually a really nice unit rumored to be made by Sansui or NEC with Reader's Digest Branding on it. Somebody grab it before I refresh the beer and boombox thread.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Worldstar-...m=123728727010&_trksid=p2060778.c100290.m3507

 

Yes you've made it when you have your mancave stocked with Pabst Blue Ribbon, the working man's beer! Top it off with this bad beauty, the PBR Cassette Tap Handle or for our cassette DJ members, it would be cool to repurpose this with your own signature brand and have the bar put it on the tap.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PBR-Casset...m=303027545646&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

These came out a few years ago and seem to have disappeared, maybe I can score one somewhere, they look like someone put some thought into them. The Fluid Boombox Watch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EGUYXK/?tag=097-20&ascsubtag=v7_1_4_2r2_muc_4_x01_-srt10-

 

Yep, I like signs, banners and any other boombox/walkman related advertising...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-TE...782078?hash=item5b5073acbe:g:pPoAAOSwqKNcEG2B

 

Sony Cassette Stereo Bag, maybe a salesman's bag or maybe for an older tape deck, it might still be cool to show up with this and your equipment.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283463151880?ViewItem=&item=283463151880

 

The Sharp CD X17 Mega-Box, there is no battery pack that I can see but it looks pretty impressive, check out the perforated guard on the back.

From the New York Times, August 27, 1989
"At the same price - $999 - Optonica offers a tabletop system (Model CD-X17) with similar features. Here, too, special bass-boosting circuits come to the aid of the small speakers, and a double cassette deck and a built-in timer are furnished. The manufacturer's claim of a power rating of 20 watts per channel seems impressive until the small print is reached. There it says that distortion at full output is ''no more than 10 percent.'' This hardly complies with current practice."

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sharp-Opti...m25fcf2ec58:g:hHAAAOSwHlRbRVBz&frcectupt=true