Boomboxes with detachable Walkmans

Discussion in 'Gallery' started by Boodokhan, Oct 30, 2017.

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  1. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Here's a neat one that just popped up on Ebay, The E.S.C. Fantazia S-208. I thought E.S.C. was a New York based company private labeling products for USA Consumers. This looks like it has German Markings and some interesting controls. Check out the beat cut on the player and the hot line button, this might be the last one seen on a player. It's hard to tell the quality but it doesn't look to bad, I'd grab one if it came up cheap.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/274938821408?hash=item4003a17b20:g:AzkAAOSwZb5hOL2F


    ESC Fantazia.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021
    Mister X, Sep 10, 2021
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  2. Emiel

    Emiel Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    Definitely German indeed, the text for Fast forward and reverse and 4 loudspeakers 2 way system.
    Really a stereo recorder with mics on either side of the removable Walkman unit.
    Can't read more on text on this photo :)
     
    Emiel, Sep 10, 2021
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  3. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Aren't most boomboxes over there labeled in English? I've only got a handful German Units, thanks Auto!, and they are all English Labels. I thought it was kind of interesting that this one was kind of unique. Searching "Fantazia" I've found a UK Rave Festival in 1991, the controls on the box look more like 81 or 82.

    Does anybody own an E.S.C. Portable? They had a few portables, they show up for sale but people want silly money for them, I've never seen one, I've considered them low end units from the looks.
     
    Mister X, Sep 10, 2021
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  4. Radio Raheem

    Radio Raheem Well-Known Member

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    looks neat but yet another crackhead on ebay lol, we in the uk could ad another £300 tax on that seem as we are not in the eu anymore....i bought my panasonic dt 9's just in time
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2021
    Radio Raheem, Sep 10, 2021
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  5. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Mister X, Dec 8, 2021
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  6. CDV

    CDV Well-Known Member

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    I would not call it a beauty... I guess it is ok, when looked from a distance. Soviet plastic was atrocious. Maybe it was also compounded by the fact that they preferred not to paint it. I mean, it makes sense after all: why having color plastic if you still need to paint it? But even unpainted, paint-through plastic was better made by, say, East Germans, it was bright and shiny, AS IF it was painted. Soviet plastic things looked like crap.
    Yep, that's what it is.
    I guess, In Japan the problem of stealing car radios was less acute. Almost every Soviet car radio had a handle and was removable.
     
    CDV, Dec 9, 2021
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  7. Longman

    Longman Well-Known Member S2G Supporter

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    By the 1990s it was common for car stereos (even Japanese ones) to have a removable front panel; small enough to go in a pocket, but making the main unit useless without it. Then they moved onto keycodes. If the unit loses power by being disconnected from the car it needs a code entering to make it work again. Just make sure you know the code if you need to change the car battery.

    I guess the main reason the idea of the detachable tape deck never really caught on was that in the west, most people could afford a boombox and a separate personal stereo years before they could afford, or even legally own, a car.

    One last thought. The original Stereobelt was based on a car stereo tape deck which probably explains why it didn't catch on. In comparison the TPS-L2 was lightweight and a masterpiece in miniaturization.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2021
    Longman, Dec 9, 2021
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  8. CDV

    CDV Well-Known Member

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    I know. In fact, a factory stereo in one of my cars had a removable face plate.
     
    CDV, Dec 10, 2021
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  9. nickeccles

    nickeccles Well-Known Member

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    AKA of the ESC - My Alba version! lol These are actually much better than you would think!

    Even have line in & MM Phono inputs! :delighted: Alba System KCP60 Stereo Radio Recorder - September 2016 (13).jpg
     
    nickeccles, Dec 16, 2021
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  10. nickeccles

    nickeccles Well-Known Member

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    Hitachi TRK-W1 - 11 April 2021 (10).jpg Hitachi TRK-W1 - 11 April 2021 (4).jpg My minty Hitachi sold just this year!

    How often do you see one of these with the walkman & no damage? Most I see for sale are fucked beyond cosmetic repair let alone working :noway:

    This one was easy to restore - New belts all round & Deoxit/Servisol 10 in all the switches & a deep clean & all working perfectly! Always wanted one of these in minty shape but a guy I know wanted to own it more than me lol :delighted:
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2021
    nickeccles, Dec 16, 2021
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  11. autoreverser

    autoreverser Well-Known Member

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    mate, that‘s a nice one :thumbsup:
     
    autoreverser, Dec 16, 2021
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  12. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Hitiachi advertised the heck out of that model everywhere but over here, one came up for sale this year and sold for cheap, I think I had a work commitment and forgot about it. It is cool that it is a true dual tape deck!
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021
    Mister X, Dec 22, 2021
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  13. nickeccles

    nickeccles Well-Known Member

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    Boxed Network AS-500!

    I need the tuner pack for this urgently!!

    Maybe Conrad has one? :tongue:

    What a little gem she is! Am really happy to find this............

    Funny how the box says NW-500 whereas the stereo says it's AS-500?? :areyousure:

    Network AS-500 Mini Radio Cassette Player - December 2021 (1).jpg Network AS-500 Mini Radio Cassette Player - December 2021 (7).jpg
     
    nickeccles, Dec 25, 2021
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  14. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Nice! Does that have a handle? It has two potential patent/copyright infringements, the "Mini & Slim" Logo and the pins for the tuner cartridge, it would be interesting to know how lawsuits worked back then if there ever was any.
     
    Mister X, Dec 26, 2021
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  15. nickeccles

    nickeccles Well-Known Member

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    I forgot to mention that I really need the tuner pack as it is the only thing not in the box :veryangry:

    Conrad maybe you have one? :thinking:
     
    nickeccles, Dec 26, 2021
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  16. Northerner

    Northerner Well-Known Member

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    Boxed unused and fully working :)

    375D5117-AF6E-4B2C-BA46-EAD7F12EFD63.jpeg A08536A6-A22A-4C06-9504-3CA4E059CCA1.jpeg CB240ABE-786A-4146-B39D-DBA291667AC1.jpeg
     
    Northerner, Dec 27, 2021
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  17. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Check out those crazy piano keys, sideways!
     
    Mister X, Dec 30, 2021
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  18. Northerner

    Northerner Well-Known Member

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    Yeh mad aren’t they
     
    Northerner, Dec 31, 2021
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  19. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

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    Mister X, Jan 4, 2022
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  20. nickeccles

    nickeccles Well-Known Member

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    That's the crappy one with no rewind & no supply reel just a stub of plastic! Yuk!
     
    nickeccles, Jan 8, 2022
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