Not sure if this is new news here or not, since I'm quite on the other side of the world from where the event's held, but apparently Aiwa's making a new boombox?! (go to 1:40) There doesn't seem to be much info around about this model or other similar offerings, but here's some extra news about it https://www.streetinsider.com/Press...+Relaunch+at+CES+2023/21028912.html?classic=1 https://www.soundguys.com/ces-2023-part-2-dispatch-from-the-show-floor-85223/ https://ktla.com/morning-news/technology/crowds-tech-return-to-ces-2023-in-las-vegas/ What do you guys think? Personally, I think it looks very nice. Not up there with the best looking stuff from the 80's, but it's a very nice current design. Especially when compared to the other available retro-style boxes on the market (but a tad too similar to the Sharp GF-575?). Coming from a well-known brand, I'd expect a decent overall build quality (not talking about the tape transport here). It certainly looks to be pretty well made from the few photos I can find. I can't see any model number on it though. Maybe it's just a prototype? Or maybe it's just a fixture for the show? It's still a mystery.
For a long time Aiwa has just been a brand name used by various companies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aiwa From 2003 to 2006 they were Sony's budget brand. It appears that in some territories the brand is now owned by Towada Audio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towada_Audio That is quite interesting as they have made various radios for Sony. It probably explains the big differences between the Sony 7600G and 7600GR I have. So the question is not whose name is stuck on the front of the new boombox but who actually designed and manufactured it.
Aiwa was an American firm based in Chicago for the last 10 years, but it went bankrupt last year and was trying to sell its assets. Some Asian no-name conglomerate probably bought it. Regardless, the only good Aiwa product in modern times was the Exos 9.
I'm pretty sure the Chicago Guy only had North American Rights and other companies sold in other parts of the world. I'd love to find more about the Sony-AIWA partnership, I don't think Sony started the company....
I'd rather keep looking for *real* old stuff on flea markets and equivalent online markets (but not eBay, eBay is useless). I'm very fond of eighties Aiwa mini-setups and this confusion of a brand only degrades its value. That tape mechanism must be one of those crappy generic "tanachim?". This aiwa/sony "relationship" reminds me of the compaq/hp. Compaq had the BEST computers in the late nineties, by far. On par with Dell quality, minus the pioneering history. HP managed to ruin the brand, absorbing its best enterprise segments and reintroducing Compaq in the early 2000s as a budget brand.
Ah, I just realized now Sony ended up selling Aiwa brand. It's a shame that such a great brand ended up like that...
same what happened to almost all "traditional" german brands. whatever you buy today branded Telefunken, Nordmende, Grundig, Blaupunkt, Uher, Saba, etc. is really cheap made junk
The tape player looks a bit sketchy. Manual buttons and no Dolby. Probably the usual cheap Chinese mechanism inside.
MICHAEL MURRAY, yes I wish another company would make tape deck mech because what I have seen there like one company ! Sincerely Rich P.S. back in the day my Radio and tv shop sold Sony and did factory warranty work also I did lot service on the old Aiwa stuff
Those Chinese tape mechanisms are probably ok, but they pale into insignificance to what Aiwa used to put into their boomboxes even 30 years ago.
Hello Michael, That is so true about Aiwa about any brand was better one my favorite was some the Pioneer home stereo decks I own some Teac,nakamichi ,Techinics,Kenwood and Sony and few others . Sincerely Richard
radiorich, post some of your goodies! I bet you have some cool gems in there. What brands had the most returns? Do you have any cool old signs?
Hello mister X, I have repair a lot of Sony but we sold and did factory warranty and non warranty repair on all of Sony products myself I have a lot Sony products that I use daily from my Sony XBR tv's to Sony portable radios to my Walkman that I taking to work in the spring and summer my students just love my old radios and m,y cool walkman . Far as Signs I have couple cool ones but no Sony I wish I still had one from my business .
Hello Mister X , To start far as returns that is a hard one but I did see a lot Sony stuff come in from Sony Tv's to Audio gear since the shop sold and did factory warranty on Sony and I did out warranty work too . I really like Sony I have a lot their stuff that is used daily . one the brands I did see a lot was Lasonic far as Boomboxes . The weather here is getting nicer so it's time to break out my Sony Walkman my students love my old radios . Here is my Big Sony Boombox in my collection ! Far as Signs I wish I had my old Sony Sign but the owner I bought the business from wanted it . Sincerely Richard
Hello mister X, One thing I need to revisit my JcPenny boombox with built in Phono made by Panasonic that I restored a couple years it developed white noise in the audio ampilier . Sincerely Richard
That's funny that Lasonic's had a repair issue, luckily there's not much stuffed into them. I love that Sony, I have that one and have been lusting after it's big brother for a few years. They really stand out in a group setting but they tend to be somewhat rare.
Hello Mr X, Cool ! when I am in my Jc Penny Panasonic boombox I am going to add a bluetooth module ! Sincerely Richard
I've got a bluetooth dongle that goes to the RCA AUX's, I try to rotate boomers and get them exercise.
