Portable Cassette Newspaper Ads!

I have a Sony cfs 7, and a cfs-500 nearly nib both for you know

 

Looking at the later newspapers the cassette adverts seemed to be tailing off with just a week until Christmas. However, back in 1988, 35 years ago today, both Dixons and Rumbelows were still trying to help you with your Christmas shopping. Once again I am surprised at the price of CD Radio Cassettes. I'm sure they were more expensive a few months later when I might have been interested.



Hitachi had a full page advert for a Midi system but it wasn't that different
from the Aiwa Rumbelows were advertising here.
When was the last time you saw an audio advert in mainstream media ?

 

Tempus used to advertise in ETI and Hobby Electronics every month. Back then there was usually a new model in every advert.
Of course, earning about £35 a week the most expensive item I bought back then was a Sinclair ZX81 kit for £50.

Fast forwarding to 1990 what would you buy as a last minute Christmas gift ?




I'm expecting these adverts to dry up in the new year and be replaced by adverts for Lawnmowers, Summer Holidays, and Personal Loans.

 

I'm not surprised there is an AKA as I don't think Dixons ever made anything themselves. I wonder which company actually made it ? Looking at this listing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225810757402 it was made in Korea. Back then the names Emerson and Saisho probably had more kudos than Samsung or Goldstar so maybe one of those two.

I have the CF5900 (top left) awaiting repair / reassembly as it has been for at least eight years. Jay Allen who is an authority on radios reckons that on MW the Panasonic 2200 is the best performing radio ever made.

 

1998 and it seems prices (and quality) is being miniaturised on everything but MiniDisc.








Sony Centres were still worth visiting


and finally a mini TV for @Mister X

 

I would guess that as a "Micro Component System" the Goldstar would come apart. However, many similar systems from the likes of Sony and Technics used proprietary ribbon cables to connect the components together. You often see the tape decks and other components on eBay for less than £20 because they are only really of use to replace the same part in the same system.

To my surprise the adverts have continued. Obviously trying to rake in any money people received at Christmas. Here is yet another Dixons advert from 1991.

 

those small technics systems are a disgrace, not sure why the technics name is even on them lads

 

its a dreadful format imho the portable ones were just terrible you didn't miss much lad

the home decks may have been better but i never had one

 

Nearing the end of January and the ads still continue. Electronics shops must have had an advertising budget equal to the home furnishing shops back then. All three of these chains had disappeared by 2012

 

The portables section of the 1st Feb 1992 Curry's advert.
According to the Bank of England the JVC at the bottom would be £422 today.
The newspaper it was in was 25p. Today it costs 90p. That explains why I no longer buy newspapers.

 

1989 and an advert reminding us what a cool (if somewhat overpriced) shop Tandy (Radio Shack) was.