Does anybody happen to know what model Sonys these are ? I have tried using ai search engines but to no avail. I really want to find out as much as I can about them. If anybody can help identify them I thank you in advance.
Hi, the one above is a 1993 ZS-6 if I'm not mistaken... and it's also written on the front. Here's a link I found online. 93年製 SONY ソニー ソナホーク zs-6 ラジカセ スタンド 付き SWV-Y1 通電確認済 CD FM/AM ラジオ カセット CCCR 平成5年 90年代 120(ソニー)｜売買されたオークション情報、yahooの商品情報をアーカイブ公開 - オークファン（aucfan.com） The other one below is a Z7. Here's a link I found online. SONY Old boom box ZS-7 Sony ZS-7 Boombox Test boombox Sony Zs-7
Wow! Great work! I looked for these all over and found nothing, yet you found info the same day I posted. Many thanks to you for helping me out with that info. It is greatly appreciated!
They were called "Sonahawk" I was close, I was thinking Sonohawk but my gray matter is still working somewhat. These might have been JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) only machines and look pretty substantial. For rough pricing I just drop a "0" for $698.00 USD. If it was over here I'd guess around $400, maybe a little more, we discounted electronics heavily back then, it was a fun game when buying equipment. The Japanese don't really like to bargain and they put the prices in these old catalogs in Yen. I usually search using Kanji, this would be "ソニ ソナホーク" meaning Sony Sonahawk. Just use google translate. https://1000mozi.blogspot.com/2020/05/blog-post_11.html
Thank you both Silver965 and Mister X for the help. I was just looking for the older boomboxes without the cd player but then I came across a pic of the zs-6 and it really caught my attention. Later, I saw the zs-7 but had no clue as to the model numbers, even though it was clearly on the zs-6 front panel. Doh !!!!!
I spotted the model name on the front while @Silver965 was typing his reply. The Sony ZS range were usually more interesting and upmarket than their CFD range, with features like full remote and auto-reverse cassette decks. The box in my Avatar is a ZS-D55.
Longman, I thank you for that info. In fact I believe I saw that particular model (or one like it) that is your avatar while looking for info on the zs-6 and -7. Thanks again.
Here's the full Sonahawk Catalog (missing back page?), from reading the Sonahawk was the "high-end" taking over from the DoDecahorn
Thank you, Mister X. I finally get some downtime for myself and get to research this. Much appreciated!
I don't have a ton of interest past 1985 boomboxes and Walkmans but these higher end units are always cool to check out. There wasn't a ton of innovation room left but here comes Sony with a remote control angle adjustment. The PRESH Model is also is also new for me, even up to a few years ago, this style and look was pretty much what boomboxes had morphed into in Japan. More of a boombox table radio. Now you just have to get on yahoo.jp and find one, luckily it looks like most of these are labeled in English even though they are mostly JDM.
Yeah, I get what you are saying. The older boomboxes (pre-85 as you say) are just cooler. I'm not too fond of any of the newer ones with a CD player probably because if the styling, plus the weight of them. I just equate heft with better sound. Every once in a while a newer one will catch my eye such as the Sonys.
The middle end kind of dissappeared in the 90's, you had the millions of cheap units everywhere and you'd see these really cool, but expensive, high-end models mostly in magazines or the high-end audio shops (that used to be more popular). It was wild in the early days of the forum seeing boomboxes from other parts of the world posted on here. Here's my first boomer from 1982 https://stereo2go.com/forums/threads/i-found-my-first-boombox.2250/ I knew it wasn't great but I didn't know there was better out since all the stores had something similar to this. I'm not against newer equipment, you just have to do a lot more work to find the gems.
Nice! Toshiba has a bunch of nice 'boxes, as does Pioneer, JVC, Sharp, and the like. My first (and still favorite) was a G.E. mini that I'll one day reunite with. And yeah to me the quality of the boxes went down in the newer boomboxes but the features (more power, less weight, CD player, etc.) were all there. However, nothing compares to the badassness of the boomboxes from the 70's and 80's. The memories of those big klunky things and the music were gold!
