A few more magazines have popped up on the internet, just wonder what the first compact cassette portables with a radio were, they don't have to be a "boombox." Post what you have or know!
HiFi Stereo Review (USA) had their first Tape Recorder Annual Released (I think) in 1968, this ad from concord has the F-103 about 1/2 way down on the left. I'm just learning myself but I'm about 99% sure it's an AKA National (Panasonic) RQ-231, which is one of the first three Japanese AM/FM Cassette-corders.
Topaz has a comparison of the National RQ-231 and AIWA TPR-101 https://www-video--koubou--topaz-jp...tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc If your read the You Want AIWA History Thread, you'll see he mentions the Crown CRC-9100F and this ad from 1967 predates AIWA Literature. Topaz's Catalogs with the AIWA and National are dated for 1968.
Here's a current ebay listing for the Concord, the seller must know something, it's priced at $199 USD. https://www.ebay.com/itm/125800438472? From Video-Koubou, the National RQ-231 (link above)
As a side-note, Concord might have had the first "kangaroo" model, check this out with the removable tape deck, I've seen at least one other similar model so I have no idea who did it first. From Tape Dood, Pinterest
In the 1968 HiFi Stereo Review Annual Tape Guide, the Concord F-103 is the only radio cassette combination listed in the buying guide. Philips did advertise but there were no radio cassettes. It's interesting that the unit above and this one are the same price, the F-200 looks like a substantial player. Honorable mention goes to the Crown SCS9350M, although it doesn't have a radio, it might be the closest to a modern boombox design.
In the 1969 HiFi Review Tape Annual, we have a new member, the Admiral CTRF150 and Ampex with the Micro 30, anybody own one of these or know where they're made? Arvin had the 40L31-19 Concord is back with a price drop on the F-103 Crown finally makes a showing with the CRC-9100F, personally I think the Crown might be the best looking one and price-wise they're the leader. Grundig also is an early entry with the C-201, anybody own one of these? JVC/Niveco with the 9300 and they take the price wars to a new extreme! It looks like something to go with the cheap portable turntables they had back then. The JVC 9400 is more and it looks like a better build. Playtape Model 1605, this is not compact cassette but it's really close. No National or Panasonic?
I have 1966 for the Philips 22RL962 https://www.boomboxcity.info/#:~:te...e to be recorded directly onto cassette tapes. It does look as if they slapped their shoebox recorder on top of a radio, but it has full Radio Cassette Functionality. p.s. I knew of this but has to use Bing to find it. I got this very close to the top of a Bing search. In contrast Google just kept showing me the first Philips cassette recorder or random Philips Radio Cassettes.
excellent.. continuing my research on Italian magazines I found this in October 1967 with all the necessary characteristics described below AKKORD cassette radio recorder the device consists of a cassette recorder and a portable transistor radio receiver for FM-OL-OM-OC .... possibility of use as a car radio and recording directly from the receiver, from a microphone or from an external recorder ... output power 2 watts as a laptop -- 4/6 watts as a car radio .. output impedance 4.5 hom: 9 V or 220 V power supply via a special power supply or from the 6 or 12 V car battery: dimensions 315*200*95 You can't see the cassette compartment... but searching online I found this photo which brought me to this site which says it's from '68... but since it was already advertised in '67, it was produced before ++ 1968.m. Akkord Combiphon 840 | Cassette recorder museum (cassetterecorder-museum.com) clicking on the photos on the right takes you forward and backward in time
Nice players! I've noticed a serious lack of good entries for google search over the last couple years, they've really gone more for sales then finding cool internet stuff. I've been using goduckgo and bing with better results and always look through the images, sometimes that gets even better (and different) results.
One of the first portable compact cassette players from Norelco (Philips Branding for the USA) from 1966. I thought this was a neat looking ad plus they say you can tape off the radio! The little Continental R2R looks really cool.
The Ampex Micro 30 is a rebranded Philips 22RR482 also known as Norelco in the USA. The year of introduction of the Philips is 1968. Before that one there was the Philips 22RL573 ( https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philips_22rl573.html ) from 1967. The Philips 22RL962 as mentioned in #8 by @Longman is the first radio-cassette from Philips from 1966. Notice Philips used 22RL for these two models, later radiorecorders use 22RR. (22 = made in Holland). The RL abbreviation was in use for radio-only sets. Philips used the EL3300/3301/3302 cassetterecorder mechanics for the 22RL962 (not very nicely done indeed, they did just slapped it on top). A lot of the early cassetterecorders from other brands also used it, as can be seen from the models of Concord and National until they made their own mechanics.
The article with the Crown and AIWA mentioned they were all waiting on the transports from Philips to start production.
Philips ad from Billboard USA 1969, what model are they holding, does it have a radio? It's the "Tape Issue" but most of the tapes are 8-track.
