Found this Panny RX-DS101 over the weekend at a Toledo Goodwill for $10.00. It's a mess. Dirt in every nook and cranny (see photos), including inside speaker housings (behind grilles), scratches, rubs, dents (see speaker grilles), dings, nicks, sticky tape residue, actual sticky tape (see handle). It had a broken antenna, but in a burst of energy I installed a replacement from Radio Shack (no red tip!!).

The thing is, everything on this cosmetic disaster works perfectly: tuner, tape deck, CD player, read-out and all controls.

So... is a DS101 (from 1992) worth the hours of tedious detailing that it would take to clean it up? It sounds pretty good, but I don't think it's one of those bi-amped units... or is it?

It's certainly not one of the cobras, with motorzied opening controls, dual decks or remote control. And it has an analog tuner.

Would you go through the effort of trying to make this one shine again (if so, please tell me how to clean behind the speaker grilles), or would you just stick it on your workbench in the garage and use it as your woodworking/oil changing companion?

nice find for a hamilton BB
i have an aiwa that's very similar to your panny also got from goodwill for 10 bucks,def worth cleaning up,enjoy it!

BB --at this major turning point --
its important to become pensive -
and to contemplate how good or bad the remainder of your life may have been --
had you never discovered this gem.

I see you were in my hunting grounds.
Were you in Toledo for business or leissure?
I cant imagine coming down here just for fun.
The goodwills here are not really the best places to find boxes, but nice catch!
Do you know of any other members from the board around this area? We need to show the south that we can organize a meet too.

Paul Z.

When it´s fully working and you like it, good deal.
A big repair it is´nt worth.
But a cleaning job you can invest.

The grills you can try to clean (carefully) with the vac-cleaner. With low power!

My cobra for example is´nt displayed at home, it´s stored in the back of the shelf. Like the kaboom.
But when need good powerful sound i take them out and let it bang.

quote:

Originally posted by Master Z:
Were you in Toledo for business or leissure?
I cant imagine coming down here just for fun.

I was "making the rounds" in Maumee: Allied Record Exchange (super used record store), David Faircloth Jewelers (one of my wife's favorites), Kroger (for - not available in Michigan - Schwebel's Bread, Balreich's chips and Diet A&W Cream Soda), Saver's thrift store and - last but not least - Goodwill. Finding the DS101 was a surprise, especially on a weekend, when the thrifts are usually picked over from the week. Skipped the Maumee Antique Mall this time, but next trip for sure. Toledo can be fun if you time it right!

As for cleaning up the box... sounds like it might be worth a try. I'm not a patient person, so I don't guarantee I'll finish or do a very good job. But the more I listen to the DS101, the more I realize it's a keeper. I think I'd like it even more if it were halfway presentable. Besides, I already have a beater radio in my garage.

Ha! I live right behind the plaza Allied is in! Next time your in town let me know, we can talk boomboxes.
Paul Z.

Good find!
Your RX-DT101 is similar to my RX-DT401 except your has single cassette and the RX-DT401 has dual cassettes. If it works like you say,I would clean it up and if you decide you don't want it you could just resell it.

quote:

Originally posted by Master Z:
Ha! I live right behind the plaza Allied is in! Next time your in town let me know, we can talk boomboxes.

Deal.

Lots of good ideas and advice. Thanks everybody! Makes sense to try to clean up the box. Then, if I decide I don't want it, I can sell it. Maybe make a few $$. Very smart!

quote:

Originally posted by baby boomer:
Lots of good ideas and advice. Thanks everybody! Makes sense to try to clean up the box. Then, if I decide I don't want it, I can sell it. Maybe make a few $$. Very smart!

Yep,you always have that option....

when cleaning your grills and your nooks --
never use your own toothbrush.

quote:

Originally posted by redbenjoe:
when cleaning your grills and your nooks --
never use your own toothbrush.

Ira is right.... I use my wife's toothbrush... Never mine,YUK!!!

Not that difficult to clean a boombox.
Just need a bag of cleaning tricks
and they clean up quick.

quote:

Originally posted by transwave5000:
Not that difficult to clean a boombox.
Just need a bag of cleaning tricks
and they clean up quick.

If you could share a few, that would be great... like how to get rid of the sticky residue (price tags? tape?), some of which has hardened over the years, and the white rub/scratch lines across the front. Is a vac a good idea to get the dirt behind the speaker grilles, like VS said? The rest of the dirt I can probably handle, even in the small cracks.

Try "Goo-Gone" to remove old stickers and tape. While pretty mild stuff, test an area first to make sure it doesn't remove paint or attack plastic.

I'd prefer to use an air jet over a vacuum to clean speakers--it's a little more controllable.

Ok, this is also an idea.
Sometimes at difficoult parts i use an old airbrush kompressor to get the dirt off, combinated with the vac to collect the dust.
Both used with care, of course.

quote:

Panny RX-DS101

Hi BB. The Panny RX-DS101 will clean up a treat. I had one very similar to that only the bass ports were on the out side edge of the speakers. I took mine apart to clean. I recommend doing the same as it's easy to do (6 - 8 screws) and was very well made meaning reassembly was easy. Just watch out for the connecting wires. When you are in you'll need to undo the 4 screws that hold each speaker drive unit in place. Careful as whilst solid enough it's easy to strip out the threads. It's worth doing; when the speaker units are out you can floss around the grille/bass ports and make them look like new. When the main housing is clean, try a good silicone polish. And as for the bits in between the switches, try some very very thin cardboard, again to floss out the muck. Mine was just a dirty as that one and came out looking like new when done. Good luck. It is worth it

PS Materials I used were Foam cleaner, thin card, silicone polish. The foam cleaner will get not just the dirt off but the sticky stuff left over from lables etc. Obtainable from a computer shop or similar.