Audio Sonic TBS-1130
michiel - 2013-08-22 10:50
Yesterday Ive become the new owner of this beast. An Audio Sonic TBS-1130. Found it on a local auction site and had to bid for it. Bidding stopped at 110 euros, so its not a real cheappo. But as I was hunting for this one and its like new, I don't care haha
Nothing is missing and it is working like it just left the factory The nice guy I bought it from got it for his 10th birthday back in the '80s and decided to sell it. So I'm the second owner.
Sound is nothing special. Not much bass, exceptional amount of highs. Its very loud!
It must have the most useless switch ever found on a boombox. An "High Filter". A low pass filter, dropping down the 10kHz switch of the equalizer has the same effect lol
Hope you enjoy the pictures
aestereo - 2013-08-22 12:47
It should be a breeze to maintain the box. Every repairman's dream!
Try to seal the woofers in an air tight enclosure.
You can fit a plywood/mdf box inside without anybody knowing it.
It would improve the bass.
michiel - 2013-08-22 13:07
Lol putting plywood or mdf in it will break the handle I'm afraid.
Just did some testing. It sound very similar to the M70 with full bass and treble with the loudness switch off. The M70 goes louder. The Sonic has much more highs in it. It really hurts my ear, so much highs does it have!
northerner - 2013-08-22 13:55
michiel - 2013-08-22 14:01
Thanks, it's a real show box Yes its a row of LEDs acting as a sort of mono vu meter. Not really bright though, they are hard to see during daytime. The tweeters are actally mids. The real tweeters are those square things next to the LEDs.
lav.loo - 2013-08-22 14:21
It really doesn't matter how empty it is inside, the outside of the box is stunning
would love to get my hands on something like that, great score Michiel congrats
northerner - 2013-08-22 14:21
michiel - 2013-08-24 00:56
Think the designers made it for a daylight box and skipped most of the led things. The thing becomes a real star in bright sunlight!
I'm very happy with it. I've seen them go before, but always with missing parts. Notoriously missing the power switch, record switch, volume buttons, antennas or tape doors. Can imagine why, it's a real fragile box that doesn't suppose to survive a couple of year of normal use. I'm not gonna use it a lot either
brutus442 - 2013-08-24 01:38
Great score Michiel!
It shares so much with it's Prosonic/ Trident aka's. Are the decks auto reverse? If not what are the two buttons located below deck "A"s function buttons? Synchro play maybe?
BTW this box is in mint condition! A keeper! I bet it would take less than 15 minutes to change BOTH belts
michiel - 2013-08-24 01:55
Thanks Brutus! The left button is the power button, the one next to it is for setting it to high speed dubbing. A strange place to put the button there, until you check the inside. The board that regulates the speed of the motors is located just behind it.
Nope it isn't auto reverse. The guy I got it from, got it around 1982 and I think auto reverse wasn't very common at that time. Was it? The ICS STR-5091 is an exact aka of it. It's kind of light colored jumbo
The belts are very easy haha. Sadly they are flat belts and not as easy to get as the square ones. But these were still in very good shape!
brutus442 - 2013-08-24 02:47
Never thought of the power button being so low and the high speed dubbing makes sense.
You're right. Auto reverse was not a common sight back in 82'. If you're stuck for some flat belts, DocP has a few!
Congrats on the box again!
walkgirl - 2013-08-24 03:01
er heeft iemand tegen de muur geflatst
michiel - 2013-08-24 03:06
er heeft iemand tegen de muur geflatst
Net een echte ghetto, maar ik was het niet hoor!
lav.loo - 2013-08-24 04:45
It really is a sweet looking box Michiel but I would put my life on it that it's not from 82 judging by the emptiness on the inside and all the blingy chrome I would date it more 86/87 for sure
michiel - 2013-08-24 04:58
It really is a sweet looking box Michiel but I would put my life on it that it's not from 82 judging by the emptiness on the inside and all the blingy chrome I would date it more 86/87 for sure
I agree! I was thinking the same when I heard the story. But it ain't black, so I'm not sure. It has the 86 size, and the color of 82 lol. Strange...
michiel - 2013-08-24 05:07
Solved already! You're right Lav. It's 86/87! In the video around 0:40
walkgirl - 2013-08-24 05:07
lav.loo - 2013-08-24 07:24
Thanks for confirming my suspicions Michiel, great vid btw
solebox - 2013-09-19 03:04
That is beautiful. I do not see much of this around in peoples collection. Well done!
deech - 2013-09-19 10:54
Havent seen this .
This thing gets seriously loud !!
Crisp Highs too .
michiel - 2013-09-19 11:57
Deech, did you see the video of the flyer? Around 0:36 there are some nice boxes I hope to find! Especially the one in the left uper corner. The one with the bling in front of the speakers, behind the 1130!
deech - 2013-09-19 12:21
Let me just check !! I think i have an AKA
deech - 2013-09-19 12:31
michiel - 2013-09-19 13:00
Cool! Thats it! Thanks for the pic Deech! Think it's a nice looking box! Some kind of rat-box!
Its not my video. Found it on youtube!