Afternoon all! I started to collect boomboxes a couple of months ago (I've found it very addictive, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about ) so far I have four, pictured below:

     Top left: Sharp GF-9191                 Top Right: Aiwa TPR-950

   Bottom Left: Sharp GF-575            Bottom Right: Philips D8614

They are all in great shape, with the tape decks/radios/line ins working perfectly. The only minor issue is the Aiwa's right aerial is damaged so I'm looking for a replacement, if anyone out there has one going I'd be hugely grateful!?

Anyway, I wanted to write a post for the s2g community from a newbie point of view. So I've decided to rank my fledgling collection in terms of sound quality, looks, features and build quality, then give them an overall ranking. Here it goes...

Sound quality: 

1. Aiwa TPR-950 - EXCELLENT: Loud, warm, deep sound with a particularly effective loudness function and sounds great at high volumes.

2. Philips D8614 - EXCELLENT: Loud and clear with a great spatial stereo control and sounds equally as good at high volumes as low ones.

3. Sharp GF-9191 - GREAT: Crisp, clear sound, particularly at low/medium volumes, but not quite as impressive at high volumes.

4. Sharp GF-575 - AVERAGE: Sounds good at low/medium volumes, but doesn't handle bass as well at high volumes.

Looks: 

1. Sharp GF-9191 - EXCELLENT: Classic style with its dual aerials and VUs. Switches/buttons located on the top of the box add an extra dimension. Thick shiny chrome rims on the woofers and stylish thin circular chrome tweeters.

2. Aiwa TPR-950 - EXCELLENT: Stands tall with its dual aerials and centralised dual VU. Unique, dark colour scheme with dashes of chrome to set it off. Could have maybe used nicer knobs/switches instead of the plain black plastic ones.

3. Sharp GF-575 - GREAT: Big, plenty of chrome switches and sliders, unique shaped grills and double cassette decks. Poor single LED VU.

4. Philips D8614 - GOOD: Striking blue woofers, shiny chrome knobs, decent double LED VU. Overall a bit plain, undecided over the graphics on the top of the box.

Features: 

(They all have radios/tape decks and balance/bass/treble controls)

1. Philips D8614 - EXCELLENT: Has line in, loudness button, great spatial stereo control, responsive "Feather Touch" deck controls, dual LED VU/battery metres.

2. Sharp GF-575 - GREAT: Has line in, two tape decks, FM mute. Lacking a loudness button (useless dolby NR instead!), the single LED VU/battery metre is poor. 

3. Aiwa TPR-950 - GREAT: Has most effective loudness button, dual VU/battery metres, tuner light. Lacking decent line in, though it does have 5 pin din.

4. Sharp GF-9191 - GREAT: Loudness switch, dual VU/battery metres, VU/tuner light. Lacking decent line in, needs a phono input attenuator.

Build Quality: 

1. Aiwa TPR-950 - EXCELLENT: Highly detailed, heavy, feels solid, very sturdy handle that doesn't slam down when you let go.

2. Sharp GF-9191 - EXCELLENT: Highly detailed, heavy, feels solid, nice sliders/switches, good handle.

3. Philips D8614 - GREAT: Simple, sturdy, light build, but small handle that doesn't stay put.

4. Sharp GF-575 - GOOD: Nicely detailed and heavy, but feels a little flimsy, particularly when carrying with its relatively small handle.

Overall Ranking: 

1. Aiwa TPR-950 - EXCELLENT: Nicest sounding and looking, very loud and only takes 6 D cells! Shame about the line in, I'll keep my eye out for a 955, which I believe has one.

2. Philips D8614 - EXCELLENT: Best value box of my collection. Also my most used box as it is loud, great sounding, has line in and is light to carry even with 8 D cells in it!

3. Sharp GF-9191 - GREAT: Looks and sounds great, very well built, but lacking line in so ranks third in my list.

4. Sharp GF-575 - GOOD: Looks the part, has some decent features, but doesn't sound quite as good as the rest.

   The Aiwa TPR-950 takes the title for my best boombox so far...

For anyone interested, I have also uploaded a (very short) clip of all four boxes playing the same song using an FM transmitter connected to my ipod

Four very nice boxes and a very good review...I think I probably agree with all your rankings if based on the sensible options of logic and reason.  If based on just an irrational love of a box I'd rank the 9191 top of all the lists just cos I love mine so! lol! Though I think another member might rank the 8614 on the top for the same reason

Hi Tomisha,

You are right to be concerned about the addictive nature of Boomboxes. This is the second most expensive hobby that I have ever had; the first being Women!

I also was pretty disappointed with my GF575 and don't bother with it much.That one and a GF555 that I bought early on just about put me off Sharp for good but the 9xxx series machines are much better sounding. The GF9191 has phono inputs on the front which when used with even a cheap attenuator can transform it into a very good line level input.

Where to go next with your collection? I reckon you need a good Sanyo and maybe a nice Toshiba? I agree with your top ranking for the Aiwa. Love everything they do.

Cheers Northerner! I do love the look of the 9191, might get an attenuator like you said so I can get more use out of it - does it sound true through one of them?

Hi Nick, I was just about to mention that myself! Luckily my missus likes these things!  I reckon a Sanyo next also, tried getting an M9998 off ebay but got pipped at the post  You have any recommendations for me? I don't know much about the Toshibas either really?  

Phono attenuators are pretty good. They don't seem to 'colour' the sound much and since you will probably be playing MP3 or CD through them, it's the formats themselves that are compromised compared to tape or vinyl anyway.

The 9998 is a superb machine but I gather the tape is a bugger to sort out so steer clear of a faulty one unless your skills are already up to it.

Toshiba's are a difficult one really; some of the cheaper ones are not very good and the good ones are very expensive so it might be worth steering clear for now.

Probably a JVC M70 might be a good target for what will be shaping up to be a very nice collection indeed.

Personally I can't stop buying them and after about 18 months there are over a hundred machines filling every available space at home and at work!

Great start there Tom you have got 4 great boxes mate enjoyed reading your write up and opinions on all the boxes, great stuff

I'll grab an attenuator then, I'm sure it will come in handy for a few future boxes as well as the 9191.

Cheers for the heads up on the 9998, the tape was knackered on the one I went for so I might have dodged a bullet there!

I will keep my eye out for an M70, but don't fancy my chances as so many people seem to like them/be after one. Will leave Toshibas until I can afford them as well...

Ta for all the advice Nick, you certainly sound like you know your boxes; owning over a hundred of them! 

Cheers Az 

You got 4 nice boxes there Tom, collection is coming on good.

Ta MitchellJames! 

Very interesting and detailed review, and reading this thread - I can feel your joy  

 
Good to see, that someone else is paying attention to such a details as the shape of the carrying handle, etc. All of those small details, minor from the first sight, make some of the boomboxes - pieces of art.
There are no minor details - every little thing is important.

Good luck and enjoy this addictive hobby

Cheers for the kind words metad. There is indeed a whole lotta joy for these boxes!  Plus I agree, the small details are certainly what set one box apart from another

nice boxes tomisha & review!

newbie here also w/ 2 boxes in 2 weeks (3rd one in a couple of days hopefully). you're right there about this being addictive. i already have a very addictive personality so this is dangerous as it adds to the other expensive habbits....er.....i mean...hobby. luckily wifey is ok w/ it (right now )

Nice boomboxes. I have Aiwa 945, similar to 950, sounds gently, with detailed but soft highs, but not so loud. Strange thing with model line and features, the 945 has line-in, line out and some other communicative jacks. I was amaized when see a large connector panel on a left side.

This box ideal for quiet evening with jazz music in a kitchen with friends

I also have Sharp-575 - sound is powerful and some rough. My 575 neeeds new pinch rollers replacement.

nice set of boxes you got there, i had a aiwa i cant remember the exact model number but had like metal color knobs not black, i really regret getting rid of it. 

agreed 100%

It is quite an interesting reading on how

all 4 of them are compared !

Tomisha this is only the beginning

once we start collecting we're all doomed

Evening all! Thought I'd post an update to my collection list as I have picked up a few since posting this. New to my collection are:

Hitachi TRK-8080

Hitachi TRK-8600

Panasonic RX-5500

Sanyo M9998

Sharp GX-300

No reviews for these yet, but I will try post one if I get the time. Though finding the time to properly crank them up is proving difficult at the moment...  

good on you tom ,  you will be amazed how quick your collection will grow but your wallet will get lighter by the month  

Hi

Fantastic review, also you have four of my top ten favorite boxes! I think (as Tomshiba suggests) a nice JVC would be a good addition but then I'm biased, nothing wrong with Sanyo or Toshiba either. I would be happy to own any of your machines but think I'd be hard pushed to choose between the Philips and the Aiwa. I owned a 9191 and loved it. Bit disappointed about what people are saying about the 575. It was one that I always thought I wanted but never had the opportunity to try out. If they are flimsy with disappointing sound maybe my money is best spent on other things. Anyway great review, for me very useful. Looking forward to you writing more as your collection grows. All the best.

Seb  

Thanks Seb! I would love to grab myself a JVC but they seem very hard to come by  Does anybody have one for sale/trade? Or know anywhere I might be able to get one from? Also, what JVC would people recommend on a budget (<£100ish)? I certainly don't have the sort of money the M90 seems to go for anyway! 

I'll keep my eye out for an M80, cheers for the shout Nick! I have been pretty lucky with what I have managed to pick up so far Northerner, it certainly helps having all of s2g's members' knowledge to draw upon! 

"it certainly helps having all of s2g's members' knowledge to draw upon! "

Yes, I havn't been a member of S2G for long but I'm really loving this site!

 i have the aiwa sounds super great!

here's part of my collection,but i sold my  gold conion to redbenjoe  a collector from this forum.

My current collection 

Looking good. What are the three hiding at the back?

You have picked some top quality machines.

Cheers Nick! The three/four hiding away are: Hitachi 8600, Sanyo M9998, Philips D8614, Sharp GX-300. I also have a GF-9797 but it won't power up for some reason... 

The 91 is always a worthy crown on any pile of boxes Northerner!

Thats one hell of nice collection you have there tomisha. A great variety,  nice pic too!  is there a Crown and a Philips lurking at the back there?

Nice family photo! Diverse collection

Nice pic Tom, nice boxes

Hitachi 8600 is one of my favs! Not a huge Hitachi fan but do have a soft spot for that model.

Gotta get that 9797 going. Wouldn't mind a punt on one of those!

very nice!

Yep nice pic and boxes tom 

Ta for the comments guys!

It is indeed a Philips D8614 and a Crown 960 on the right Seb. 

Will definitely need to get this 9797 looked at hisrudeness, not heard one before myself either 

You've owned/fixed a couple of these boxes Chris so you know how nice they are!

      i will try and get to yours next week and have a look at the 9797 tom 

That we be very much appreciated Chris! 

Not all superheroes wear their underpants over their trousers.

  no probs tom

How do those TPR-950s sound by the way? Never owned one. Anyone know how they compare to their contemparys JVC 838, Sanyo M9998, Panny RS 4360 and others from that era. They seem to be popping up a lot lately.

The TPR-950s are the best boxes I own. Sound better than the M9998 imo, I haven't heard the JVC 838 or Panny 4360 though so can't compare them. Very loud, deep bass and they only take 6 D cells as well! Honestly can't recommend them enough! 

agreed tom i cant praise them enough ,  and they sound fab on batteries to 

Yeah I like the 8600 as well Lee, particularly its 'standing tall' looks! But the sound of the Aiwa 950s make them my favourites so far