I usually prefer the new Sony boxes with the remote and CD. Even those I do not use much. Most of my old boxes are put away. I have a favourite sitting around that doesnt see much use. I have a couple around for pic-nics and stuff, but to be honest i do not spark up any of my old boxes for the most part.

I happen to listen to at least one of my boomboxes every day. Even though I have a very expensive home stereo system, 80's music just seems to sound the way I remember it on an 80's boombox, so all of mine get plenty of use. Besides, here in Cali the weather is always nice so when I go to the park, beach, or basketball court I always have a boombox with me.

mine r put away in a cupboard protected from dust with a sheet.
i like to keep them as dust free as poss, occasionally i dig them out and fire them up for an hour or so.
apart from the hitachi 8290 i have in my kitchen the rest of the squad are pretty much redundant.
having said that, now summers nearly here in the u.k, one or two will get a spin

I use mine all the time well the 767!! just got back from a arky dig which I did take the 767 !! and a load of tapes !! It was on for 3 days solid almost, in the -3 night time conditions to the day time heat!! I wouldn't bother collecting them if i didn't use them!!!

yep,sadly i am one of those that dont use mine anymore,i have about 40 that have'nt been plugged in for about a year or more..some others get played about once a month if there lucky,i used to mess with them alot but as i'm getting older,i'm not bothering with them as much as i used to..

I'm a bit like gettoman with many of my boomers: all put away in cupboards, etc.
However I have several in daily use around the home:
Sony ZX-7 connected to home stereo, serving as the FM tuner & tape deck
Panasonic RX-DT610 the kitchen radio (also with iPod dock & Freeview box connected for TV sound)
Bang & Olufsen Beosystem10 in dining room
Sansui FX-700R in the bathroom, on batts
JVC PC-V2 in home office (used alot as I work from home 3 days a week)
Lasonic i931 my son's stereo in his room
Sharp WQ-T238 in master bedroom playing "sleep inducement" mp3s on 24/7 rotation via line in
Sharp QT-V5E also in the master bedroom as the DVD player

...not a single Hitachi 3D in that lot. Strange

trouble for me is....i darent-for fear of damage/extra cassette deck wear.ive used my m80 very little since i got it a few weeks ago-its too precious too me-i occasionally use my panasonic 5600 cos its got great bass but again its precious so lately ive just been using my slimline mini boxes for radio and tape.plus i normally tune in at night before i turn in, and the last thing i want at that time is too much bass in my lughole
if i want some afternoon tunes i may opt for the big boys-but i just normally use something less precious-silly i know as they were made to be used!

I don't fear damage so much (just so long as I don't drop one).As you get older your life usually changes to where you don't have the time to listen as much to your boomboxes.However,its still great having a stack of them.When you have the time,its great to be able to pull something different out to use.This keeps things interesting.Its like having a new boombox everytime.That said I think were probably better off getting rid of the ones we pass over again and again.Let someone have it that will use it or,at least,actively appreciate it.

I can remember as a kid wishing I could have a lot of the different models I saw.Now I am able to do this.A lot of my reason for having my hobby is the fulfillment of this adolescent era dream.There are times at work I can use a blaster which is helpful.However,as time goes on I find myself doing this less and less.

There are a number of facets to this hobby.There is the sound of course.There is the appreciation for their style.Also,their differently designed functionality adds to the fascination.This can be appreciated without extended listening periods.Its not all about listening.However,If a box ceases to amuse you in one of these 3 ways then its time to pass them on to somneone else.

Shure, every day ...

Kitchen: JVC RS-WP1 (the back-pack-Kaboom)
Lifing-room: Telefunken Hifi Studio M1 (CD comes from Bose lifestyle system)
Childrens-room: Panasonic RX-A2 (they love doing karaoke)
Bathroom: Sony ICF-IR7 (best sounding radio clock)
Balcony: Sanyo M-S350 LE (great sounding mini-bbox)

Every two weeks I changes the bbox in the lifing room (Universum Senator 1000 hifi, Grundig Party Center 2000 hifi, Uher mini port, Rotel RPM-10, Yamaha YST-11 which are my favorite sounding units), but always come back to the Telefunken M1 - it got the best radio tuner + the best sound ...

Best wishes
TOM

quote:

Originally posted by andy v:
trouble for me is....i darent-for fear of damage/extra cassette deck wear...

I know what you mean. Every time I use my M90 I think about how difficult that deck is to fix!

quote:

Originally posted by Jovie:
A lot of my reason for having my hobby is the fulfillment of this adolescent era dream.

oh, DEFINITELY!

yep iso,i agree with jovie,theres a few reasons and stories to some of my boxes..
Got a Sharp GF990 because i wanted one when i was a kid,GF9500 because (besides hitachi Trk W1) the GF9500 was my first proppa box..Amstrad 8090 and philips D8734 because i used to gaze throught the catalogue when i was 12,wanting one..Super Jumbo J1 because when i first seen Radio Raheem with his in the movie "Do the Right Thing In around 1990" GF777 because i had a poster of one when i was 14..and the stories go on..the problem is,now i'm 40,the childhood memories are fading,and that "boombox excitement" is'nt the same anymore..i just dont care as much as i used to,no matter how much i try..i'm only hanging on to most of them because i've had them for 10-15 years,the philips D8734 i bought in 1995 and still have it,and one of my Jvc pc55 i bought myself for my 26th bithday..even though i dont use them,i just like to know they are there..hoarder??

yep, i agree gettoman, i have only been collecting 5yrs or so, and the excitement is,nt the same as it used to be.
plus there was a time when i could find boxes quiet easily.
i think maybe because i don,t pick up anything anymore is the reason i have resorted to trying to do trades.
just something new for a while to admire makes me that bit happier.
i think they will always hold a place in my heart though, theres just something about boxes that warms me inside.
maybe we all need something to get us down this highway we call life

your not hoarding, gm-just fulfilling your childhood dreams-as a lad you dreamed of owning these boxes,and now you are fulfilling the dream.i often find just staring at mine is enough.to play them though, when i do,is another high altogether.i was too little to have memories of the boomboxes (ie was only 5 in 1982)but i do recall seeing them about-vaguely.for some reason though i always had a walkman,from about 7 years of age.i guess my folks bought me these as cheaper alternatives to a bigger, portable noise making machine.pity,i wish id kept hold of them walkmans.or wish id owned a couple of boomboxes originally.i came accross a boombox in a second hand shop about 11 years ago.back then i wasnt into boxes,at all,but this thing was on the top shelf-was 1 piece, and was huge.after learning what certain boxes look like nowadays i fear i know what it was-a conion c100!!!!!!!!and guess what?it was only a tenner!the shopkeeper did say it was fecked,and needed a lot of work.i dont care.i was skint at the time,had about 3 quid on me-even asked the shopkeeper to take this as a down payment and id return with the rest-id walk home rather than get the bus-but he flatly said no.i was gutted.if id have had it id have been collecting them 11 years by now.if only.............

quote:

Originally posted by andy v:
your not hoarding, gm-just fulfilling your childhood dreams-as a lad you dreamed of owning these boxes,and now you are fulfilling the dream.i often find just staring at mine is enough.to play them though, when i do,is another high altogether.i was too little to have memories of the boomboxes (ie was only 5 in 1982)but i do recall seeing them about-vaguely.for some reason though i always had a walkman,from about 7 years of age.i guess my folks bought me these as cheaper alternatives to a bigger, portable noise making machine.pity,i wish id kept hold of them walkmans.or wish id owned a couple of boomboxes originally.i came accross a boombox in a second hand shop about 11 years ago.back then i wasnt into boxes,at all,but this thing was on the top shelf-was 1 piece, and was huge.after learning what certain boxes look like nowadays i fear i know what it was-a conion c100!!!!!!!!and guess what?it was only a tenner!the shopkeeper did say it was fecked,and needed a lot of work.i dont care.i was skint at the time,had about 3 quid on me-even asked the shopkeeper to take this as a down payment and id return with the rest-id walk home rather than get the bus-but he flatly said no.i was gutted.if id have had it id have been collecting them 11 years by now.if only.............

and that conion would probably be with me by now andy pitty you did,nt have a camera on you that day, atleast you,d of had pics to look back on

WWWHHHAAATTT!!! It's an insult to keep your Box couped up in the house if it's still functional!!! My Realistic SCR-2 gets used everyday at work, and the heads are cleaned regularly!!!

I've had that Box since my Senior Year in High School, class of '78 mind you!!! And it sounds just as good to me now, as it did way back then. Except for the static whenever I turn up the volume!!!

'NUFF SAID

quote:

Originally posted by KBallenger53:
WWWHHHAAATTT!!! It's an insult to keep your Box couped up in the house if it's still functional!!! My Realistic SCR-2 gets used everyday at work, and the heads are cleaned regularly!!!

I've had that Box since my Senior Year in High School, class of '78 mind you!!! And it sounds just as good to me now, as it did way back then. Except for the static whenever I turn up the volume!!!

'NUFF SAID

what a box at work!! you lucky chap i took a box into work in my last job and it was soon ditched.
don,t worry guys it was a 90s plastic c**p box.
we had to have it at a reasonable level coz of the noisy b*****d machines, anyway the gaffa kept on at us to turn it down all the time even though you could only just hear it over the machines.
i got sick of him naggin on about it so i ended up disconnecting it and threw it in the skip, right where he was standing you can guess i did,nt last long at that job

I only have 12-15 boxes, so each of them gets used weekly. Every room in the house should have at least one box. I'm going to look for an FM transmitter so that I can make all of them play the same music at the same time.

I tend to have phases of giving several boxes a play for an hour or so, then not messing with them for like 2 or 3 months. The Sharp 9494 is in my bedroom and gets more frequent use however. Depends how the mood takes me and how busy I am in day to day life. They certainly don't 'just sit' and get neglected though

Isn't it best for one to actually operate a machine on a periodic basis as it's use is supposed to to keep the devices belts and mechanisms in condition and to keep the capacitors "formed"?

BTW Saxonman..your avatar....it has a really nice pair..of speakers!

I don't have very many so it's easy to rotate them around to listen to them. Plus I use one at work too,right now a Panasonic FM-30,but I switch them around at work too.
It's very dusty at work so I don't bring the good ones.

quote:

Originally posted by jerryjg:
Isn't it best for one to actually operate a machine on a periodic basis as it's use is supposed to to keep the devices belts and mechanisms in condition and to keep the capacitors "formed"?

And to prevent corrosion, I suspect.

i too (like the OP) have have been using a sony CFD G505 with CD and cassette and remote. I have XM hookd up VIA the line in. I stopped _collecting_ older boxes and gt rid of a lot of the older boxes as have lost interest in these. I too have even aquired the latest IPOD NANO 5th generation now i'm thinking about a nice docking station for it. The boomboxes were fun yesteryear but it has come time for me to move on .

most of these are plugged in and get used all the time

quote:

Originally posted by Reli:
...I'm going to look for an FM transmitter so that I can make all of them play the same music at the same time.

C-Crane FM transmitter:
http://www.ccrane.com/radios/f.../fm-transmitter.aspx
Not the cheapest, but truly worth every penny. Rules in the UK mean nothing this powerful is on sale. It has battery or DC-in operation & lots of other nice functions, such as manual digital setting of any output frequency, auto-off, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by lav loo:
...what a box at work!!...

My Sony CFD-5 is on my desk at work.
OK, it's mosty used with headphones, but this thing has one tasty Auto-reverse deck...

looks like your the gaffa there eh!

I rock out to my boomers everyday while I work on my minitruck!

the only ones i use on a regular basis are the sony fh-7 mk1 in my bedroom....my other sony fh7 mk1 in the lounge which has a sony fh7 mk2 sat on top so i use the apm speakers on that one....i use my sony fh7 mk2 in black whch is on the shelf in my office...and all are either radio or ipod plugged in........

All the other 50 or so boxes are in the loft which is a shame because if we had a bit more room in the house i would love to have a display wall with them all on.....a couple of weeks ago when me and my joiner were painting the outside of a house, i brought my gf-777 down from the loft and plugged it in outside while we were working....i loved the loudness of it but my joiner was a little embarrassed to say the least...he kept telling me to turn it down but he is only 27 and was brought up in a time when personal stereo`s with headfones were the norm.........i suppose 40 year olds are not really being very mature when they are blasting music outside in the street at silly levels......i agree with a lot of these posts about childhood dreams.........when i was between 11 & 14 we used to breakdance down at our local shopping mall with loud music and i suppose my collecting is just a way of trying to hang on to something that made me feel young....but these days will come to an end one day and the boxes will have to go to better homes ....saying that i still buy the odd one if its cheap or i like it.......i do love my sony`s .....fh-7`s especially

Davebush,

That's really funny to hear about you 27 y/o assistant. To tell the truth, not all youngsters are going to be the type to draw that sort of attention to themselves.

I am not a collector (I just have two) but they are used all the time.

I think not using the stuff from you hobby is natural once you pass a certain stage. I have just over 1000 vinyl records and I'm about to sell them. I don't have the time to play them and the novelty has worn off.

quote:

Originally posted by lav loo:
looks like your the gaffa there eh!

more like "jobseeker" in the next couple of months

Every day for me, as a lot of yous...

I even change places once or twice a month to varry the listening.

quote:

Originally posted by isolator42:

quote:

Originally posted by lav loo:
looks like your the gaffa there eh!

more like "jobseeker" in the next couple of months

quote:

he kept telling me to turn it down but he is only 27 and was brought up in a time when personal stereo`s with headfones were the norm.........

Maybe it was just because of your choice of music

I am the same,i would'nt dare take any of mine outside or play music outside..
And its the same with me,i only got all these radios because of seeing them when i was young,and suppose thats what i am doing,trying to hang on to my youth,but as time goes on,my youth is fading,my past is fading,and the memories are dissapearing..when these go,my boxes will probebly go too..but i fear for there future,i'm not sure the kids these days like the old boxes..after us collectors cease to exsist,i think the boxes will end up on the tip/dump..

hey gettoman, sounds like your a bit down there mate anyway iv,e decided im gettin buried with my boxes, or atleast my best couple, that,s if i don,t end drowning at sea or something

like to have one playing loud, when i clean bike parts or i am braking my old scooby and if i'm in the kitchen clean old school parts will have one pluged in - trouble is when a cracking tune comes on and the bass goes up

hey bendycat.......your back....thought you`d gone forever....anyway, nice to see you postin again

i got lost in the maze of boxes i have - it's taken till now to find my way out

so thats where youve been
no seriously man,you have had a lot on your plate mate-so welcome back to happiness-and sell me that m70 you got off your mate when you were last on here

quote:

Originally posted by BENDYCAT:
or i am braking my old scooby

what does this mean

he had a scooby and decided to break it to raise cash.

correct me if im wrong but i believe that to be truth!

is a scooby a subaru?

quote:

Originally posted by davebush:
hey bendycat.......your back....thought you`d gone forever....anyway, nice to see you postin again

Hey Dave, you're right!!! It is good to see The Black Panther among us again!!! I guess me and Bendy are both guilty of being MIA....

And Sinister...those are not a collection of Boxes you have, THAT'S AN ARSENAL!!! You can blast Al-Qida out of Afghanistan with those!!!

You know, although we may have stereo equipment at home, it's something about The Box's sound that turns us on!!! That Realistic of mine only has 3' speakers, but it's that nostalgic sound that gets me going every day at work!!! Especially when I turn on the Stereo Wide feature!

The rest of the people are listening to Launchcast and Pandora's Box in their cubicles, but there I am listening to Disco Cassettes with KC & The Sunshine Band, Donna Summer, The Ritchie Family, The Bee Gees, The Trammps, and others. One girl said: "You're too Old School for me, but that is sooo Cool what you have there". I looked at her, and a Devilish thought popped into my head: "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I HAVE THAT'S SO COOL, HEH, HEH, HEH"!!!

'NUFF SAID

I love speakers Jerry!! I use mine but I must say my 767 rewind/fastward is now starting to slow down so the belts will need doing soon not a job I'm looking forward to but I'll still use it afterwards!!

quote:

Originally posted by Reli:
is a scooby a subaru?

yup. "breaking" = "parting-out"... taking his subaru apart & selling the bits.

Use some of my collection daily I own the entire JVC RC M line plus the RC 550, PC 55, I mostly use the M 70 due that is a very well made unit tough mechanical and the RC 656 C compact with big sound. I save wear and tear on the M 90 and the M 80 . Love listening to cassettes that I made 25-30 years ago vintage hip hop.

quote:

Originally posted by KBallenger53:
WWWHHHAAATTT!!! It's an insult to keep your Box couped up in the house if it's still functional!!! My Realistic SCR-2 gets used everyday at work, and the heads are cleaned regularly!!!

I've had that Box since my Senior Year in High School, class of '78 mind you!!! And it sounds just as good to me now, as it did way back then. Except for the static whenever I turn up the volume!!!

'NUFF SAID

Ha! I've had one of those in my bathroom for about 20 years now. Got it for Christmas back in 1980. It still works and works well for what it is. Now that I listen to a lot more podcasting than broadcast radio I'm afraid it doesn't get used much anymore, but it did for many years.

Perhaps I should go get it and knock the dust off of it for a while.

My beach radio is another Realistic. This poor abused thing:


I'm afraid it's seen better days. Yes, that's rust on the grills. If nothing else I can take it and not really worry about it because it's already messed up, although it's still fully functional. Well almost. A few of the meter lights are out.

Actually those are the only two I had until this year.

Hey +3db, your Box doesn't look half bad according to the picture! But, that salt water, and that salty air from the beach can really mess a Box up. It can really corrode the major parts inside of it.

But hey, at least it still works!!!

'NUFF SAID

Oh yes, I do. Last few days, I've been traipsing around town, box on my shoulders, blushing, people-watching, and slamming the volume slider if kids walk by during a spurt of expletives. Impromptu dance parties to the B-52s, makin' out to Gravy Train!!!, and screaming to Black Flag. It's all good. My box is real bland, so I draped colorful beads on the antenna and stuck a turquoise keffiyah under the handle. I'm not sure I could get more attention with a real jambox - my grandmother's old Magnavox sure suffices, even with the busted tape door and lack of volume. I just want a line-in, 'cause I'm the only person I know with many tapes, and people sure would love to play their Ipodmajigs through its amp.

Whats the point in having them if you dont use them?
They belong on the streets, the park, on the corner, the front steps, the beach etc.
Do yourself and your boxes a favor, grab some tapes, mp3's and take em out.
Put the volume on blast and jam out, the public be damned! This is their sole purpouse.

that,s the attitude

I always set up my Clairetone 7980 and J1 SuperJumbo for parties. I use an FM transmitter on my iPod to get them both pumping the same jams. They're great conversation starters and if you're going to have tunes blasting, might as well use the boomboxes! I also have a Sanyo M9980 and a Panasonic 5085 that I take to school, the beach, and the park. And of course when I kick it on the porch with my friends, watching the girls walk down the street I've always got one jamming!
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