I went over to Goodwill tonite.
I got a MINTY pair of Bookshelf speakers,Hooked them up to my Pany C-45,and wow! The sound and perf Improved 10X! Both Radio and cass Player sound fuller and Richer. What a great investment for $4!

That's nice 'n' cheap!

Well done, Jaredscottfla!

Thanks RA

what brand and model # speakers ?

and what goodwill !!!?

Regular stereo speakers of any decent quality almost always will sound better than the built-in boombox speakers, just because of the way they are made (Physics wins, every time!).

As long as you stick with speakers that are small and efficient enough for boombox amps to power them, using external speakers like that should be a huge sound improvement. IF the speakers are really good, you'll finally get to hear what the boombox's amp is really capable of (and what it is not capable of, alas...).

Of course, using extra speakers makes them a LOT less portable, and portability is the main feature of boombox design/construction.

Just thought of something related: headphones also sometimes greatly change and improve the sound of a boombox, over the box speakers.

For example, I'm listening right now to FM radio over a Corona (Crown) CR-3200 (/B) boombox, with quite decent Beyerdynamic headphones.

While the sound isn't quite up to the "audiophile' level I get from 100+ pounds of Marantz separates ... it is QUITE GOOD. I can hear a fair amount of the "mic sound" and "room ambience" when the guys are talking in the studio between songs. I've actually been in that studio several times to be interviewed and such, and the sound I'm hearing really sounds like that room and those mics do. A lot of the stereos I have listened to don't pick up that level of detail. It still sounds just slightly "transistor", but I only notice it at all because I'm used to good stereos, and that may just be aging capacitors, not a weakness in design.

Now compare that to the sound you get through the boombox's actual speakers. Sorry, just not as good. I need to punch in the loudness button and crank the bass up a bit, for it to fill in well, despite the Corona's having 8-inch woofers and a sizeable case.

There is just no way a plastic box with speakers stuck there right and left, ventilation slots in the back and lots of other parts crammed in it, is ever going to reproduce great sound. The closeness of the drivers also limits the stereo effect. A few boxes like the M90 do a remarkable job of it due to good design, but just think how many good 3-piece boxes like the telefunken Studio 1 can exceed it.
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*TPR*:
quoted Arkay:For example, I'm listening right now to FM radio over a Corona (Crown) CR-3200 (/B) boombox, with quite decent Beyerdynamic headphones.

quote:

Originally posted by redbenjoe:
what brand and model # speakers ?

and what goodwill !!!?

Goodwill-North Miami Beach CS X380 Pioneer

thanks jared --
and if you see me down there grabbing all the grails before you ----
thats not me !!

sorry ira,i got those worth gettin'! Lol!

Seriously that store RARELY,has anything Good,I just popped in by chance as i was in the supermarket next door! Ya never know.!

That Corona/Crown boombox is gorgeous!! It looks huge!

quote:

Originally posted by Retro Addict:
That Corona/Crown boombox is gorgeous!! It looks huge!

It IS a very big box. It's a good inch longer (22+ inches), 2 inches taller (13" body, 16" including the handle), and an inch thicker (6-1/2 inches) than an M70, to give a comparison. The blue color of the speaker grills is beautiful, and it has chromed dust caps. Just a very nice box, IMO, and one of my favorites.

So I'm not hijacking the thread with this post (well, not totally), I'll repeat that like all boomboxes, this one sounds better through good headphones or good external speakers, than through its own speakers. That is an unavoidable truth for all but a few like the Studio 1, which essentially has "external speakers" to begin with. That said, the Corona still sounds quite good as-is, for a boombox!

quote:

Originally posted by Arkay:

quote:

Originally posted by Retro Addict:
That Corona/Crown boombox is gorgeous!! It looks huge!

It IS a very big box. It's a good inch longer (22+ inches), 2 inches taller (13" body, 16" including the handle), and an inch thicker (6-1/2 inches) than an M70, to give a comparison. The blue color of the speaker grills is beautiful, and it has chromed dust caps. Just a very nice box, IMO, and one of my favorites.

Thanks for posting the dimentions of it, Arkay! It IS a big box! It's about the same height as my TRK-8600, and wider I think!