After collecting and testing about 300 boomboxes, I was very excited to test the M90. I read so much about this bbox, but never had a chance to hear one of those, because in Germany they are very rare. And even when you find one, the prices for those bboxes are stupid.

Sometimes I buy a bbox just to know how the sound is, because I already bought a lot of bboxes and was so disapointed of the sound (specialy after reading tests about units in S2G), so I make my own mind about things now.

First, I thought this thing is much bigger than it is when it stands infront of you. Production quality is ordinary, realy nothing special. Just to face this thing means not much - didn‘t find the spirit, the fame right here ...

Soundcheck: puhh, what should I say - it sounds good. Just good, not more. I know a lot of other one piecer that sounds better than this one. I like the highs, they are very clear and crispy. Bass is ok, but if you turn this thing loud, the hole cabinet is chattering - ohjee! A VW Beatle with a Porsche engine ... too much power for this body. But this unit got no sub-bass, like you will find in a few other one-piecer boomboxes - shure, they don‘t have the power of the M90, but is this realy the only highlight of this so often called „holy grale“? And the worst thing for me, there is no imaginare stage like I know it from my Hifi-Ghettos.

Every ghettoblaster of my collection will eat a M90 for breakfast - so if this bbox is your dream, save the money and keep on dreaming that it will sound much better than it does in reality. I don‘t wanne say that this bbox sucks, but I‘m a bit disapointed. Same story with the Marantz PMS 7000, Sharp GF 777, Technics SA-07 and so many others.

If you are looking for great sounding units (great not just good) don‘t go for the once I‘ve listed above - go for a Telefunken M1, Telefunken HP 800, Grundig Party Center 2000 hifi, Uher mini port hifi, Universum Senator 1000 hifi, ... but forget about the M90. I will put it in the self, next to my dusted PMS 7000 and my dusted, brand new GF 777 ...

Best wishes
TOM

are most of the units you listed to go for home hifi units

quote:

JVC M90 - where is the spirit ???

probably in the battery compartment

quote:

are most of the unit you listed to go for home hifi units

No, they are portable units, also to use with batteries = Ghettoblasters ... exept the Uher mini port, there is just a 12 volt input but no battery box ...

pics pics pics please

I own a Telefunken HP 800 and yes , the bass is deeper than the bass from the M 90 .
I like the clarity of the highs of the M90 but the HP 800 is just a bit better
The HP 800 is not that loud though
HP 800 amp is 2 X 10 Watt
M90 amp is 2 X 20 Watt

I think the grail status comes from the album cover of the LL cool J.......radio.

For me it was a cool box for its time because when you looked at the image, I just says, buy me......at least for me anyway, it was a 20 year mystery until I finally found this site.

Hey, Hifitom just to let you know at the Sunshine meet we tested both the Studio 1M and the M90 against each other.

The results were the Studio 1M overall sounded very good, but the M90 was not too far just a little shy in the Bass department.

The craftmanship is good quality on this unit, when I needed to replace the Phono input switch I had a tough time desoldering the old solder.

Depending on how well of a recorded tape you play, I record from my CR 500 Fostex to my Tascam 122 the music source I play is Lounge House, Tribal House or House.

The end results is the M-90 really pops out I mean it sounds beautiful. I should know this I owned an original M-90 back then and the Tapes we played then does not have the quality recording that Cassettes can have today.

I love to listen my Tapes on both the 1M and the M-90 they are both great Boomboxes. For being a 26 yr. old Boombox the M-90 still rocks!

quote:

Originally posted by jvc floyd:
one point i will make it that the m90 does not say hifi on the unit so it makes no claims to be so ,in addition look at what an m90 cost new most were under $300.00 and that makes it a box for the masses and getting alot for the money.

the m90 is not an audiphile box its a ghetto blaster not a bently and as the saying goes you get what you pay for .

i'm sure if the m90 cost $700.00 new it would sound better as would the studio 1m would sound worse it it cost less to make becuase they would use less and cheaper parts.

to sum it up i think every box could sound better than they do but its only a box not a recording studio so i treat them as such .

Well stated floyd........and oh yeah....

1st, let me start off by sayin' that I've neither owned nor heard either one of those boxes...

No disrespect intended ('cause to each his/her own), but I've noticed a pattern... Your standards for how a box is supposed to sound is set a little TOO high in my opinion. You kinda come across like you want every box to compete on the level of a home stereo system. As we all know, very few boxes can do that. The majority of the boxes out aren't "Hi-Fi" units with the so-called "sub bass" that you apparently want, even if, on occasion, they say that they are. Besides, the designs of most of these boxes don't allow for that kind of bass. I wish they did, but they don't so I don't sweat that. I think you should accept most of these boxes for what they are and stop knockin' 'em for what they are not.

no disrespect but i think i rather be seeing on the street carrying a M90 then any of the other brands that you mention above. regarless of the sound you mention, which to me is perfectly fine.

Definitely an Iconic box

Great looks and totally ghetto

Overly hyped (YES)

Rare in the states???(NOT)

Worth $600.00 with a broken deck or over $1000.00 for a working specimen????
Thats your decision to make.
I sold mine and miss it but will never replace it because I couldnt get myself
to pay over 400.00 for one even if it was fully working and decent cosmetically.
I would say If you are looking for the "End All boombox" so far as sound quality is concerned its not the M-90.
BTW
Tom If you ever want to sell any on your short list of american Grails
I will buy it for $400.00 shipped

I'm sorry, but if your collecting boomboxes because of the sound, your in the wrong game.

I told you that I'm looking for the best sounding bboxes - I read so much about the M90, how great it is, how super it sounds, ... but the reality is far away from what the people wrote about it - I'm just talking about my taste!

To compare a Telefunken M1 to a JVC M90 is a joke (once again: I'm JUST talking about the sound) - everyone who wants to tell me that a M90 sounds close to a M1 I got to say: there must be something wrong with your M1 or with your ears - sorry.

To find the spirit because LL.Cool J or the Beasty Boys cover this bbox on the cover of there LP/CD is not enougth - that makes the M90 sound not better ...

OK, for this time 300$ for a M90 was a reason to buy one, but at this time the $ was 3,- DM, what means for the same price you would get a M1 (or other great sounding bboxes), which production quality (and sound) is a other world ...

Shure, not every bbox could produce Hifi-Sound, but that's the thing I'm after. I think it's great to have a mobile system, that sounds as good as my home-Hifi-system ...

So: where is the spirit? (I already toke a look in the battery compartment ... but found nothing ...)

Best wishes
TOM

quote:

Originally posted by roddy@RADIOHIER:
I'm sorry, but if your collecting boomboxes because of the sound, your in the wrong game.

the look is every thing for me, but it is nice when you get one that sounds good to IMHO

quote:

So: where is the spirit? (I already toke a look in the battery compartment ... but found nothing ...)

haha nice one,
you won't find it, cause "hype" is a key word in case of M-90.

I wish I had one so I could 'over-rate' it

Still a beauty, although I've never seen one 'live' only pics on here and Ebay, let alone heard one.

quote:

Originally posted by geoffhartwell:

quote:

Originally posted by roddy@RADIOHIER:
I'm sorry, but if your collecting boomboxes because of the sound, your in the wrong game.

the look is every thing for me, but it is nice when you get one that sounds good to IMHO

Looks come 1st and if it happens to sound good, that's a bonus... The Telefunken M1 might be the best box out there when it comes to sound (according to others), but because of the look, I'll never buy one. Admittedly, I'll take that M90 tho (even tho I don't like the color) 'cause it's more of an icon.

hi tom --
i always read and enjoy your own views about the sound quality of the hi-end boxes that you collect.

as for the m90 --i think that none of us m90 fans ever refer to it is "hi-fi" -
its not !!

but - other than the tosh S90 --i know of no other one piece box sounds as full and balanced --

to me --its sounds and looks like 'a terrific big classic BOOMBOX' --
which is what many collectors expect and want

-----------------------

anyway --you may have seen plenty of posts from USA members like skippy and JLF, me, etc --
and lots from fellow members 'over there' who wish to buy one --
so - instead of the shelf treatment --
please send any of us PMs --
if you prefer to sell yours

thanks

Boombox means the culture for me....
it's one of the icons of the 80s'
like the golf GTI and the 1st BMW M3


i concern about how does it look,
sounding....i would like to blast my stereo system~~

i'd never blast a so called HiFi box on the beach coz it's not looking cool
last summer,the people on the beach like my GF-535(GF-9000) very much~ but i dun think a marantz or a studio M-1 can get me the same result...
that's just not my cup of tea~~~
loads of chrome parts and double anntenaes...
this my kind of bbx~
and.... m-70 sounds good enough for me~~

Theres nothing wrong on comparing an 1M to an M-90 and like I stated before the M-90 did come close.

Theres nothing wrong with my ears and I wasn't the only person there at the meet.

Bottom line again the 1M overall sounded very good, but the M-90 was not weak either. The M-90 is the kind of Boombox you want to play at a handball court because it's a loud box. The 1M is more of a chill out Boombox if you're at home and you want that rich Bass.

The M90 is definitely a keeper - the history of the bbox is worth to keep it ...

But to tell me, if I'm collecting boomboxes because the sound, I'm wrong in this forum must be a joke! A boombox is made to play music - what's wrong to go for the bboxes with the best sound? ...

Some collect the biggest, others collect the once with built in disco-lights and I collect the best sounding once - but the thing we all share is the love to those units, right?

It's a passion, and I LOVE IT ...

they're just 2 very different style bbx
1 is for street, another is maybe for party at home
and i think most one piece bbx can't produce a real stereo~ that's the disadvantage

quote:

Originally posted by hifitom:
The M90 is definitely a keeper - the history of the bbox is worth to keep it ...

But to tell me, if I'm collecting boomboxes because the sound, I'm wrong in this forum must be a joke! A boombox is made to play music - what's wrong to go for the bboxes with the best sound? ...

Some collect the biggest, others collect the once with built in disco-lights and I collect the best sounding once - but the thing we all share is the love to those units, right?

It's a passion, and I LOVE IT ...

bigtime

i hv a question keeping my mind for a really long time...
what's the bbx in RBJ's avatar??

quote:

v a question keeping my mind for a really long time...
what's the bbx in RB

looks like a JVC 3 Piece with Panasonic Speaker

AK74 is exactly right --

its the center of a jvc pc-5 --with LOTS of clean power.
and the speakers are from a non bi-amp panny platinum series
they are 2.7 ohms
--

this combo is an electical 'mis-match'
that produces some BLINDING LOUD music !!!

hifi is a term that really means whatever you want it too mean.
it is up to the individual to choose what they either like or do not like.
i love the sound of the big jvc.
i do not find any boombox to have true hifi.

personally if i had to pick a box that i thought was completely overated it would be the telefunken m1.
i have heard these and well i was not overly impressed.

ira~~~
that's the right combo for me
look like a factory made bbx
looks really cool~~!!

quote:

Originally posted by redbenjoe:

AK74 is exactly right --

its the center of a jvc pc-5 --with LOTS of clean power.
and the speakers are from a non bi-amp panny platinum series
they are 2.7 ohms
--

this combo is an electical 'mis-match'
that produces some BLINDING LOUD music !!!

dont turn it up too loud i am sure it could also produce a nice light and smoke show if you did.
seriously tho i think your frankenbox is kind of cool.

Great thread! Tom, you have to realize that lots of folks have played with an M90 and its biggest compliment is that you can turn it up all the way and the bass does not distort(certainly something the Studio1M cannot claim)...I am trying not to sound like an arrogant jerk, but I have had 4 Telefunkens and 7 M90s(including two from members here to compare),and what I have to say is this:

Boomboxes are more than 25 years old, to say that owning one boombox of a given model can be representative of all the radios constructed is a bit naive unless you are getting it new out of the box. 25+ years is a long time to not know how the radio was used or handled.

What you could have said is that YOUR M90 was disappointing, but I have seen a wide range of quality in radios, which like cars have their "lemons."

I love the full rich sound of the Studio1M, and I live the balanced sound of the Aiwa CS-880(I have not heard Ira and Henry's S-90's yet), and many others have characteristics and qualities I enjoy--I agree the Marantz was abit disappointing as it distorts very quickly once you turn it up in my experience(only 2 so far!).

But physics says that a radio with individual speaker enclosures is going to have a hard time competing with component boomboxes, that said, I have taken several of mine to my kids basketball practice, and the M90(NOT even my best sounding minty one) could play at almost full crank--9+, with the bass one high and it sounding amazing! No rattles, no vibrating speakers! Its woofers and mounts are extremely high quality IM(not so)HO , so perhaps yours is lacking for whatever reason.

If you ever make it to the west coast of Canada I would be happy to play mine for you and let you put it through its paces, and if you feel the same way--well I might have to just give it to you, I feel so confident you will be impressed! Ok on second thought, I won't, but you get the idea, I feel strongly about it.

Anyway, its alwatys fun to have folks weigh in about radios, its our passion, or at least one of them(I know Ira and Vladi love the ladies as well!), so we can all get a bit crazy!

Have a great day all, sorry this is longer than I expected!

I'll have to agree with the 880 comment from James, it may not be the loudest but it sounds good, I of course am biased towards it as you know but I still think it sounds good, and with the features and specs that Aiwa put into it, it clearly was designed as a home use type boombox. Just my opinion.

i think bbx is memory more than everything for most 40+ members
that's ira is mad about bbx, no matter how that sound

Tom,

As a frame of reference, can you give a list of the one-piecers you think sound better than your M90?

In addition to the M90, I have Sharp 9191, 9696, JVC M70, Panny 5150, RX-DT707 and Sanyo M9990 one-piecers. Of those boxes, I think the RX-DT707 and Sanyo M9990 sound best at low volume, followed closely by the JVC M90, and then the M70. IMHO, its really not fair to include the newer RX-DT707 into that mix because it's not a "classic" boomobox from a purist perspective. Its more of a torpedo/egg from the early 90's and plays CD's too.

I think my M90 sounds really good and it can go really, really loud. And its not overly heavy (like the Studio 1M) so, IMHO it's more portable. The Studio 1M looks and sounds elegant, while the M90 is a street-brute. But, I also don't think the M90 is a slouch in the sound department. Mine has nicely balanced bass/mids/highs with pretty decent stereo separation. I look forward to comparing mine to Juan's (Ford93).

Also, what is your source? Tape, Line-in, Radio???? What were you listening to? And how did you have your listening are set up? I guess it doesn't matter too much, but I'd like to have a feel for what you're experiencing...

Personally, from what I've read, I'm inclined to agree with James... I think the problem may be your M-90 if you think it is so inadequate. I feel like if you heard mine, or Ford93's, your opinion might change. In fact, comparing Ford93's M90 to my one-piecers is why I absolutely had to get an M90. Having heard his at least a half-dozen times now, over beers and cigars, listening to some sweet house music... I've been nothing short of impressed with the sound.

At last year's meet I had the opportunity to hear the Conion C-100F compared to an M90 and I was asking myself the same thing...?? What's the big deal with about the Conion? It doesn't sound bad, but to my ear Ford 93's M90 sounded better.

At this year's meet. We all agreed the Telefunken sounded better, but the M90 still got respect. And we all pretty much agreed that it was unrealistic to compare a one-piecer to a three piecer in such a manner.

So, I do think you're expecting wine rather than beer... if you know what I mean? Boomboxes are not audiophile tools.

henry !!
you forgot to post your S90//M90 comparo

i've new photo added to my thread~

quote:

Originally posted by hifitom:
The M90 is definitely a keeper - the history of the bbox is worth to keep it ...

But to tell me, if I'm collecting boomboxes because the sound, I'm wrong in this forum must be a joke! A boombox is made to play music - what's wrong to go for the bboxes with the best sound? ...

Some collect the biggest, others collect the once with built in disco-lights and I collect the best sounding once - but the thing we all share is the love to those units, right?

It's a passion, and I LOVE IT ...

I think that discussing our opinions in collecting here, aside from nostalgia will always vary. People collect certain models for very personal reasons. Which is why I can totally understand why people collect all the oddball models, because they aren't odd to them.

Seeking a standard for sound is just as interesting of a characteristic as any other that I've seen discussed. Any reason you collect is legitimate as long as it isn't an all consuming obsession.


The M/M1 models are real mini hifi component systems, and comparing them with most other boomboxes is difficult. I really wish I could hear your collection, you have so many amazing models that most of us in the US have never even seen much less heard.

well what i belive is correct about the m90 and the telefunken i have heard both numerous of times to me the telefunken with that heafty weight looks like it was really made to sit at home as a small powerful studio but the m90 was really made for some good outside take along music as it pumps good sound but dont get me wrong it sounds just as good at home,,and to be honest there are tons of boxes that sound wonderful but they are not hifi. pioneer makes some real good system that are awesome and there are others that sounds good too so there you go

this videeo shows a result....

I absolutely LOVE my M90 (Thanks Vladi) I pretty much bought it for the hype and it fulfilled my expectation in every way. Plus the look is undeniable and just screams classic BoomBox. I can't place that thing in the driveway for more than 5 minutes while washing my car and not have 3 or 4 people stop to ask about it.

It was well worth the price in my opinion, If I want a better sound in my home I'll crank up the old realistic with the Mach 2's Oh and I have not experienced any shaking or rattling that you are talking about at high volume....

Hi Jens-You Rock!!
Excellent comparison-I've heard both and this may give some of us who haven't the comparison of the 2.
I don't know Japanese but I can tell by the sound here!!

First of all let me give you my opinions and THE FACTS:
The Telefunken is a 3 piece w/30 watts per channel and is a 3 way with midrange.

The M-90 is a 1 piece with 20 watts per channel and has 4 speakers.

The imaging on the Telefunken is remarkable!
It has so much better acoustics.

The M-90 is a 1 piece box and you can only get so good with imaging and reflex(bass)because of it's not so good acoustics.
It's kind of like comparing the Corvette Z-01 and a Mercedes Benz AMG.
1 is more refined and is well-just better built.

BUT-the bass out of these 7" woofers(M-90) is not to be denied.
I heard Ira's reggae tape with deep lows and I was very impressed with the lows-maybe even deeper than the Telefunken's!
The fact being that the M-90 has very nice lows and very nice highs-no real mids because there are no midrange speakers in this thing.

Overall they both have their unique charachteristics and are both excellent boxes in thier own right.
SO-your comparing a Corvette against a Mercedes here in a nutshell.
The Corvette(M-90) is a brute!

The Mercedes(telefunken) is more refined with better components-enough said.

They are both excellent boxes and both sound very nice to me.
The M-90 was close,as Ford93 said-we were both there listening.

You have to have things in close order to compare these 2.
Tape quality-source and inputs to match.

I love these both and will own both within a year.
I have very many boxes and these 2 are among the Best-Period!!
Great thread!
Have a super weekend-GB.

quote:

Originally posted by ghettoboom777:
I don't know Japanese but I can tell by the sound here!!

Sorry for nitpicking but actually, the video, the people and everything on that page was Chinese...

BTW, thanks for posting that video, *TPR*... it was pretty interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by MONOLITHIC:

quote:

Originally posted by ghettoboom777:
I don't know Japanese but I can tell by the sound here!!

Sorry for nitpicking but actually, the video, the people and everything on that page was Chinese...

BTW, thanks for posting that video, *TPR*... it was pretty interesting.

-Hi Monolithic-I'm sorry about that!
I guess I don't know Chinese either.
So-I'm sorry about that.
I love the video even though the song isn't a real woofer shaker!
Have a good one-GB.

Thanks for the video, Jens

just wish I would understand what they are talking about ...

And thanks for a lot of feedback in this tread - I try to understand. The M90 is the rocker, the M1 the elegant lady ...

I test units by listen to the radio (and tape). But there is a big difference between the radio stations - the big once like SWR3 sounds much better than the small radio stations (Radio BOB), even they got the same signal level. Specialy the chart music of these days got the full rage of sound, sub-bass to ultra-highs. To connect a MP3-player is no thing for me - the inputs are too different (most of the older bboxes need a compensator, because the input is for phono-use).

Important for me is the imaginare stage - if this thing got grispy high, sub-bass or not. The sound must surround me. That's the only thing I miss (next to a better tuner) at the JVC Kaboom - a sound-stage! If this thing would have a stage, it would be possibly the best bbox ever (I got the very first Kaboom and the last one, sound is the same). I love the great dynamic of this bbox ...

I'm very interested in sound - I buy magazines to keep myself updated what's on the market, and whenever I go shopping and pass a big mediamarkt/Saturn/Promarkt/AV-markt ... I take the time to test new units - I love that!

15 years ago there was just trash left on the market, but since a few years sound-quality is on his way back (for me the reason why a Tivoli-radio is so successful - the sound rage! This little thing sounds big!). There are also a few good MP3-docking-stations out there, but they are very expensive ...

Shure, a closed 2-/3-way system in a wooden cabinet got a better chance to produce the sound as the once screwed on a piece of plastic - we don't have to talk about that (that's the reason why I got 80% 3-piece units). Just to get a better understanding: I got a small Sanyo M-S350 that got a unbelievable sound! Connect a subwoofer, and this thing would make your ears fall of! This thing isn't lound (maybe 2 x 0,5 Watts) but it has a sound which surrounds you!

That's the way it should be! You are a part, in the middle of the music ...

Best wishes & have a great weekend
TOM

hi fi tom ,you always have cool boxes man ,and you always do good by people so i respect your opinion you never know you might have got a bad m90 or a great telefunken lol.

either way i wish i could afford a hi fi box i might be missing out on something .

It simply: in germany we had the norm DIN 45500, which means a bbox must hit a line in sound quality to get this label.

Very often they wrote Hifi in different magazines, but that's just a word - if it doesn't have this label (the picture an the left, my loggin-label) you could be shure, that the bbox has no hifi-quality.

This DIN-norm was in germany only, so it's hard to find a bbox from Japan, ... which got the same quality. At this time it was very hard to get this label, just high quality products (from the transformer, amp, tape, ...) in the bbox could do that. Mybe one reason why all my Hifi-ghettos are over 10 kg, all very massiv ...

So it is not just a kind of taste - it's physical! But I must say that there are also huge differents between the real Hifi-ghettos (which got this DIN-label). End of the list, is the Uher power port 2 (the power port 1 isn't Hifi) and the Sharp GX-300 - those two bboxes don't sound Hifi (to me), but the paper say they do ...

Best wishes
TOM

By the way:

I just bought a Yamaha AST-10 - after it arrive I will do a soundcheck and let you know about it ...

Best wishes
TOM

Love this thread, awesome entertainment and information.

I have nothing to add to it beyond this appreciation however.



Rock On.

This is going to be like throwing salt in your wounds,and it will probebly lose me friends,then again,i dont think i`m that popular on here anyway,so who cares haha..but i really never got what all the fuss was about with the m90,dont get me wrong,i think its a good stereo,but all this worship and paying thousands for one is all a bit crazy..its just my thing..then again,i would`nt pay thousands for any box,no matter what make or model,i`m really not that much of a fool..not saying that anyone who pays alot for any stereo is a fool,you spend your money on what ever you want,but for me,i`ve got alot more sensable things to spend my money on..

amen to that, brother