Hi,

I'm fairly new to vintage electronics but i've always liked old walkmans and cameras etc... I've wanted a boombox for a while and have been researching it a bit recently but I haven't really got round to buying anything.

I know that this is a hazy subject because the valuations of boomboxes are always different, but i was wondering about the general prices of lasonic TRC-931s, crown sz5100s or similar looking boxes? I know that these are quite desirable and can go for a lot of money, but i'm not particularly worried about the condition. I'd mainly be using it outside and around the house to play MP3s so missing parts or broken tape decks aren't a big concern for me. I would probably rather get it in this condition so that i don't feel so bad about taking it out and it getting broken.

I recently saw this lasonic on ebay:

lasonic

The end bid was $46.00 which i would definately be willing to pay. The problem is i'm in the UK and i've heard that it's harder to find these here, is that true? Also us>uk shipping is apparently very expensive for these massive items.

Is it realistic to find one of these in the uk for around the £40-£60 mark (in any working condition)? With regards to sound quality and volume, is there a lot of difference in these kinds of boxes? I haven't got my heart set on any of these so if anyone can recommend another box that is equally cool-looking and more available here/within my budget i'd be very grateful.

Thanks for the help,

Henry

how doo hen,lasonics are alot better than crowns,better quality,both in sound and build quality,sound nicer and have alot more bass..
crowns are ok but they feel flimbsy,they feel creeky when you carry it,sound is ok but a bit lacking in bass..i think people generally go for lasonics and crowns for looks more than anything else,i have got a crown,i`ve had it for years..it has a few problems due to being left..i remember in the 80s when they were selling new,they were £79,but for some strange reason,they go for more these days..

oh..and advise on which box to buy thats good for the money,i`de say Sharp GF8989,or GF575,hitachi Trk8190 (if you can pick one up cheap enough),sanyo c7 or c9,they go for nothing and are way underated.there`s alot more boxes out there that you can pick up really cheap..

Welcome!

That 46 dollars for the Lasonic is an exception, it was a beater to be honest, but a very good example of that box COULD fetch several hundred dollars (not guaranteed but possible) whereas the Crown on UK Ebay I've seen near mint examples 'only' fetch 80-100 quid (typically).
Like Gettoman said, and I can vouch, the Crown is a stunning looker but build quality, features checklist and sound are mediocre, fair at best. (No line-in, phono, dolby, tape select etc etc etc..!).

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions, I quite like the look of the sharp 575 (especially in the wild style photo) and also the sharp. I'm not sure I really intend to start collecting them, just want one to use that looks cool and has fairly good sound quality.

Even though that $46 was an exception, is it possible to find any lasonic trc's (or boomboxes of that appearance) in the UK in similar condition for an affordable price? Is it just a case of being persistent in looking on here and ebay etc...?

About the quality of the crowns, just how bad is it? bad enough to hear distortion playing it loudly in a uni room or out in the garden?

Sorry about all the questions, this whole thing is a bit confusing to me. Thanks again for your help,

Henry

Last one sold in uk on ebay - few more pennys though

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayI...IT&item=120421165562

Thats my old one,i sold it to him about a week before he listed it,he got way more than he paid me for it,more than double..i dont think its worth anywhere near what he got for it..and i mean NO where near..someone is going to be extreamly dissapointed,i can tell you now..
thats why i think ebay is silly,people just dont know what there buying..

quote:

Originally posted by hen:
About the quality of the crowns, just how bad is it? bad enough to hear distortion playing it loudly in a uni room or out in the garden?

No, they're not THAT bad, and mine goes quite loud without distortion, especially with the right kind of source material (well recorded chrome tape with a high-ish level) the EQ needs the mids and upper mids subdued and the bass boosted as it can be quite shrill which gives the impression of high volume but the bass is quite lacking despite what those huge speakers (8") would suggest. I think the speakers are OK but the amp is a bit piddly and low budget along with the rest of the electronics.
As gettoman said they creak when you pick them up and they're extremely light too, there's really not much inside them to be honest. Just wish they had a line-in though

But ultimately they are man enough for the purpose you envisage, and they look ultra ultra cool.

HTH.