Hi, I got the RC-656 we've been talking about in this thread. I haven't taken any pictures of it yet.

Before I write about the boombox, I'd just like to mention that I think it works 100%. The reason why I say 'I think' is that the LED meter doesn't work on radio mode. The LEDs are off. The meter works perfectly when recording sound and playing from a cassette. I've cleaned all 'the pots' and still they don't flash. I'm actually wondering now, is the meter supposed to flash when the function selector is in the radio position? If not, fine - it works 100%. If yes, that lands me with a problem - and any help fixing it would be appreciated.

Enough babbling, here's the Complete Review. I've tried to cover every possible aspect of this model.

Design

The JVC RC-656 is a compact, but feature packed vintage boombox. First impressions are pretty good. It has the real chrome handle ends which I love about these old radios - I really like polishing them up!

It might be wise saying at this point that the blended in 'flush with the case' squared silver body-coloured speaker grilles aren't really my cup of tea, I prefer round grilles with chrome trims around the edge. That aside, the box has a classic layout of two speakers separated horizontally by one tape deck, a tuner window across the top of the unit and tweeters (horn type in this case) placed in the top corners. This is personally my preferred layout. This classic design is complimented on mine, by the original sticker which covers the tape door. It adds a colourful twist with the red JVC, yellow Biphonic and blue Dolby System logos.

The unit has some nice body mouldings, such as the 1cm long vertical slits set next to each other horizontally which are on the top of the unit and the rectangular chrome painted microphone surrounds. The horn tweeter surrounds are very a good example of the nice body mouldings.

The shiny metal strips of metal above and below the tuner window give the front of the unit a high quality look.

The aluminium tuning panel behind the plexi-glass has to be the most attractive part of the radio, along with the tuning knob on the right-hand side of the unit. A lot of effort has gone into making the tuner section look good. The panel has a thick pressed-in line across it where all the LEDs are, and the large tuner pointer. The lower edge of this line is highly polished and refects light like a proper chrome strip. All the LEDs sit in their moulded and shiny-edged holes. The panel also features the 'Biphonic' logo on the right-hand side and the Dolby System logo on the left. A good notable feature of the panel is the printed lines and grids which are laid out all over it. I particularly like the tape buttons on this model.

One let down with the looks is the use of materials. The controls are a mis-match of grey plastic and chrome-effect. The knobs on the top of the unit are all chrome-effect, but the toggle-type selectors are grey plastic. The massive tuning knob on the right-hand side of the unit is chrome-effect, but the fine tuning knob below it is grey plastic. This makes the unit look very unusual, especially with the difference between the tuning and fine tuning knobs. They look like they're off two completely different radios. The switches on the top of the unit are the most disappointing, especially when viewed from the rear of the unit. They're hollow. You can look right inside them, and poke something in, which is very surprizing considering how the rest of the unit looks. I don't mind hollow plastic controls (aren't they all hollow plastic?!) as long as you can't see right inside them.

The layout of the controls on the top of the unit has been carefully thought out. The various controls (bass, treble volume, function selector etc) are pretty much where you'd expect them to be. The unit is very user-friendly, and easy to operate.

Features

As mentioned above, this unit is laden with features. This becomes noticeable when the unit is compared with some other units of similar size, Such as the Sanyo M9975 which has a tone control and no 'extras'. I won't be able to list all of the features as I don't know how to use some of them! The RC-656 has Dolby Noise Reduction, a recording volume control, a tape counter (a standard fitment on old radios it seems), separate bass and treble, Stereo switch which thankfully doesn't just work for FM like some other boxes (positions Mono, Stereo, Biphonic/Wide), low and high speed dubbing, headphone jack, external speaker sockets (very old type), and two DIN sockets (not sure what they're for as it doesn't have 'Line In' on the function selector - a big disappointment). There's some more features on it but I'm not even in the same building as the box at the moment and therefore can't look. I'm surprized this model doesn't have a balance (Left & Right) control.

Build quality

This is one solid box. It seems heavy for its size, and while most of my boxes creak with the weight when picked up, this one doesn't. I've taken the back off the unit for cleaning (which usually spoils the seal), and even after putting it back, there's still no sound from the case. The tape door is very solid, and opens very slowly and smoothly with a damping system. The unit looks high quality, and feels it too - apart from those grey plastic controls!

Sound Quality

The RC-656 is a good sounding box, not as good as I'd expected, but it stands alone in my collection with that Biphonic sound - it sounds amazing! Unfortunately, it has the same sort of hollow thump which the smaller RC-555 produces when it's switched on. Aside from that, the sound is lacking in bass in my opinion, and the bass can hardly be heard if you stand in the wrong place. I think the bass is just too low, the bass knob changing the sound like a 60hz slider on a graphic equalizer would. It would have sounded much better if it was like a 100hz slider. This unit would definately benefit from a Loudness switch. I can't fault the mid-range and treble though. The sound has fantastic definition, and all parts of songs and other sounds can be heard as they were meant to be. The treble is very good, nicely refreshing when I compared the sound to my Sanyo M9930. The Sanyo lacks treble anyway, but the JVC's tweeters highlighted just what was missing from the M9930 - those crips sounds such as cymbols when people are singing things with 'S' in them. The JVC made the Sanyo sound rubbish. The Sanyo has great bass, but everything else sounds very flat when compared with the JVC. It was an unfair comparison really, but the Sanyo kept up with the JVC in bass and volume. The Stereo separation delivered when the Biphonic sound of the JVC is activated is astounding. This is also the case when playing from a cassette. It makes songs sound like they're playing live right in front of you, and depending on where you stand it can make you shake your head in disbelief. If the treble's turned right up in Biphonic mode, it sounds awesome. But it always becomes apparent when listening to the unit that it lacks bass. As I say, if it had a Loudness switch, it would give the sound that richness and depth which it clearly lacks. But, all that said - can I complain? No. It's a small box which sounds better than a much bigger Hitachi TRK-8200, and it didn't cost me too much.

Overall

The condition of mine is pretty good. It has some scratches on the shiny metal strips above and below the tuner window, and some little dings in other places, but everything else looks fine. It's a fairly good looking box, a bit small but nice and easy to carry around, has plenty of features, has some design and quality 'issues', but has a great sound. I really like the box and I'm glad I bought it. It's definately a keeper, and will fit in beautifully with my varied and extensive collection. This is Daiwa's. I hope he doesn't mind me borrowing the pic...



I think I covered everything!

Thanks for reading,

R.A.

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like i said its no bass monster but has very good sound ,i like the controls and buttons it has its one way to off set the high price of portables back then by using less than super quality controls and putting the good stuff inside i think with a decent set of woofers it would be even better sounding with more bass plus it's a solid box and that means alot i think the box has a very unique look to it and i really like the looks they way it is but the c2 version looks more like an m50 than a 656 so tey did upgrade the looks of it at some point .

So Floyd, is the LED meter supposed to flash on radio mode?

What a nice review!

That radio does look like the bigger version
of my little jvc radio!, even the colours do look
the same

from what iv'e seen with mine they flash when using the cassette .

quote:

Originally posted by jvc floyd:
from what iv'e seen with mine they flash when using the cassette and line in only

Whew, thank goodness for that!! Thanks Floyd.

That's a thing, how does the line in work?

i can't remenber mine has been in a carton for a long time i could swear it has line in but i could be wrong lol i think the led's also act as a signal strength indicator on tuner mode.i think those din plugs are the line in jacks you might need one of those adapters.

look at the top of the unit it should have a tape tuner line selector on the right side.

Thanks Retro. "This is Daiwa's. I hope he doesn't mind me borrowing the pic..." not a problem dude, you can use any of my images.

And yes, Retro A, JFlyod, the 656 has line in and line out, ext. speaker output, mic slots, earphones and DC plug. The LED works for the cassette and input, and the red light that stays on, is the battery indicator. There is also a red light for Dolby, and one for FM Stereo and tuning. On the opposite side, it has the AC plug in, and AC voltage selector.

Great review!In an earlier post,I had mentioned that this box wasn't designed to make an impression outdoors.I was referring to its amount of bass when I made that comment.The 656 is very loud and has a bright sound which I like.However,I feel it is more of a rock box than a club music type.It's brightness gives a real edge to guitar driven music.I have the C II version which actually does have a dedicated line-in.The sensitivity of my line-in is very good and will go quite loud though not as loud as will the radio.Maybe my inputs need cleaning.My Boostaroo headphone amp corrects this.

As I have said previously,I actually like my 656 better than my M50.The M50s mids are incredibly bright and the box overall is incredibly loud!However,to my ears the M50 on balance sounds more bass shy than the 656.Of course the M50 does have more actual bass.All music sounds pleasing to me on my CII.I can't say that of my M50.

Both the 656 and 656 CII are beautiful looking boxes in different ways.The 656 is unique in its looks while the CII looks to be in the same family as the M50 and M90 in its style.The absolute focal point of both boxes are their beautiful deep looking multi-layered tuner dials beneath the tuner window on each one.It makes much more of an impression to see it in person than it does in pictures.

Nice in depth review! Someone went to 'Skool!

(KIDDING!)

Seriously very, very nice! I hope to see more reviews like this. Jens...maybe we can create a review section?

i suggested it too ( about 2 yrs ago!)

Its a five star review ( ***** ) .. nice job.
Some boxes don't hve line in position at the source selector ...


Two more options ...

Pluging a cord in the socket disables the radio (you need to put radio at the source selector) and enables the external source. (seen in a JVC and a sharp GF-8X)

Line in is only heard in record mode (National RS4300). That's crazy, you need to stop the motor to avoid deck running using the "remote" feature. But you don't need to worry ... even if the deck had run for months, it will play fine after that ...

great review - thanks --

and i agree with oldskool that we should have a special review section here

Awesome review Retro Addict, very enjoyable read. It's reading reviews like that that get me interested and appreciate radios I'd not normally get excited about or was oblivious to. Describing the features that make them special and their aesthetic appeal is just as important as rating their sound quality I find.

I'd really love to see more reviews, and would love even more to write some as well eventually.

For what it's worth I'm all for a Reviews section, it'd really help when researching radios and learning more about the people that love them.

quote:

Originally posted by jvc floyd:
look at the top of the unit it should have a tape tuner line selector on the right side.

It only has two postions, tape and radio.

I've had a proper mess with it now, and it does have line-in. It has one DIN socket (I have an RCA -> DIN adapter), I thought it had two DINs. You select tape on the function selector, plug in the DIN, and press record on the deck. It doesn't sound great though, it's very quiet.

Thanks for the great messages everyone, and for the five-star rating SUCCESS!

I'll be posting more reviews as I add more boxes to my collection. I'll hopefully be able to review an M90 at some point! I have a feeling that one would be twice or even three times as long as this one!