Tonight I saw one of the BIGGEST boomboxes I've ever seen. I didn't measure it, but it is definitely longer and thicker than a GF-777, although probably not any higher. It gave me the impression of being bigger than the Conion, too, but maybe no higher: it was more long and boxy-like. It was a Helix, and the model number was HX-815.

Part of what made it so big was that on each end, beyond the regular speakers, was yet another slab-like speaker section with "surround" printed on it. Made it look like a 5-piece (as opposed to a 3-piece). It just looked like some kind of huge black monster! Yes, it was black (not silver), like a rectangular box with some slightly rounded edges, not completely square and also not rounded like a Cobra.

I lifted it up, and for its size it was lighter than I thought it would be, suggesting to me a somewhat chintzy "box of air" design. I almost bought it just for the sheer visual impressiveness of it, but I was wondering if it's actually a piece of trash with lousy sound, because (for its size) it's not so heavy, so I decided to come back and look it up first.

I searched the model number here on S2G, and got no hits. I then searched Google, and got ZERO hits, even on Google(!), so now I'm wondering if this is some rarity that no one has(?). Can anyone check if it is in the Database, or does anyone have it or know anything about it?

The guy only wanted $12.50 for it, so I think I'll go back and get it, just to get pics of it to show everyone and to add to the DB if it isn't in there yet... but I'm hoping someone knows something about it. I really don't have space to keep such a beast, although I kind of like it, and think if I buy it I won't want to part with it. LOL

Does anyone know the Helix HX-815?

When do you reckon it was made Arkay? It sounds quite interesting, especially the size. Is it a 'classic' looking box like the JC2000 or a crappy '90s thing? Does it have a CD player?

No, it was definitely pre-CD era, and not as rounded and blob-ish as those 90s things. Might have been towards the end of the eighties(?), as a kind of transition era that led into those 90s things, though (?).

It was dual cassette (plus radio, of course). The size was more comparable to a mini-compo system (almost midi!) than a typical boombox, but it was one unit with a built-in handle on top and portable, really a boombox! But not as flat/thin (front to back) as the JC-2000, which is why I say it almost resembled a mini-compo thing.

I'm not sure if it was actually separable into a 5-piece or 3-piece, or if it was one piece that just looked like it might come apart, due to the design. There were no wires hanging off it to connect speakers or anything: the connections were built-in, if I remember right. When I picked it up, it felt like a one-piece, but I didn't try to take it apart or examine it too closely, so it might actually have been separable(?).

The speaker sections had chrome or silver surrounds, with horizontal bar across the big woofer (a bit like the GF-9000), and two tweeters above. They looked like dome tweeters, each had its own square-ish silver surround, but only one tweeter had a fancy grill thing over it; the other was more exposed. Hard to describe; I'll HAVE to get pics of this at least, I know!

Oh, the other interesting find tonight was an Aiwa TPR-955 (if I remember the number right; looks like the one on the boombox museum page, so I'm pretty sure that is the right number, but it might have been a TPR-950? I don't know the difference.). I'm getting that tomorrow, for sure. It all works, even the tape drive, and I was quite impressed with it; it even has PHONO inputs! The sound was loud but a little scratchy or static-y; it might need DeOxit and/or a few new caps to sound 100%. [Someone called me about amother GF-777, too, but I haven't had a chance to see that yet.]

The funny thing about the Aiwa is the guy asked me to come look at an LP (Deepest Purple, original/black UK pressing), and when I got there, the first thing I saw was the Aiwa. His face looked doubtful, stunned, incredulous, shocked, amazed, etc... when I asked about the boombox; he has only ever known me to buy LPs (which he sells) and high-end vintage stereo gear. He didn't know I bought boomboxes, because he never sells them. He only just got the Aiwa because of the phono inputs, so he could test the LPs through it. I was as surprised to see it there, as he was surprised by my interest in it. You never know when you'll run into something unexpected and get lucky! He's asking about twenty-three bucks for it, which is slightly higher than the usual price in that market for one of those, but of course not at all unreasonable, in international terms. [grin] Of course I'll pay it, but I'll try to get him down to twenty, first. [still grinning]

I saw in the museum that this model had a bar to which microphones could be attached. What are the chances (I suspect slim to impossible) of ever finding that bar and mics? Sigh... one can always hope!

That sounds like an amazing boombox Arkay, especially when you mentioned about the trims round the speakers having bars across like a GF-9000. I think you should consider buying it. If it's rubbish, you can dump it somewhere. About how much did they want for it? Was it expensive?

Congrats on finding a TPR-955 by the way, those are great looking 'boxes. Lets hope you can sort the sound out when you get it home!

Sorry, I thought I mentioned, they wanted US$12.50 for it.

Edit: Just re-checked: I did mention it, but near the end. No one reads my posts when they are that long, huh?!

helix-hx815 IBBN 7-10911 :

Looks like they just took a three piece unit and bolted an extra set of speakers on both ends of the box.

yup,the similar chassis...


aka :

helix-hx810 IBBN 7-03926

Woah, that looks good!

I say get it. It has a 10 band graphic equalizer too!

quote:

Originally posted by *TPR*:
yup,the similar chassis...


aka :

helix-hx810 IBBN 7-03926

Either way they are nice looking boxes. The HX810 is flashier and the HX815 is classier.

Yep, that first pic (the 815) is the one I saw, exactly, right down to the "surround" lettering on the end "slab sections"! Thanks, TPR. I guess now it's obvious why I almost thought of it as a 5-piece ... it is! LOL

It looks even bigger to me, in real life, than in the pic! But as I said, the weight is not up to that massive size; it weighs like any decent-sized boombox, but nothing like it's size suggests.

SO the question is... worth getting, or just worth getting a pic of and passing on it? It isn't a style that I'd normally bother with, but it caught my eye mostly because of its size, and the unusual driver treatments. Maybe I should get it and put it up on eBay?

if it were up to me, i'd try to find the 810 body, and then attach the 815 speakers to it.

i had one of those i sold it cus it was too damn long and hard to turn the corners with inside the house.lol it was cool looking tho ,no sound champ but still rather loud.

quote:

Originally posted by *TPR*:
helix-hx815 IBBN 7-10911 :

i think this box looks kick a$$ ,i would just take off those extra tweeters cos it makes a cool looking box look like it's got extra baggage.

Looks like the left speaker cust cap is smaller than the right side.

yes it's worth getting and sell it to me Please? James

quote:

Originally posted by Arkay:
Yep, that first pic (the 815) is the one I saw, exactly, right down to the "surround" lettering on the end "slab sections"! Thanks, TPR. I guess now it's obvious why I almost thought of it as a 5-piece ... it is! LOL

It looks even bigger to me, in real life, than in the pic! But as I said, the weight is not up to that massive size; it weighs like any decent-sized boombox, but nothing like it's size suggests.

SO the question is... worth getting, or just worth getting a pic of and passing on it? It isn't a style that I'd normally bother with, but it caught my eye mostly because of its size, and the unusual driver treatments. Maybe I should get it and put it up on eBay?

James, you may be joking, but if you are serious...

I won't get it for myself (it's kind of neat, but not really what I collect), so if you are serious, PM me with how much you'd pay. [This forum is not the place for buying or selling.] If the price you'd pay is worth it, I'll be happy to get it and sell it to you.

Keep in mind, please, that it takes me time and money to go get it, transport it home, find/buy/get packing materials, pack it up (I would pack it RIGHT), take it to the post office to get a shipping quote, bring it back home to tell you the quote, get payment from you, and then take it back to the post office to actually ship it. Call me selfish if you wish, but I won't be doing all that for the $12.50 "cost" of the box, or even "double my money" or even "triple my money"! IF it is worth enough to you to be worth several hours of my time (minimum that I would actually have to spend), then we can make a deal. I'm not even including anything at all for the rest of the time and expense I've incurred to be able to find that box in the first place. Also remember that international shipping from Hong Kong will have to be added on, too. This box isn't very heavy for its size, and the speakers are detachable so there won't be higher fees for oversized boxes, but it is still an international shipment.

I don't mean to sound greedy (I'm not!) and this isn't directed at you, but I've had plenty of "offers" from people wanting me to do all that for a margin that would work out to be less per hour than the lowest-paid immigrant toilet cleaners get here, and I have been criticized here for being "stingy" about "hoarding" the "cheap" boxes I get, when I don't go along with that stuff. I don't need that in my life, which is difficult enough already.

I'm happy to pass on boxes to people who love them, but for a FAIR AND REASONABLE compensation. I think that is only fair. I do enough other charity work locally already not to make this more charitable time. I don't need to be paid like a lawyer, but please be realistic.

Rant over. Back to the boxes, please!

quote:

Originally posted by a-ko:
if it were up to me, i'd try to find the 810 body, and then attach the 815 speakers to it.

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking, but didn't mention it! The 810 would look amazing with those surround speakers attached!

quote:

Originally posted by THAFUZZ:
Looks like the left speaker cust cap is smaller than the right side.

Well spotted!!

Whoa, now I have to go back and check if the dust caps on the one I saw are unequal in size, or the same size.

The photo of the older looking, more classic styled box in this thread is awesome!

The 815 Ive seen around here and there. I was offered one for free this past summer, but I turned it down as it would have needed a lot of work to bring it back from the grave.

I believe there is one available right now on ebay... I found one the other day buried. Not in the usual boombox section.

Might have been under vintage cassette?

It's classy looking.