Hi

Just thought I would start to post pictures of my (modest) collection. These are not all the boxes I own (there are others scattered around the house in strategic positions!)  But they form the bulk of it. If anyone can tell me the make and model of these machines just from the side view shot I have taken of them I will be very impressed!

well seb, i am going bottom shelf second from the right -sharp 5454?

Well done, you are both correct, I will post forward facing pics later.

Driptip got this one, Sharp GF5454

The 656 has to be one of my favorites (from my collection anyway) It is well built; full of useful features and JVC’s implementation of stereo wide (“Biphonic&rdquo is very effective. This machine was purchased by my older brother back in 1981. I always coveted it. Some years ago he let me have it. .Still works really well.

In front of the 656 is a Toshiba RT-100S and in front of it

another Toshiba RT-80S (or 6015).

That is close, they are indeed Toshiba's and the model numbers are numericly!

Sorry, I don't know whats wrong with me tonight, I ment the model numbers are very close!

maybe rt 6035 then ! and  rt 120s  dahh

Bang on the money with the RT-120s. The other one is a RT-70s but I'll give you that, these Toshiba's lookpretty similar from their side views!

Yep they really do ! We need to see the front view now !!

In front of the RT70s maybe its a Sharp GF8080 or 8181.

deech got this one. Beutiful Toshiba RT-120s. Bought from ebay for £10. (This is before the prices of boomboxes became so ludicrous.) Fully working and good sound for it's size.

Deech also got this one. RT-70s, purchased from car boot sale for £3. Not working at all. Is awaiting it's turn on the test bench for restoration.

deech, you are really good at this, bang on the money again with a Sharp GF-8080. This one is a worker, another good car boot find for a fiver.

ok seb, this is a bit hard but going just by the tuning knob the top shelf first from left is a JVC next is a sanyo then sharp.

last to the right @ bottom shelf is another sanyo?  how many did i get right?

Yeah, I have to say it's pretty hard going, i don't think i would be particularly good at this myself! First from left is a JVC RC-SO4, the second one isn't a Sanyo, third one in is a Sharp QT-12. Two out of three is pretty good mate. Will post pics tommorow.

Last one on the right, bottom shelf is quite obscure. It is a mono box from 1981, not of mainstream manufacture but perhaps sold exclusively at Argos or maybe Curry's. The company name was perhaps associated more with game consoles and nice quality wrist watches. Hope this gives you a clue, if not I will post a pic of it tomorrow.

yeah man,  i was just going by the tuning knob and they are not that clear either hehehe.  

Driptip got the correct manufacture of these two

The Obscure one of the bunch is this one, an Ingersoll XK-450.

Yeah, I've got a thing about JVC portables. I like QT-12's a lot as well, I have three of them but they are all red. Bet the blue one was nice!

Do you know if they made them in any other colours?

Wow, you have an M-70. I have always wanted one of those, for me it is one of the most iconic machines of the era. First time I saw one was in a shop called Essex Discount in Harlow (This was circa 1981, they sold expensive stuff despite the name) It was sat next to an M80 (equaly intreaging in it's way). I fell in love with it but have yet to come across one.

You recon QT-12's came in white black and yellow as well. I will have to hunt these down!

I would be very interested if one came ip. Think I have an earl 80's JVC catalogue that features the M70. Will take some digging out but I will scan and post it when I find it.

^^^^^ that would be cool to see the scans

Hi Northerner

Since you liked the little JVC RC-S40, thought I would post this. It is my smallest JVC, an RC-S1r. To put this next to your M-70 would be like standing a Chiwawa next to a Great Dane. It is tiny (Though a lot bigger than a walkman)

Heres the blue one for your delectation

Hi Northerner

That is a lovely looking QT-12. I would like to have got my hnds on that!

When I was a 13 year old kid, checking out the M-70 in Essex discount, it seemed to me to be the biggest radio I had ever seen!  But bigger ones started to appear, I remember that some of the Crowns and Hitatchis were pretty huge. The biggest one I came across at that time was a Sharp GF-777 in the local TV repair shop. A little lady came to collect it witch further emphasised it's size! I have seen machines on websites that look even bigger!! What is your largest machine?

These three are the biggest I've got and about the same size:

Sanyo MX920K

Sharp GF9000

Sharp VZ2000

They're all pretty huge and heavy.  Sanyo is the nicest, VZ2000 is ridiculously heavy.  There are others out there even bigger but they tend to be the big black plasticky empty box jobs, not that theres anything wrong with that!

Ingersoll (Rand) is the most trusted brand for air compressors in the construction industry!

Yes I have come across Ingersoll Rand when on the internet searching for Ingersoll radios and cassette recorders

Ah Northerner, I remember both the Sharp machines but the Sanyo I have not seen before. Looks nice, they made some nice machines both big and small. By big plasticky empty boxes I guess you mean that they electronics are highly integrated and take up a tiny corner of the machine leaving acres of space between the main board and a tiny, rather cheap tape transport. Well I suppose it makes a nice big speaker cabinet, and they probably sound okay. I just like to see something when I take the back off a machine!

Yeh I love Sharp, partly because my first Stereo was one, and partly because they have a great balance between sound quality and style.

I used to own a GF9191 and a 9090. The 9191 was mint and one of if not the best portables i have ever owned. Repeated nagging from a freind and shortness of funds ment that I sold the 9191, for what i thought was a lot of money at the time. I regret that. The 9090 was tatty, no cassette door, another boot sale find. It worked well untill a certain party, it got well and truly trashed. I have often thought of replacing them but at the moment I would like to try somthing different. However if one of these beasts came up at the right price........

PS Still have the owners manual for the 9191. Will post a scan of it if anyone is interested.

If you could keep an eye out for a good M70 you can have the manual!!