I am a collector!! I can also say investor. I have most of the units i want but if i see ine in better condition i will buy and sell other that is of lesser quality usually at a profit(non horder). lets get members take on this.

I think alot of people here do the same, as the whole point of collecting is to find that item in better condition, or holygail of that set, or collect item for a particular era. The only time it become a serious problem, when it get to the point of hoarding like "cough" James? Then you stop caring about the item and ends up in worst condition, then when you bought it and your place becomes a huge mess, that also the other reason why you have to sell them, to make room in your display case or shelves for the better condition ones or model.

I enjoy this hobby not just for the money, but actually enjoy collecting them, due to the engineering that when into these and was a time period when engineers were in control and restoring them and to see someone else enjoy them. Back then you looked foward to buying the better model and you did get what you pay for, now everything is etheir plastic crap, or glued togetheir and pretty much the same, with huge design flaws, as company push stuff out the door without enough time for testing, or so cheaply built, will fail by design.

years ago,in the early days,i never thought of the value of anything, because box prices were quite relaxed back then, before ebay came along,so i used to think i was a collector,but as time has gone on,i've become more of a hoarder,i have many boxes,some i have had for 15-17 years and never used them,but saying that,i would like to also think myself as a investor..

This is an excellent question...I definitely consider myself a collector. This is one of several hobbies I have and I must say get the most enjoyment from.

Like most on this site I have a list of grails I would like to have in my collection. Most of that list has been fulfilled. When I find the grail I want in the condition I am looking for I buy it and then move on to the next one. I generally buy only 1 of the boombox I want so condition is very important to me. With the M70 being the exception (I have 5) I have only 1 model of my favorite boomboxes.

Money never plays a part in this hobby for me. I have only sold 2 boomboxes from my collection and would rather trade because I never want it to be about money. Investing in boomboxes will never make anyone rich. The enjoyment I get can't be described with a dollar figure. That being said I can certainly understand why someone would look to maximize their profit for a grail, I do have a little capitalist in me...but I have a perfect M90 that I would never sell for any price because I know the difficulty in finding another one like it.

This great hobby has given me more enjoyment than I can describe because these little boomboxes take me back to a better time...a better place...to relive some of the best memories of my life...and that makes them priceless.

I think Mellymelsr summed up my opinion...call me a collector

I would say both.  If I see something that I don't like, but it's being sold for a cheap price, I would buy it and put it on Ebay.  Like, if I were to find an M70 for $100, I'd put it on Ebay and make a $200-300 profit.  I have no childhood memories of the M70, nor do I particularly like its looks, so I probably wouldn't keep it.

i'll give you a 110 for it

i'm getting close to selling all/most of my boxes,had enough of the hobby,nothing to do with prices or anything,more of a personal/lack of feeling and interest,and i'm getting too old,and there is boxes all over the place and i'm sick of seeing them,i never use them,but i wont offer them up on any websites because i hate talking,discussing prices,money between friends is an ugly subject,so i plan on ebaying alot of them,that way it gives everyone a fair chance..just keep a few of my faves,i've been saying this for ages but i feel strong about getting rid now,i'm going to make it my aim to sell them..this year..

I feel the need to keep 6 or so

i'm feelin the same man,but it will be hard to decide which ones..but i know one that will defo be staying is my Sharp GF9500, that box was my first propper box my dad bought me in 1983 when i was 13,the box went years ago but i have a replacement..

that 9500 reminds me of better times..

Nothing wrong with that, only keep 4-6 boomboxes at a time for display myseft, usually end up selling them, as they are just to big to store and don't really use them, but one. Now just trying to find more for the store display, but never was into boxes, was more into highend audio spy recorders and walkmans, camcorder, those I do collect, but even now, just keeping the ones that come in the box in great to mint condition from mostly the 80's and Sony's, AIWA's and Sanyo, and some of the Panasonic, but sellling some of the 90's era ones, only keeping the gails from the 90's. Rather see it go to someone that will use and enjoy it.

I am neither a collector nor an investor. I am a user. But ain't nothing wrong with being any of the aforementioned

cool

 Both. Keep em for a while , if i don`t use them as much as they should then they go.. my fav 5 are my M90 a little rough around the edges, my Prosonic PQR-9962, My JVC DC-33 love spinning vinyl at the campground , my Technidyne TD-7000 (ya i know discolites bla bla) but they look super cool at night pressing play and record on the 7000 then spinning the vinyl on the 33 and the lights pick up the sound, and my Eversonic SH-606 (another smaller but very rare discolite) the 606 is the top box (the eyes) on the top of my nighttime robot called "discolite mania" on youtube. If it wasnt for the camping the discolites probably would not be a front runner for me as the sound quality could be better.. but when you run 3 at once well the sound does improve