Below is something I have wanted to play with for a very long time, but never found the right unit for the right price.
I will argue that this IS a Boombox as it has a handle, runs on batteries and has two stereo speakers on each side behind fold out doors. Probably the last thing you would ever strut down the block with it on your shoulder, but still.
This unit came up on evilBay and was listed at four times the going price of others. Albeit it has all the accessories and original box. I was watching it as the price was cut in half, then lowered again, then "make offer". I threw out a lowball and said I could pay right now and low and behold, I got it. It needs to be serviced, I haven't opened it yet, I'm certain it's just belts, the unit is in amazing condition. It doesn't look like it's been abused. It even has the OG Aiwa batteries! I wonder if I can take the labels off and put them on new rechargeables?
So, why would I buy such a thing. To start, when I was 12-13 years old (1980/81), a buddy of mine's dad had a full home stereo system that probably dated from the early to mid 1970's. So 5-7 years old. A relatively current system. At the top of that stereo stack was his dads pride and joy, a reel to reel player/recorder with HUGH 10" reels. His dad prided himself on recording off the radio, with seamless edits, no commercials, clean cuts, ect. Every day he would come home from work and relax on the couch and listen to some music. I remember seeing my friend and his mom roll their eyes back because he would play the same tape every day, starting at the beginning. They were annoyed by it
.
But it didn't take long for my friend and I to realize that he would only listen to 3-4 tracks, then go get cleaned up for dinner. Now, we were told many times that "this is not a toy" and to "keep your hands off of it!". You can see where this is going.
My friend and I regularly ditched school. Both of his parents worked, so we would go over to his place and crank up his dads stereo on the local Rock radio station in Los Angeles, 95 1/2 KLOS. At the time, they were playing bands like Krokus, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Triumph, Rush and Van Halen. So, we got the smart idea, that we would fast forward the reel to reel system towards the end of the tape, to a section his dad "would never hear". We recorded 3 songs. I remember it was Krokus HEAD HUNTER, Iron Maiden THE TROOPER and Van Halen AND THE CRADEL WILL ROCK.
For months we would ditch school, go to his house, put the reel on the deck, fast forward to the end, crank those three songs twice, rewind the tape, put it all away and KNOW FOR A FACT that we were smarter than his dad....until...(you can still see where this is going)
You guessed it, one night his dad come home from a long day, decided to listen to his reel to reel longer that evening and.... His favorite classical track was interrupted by "HEAD HUNTER!!!!!!!"
To say his dad blew an F'n gasket would be an understatement.
Since then, I have always wanted a reel to reel system.
So why did I buy THIS particular model?
I have been camping with a group of friends for 15+ years, off and on. We camp off grid. Every time we go, I bring a radio with me. In the past I have brought little mini's, the mighty C-100 and this year, I brought a little Panasonic 8-track player and a case full of cartridges. Everyone was totally blown away by it. The young kids had never seen anything like it and the old timers thought it was cool AF.
So, how do I top that?
How about reel to reel at the campsite. I think this Aiwa will be perfect for this. This particular model is the last version of I believe a 4-5 year run that has RCA in and OUT! The first versions only had a DIN plug, then they added RCA in for recording, but playback was only through the built in speakers. This model can be hooked up to my Marantz home system.
Anyway, I believe this is a boombox and will update you all on a re-belt unless the moderators kick me off
I will argue that this IS a Boombox as it has a handle, runs on batteries and has two stereo speakers on each side behind fold out doors. Probably the last thing you would ever strut down the block with it on your shoulder, but still.
This unit came up on evilBay and was listed at four times the going price of others. Albeit it has all the accessories and original box. I was watching it as the price was cut in half, then lowered again, then "make offer". I threw out a lowball and said I could pay right now and low and behold, I got it. It needs to be serviced, I haven't opened it yet, I'm certain it's just belts, the unit is in amazing condition. It doesn't look like it's been abused. It even has the OG Aiwa batteries! I wonder if I can take the labels off and put them on new rechargeables?
So, why would I buy such a thing. To start, when I was 12-13 years old (1980/81), a buddy of mine's dad had a full home stereo system that probably dated from the early to mid 1970's. So 5-7 years old. A relatively current system. At the top of that stereo stack was his dads pride and joy, a reel to reel player/recorder with HUGH 10" reels. His dad prided himself on recording off the radio, with seamless edits, no commercials, clean cuts, ect. Every day he would come home from work and relax on the couch and listen to some music. I remember seeing my friend and his mom roll their eyes back because he would play the same tape every day, starting at the beginning. They were annoyed by it
.But it didn't take long for my friend and I to realize that he would only listen to 3-4 tracks, then go get cleaned up for dinner. Now, we were told many times that "this is not a toy" and to "keep your hands off of it!". You can see where this is going.
My friend and I regularly ditched school. Both of his parents worked, so we would go over to his place and crank up his dads stereo on the local Rock radio station in Los Angeles, 95 1/2 KLOS. At the time, they were playing bands like Krokus, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Triumph, Rush and Van Halen. So, we got the smart idea, that we would fast forward the reel to reel system towards the end of the tape, to a section his dad "would never hear". We recorded 3 songs. I remember it was Krokus HEAD HUNTER, Iron Maiden THE TROOPER and Van Halen AND THE CRADEL WILL ROCK.
For months we would ditch school, go to his house, put the reel on the deck, fast forward to the end, crank those three songs twice, rewind the tape, put it all away and KNOW FOR A FACT that we were smarter than his dad....until...(you can still see where this is going)
You guessed it, one night his dad come home from a long day, decided to listen to his reel to reel longer that evening and.... His favorite classical track was interrupted by "HEAD HUNTER!!!!!!!"
To say his dad blew an F'n gasket would be an understatement.
Since then, I have always wanted a reel to reel system.
So why did I buy THIS particular model?
I have been camping with a group of friends for 15+ years, off and on. We camp off grid. Every time we go, I bring a radio with me. In the past I have brought little mini's, the mighty C-100 and this year, I brought a little Panasonic 8-track player and a case full of cartridges. Everyone was totally blown away by it. The young kids had never seen anything like it and the old timers thought it was cool AF.
So, how do I top that?
How about reel to reel at the campsite. I think this Aiwa will be perfect for this. This particular model is the last version of I believe a 4-5 year run that has RCA in and OUT! The first versions only had a DIN plug, then they added RCA in for recording, but playback was only through the built in speakers. This model can be hooked up to my Marantz home system.
Anyway, I believe this is a boombox and will update you all on a re-belt unless the moderators kick me off
Last edited:
