Panny 5500 or JVC M70 which one should I look for?

[robster]

Howdy- I'm a newbie,looking for my first quality mid-sized boombox that I can lug around. My needs are clear quality sound for indoor use or on the back porch with a line in for my ipod . I don't care for boomy bass or loud volume. So I'm leaning towards a Panasonic RX-550 or a JVC M70. I have a few leads on the Panasonic,but none on the M70. I'll keep watching Ebay. also please holler if you have either to sell. I'm in the USA . many thanks for any help.
PS: Of course after i get my first boombox then I'll have to buy a M90 but I can't afford to spend more than $700 at this time.

 

[mellymelsr]

Both... ...but if I could only choose 1 it would definitely be the M70. They are much easier to find but harder on the wallet. Good luck with your search.

 

[alfie]

Both... ...but if I could only choose 1 it would definitely be the M70. They are much easier to find but harder on the wallet. Good luck with your search.

It's a no brainer.........

 

[robster]

Thanks.. would I be correct to think that a M70 in excellent condition would cost me $450-750 and a Panasonic RX-550 in excellent condition would range from $150-$500?
anybody wanna sell a M70?

Thanks,
Robert

 

[mellymelsr]

Thanks.. would I be correct to think that a M70 in excellent condition would cost me $450-750 and a Panasonic RX-550 in excellent condition would range from $150-$500?
anybody wanna sell a M70?

Thanks,
Robert

The 5500 generally are about half the price of an M70 and for good reason. the 5500 has good sound for a medium sized boombox but have very little bass. The M70 has excellent overall sound, solid bass and crystal clear highs. It is generally regarded as the best medium sized boombox on the planet. Good news is they are always available on ebay.

 

[robster]

Many thanks.. I'll hold out for a M70..anybody got one to sell?

 

[blu_fuz]

How much $$ do you have to spend?

 

[robster]

PM sent..

 

[Reli]

You don't need to spend $700 for an M70. They usually go for about $350-450 on Ebay, if that's the route you're using.

RX-5500's are rarer than M70's, and therefore the price varies widely. I have seen them sell from as high as $700 and as low as $100. I will tell you this much, it sounds more "lifelike" than any other midsize box I own. Panasonic = best bang for the buck IMO. Are they the biggest or loudest, no, but if you went back to the 1980's and walked into a store and said "I have X dollars to spend", Panasonic would give you the most amount of quality for each price bracket. Consider this, the RX-5500 weighs as much as a Crown 850, even though it is much smaller.