All of you have heard of the Sony FH series, like this Sony FH-7. It's not really a boombox that's friendly for portability. Firstly, it's heavy like heck. Sure, it's got a carry handle but it's almost like trying to haul a boat anchor around. I would compare it with the Telefunken Studio M1 in this regard. I did not weigh and compare them but they are both super heavy. Secondly, it's not really designed for battery operation. To do that, you'd need to get the EBP-78 battery power adapter which is rarer than a Bombeat 40. In a non-black color! I'd say most folks would prefer to plug it in anyhow. Because the EBP-78 power adapter not only includes the battery holders, it also houses a separate, lower power amplifier and totally bypasses the high power amps built into the FH-7.
But what makes it so heavy is also part of what makes it such an attractive boombox. The speakers have a wood shell construction and the amount of metal in this thing is probably enough to manufacture all the metal parts for 500 Lasonics.
Make that 623 Lasonics. I LIKE build quality, so I really like this boombox.But more than just the weight and build quality is the sound. This guy is killer. And I mean killer as in killer of other boomboxes! It is a heavy hitter for sure. And more than just power, the boombox has clear crisp highs, solid tight bass, and those little speakers CAN handle a ton of power. More than the telefunken M1, in my opinion which has trouble handling big bass and volume. The telefunken can produce higher trebles if you crank it to max, but it produces so much that it's quite unnatural and begs to be turned down. The Sony in this regards is quite adequate in this regards. The only thing I wish this Sony had more of is features, such as a wide mode for the tuner. And it's not a 1-piecer but if ever there was a boombox that is a clear M90 killer, this might be it. For sheer brute strength, this thing has tons of seamless power. It's prowess is visibly demonstrated in the following photos:
THIS is the heart of the beast. Dual STK4026 Hybrid Output modules. By itself, it's hard to see what all the fuss is about. But compare it to the Rohm BA521 (Sanyo M9994) module and the difference becomes clear. Also look at those massive heatsinks and you can see that this beast means business and can produce gobs of power without breaking a sweat.
For an even clearer picture of what we're talking about, I'm holding the Sanyo 9994 module between my fingers so you can see how thin this module is relative to the STK. The thickness of the STK module can handle a ton of current. Ironically, the Module used in the Sanyo M9994 is manufactured by Rohm while the STK module in the Sony is manufactured by Sanyo.
Here is the pair, the comprises the amp of the FH-7. In case you are wondering how they compare with the M90 amps, the AN7146 amps in the M90 are similar in size to the Rohm module but instead of a SIP package it is a DIP package and about twice as thick (which is not suprising given that it's a dual amp instead of a single amp). Still, would look like david vs goliath when put up next to the massive STK modules.
SO, to sum this up. How much power are we talking about? Every boombox out there references the power levels at the 10% Total Harmonic Distortion point in the THD vs Power Curve. The higher the power, the higher the THD. Obviously, every boombox is capable of low and very acceptable TH distortion figures but the figures at the lower distortion point would be too low to "look good." Hence, most manfacturers rates the power output at the higher THD figure which many consumers fail to understand and comprehend anyhow.
Sanyo M9994: 7.0 wpc into 2.5 ohms at 10% THD
Sharp GF-777 4wpc rms (full range) + 3wpc (subwoofer) @ 10% THD
JVC RC-M70 7wpc rms into 8ohms at 10% THD
JVC RC-M90 8.5wpc rms into 6ohms at 10% THD
SONY FH-7, specs not posted but specifications datasheet for the STK4026 modules show 25 wpc rms into 4 ohms at 1% THD @22v. At 26v, distortion drops even lower and will push same power into 8ohms.
And that's not even all the other FREE stuff you get.
