After the visit with LEDMeter yesterday and our in depth discussions of numerous design points and features I thought it'd be a rockin idea to continue that conversation on here.
Everything had to be done some place first, and is therefore the originator from which others copied or expanded from.
The first one of these is the bars across the speakers, a hallmark of many Lasonic models, but (to my knowledge) was a design first done by Sharp on their GF-9000/535 model about 3-4 years before Lasonic. I think the 9000/535 came out around 1982, and the classic Lasonics came out in 1985-86 from memory, but definitely were not around in 1982.
Another thing I only realised yesterday was the legacy of the RC-550. I think this was the first portable to use the speaker surround with screws/mounts on them. Now the most interesting thing about this is that on the RC-550 the surround and the screws are actually what holds the grill and speaker in place. These outside screws and mounts actually are doing a job and are not just for looks.
I think this look or style, which was copied by most manufacturers in a lot of models, was first done by JVC on the RC-550 not to look 'cool' but as a design necessity. The RC-550 was about a 1977-78 release, but this style of speaker surround was copied through to the 90s, 99% of the time with fake screw points that did nothing to hold anything in, but more a statement in what defined a boombox.
Theres got to be tonnes of other. First runway style LED meter? First twin antennas?
Even if theres no actual facts, it's still a fun subject to think about!
Rock On.
Everything had to be done some place first, and is therefore the originator from which others copied or expanded from.
The first one of these is the bars across the speakers, a hallmark of many Lasonic models, but (to my knowledge) was a design first done by Sharp on their GF-9000/535 model about 3-4 years before Lasonic. I think the 9000/535 came out around 1982, and the classic Lasonics came out in 1985-86 from memory, but definitely were not around in 1982.
Another thing I only realised yesterday was the legacy of the RC-550. I think this was the first portable to use the speaker surround with screws/mounts on them. Now the most interesting thing about this is that on the RC-550 the surround and the screws are actually what holds the grill and speaker in place. These outside screws and mounts actually are doing a job and are not just for looks.
I think this look or style, which was copied by most manufacturers in a lot of models, was first done by JVC on the RC-550 not to look 'cool' but as a design necessity. The RC-550 was about a 1977-78 release, but this style of speaker surround was copied through to the 90s, 99% of the time with fake screw points that did nothing to hold anything in, but more a statement in what defined a boombox.
Theres got to be tonnes of other. First runway style LED meter? First twin antennas?
Even if theres no actual facts, it's still a fun subject to think about!
Rock On.
)
I'm not sure about models like 5012, 5020, 5025, 5030 and so on 
The 5010 was my 1st stereo Boombox purchase as a teen 
Never seen or even heard of this one...
