AIWA CSD-EX5 STRASSER (1993)

​The Aiwa CSD-EX5 is part of an extensive range of portables introduced in 1993. It has very simple and elegant lines featuring a hidden autoreverse cassette recorder on the top and a drawer type cd player at the front. The whole system is remote controllable via a removable hand-held unit that can be stored right above the cd tray. The radio section has 24 station presets, the cd player is a 20-track programmable unit with CD to tape synchro copy function and there is also an illuminated front LCD display with clock and timer function. The amplifier section is 60 W (PMPO) which actually means 7W/ch Sinus power in reality. It was available in black and titanium finish and was part of the so called STRASSER series in Japan. Dimensions: 460x148x202 mm | Weight: 4,2 kg | Operation: 12V external, 8xUM2 batteries.

​KENWOOD MDX-E7 Limited (1997)

​The Kenwood RAMPAGE MDX-E7 Limited is the second generation of the original MDX-E7 featuring an improved woofer with larger magnet. This is a 3 CD changer, minidisc recorder and radio portable unit. The MD section has 20bit D/A and A/D converter and a 20bit D/A converter CD player. The MD recorder is using ATRAC audio data compression and it can be used with a keyboard cyber titler (CT-G90). The FM stereo radio section has name input selection and auto preset tuning. The amplifier section consists of a 2x10 W transistor power modul driving a 2-way speaker system with alpha-duct (10 cm woofer and 40 mm tweeter). At the back of the unit, we can find an AUX in/out and a subwoofer pre-out. The whole system can be remote controlled with the Kenwood RC-MDX07 infrared hand-held unit. Dimensions: 570x219x296 mm | Weight: 8 kg | Operation: mains

Panasonic RX-DT75 (1994)

​The Panasonic RX-DT75 was a part of a new generation of boomboxes introduced in 1994. With this model Panasonic introduced a motorized top control panel called by enthusiasts "Cobra Top". The 70 W (PMPO) amplifier section is a so called 4.6 PDS (Power Drive System) Bi-Amp configuration. This means there are separate power modules for L&R woofer and L&R tweeter driving a 6-speaker bass reflex system (2x8cm woofer, 2x8cm medium, 2 tweeter). The radio section has 30 presets while the CD section uses Panasonic's own 1bit MASH DAC converter and a classic tray loading system at the bottom of the unit. The twin autoreverse logic-controlled cassettes are placed below the motorized top panel. They feature a so called "Auto Lift Up Eject" which means if the top panel is closed, pressing cassette eject will result in the top panel opening first before cassette eject. The cassette section also has a 9-track music search system, equalizer with 4 presets, several auto edit functions for CD to tape recording and the whole system comes with a full remote-control unit. Dimensions: 680x192x284 mm | Weight: 7.9 kg | Operation: Mains or 10xR20(UM-1) batteries.

Panasonic RX-ED77 (1997)

​The RX-ED77 was the top model for the 1997 range of compact portable cd-radio-cassette recorders. Hidden below the motorized top control panel there are two cassette mechanism. This portable is fitted with the AR2 series mechanism for the autoreverse playback cassette and the RAE0150Z series mechanism for the autoreverse recording cassette. Frequency response is 30-16000 Hz with normal tape and 30-17000 with Type II and Metal tape. Only playback of Metal tapes is possible, this unit cannot make recordings on a Metal tape. Track search is possible up 9 tracks. The radio section has FM-Stereo, AM and LW wavebands and offers a total of 30 memory presets. The tray-loading CD player is at the bottom of the unit and it features MASH (1 bit DAC) converter. The sound is reproduced by two 10cm full range speakers mounted in a so called "Acoustic Separator" chamber for extended bass. There are 4 pre-set equalizer settings, timer operation is possible and the unit came with a full function infrared remote control. Dimensions: 630x178/305x296 mm | Weight: 5.6 kg | Operation: AC, 10 D cell battery.

PHILIPS AZ 8594 (1990)

​Full name of this top model from 1990 was: Philips CD-Sound-Machine AZ 8594 Tandem. It's a complete portable stereo featuring a carry handle, CD-player, Digital-Tuner, 5-band Equalizer, Autoreverse double cassette deck, LCD display and ... remote control. The radio section is a PLL synthesizer digital tuner with 24 preset memory featuring FM-Stereo, AM, LW and SW. The amplifier section has 3 amplifiers delivering 2x12W for the front speakers (13,5cm woofer + tweeter) and 1x18W for the built-in 8,5 cm subwoofer (Turbo Bass). The cassette recorder section has on one side a recorder and the other side an autoreverse playback unit. With the help of the handheld remote unit, volume can be controlled and all the functions of the radio and CD player. The top loading CD player has a track/time LCD display on the front of the unit and it can be programmed up to 20 tracks. Dimensions: 66x24x21 cm | Weight: 6,3 kg | Operation: Mains, 10 D cell battery.
(Cover photo featuring Matthias Reim)

SHARP Segno QT-77CD (1990)

The Segno series from Sharp was introduced in 1990. One of the most popular model was the QT-77CD with an iconic round shaped loudspeaker system. One of its main features is the Active Sevo Technolgy, jointly developed by Sharp and Yamaha. This is a unique system in which the speaker and amplifier work together to cancel out impedance so the speaker unit has a perfectly linear motion. This system ensures the highest levels of sound pressure and overall performance. Power output of the amplifier is 7.5+7.5 W delivered to 2x10 cm full range drivers. On the front of the unit, we have a large multi-function LCD display and logic controls for the twin cassette. Both cassettes are auto-reverse, one playback only and the other a recording/playback unit (Frequency response: 50-12.000/14.000/14.000 normal/chrome/metal). On the top there is a CD player and the audio controls. A rebadged unit was available in Japan as Aurex RT-CDW500. Dimensions: 580x195x238 mm | Weight: 7.6kg 

SONY CFD-K10 PRESH (1991)

The CFD-K10 PRESH is a stylish (Good Design Award) and compact CD-tape-radio portable from 1991. Underneath it's elegant lines there is a top loader CD player with 21 track programming, custom edit and high-speed dubbing to cassette. The cassette recorder is also placed on the top of the unit. This is a autoreverse model with Dolby B noise reduction and a frequency response of 60-14000 Hz (normal), 60-15000 Hz (chrome). All the controls are placed on the front panel and the middle section contains the illuminated LCD display and the illuminated source selectors. Hidden behind a flip-down panel at the bottom of the unit there are the secondary functions hidden. The radio section has Stereo FM and AM with 14 preset programmes. The amplifier section has a power rating of 6,5+6,5 W (at 12 ohms, 10% harmonic distortion) delivered to two full-range speakers (8cm cone type). For a better sound performance, the speakers work in a large dedicated bass reflex loaded acoustic chamber. Most of the functions of the CFD-K10 can be operated via the standard accessory flat infrared remote control unit. Dimensions: 480x133x157 mm | Weight: 7kg | Operation: AC mains, 8xD (+ 3xAA for clock, CR2025 for remote) | Original sale price: 998,-DM in Germany.

SONY ZS-7 (1991)

​The SONY ZS-7 system from 1991 is part of a special series of boomboxes called Sonahawk. This is a fully equipped personal audio system with some interesting features. The front panel is shared by a well illuminated large multi operation display, and all the controls of the unit. The ZS-7 has a top panel situated twin autoreverse cassette recorder section with normal and high-speed tape to tape and CD record synchro function. The CD player is a front tray loading model featuring 1Bit Digital to Analog conversion, various CD to tape edit functions and full CD time info on the large front panel display. The tuner has AM/FM Stereo receiver with 12/24 station preset but it also has TV channel audio receiver incorporated. Power rating of the amplifier section is 7.5W+7.5W (EAIJ) delivered to a so called CCCR (Common Cavity Common Resonance) 2-way speaker system consisting of a 8cm woofer and a 5cm mid-tweeter per channel. The sound control section of the ZS-7 has both a grafic equalizer with 5-presets (pop/rock/jazz/blues/vocal) and a DSP (Digital Soundfield Processor) with 5-presets (dome/hall/arena/live/simulated). All components can be remote controlled with the RMT-C7 infrared remote controller. The highlight of this system is the remote-controlled stand, the SWV-1 "gyro stage". This electric powered stand allows 30 degrees rotation to the left and right but also a 20 degree up and down motion. Dimensions: 480x198x252 mm | Weight: 7.9 kg | Operation: Mains, battery.

Victor RC-X1 (1993)

​The Victor RC-X1 introduced in Japan in 1993 is part of the so called CDioss range of portable units. It features twin full logic controlled autoreverse cassette on the top (one for playback, one for recording), a drawer style CD player at the bottom, internal "Dynamic Balanced Twin Woofer" and remote control. The amplifier section is specified at 20W (3.5W+3.5W+13W). The 13W amplifier drives the two internal 10cm bass drivers while the 3.5W amplifiers drive the two front 8cm full range speakers. The cassette section features Dolby B noise reduction and it has a frequency range of 50-15.000 Hz. The front is dominated by a large display with spectrum analyzer with 4 EQ presets. Dimensions: 559x216x292 mm | Weight: 8.7 kg | Operation: Mains and battery. 

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