What is the difference between all the AIWA Compo Boxes?

Discussion in 'Chat Area' started by Mister X, Jan 25, 2018.

Tags:
Page 19 of 19
  1. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    1982 Klangbild had an article about slim components, I guess AIWA never did a real slim model so they included this mini review.


    upload_2026-5-6_12-29-23.png upload_2026-5-6_12-29-37.png
     
    Mister X, May 6, 2026
    #361
  2. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    From 1980, the 50 Series!


    upload_2026-8-20_18-40-46.png
     
    Mister X, Aug 20, 2026
    #362
    lupogtiboy likes this.
  3. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    The heaviest boombox ever made? I think this clocks in around 48 lbs without the battery pack, 50+lbs with the pack
    This is 1981, big, big money back then but the Sony XF-5000 still beat it by several thousand yen.
    I don't know about these components but the 22 Series does great even with full size speakers. It looks like they only talk about 4 ohm speakers putting out a respectable 13 watts a channel on the battery but remember, this battery is like a motorcycle battery, it fits inside the bottom case.

    Maybe this is one of the reasons the M90 was reasonably priced, this was advertised (see ad thread) and is just a hair more than the M90, which would you get?

    upload_2026-9-10_22-6-6.png
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2026
    Mister X, Sep 10, 2026
    #363
    retro and lupogtiboy like this.
  4. T-ster

    T-ster Moderator Staff Member S2G Supporter

    Messages:
    1,492
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    England
    I have one of these above, I have been meaning to refurb it for so long, I will never get round to it so will shift it.

    I will weigh it if i remember!
     
    T-ster, Sep 11, 2026
    #364
    Mister X likes this.
  5. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I weighed one of mine, I think the CB-20 weighs more with the 22 series, they are slightly more complex on the inside.
     
    Mister X, Sep 11, 2026
    #365
  6. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    I think this is the AIWA 22, it looks a little different but the amp is most likely AIWA. Looking at the back, I can see how ribbon cables became more common.
    Stereo 1981


    upload_2026-10-19_13-53-17.png upload_2026-10-19_13-53-59.png
     
    Mister X, Oct 19, 2026 at 11:54 AM
    #366
  7. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Stereo 1981, the same issue also has the BASF Version. It looks like the receiver is missing the "Hi Blend" Button that's on the AIWA 22, anybody know what that does?


    upload_2026-10-19_13-56-28.png
     
    Mister X, Oct 19, 2026 at 11:57 AM
    #367
  8. Chestnut

    Chestnut Member

    Messages:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Cambridge UK
    I understand that Aiwa licensed various companies to manufacture their systems under their own brands, BASF, UHER and WEGA all in
    Germany as I recall. All three produced system 22’s, and WEGA also produced what were effectively system 30, and system 50 components but in their own distinctive very dark bronze colour. Your image shows some of the equivalent Aiwa system 50 components. IMG_0669.jpeg IMG_0670.jpeg IMG_0671.jpeg
     
    Chestnut, Oct 19, 2026 at 1:14 PM
    #368
    Mister X likes this.
  9. Chestnut

    Chestnut Member

    Messages:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Cambridge UK
    Hi blend - see extract from the Aiwa R22 user manual IMG_0668.jpeg
     
    Chestnut, Oct 19, 2026 at 1:16 PM
    #369
    Mister X likes this.
  10. lupogtiboy

    lupogtiboy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    483
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    UK
    I'm pretty sure Aiwa's parent company (well the one with a big stake in Aiwa at the time), SONY, also owns WEGA, so a rebrand of an Aiwa unit was probably always on the cards. I have a 22, a 30 and bits of the 50 as well, really need to get them set-up again!
     
    lupogtiboy, Oct 20, 2026 at 1:19 AM
    #370
    Mister X likes this.
  11. Experious

    Experious Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Yes, I am pretty sure (as the name suggests) it is just a blend of the (noisy) stereo track with the (less noisy) mono track, reducing some stereo separation to achieve less noise for stations that were not as easy to pickup (that would be all stations for me!) without switching completely to mono.
     
    Experious, Oct 20, 2026 at 2:58 AM
    #371
    Mister X likes this.
  12. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Sony bought Wega in the 70's, I've never looked into the particulars, Autoreverser would know more. Digging through the German Magazines, they had some really nice "industrial design" going on, along with most of the other big German Brands. Sadly we never saw most German Audio over here, B&O had the "high-art" audio market cornered from what I remember.

    I've posted some manufacturing info in the archaeology thread, if I had to guess, Sony was looking for EU Factories to get around tariffs, just like they (AIWA) did in the UK with the mini-stereos.
     
    Mister X, Oct 20, 2026 at 12:16 PM
    #372
  13. Experious

    Experious Active Member

    Messages:
    156
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Melbourne
    I have always noticed there seems to be a lot of Aiwa stuff in the UK, perhaps that was why. I sometimes see then badged as "UK sound" or "Tuned for the UK', whatever that means. It sounds suspiciously similar to the "Rainwater in use" signs that became popular to put in your garden here during the last drought!
     
    Experious, Oct 20, 2026 at 12:59 PM
    #373
    Mister X likes this.
  14. Rodrigo

    Rodrigo New Member

    Messages:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Lisbon - Portugal
    Hello everyone :hi2:

    I just came across this chat, I must say... there's some really good information shared :thumbsup:
    I've recently come across an Aiwa CS-9 in the CB-20 Carry Compo case... it seems to be all good (I'll be sure when it arrives in the mail)
    I purchased it from Japan :scratch2: One thing I've noticed right off the bat, was that the cassette deck AD-L22, the silver trim around the cassette
    opening is missing... does anyone by any chance have parts cassette deck, that they may spare me this part? All and any help welcomed.

    Thanks in advance and stay tuned for photos that I'll upload upon arrival in the mail.
     
    Rodrigo, Oct 22, 2026 at 11:57 PM
    #374
  15. Mister X

    Mister X Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    20,293
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Welcome to the club! These are great little boombox stereos but they're just like full size components in small package. I use my 22 stack as a daily driver with Klipsch Speakers and it sounds great. Good luck with find the missing trim, the parts decks go for decent money. Maybe put a post in the "Wanted" section.
     
    Mister X, Oct 23, 2026 at 9:29 AM
    #375
    Rodrigo likes this.
Page 19 of 19

Share This Page