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80s Time Machine - Childhood revisited

macflyer - 2012-03-11 14:21

Hello,

 

wish everyone a blessed Sunday.

 

Everyone who cares to remember, I signed up for this board inquiring about a low-cost box of the 80s sold by Quelle in Germany.

 

index.php?board_oid=193392314111653483&content_oid=263624528679586464

 

To summarize the thread and my investigation, this boombox of my childhood appears to be a generic brand model that was sold in Germany as Universum, in the US as Realistic SCR-9 by Radio Shack and most likely in other countries by other companies with different branding.

 

Those were budget priced boomboxes (without much boom) but with decent quality.

 

My investigation led me to find some unsold warehouse stock of the same or similar model of brand new unopened merchandise as my orginial boombox.

 

I received the item yesterday and was teleported straight back to the 80s. The sound and operation and everything is the same as my original box. Plus, it smells like old new 80s electronics put into operation the first time.

 

So, there are so many collectors out there who own many a great boxes that sound much better than this one, but who can claim to start their collection of 80s boomboxes with the same model bare the speaker grills and color purchased from unsold 80s stock as they owned in the, well, 80s???

 

The best $29 I've spent lately. Enjoy the pics.

 

 

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chris69 - 2012-03-11 14:27

Congrats! Really nice to find something like this

deliverance - 2012-03-11 14:35

great thats what the hobby is about brilliant

lav.loo - 2012-03-11 14:43

great story' great pics, sweet looking box, congrats MACFLYER

devoltoni - 2012-03-11 14:59

Please, pack and send me some of that smell of the new electronics from 80 es

Congrats mac

retro - 2012-03-11 15:09

Originally Posted by SUPERFLYGUY:

great story' great pics, sweet looking box, congrats MACFLYER

I agree, glad you finally found your personal grail macflyer.

bison - 2012-03-11 15:16

great story,i passed on the box i had in the eighties when one surfaced on the bay,mine too was a budget brand,

 

i regret not buying it,..i think some of the cheap obscure boomboxes are more appealling than the big brands.

rarer for sure.

macflyer - 2012-03-11 15:28

Originally Posted by Chris_69:

Congrats! Really nice to find something like this

Thanx....I was completely surprised what some internet investigation can reveal and the results are just awesome

Originally Posted by deliverance:

great thats what the hobby is about brilliant

I agree, it is. It gives a piece of peace from back then

Originally Posted by SUPERFLYGUY:

great story' great pics, sweet looking box, congrats MACFLYER

Thanks Superflyguy, I actually like the silver looks and round speaker grills of this version of my box better. I remember my aunt's version to be exactly like this one and I painted my grills silver with water paint back then My first mod if you want.

Originally Posted by devol-toni:

Please, pack and send me some of that smell of the new electronics from 80 es

Congrats mac

It smells great. Wish I could.

Originally Posted by retro:
Originally Posted by SUPERFLYGUY:

great story' great pics, sweet looking box, congrats MACFLYER

I agree, glad you finally found your personal grail macflyer.


Retro, it is my personal personal grail while I have to admit there are so many other great boxes out there yoy guys have been enjoying for so many years.

 

PS: Like very much your draw-ups of modern retro boxes.

macflyer - 2012-03-11 15:34

Originally Posted by bison:

great story,i passed on the box i had in the eighties when one surfaced on the bay,mine too was a budget brand,

 

i regret not buying it,..i think some of the cheap obscure boomboxes are more appealling than the big brands.

rarer for sure.

 

I agree. But then, did we really value what we had back then? I always thought CDs were the way to go back then but ultimately found out they aren't made for me. My vinyl collection is where my moneys at and remembering the day my stepfather told me to help me break his original Elvis recordings fromt the 50s into two pieces for trash collection still fills me with sadness

 

$29 is a steal for original 80s electronics no matter how crappy it sounds compared to high end equipment from back then or my beloved ipod docks from todays

driptip - 2012-03-11 16:29

man that is such a great story come true for you, imagine that all of us here would have the same luck as you , that would be so nice.

macflyer - 2012-03-11 16:39

Originally Posted by devol-toni:

Please, pack and send me some of that smell of the new electronics from 80 es

Congrats mac

By the way, I remember all 80s smell since I am what modern psychology would call me a "sniffer". I used to smell at evertyhing electronics and cassettes and vinyl brand new......A miracle I'm still alive.......Modern gear just doesn't smell anymore good without all the toxics....

Originally Posted by Macflyer:
Originally Posted by bison:

great story,i passed on the box i had in the eighties when one surfaced on the bay,mine too was a budget brand,

 

i regret not buying it,..i think some of the cheap obscure boomboxes are more appealling than the big brands.

rarer for sure.

 

I agree. But then, did we really value what we had back then? I always thought CDs were the way to go back then but ultimately found out they aren't made for me. My vinyl collection is where my moneys at and remembering the day my stepfather told me to help me break his original Elvis recordings fromt the 50s into two pieces for trash collection still fills me with sadness

 

$29 is a steal for original 80s electronics no matter how crappy it sounds compared to high end equipment from back then or my beloved ipod docks from todays


Have to say the "crappy sound" is growing on me with this 80s local station....This box is loud......

macflyer - 2012-03-11 16:57

Originally Posted by driptip:

man that is such a great story come true for you, imagine that all of us here would have the same luck as you , that would be so nice.

After a couple beers I can tell you, its' fooking amazing

 

I'm in 80s heaven. First kiss, first, whatever, to the crappy sound of my generic box

macflyer - 2012-03-11 17:03

It doesn't resally help that this station is has been playing amazing 80s hits for the past hours. Hate them.

driptip - 2012-03-11 17:08

hahaha pretty good man, enjoy it , live it the fullest like the 80's , go wild.

macflyer - 2012-03-11 17:23

@driptip.....

 

Thanx mate.....after hours of listening "through" this latest achievement in low-fi, i can twell you any ipod dock does sound HiFi...but it soesn't fooking matter rite now

macflyer - 2012-03-11 18:16

HAVE TO SAY THIS BOX IS AMAZINGLY LOUD

macflyer - 2012-03-11 18:55

Box @ night blasting the local 80s station with my fav choice of tape brand (okay, the only one available @ my local Walgreens).....

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macflyer - 2012-03-11 19:02

Hate Magic 97.3......

 

 

They f.......play every great song of 80s and 90s.......

 

Okay, I'm crying.....wtf......

macflyer - 2012-03-11 19:29

Did I reveal to you that by tomorrow I'm supposed to have memorized all parts of the f...brain????

 

Hate to have expensive text books laying around and getting lost in 80s obsolete gear...

reli - 2012-03-11 19:52

I have seen those Chelco's on Ebay for at least 2 or 3 years.

Therefore, I don't think they are "old stock".

Instead, they are new and still being manufactured.

macflyer - 2012-03-11 20:00

Originally Posted by Reli:

I have seen those Chelco's on Ebay for at least 2 or 3 years.

Therefore, I don't think they are "old stock".

Instead, they are new and still being manufactured.

Just invest the $29 they are asking for.....you can't get any 80s stuff any newer.... I'd be hard pressed to not confirm it's just the box I unwrapped one day in the early 80s...no way it's still being manufactured.....not being sentimental...just what I found out...if you have $29 spare...best money invested on original 80s stuff.....my opinion...you got 8-tracks tape? Look it up....

macflyer - 2012-03-11 20:04

Originally Posted by Reli:

I have seen those Chelco's on Ebay for at least 2 or 3 years.

Therefore, I don't think they are "old stock".

Instead, they are new and still being manufactured.

The thing is, it was already obscure "hardware" in the 80s.....just looked it up in the Radio Shack catalog......I'd say some hundred thousands did sell in USA......everyone is going for the obvious ones....def. overlooked....not saying they sound great but dcent enough to relive the 80s...

brutus442 - 2012-03-11 20:39

What a fantastic story Macflyer!

 

nothing wrong with re-hashing the old memories of opening a boombox and savouring that feeling of peeling it out of it's packing.

 

Good for you, best money you've spent in a long while I'll bet

macflyer - 2012-03-12 05:37

@Brutus442: I had a splendid night with all the great songs plus beer I agree, this money is well invested. Now, I need to resist hoarding another one or two"just in case"

mr.vu - 2012-03-12 06:37

Originally Posted by Macflyer:
@Brutus442: I had a splendid night with all the great songs plus beer I agree, this money is well invested. Now, I need to resist hoarding another one or two"just in case"

@ Macflyer

you have never  ?
 cold beer and music and a grilled dried squid ...

this is my favorite food and cold beer



 

isolator42 - 2012-03-12 08:04

Great story, thanks for sharing.

That's what s2g & boomers are all about for me; time machines.

When I found my 'personal grail' which was an unremarkable, small-ish Philips from 1984, I was right back there in the mid 80s, loving it all over again.

 

Glad you're so happy with yours  

macflyer - 2012-03-12 18:05

To round it off, I inquired with the seller the story behind this stuff. Here's what he/she/they responded.

 

"We bought this item from Vintage wholesale dealer. its has original parts from the 80's".

 

It's nothing like the cheapish retro boxes that appear everywhere (quantum et al).

 

 

macflyer - 2012-03-12 18:10

Originally Posted by isolator42:

Great story, thanks for sharing.

That's what s2g & boomers are all about for me; time machines.

When I found my 'personal grail' which was an unremarkable, small-ish Philips from 1984, I was right back there in the mid 80s, loving it all over again.

 

Glad you're so happy with yours  

 

Unremarkable is the right choice of words

 

Phillips were great boxes. We used to have a family one b4 everyone got their own. It was a Philips with Spatial Stereo....kinda huge if I remember correctly.

isolator42 - 2012-03-13 01:18

 

Philips' "Spatial" is still my favourite take on the surround effects on 80s boomboxes (Biphonic, Ambience, etc.).

 

Aiwa's Q-Sound was pretty special, but it was later.

 

My little Philips had Spatial...

chupa - 2014-04-19 12:06

I kno it's an old thread but it's a good one ..
I have the Chelco STR-550 and I like to kno what year was it built..
And if the Chelco a branch off a popular brand like Panasonic etc..

soundboy - 2014-04-19 14:02

that's a great find... new old stalk any time anywhere

chupa - 2014-04-19 14:48

Yes it is soundboy but I'm in search for the true altamite answer
What year was it built..
And where did Chelco branched off from

andyboombox - 2014-04-23 02:14

thats a great find-very jvc like-and to find it in a box new old stock is both special and rareid be proud of that little beauty