Sanyo Stereo Music System
Danielyan Garay
Most people can remember or know what a boom box is (or was). But what did it's grandfather look like? Was it a revolutionary product, or just a few bits bolted together in a box? In this video, Dave takes us on a journey into the inner workings of a vintage Sanyo Portable Stereo Solid State Music Center from 1972. This portable music center was an all-in-one solution, featuring stereo speakers, a turntable, a stereo tuner, and a cassette deck. While it may seem a bit outdated by today's standards, Dave highlights the uniqueness and potential of such a device.
One of the intriguing aspects is its battery operation, requiring a hefty 45 pounds of batteries to keep it running. Dave also points out the switchable voltage feature, which was quite specific at the time, considering the standardization of voltages in the EU.
Dave dissects the device to discover its internal components and connections. He explores how this portable music center combines off-the-shelf components, raising questions about its integration and functionality. Dave also investigates the turntable, which appears to be direct drive, and the cassette deck with its interesting mechanics.
One noteworthy observation is that, despite the "stereo" labeling, the record player turns out to be mono. Dave goes on to speculate about potential modern upgrades, like Bluetooth connectivity or an auxiliary input, to make it relevant for today's music enthusiasts.
As he delves deeper into the internals, Dave encounters various PCBs and modules, questioning their origins and functions. He uncovers the amplifier and preamp circuits and explores how signals are routed within the device.
In the end, Dave ponders whether the reuse of standard components in this vintage music center is a testament to their durability and adaptability or a sign of repackaging. He invites viewers to share their ideas for modernizing this device for the 21st century and looks forward to potential future projects.
People seem to be more interested in convenience than HiFi these days. A mono Bluetooth speaker playing compressed MP3 audio is not the best HiFi that could be produced with today's technology. Some of those old audio systems would easily outperform such a setup.
However as Doug says, today the phone is mainly used to provide the different content and you just need the Bluetooth speaker to scale it up for a larger audience. Although you may want more than one Bluetooth receiver so as you can pair up a number of Bluetooth audio devices.
However, today you also have the likes of YouTube, Teams, Zoom, etc. which now involves video which needs to be scaled up for larger gatherings. Hence why I was suggesting the likes of adding a video screen.
The likes of Coomber have been doing these type of modular build units for years, transitioning from compact cassette, to CD, to USB/SD, to Bluetooth as technology and trends change. They've just tended to turn the 'briefcase' on its side.
Perhaps more common these days is to start with your typical active monitor speaker cabinet and slot in a media player, Bluetooth player and a small mixer circuit, and then power it with a small motorcycle battery.
Maybe you could compare wrist watches to phones (everybody had one), but audio was a bit more like cars - if you showed up with a Marantz Amplifier or a Nakamichi tape deck, people would notice, like if you showed up in a Testarosa.
A vintage Sanyo stereo music system. This Japanese made device, model GXT-4545 with serial number 27080505, features a turntable and cassette tape rack under its clear plastic hood. In the console below is the tape deck as well as an AM/FM radio tuner and various adjustment knobs.
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