Extro

Extro

Introduction

My radio, believe me, I like it loud
I'm the man with a box that can rock the crowd
Walkin' down the street, to the hardcore beat
While my JVC vibrates the concrete
I'm sorry if you can't understand
But I need a radio inside my hand
Don't mean to offend other citizens
But I kick my volume way past 10.

I Can’t Live Without My Radio—LL Cool J 1985

Back in 1985 when LLCoolJ released his debut album Radio, street culture in the US was alive with the sound of what was colloquially termed the “boombox” or ghettoblaster, depending on where you were from (In central Canada where I grew up, we called them BFR’s—big F*cking radios!). The cover of LL’s album reiterated the prominence of his hit single “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” by depicting a closeup of a JVC RC-M90, one of the biggest and best performing radio cassette players of its day.

Today, in this new millennium, 80’s culture has returned with a vengeance, and in light of this resurgence an interest in and around old school culture, so its no surprise that interest in boomboxes as cultural icons has resurfaced. Boomboxes these days adorn sneakers, T-shirts, shoulder bags, necklaces, and of course album covers and videos, from Armand Van Helden to Madonna.

I was moved to write about these radios as I collect them and have found a hobby bordering on obsession! I have learned as much as I can about them, taking them apart, as well as playing with them and using them in my everyday life. Sharp was a great innovator and is responsible for an amazing variety of radios, although I have a personal bias towards JVC, simply because in my youth JVC was the best brand available in my community, and I still feel a strong connection and nostalgia for their products. But what’s in a name? Many radios and indeed other electronics from this time were rebadged by rival companies, so you might see the same radio with 3 or 4 different names. There are many radios and many brands that are excellent for all sorts of reasons, I will try to give you some examples of what I consider technological or design innovations from back in the day.

JVC PC-100

When I think about the 80’s and portable radio culture, I realize how different the world is today. The world of sharing music in parks and on city streets now resides in cyberspace as we share in anonymity online. The radio that marked this change from public music “broadcasting” to private consumption was the JVC PC-100 a mini unit with a detachable walkman. Now you could share your music in the public sphere, or keep it private by ejecting the cassette deck and plugging headphones into it. In many ways the descendant of the walkman today is the MP3 player, the ubiquitous Ipod. Indeed, all the radios I have mentioned here were all built with the ability to plug a portable media player into them, so you can easily plug your IPOD into these radios and mix the digital age with the warmth of analogue amplification and sound.

Audio track for the PC-100

JVC PC-55/550

As portable radio desires changed, so did their design. JVC again was back in the driver’s seat in 1982with the multi piece PC or portable component systems. The PC-5, divided into five pieces with a separate radio, tape deck, and amplifier. This radio was promoted by that other famous quintuplet, the Harlem Globetrotters.
JVC followed up with another superb “executive” component system, the PC-55/550. These units were portable, but really they were meant to be separated and used at home as high quality mini stereos. This unit had many special features, Dolby B and C, a 5 band EQ, speakers with ceramic woofers, wooden speaker cases for better quality sound, and most innovatively an illuminated LCD panel display that showed the many functions and options of the unit. Great sound, although ever so slightly bass shy, this multi component unit was a wonderful sounding for all sorts of music, and has one of the best tape decks ever constructed in a portable.

Audio track for the PC-55/550

Tecsonic Super Jumbo

Other lesser known companies also weighed in and perhaps the most famous boombox of its time was one of these and was made so by Spike Lee. “Do the Right Thing” was a seminal film about broiling racial issues in Brooklyn and the object that sparked the riot on the hottest day of the summer was the giant radio belonging to Radio Raheem. He strutted the streets, conquering all those he met with his main weapon—a volume slider. The radio he used to slay all comers was a Promax J-1 Super Jumbo, a monster with a ten band EQ and 3 pairs of speakers including 8” woofers. In reality, the cheaper build quality of this radio is less than impressive, but its black case and crazy light display win it style points for certain. Despite its great size, the cheaper plastic makes it ½ the weight it could be—much easier to carry around and duel unsuspecting rivals!

Audio track for the Super Jumbo