WHat ever happened to portable stereos/boomboxes?

[dknguyen]

Seriously? HOw come I can't find any decent PC-compatible portable stereos or boomboxes? I've been using a Phillips az2558 as my speakers for the last 2 or 3 years and my computer room changes so now I can't fit it on the table anywhere. So on the ground, plenty of bass but the treble couldn't do it. SO I decided to get a speaker setup I could fit onto my desk and got a Logitech 5.1 set.

It was SOO BAD compared to the stereo...EVEN when the stereo was on the ground. THe stereo on the ground had more treble clarity than the speakers did when they were on the desk! And the subwoofer was very strong but totally unbalanced to the rest of sound (unlike the Woox sub on the stereo). THey also needed to be turned up loud enough for the "surround sound" part to kick in to sound decent at all. THat's dumb! THe stereo sounds just fine at low volumes. WHy do I have to flood the room with music and bass for it to sound decent? The stereo sounds just fine when it's sitting completely on the right of me. THe speakers had to be all around and cranked up with the bass booming to get even the same thing...and the boom box could STILL play louder than all of them and still somehow managed to have just enough bass- something I could never get right with the speaker bass adjustment.

It was like the PC speakers went all for power and bass and totally ignored treble clarity- though it played piano and violin solos very very cleanly, but it seemed like any mid-range stuff, treble, or anything where there was a mix of sounds it couldn't play clearly (like a violin, piano, and some other instrument would get a fuzzy sound).

I went looking for a second az2558 a couple years ago, but it was discontinued! WHy in God's name would they do that?! I went out trying to look for another portable stereo to connect to my PC so I could have "surround sound" along with the current stereo after I returned the speakers. I couldn't find a single decent one with good bass, let alone one that could connect to a PC via RCA jacks.

What gives? I guess I became an audiophile without knowing it. THe PC speakers were quite good I guess...for game explosions and things like that. BUt I guess I'm just so used to the stereo now and don't play games anymore. If anyone has a Phillips az2558....I'll gladly pay you more than what you paid for it.

 

[Hero999]

I normally use cheap speakers and wack the trele and bass up on the software control panel until it sounds good!

 

[j.p.bill]

I feed the sound card output to my old Heathkit AR-1500. Got some funky speakers on the wall for the 60 watts/channel to work on. Don't need a subwoofer when the wall shakes.

 

[audioguru]

Logitech. My optical mouse is from them.

I don't think they are audio experts and I don't think they have a factory. They just send their buyer to China and tell him to buy the cheapest good-looking junk and have their name put on it. Then they make lotsa money.

They figure that sound is just noise and their audio equipment produces noise just fine. They never heard of music.

I bet if you complain to them that their pc speakers sound bad then they will replace them with a much better set.

 

[Gayan Soyza]

I have experienced with many computer subwoofer 2.1 Systems & 5.1 systems around my friends.
I cannot remember the model number but I remember the brand names like CREATIVE, LOGITECH, ALTECH LANCING & cheapy MERCURY. But nothing sounds good to me.
After I make my own 2.1 system with three LM1875 Amps. one for SUBWOOFER FILTER + other two for desktop speakers. Superb sound comparing to branded ones.
After listening to the sound they asked me to make them as well.

Also my sound card also a cheapy one no software controlling BASS, TREBLE etc… Just 4 line outputs.

Again I have an idea to make a high power subwoofer to create more than 200 Watts.To attack LOGITECH’S Z5500 subwoofer system.

 

[HiTech]

I feed the sound card output to my old Heathkit AR-1500.

That's a great old receiver. As a young boy I used to dream of owning one of those models. The front panel knobs could send a person to a hospital if you threw one at them! That Heath has a better than avg. AM tuner in it.

 

[Papabravo]

I think they were killed by the iPod invasion, although there may be a few that have gone into hiding deep underground.

 

[dknguyen]

I think they were killed by the iPod invasion, although there may be a few that have gone into hiding deep underground.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

 

[justDIY]

they were killed off prior to iPODs ... the original walkman really killed the boombox, improvements in power management and electrical motors led to smaller and smaller devices, no longer requiring 6 D cells to operate for an hour. next came the discman fueled by the popularity of CDs, tapes were "out" and so the boombox was forgotten by them.

they're still out there, many smaller "bookshelf" sized units accept batteries and have some fashion of a handle.

they may be making a come back now in the digital age, more and more battery powered iPOD dockable and portable bluetooth speakers show up on engadget every week. I don't know who's buying them or where they're being used, not around here, perhaps Asia?

 

[dknguyen]

Bah, just tried another pair of speakers. Better, but still assisting my boombox. THis one is better at high notes but not mid range

 

[Gaston]

they still make boomboxes, and better than ever. they make one i think its made by panasonic thats is a bass tube with like an 8" woofer at each end and it sounds great

 

[Gaston]

its made by jvc with 6.25 woofers
**broken link removed**

 

[dknguyen]

Oh, so it does have a sub. I didnt notice the ends at all.

I'll take a look at that one. It's a lot more expensive than my current one was though. I was leaning towards ~16" speakers for my PC, except they have to be self-powered...and I found one pair...Genelec HT 206s...a bit pricey though...actually WAY too pricey. $6k a pair! whew.

 

[theinfamousbob]

Try a regular stereo system with inputs of some kind. I have an Aiwa NSX-D30 stereo -- 160 watts combined output, RCA inputs on the back. Stereo miniplug to RCA converter = great success. Lacks a bit on the low end though, even with the bass settings all the way up. Anything less than ~40Hz is just dropped completely. My dad has an Altec Lansing setup, sounds really good for its size. Just try to listen in-store before you buy.

 

[dknguyen]

Yeah that's what I was thinking, except I don't have a lot of room (that's why Im trying to find a replacement for my boombox in the first place). THe largest room is on a desk to my right...but it's right next to a bright sunlit window which I'm not too comfortable about leaving any electronics in.

I just want some MOnsoon 2.1 speakers again But I can't find them anywhere!