Vintage Audio Sighting: Aiwa CA-DW235 CD Carry Component System

In other words a boombox!

My wife came across this Aiwa boombox in a thrift store the other day and I took a good hard look at it. It's officially the Aiwa CA-DW235 CD Carry Component System, but I'll just call it a highly evolved boombox. According to a sticker on the back, it was manufactured in May 1999.

The Aiwa CA-DW235 CD Carry Component System

The CA-DW235 was listed as having 18 watt power consumption which certainly means it had more than enough power for a dorm room or apartment. It could also be powered by 8 D-Cell batteries. 

The CA-DW235 Back Panel

Features like a CD player, a dual tape deck for high speed dubbing, an AM/FM radio, and a microphone input would make the Aiwa CA-DW235 CD Carry Component System fairly complete by the standards of the day. I like the push button equalization settings. I never know how to set up an equalizer with sliders. 

The Aiwa CA-DW 235 Control Panel

Why not buy it? It was selling for about $20. But, there were some issues that would be showstoppers for me. First, there was no power cord. You'd have to find a replacement. A manual I found online suggests that using the wrong replacement could be a fire hazard. I'm not too keen on fire hazards. The absence of power also prevented me from testing out the system.

Strike 1:  The Power Cord Is Missing

The CA-DW235 can also run on battery power. It takes 8 D cells. The battery compartment in this one is definitely showing corrosion from old batteries. While clean up is possible, it's another project.

Strike 2:  The Battery Compartment is corroded

Finally, the volume switch was drooping a bit towards the down position. This made me wonder if the boom box would automatically mute itself during operation.  It's definitely something to test out.

Strike 3: The Volume Button is drooping

Ultimately, I passed on this old boombox.  But, you can find operating and service manuals for the Aiwa CA-DW235 CD Carry Component System here at Manualslib.com. If I was handier and new a few things about electronics, it might have been an interesting projects.

If you like the idea of a vintage Aiwa boombox, but find the prospect of restoring aging electronic devices a bit daunting. Aiwa makes a very cool retro boombox with 40-watt speakers, bluetooth, AM/FM radio, and cassette capabilities. I was surprised to run across it here on Amazon.

Aiwa Retro Boombox (Amazon Photo)

You can check the Aiwa Retro Boombox out here on Amazon!

 

Audio Encounter: Sony Micro Hi Fi Component System CMT-HPZ9

I recently had a brief encounter with the Sony Micro Hi Fi Component System CMT-HPZ9. It was a compact unit sitting on a thrift store shelf in the Atlanta, Georgia, suburbs. It had an AM/FM Tuner, 5 disc CD changer, and a tape cassette player. The asking price was $35.99. It also had an input jack around back that would allow you to manually plug in another device like a record player or MP3 player via an input jack.

Sony Micro Hi Fi Component System CMT-HPZ9

It appeared to be a nice little unit, but there was no antenna so it couldn't bring in a signal on the tuner. It also had a busted tape deck. Although the speakers looked great, I didn't investigate further.

The Sony Micro Hi Component System Name Plate

If you have one, I did find that a compatible remote is available here on Amazon.com. I also found the manual here on the Sony website. The 3-way bass reflex speakers are rated for 85 watts per channel at 6 ohms resistance.

Broken Cassette Deck Hinge

This little unit would have been worth investigating further, but the broken cassette deck door looked like more trouble than the unit would be worth.

A Modern Mini Stereo Alternative

If you are looking for a modern Mini Stereo System, check out this Philips Bluetooth Stereo system with CD Player, FM Tuner, USB, Audio Input, and 60 watt bass reflex speakers. You can get it here at my affiliate link on Amazon.

Victor Talking Machine Company - Victrola VV-260 Antique Audio Console

Back in 2024, I stumbled across an interesting audio artifact in a local thriftshop. It's a Victor Talking Machine Company Victrola VV-260 Antique Console System. It was made from 1922 through 1924. It's not designed for modern records. It's designed for 78rpm Shellac records that were made specifically for this type of machine. These sorts of records are available on ebay and other auction sites for reasonable prices, but the titles are often random and conditions vary widely.

An Antique Victrola VV-260 Console Record Player

The best source for information on this Victrola model is The Victor-Victrola Page and particularly the page dedicated to the VV-260. It's an interesting bit of audio history for sure.

A close up for the Victor Talking Machine Logo

This sort of console is far different from the console stereos that were popular in the 1970s. I remember my grandfather buying one of those new console stereos back in the late 70s. He was very proud of it. I only remember him playing music on it on the night it arrived. It quickly became a resting spot for magazines and porcelain bird figurines.

 

A look at the Record Player Itself - Note you'll probably need an older Shellac record

If you are interested in a console look that you can pack with your own stereo components, you might check out this Crosley Media Center Console. It can house a record player, stereo components, and hold up to 75 records.

Crosley Media Console (Amazon Photo)

There's no need to wreck an antique and beautiful historic artifact with a poorly executed interior refit. You can just get a dedicated modern piece of furniture for your modern stereo components. You can get this one here from my affiliate link on Amazon!

Thrift Store Sighting: Panasonic SA-AK44 CD Stereo System with 5 CD Changer

Here it is in 2024 and I still haunt thrift stores from time to time.  I always drift to the back and the electronics section.  Everyone once in awhile, I even find something interesting.  For example, about a week ago, I saw this Panasonic SA-AK44 CD Stereo System with 5 CD Changer.  It's a pretty big system and shines like a beacon from that shelf.

Panasonic SA-AK44 CD Stereo System with 5 CD Changer

Unfortunately, the staff at Goodwill is beginning to realize what these shelf-systems might be worth to collectors.  They priced this one at $47.99.  I'm sure it won't last long on the shelves and it probably made someone's day to find this one.

A simple Google search reveals that manuals and remote controls are still available at various places on the internet for this system.  It would definitely be a good system for some lucky thrifter.  For a new system coming in at a similar price, check out this one on Amazon: Magnavox MM435M-WH Compact CD System with Bluetooth.

Magnavox MM435M-WH Compact CD System with Bluetooth (Amazon photo)

Dirt Cheap Computer Speakers: AmazonBasics USB-Powered Speakers

Inexpensive Speakers for a Laptop or Desktop Computer

Two years ago, we ordered some inexpensive speakers for my wife's desktop computer.  I didn't write about them.  They were small and cheap.  But, after two years, they still put out nice sound and they are still working well.  Since they keep on working and my wife is happy with them, it is certainly worth giving them a shout.  They are AmazonBasics USB-Powered Speakers.  They pack a whopping 3 watts of power (1.5 per speaker) and actually sound pretty nice. 

AmazonBasics USB-Powered Speakers

One Amazon reviewer compared them to a nice desktop radio.  I think they may sound a little better than that.  The speakers have been able to sound pleasant throughout our living room whenever my wife has played music videos on Youtube.  The sound quality is good, but the bass is weak due to the size and power of the speaker.  This may actually be an advantage in an apartment since we don't want to inflict bass on neighbors too much.

The cord lengths provide plenty of room to separate the speakers on opposite sides of a computer desk.  A generous 53-inch cord between speakers gives you a lot of options.  The USB cable to the PC is nearly six foot and will allow you to place these on a shelf above the PC.  Since these speakers are USB-powered, there is no extra power cord and A/C adapter to worry about.  My wife hates the extra cords associated with a PC and these don't add a burdensome bundle of cords to the mix.

Another advantage of these speakers is there small size and low center of gravity.  They are about 3-inches by 3-inches and 5-inches high.  We have owned PC speakers from well-known manufacturers that were tall and easy to knock over.  The AmazonBasics manage to stay upright on the desk without any issues.

Amazon Basics Desktop Speakers

After two years, these specific speakers have been discontinued, but Amazon offers a similar set for about the same price.  You can get these for USB or a bit more expensive AC-powered options If you are looking for some no nonsense speakers, I would definitely recommend them.

Thrift Store Speaker Encounter: Speakers of Mystery

Sometimes you find the weirdest audio gear at the thrift store.  For example, here is a row of five surround speakers.   The thing that is strange about these speakers is that they have absolutely no markings.

These speakers seem heavily built and have no markings.  No information about the manufacturer or the country of origin is provided.  There is also no information about the rated power at a given number of ohms.

The only thing we know is that these speakers are cheap. They are just $1.99 a piece. $10 would buy the whole lot.

I imagine that these speakers were part of a larger set and that all the manufacturing details were recorded on a center channel speaker or on a subwoofer.  Perhaps the world will never know . . .

Vintage Stereo Encounter: Denon Personal Audio System D-C1 Micro Stereo

I recently encountered this cool looking little stereo in a local thrift store.  It's a Denon Personal Audio System / Micro Component System D-C1.  It's a small stereo that puts out 15 watts per channel and has a tuner, 6-disc CD player, and a cassette player.  It's amazing to think that this sleek little system hails from 1996.   It looks pretty good for a 24-year-old piece of consumer electronics.

Denon D-C1 Micro Component Stereo

I didn't look at this one for long, but I found it interesting that it had a microphone input.  I don't know if that is for karaoke night or making audio recordings with the cassette.  This system didn't have any speakers so I didn't test to see if it worked or how it sounded.  Of course, in a thrift store, there are lots of handy speaker options right down the shelf.

Stereo Speakers on Thrift Store Shelves

If you are looking for a micro stereo system, you can find many of them here on Amazon.