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A Boombox - also known as ghetto blaster (since 1983), Jambox, Wogga box or (in parts of Europe) radio-cassette - is a name given to portable stereo systems capable of playing radio stations and recorded music (usually cassettes and/or, since the early 1990s, CDs), at relatively high volume. As befits its portability, Boomboxes can be powered by batteries as well as by line current. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Label for 2. ... A radio station is an audio (sound) broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves (a form of electromagnetic radiation) from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. ... CD redirects here. ... The horizontal axis shows frequency in Hz Loudness is the quality of a sound that is the primary psychological correlate of physical intensity. ... For other uses, see Battery. ...

Origin

The first boom boxes were introduced by various companies in the late 1970s, when stereo capabilities were added to existing designs of the radio-cassette recorder, which had appeared earlier that decade; more powerful and sophisticated models were subsequently introduced. However, they are often associated with 1980s phenomena such as breakdancing and hip hop culture, having been introduced into the mainstream consciousness through music videos, television and documentaries. It was during this time that the major manufacturers competed as to who could produce the biggest, loudest, clearest-sounding, bassiest, flashiest and/or most novel boomboxes. Although as the decade progressed, manufacturers tended to compete more on price (often at the expense of quality) and smaller designs (often designed for simple background listening) became more popular. A breakdancer performing a one-handed freeze (also known as a pike) in the streets of Paris. ... Hip hop is a subculture, which is said to have begun with the work of DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, and Afrika Bambaattaa. ...

Features

An assortment of early boomboxes.

Technically a Boombox is, at its simplest, two or more loudspeakers (usually with silver coloured dustcaps on the drivers), an amplifier, a radio tuner, and a cassette or CD player component, all housed in a single plastic, or metal, case. Most units can be powered by AC or DC cables, as well as batteries. Larger, more powerful units may require as many as 10 size-D batteries, or more. Grammatical tense is a way languages express the time at which an event described by a sentence occurs. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ghettoblaster-family. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Ghettoblaster-family. ... A loudspeaker is a device which converts an electrical signal into sound. ... For the British rock band of the same name, see Amplifier (band). ... A tuner is a device to adjust the resonant frequency of an antenna or transmission line to work most efficiently at one frequency or band of frequencies. ... The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. ... A compact disc player or CD player is an electronic device to play audio from compact discs. ... City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... For other uses, see Battery. ...

Many boomboxes were quite heavy and large, and some high-end models had features and sound comparable to some home systems.

The most basic features included volume, tone and balance (Left/Right) controls. More sophisticated models had features such as dual cassette decks (often featuring high-speed dubbing), separate bass level control, five- or 10-band graphic equalizers, Dolby noise reduction, analog or LED sound level (VU) meters, larger speakers, 'soft-touch' tape deck controls, multiple shortwave (SW) band reception, burglar alarms, disco lights, mini keyboards, auto song search functions for cassettes, Line and/or Phono inputs and outputs, microphone inputs, loudness switches and detachable speakers. A handful of models even featured an integrated vinyl record player or a (typically black and white) television screen, although the basic radio/cassette models were by far the most popular. For other uses, see Volume (disambiguation). ... Look up Tone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. ... In sound recording, dubbing is the transfer of recorded audio material from one medium to another of the same or a different type. ... Bass (IPA: [], rhyming with face), when used as an adjective, describes tones of low frequency or range. ... Equalizer can mean: Equalizer, an audio processing tool. ... Dolby NR is a noise reduction system developed by Dolby Laboratories for use in analogue magnetic tape recording. ... External links LEd Category: TeX ... The two-letter abbreviation VU has several different meanings: VU is the country code of Vanuatu; .vu is its ccTLD. Air Ivoire, IATA airline designator Vivendi Universal, now Vivendi SA, a French company active in media and communications with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications and the Internet. ... A loudspeaker is a device which converts an electrical signal into sound. ... A solid-state, analog shortwave receiver Shortwave radio operates between the frequencies of 3 MHz (3,000 kHz) and 30 MHz (30,000 kHz) [1] and came to be referred to as such in the early days of radio because the wavelengths associated with this frequency range were shorter than... Burglar (or intrusion), fire and safety alarms are found in electronic form today. ... Phono may refer to: phones in phonology phonograph, an abbreviation regularely used on buttons and jacks RCA connector, called phono since they originally connectted phonographs -phone, the suffix Phono (band) Category: ... Microphones redirects here. ... The horizontal axis shows frequency in Hz Loudness is the quality of a sound that is the primary psychological correlate of physical intensity. ... An inexpensive low fidelity 3. ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... A display device is a device for visual presentation of images (including text) acquired, stored, or transmitted in various forms. ...

A few of the most modern boomboxes have integrated (or removable) satellite radio tuners for services like XM or Sirius. XM may stand for: XM Satellite Radio, a United States broadcasting company. ... Sirius Satellite Radio NASDAQ: SIRI is one of two satellite radio (SDARS) services operating in the United States and Canada, along with XM Satellite Radio. ...

Some of the largest, most fully-featured boomboxes measured more than thirty inches in width, could weigh twenty or thirty pounds, and had more than two speakers.

"Ghettoblaster"

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The synonym ghettoblaster or ghetto-blaster is a term that can be considered insulting or complimentary depending on the context. The word ghettoblaster originated in the urban of the United States, apparently reflecting the belief that such systems are popular in poor inner-city neighbourhoods (ghettos), especially those populated by black Americans, whether as a sign of economic power or simply to play some music or throw a party. 'Ghettoblaster' rather than 'Boom-Box' became the common term in the United Kingdom and Australia for large portable stereos, perhaps because the pejorative connotations were not as present or apparent in those countries. Synonyms (in ancient Greek, συν (syn) = plus and όνομα (onoma) = name) are different words with similar or identical meanings. ... Political correctness is the alteration of language to redress real or alleged injustices and discrimination or to avoid offense. ... Urban culture is the culture of cities. ... Look up Poor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An inner city is the central area of a major city. ... A neighbourhood or neighborhood (see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community located within a larger city, town or suburb. ... For other uses, see Ghetto (disambiguation). ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

The term usually carries a connotation of power and disregard of social rules, shown in the ability to blast music to overwhelm those around you, as portrayed in the film Do the Right Thing by director Spike Lee. Dispute over a ghettoblaster plays a central role in that movie's culminating riot. Connotation is a subjective cultural and/or emotional coloration in addition to the explicit or denotative meaning of any specific word or phrase in a language, i. ... This article is about the 1989 film. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... Shelton Jackson Lee (born March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia), better known as Spike Lee, is an Emmy Award - winning, and Academy Award - nominated American film director, producer, writer, and actor noted for his films dealing with controversial social and political issues. ... Teamsters, armed with pipes, riot in a clash with riot police in the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934. ...

The term is also used by various artists, including:

• Björk mentions bringing along a "little ghettoblaster" (pronouncing the first syllable as "jet" rather than "get") on an imaginary trip in "There's More to Life Than This", from the album Debut.
• Impaled Nazarene has a song called "Ghettoblaster" on their album Suomi Finland Perkele.
• Mindless Self Indulgence has a song called "Step Up Ghetto Blaster".
• Sum 41 mentions "put on your tape and rock your ghetto blaster" in their song "It's what we're all about."

The word is racially inflammatory in some circumstances but has also been embraced as a term of black, urban pride — and, like many such terms, has been adopted by parts of the non-black American community. It is used as the name of at least one magazine and one recording company, and is also a popular stereotype element typically associated with funk, hip-hop and rap, African American culture, 1970s and 1980s culture, breakdancing and even racist jokes. This article is about the musician. ... Debut, released in July of 1993, is an album by Icelandic singer/songwriter/musician Björk. ... Impaled Nazarene is a Finnish black metal band that incorporates elements from thrash metal, hardcore punk and grindcore. ... This article is about the New York rock band. ... Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. ... For other uses, see Race. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... For other uses, see Stereotype (disambiguation). ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... A breakdancer performing a one-handed freeze (also known as a pike) in the streets of Paris. ... This box:      Racism has many definitions, the most common and widely accepted is that members of one race are intrinsically superior or inferior to members of other races. ... A joke is a short story or short series of words spoken or communicated with the intent of being laughed at or found humorous by the listener or reader. ...

In the UK, the term, "wog box",^[1] has fallen from favour in social discourse. Another term popular in the UK was "Brixton briefcase", which referred to the suburb of south London, another example of these devices being associated with a predominantly black inner-city neighbourhood. , For other places with the same name, see Brixton (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Virgin Games released its game Ghetto Blaster for the Commodore 64 in 1985; the protagonist walks down a street with a boombox, shooting people with music notes to make them dance. Virgin Interactive was a successful and influential British video game publisher. ... Ghettoblaster, a term that can be considered insulting or complimentary depending on the context, is a portable stereo system capable of playing radio stations or recorded music at relatively high volume. ... C-64 redirects here. ...

In popular culture

In the James Bond film The Living Daylights, during the customary trip into Q's workshop, loud music is heard emanating from a large portable stereo carried on the shoulder of a passing technician. A missile then fires from the end of the stereo at a human dummy target, which is destroyed by the resulting explosion. Q turns to Bond and says, "It's something we're developing for the Americans. It's called a 'ghettoblaster.'" This article is about the spy series. ... For other uses, see The Living Daylights (disambiguation). ... Q is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. ...

The town of Willimantic, Connecticut has started a popular tradition called the "Boom Box Parade." No "real" bands are allowed. Participants and spectators are urged to bring radios (boom boxes), tuned to local radio station WILI (1400-AM). It is the largest parade of its kind in the world. Willimantics town hall sports a Victorian-era clock tower. ...

The Transformers toys featured several boombox robots. The Autobot Blaster transforms from a robot into a red and yellow boombox. He also has an array of cassettes which eject from his chest compartment and transform into helper robots. His Decepticon counterpart Soundwave had the same basic alternate mode as well as cassette minions. In the 2007 film Frenzy's alternate mode is a boom box, rather than a cassette. The Transformers is a line of toys designed and produced by the toy companies Takara and Hasbro. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Blaster (Broadcast in Japan, Tempo in France, Radiorobot in Italy) is the communications center of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Soundwave (Later: Soundblaster in Japan) is a character from the fictitious Transformers metaseries. ... For the 1986 animated film, see The Transformers: The Movie. ... Frenzy is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. ...

Madonna repeatedly protrudes a boombox during the music video and live performances of her hit single Hung Up. This act is well-known. This article is about the American entertainer. ... Audio sample Info (help· info) Hung Up is a pop song written by American singer-songwriter Madonna, Stuart Price, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and produced by Madonna and Price. ...

In the song "Theme from S Express" by S Express, a female voice says: "Drop that ghettoblaster".

Notable models and brands

Some notable brands and models from the early to mid-1980s include:

• Hitachi TRK series (eg: TRK-8080)
• JVC RC series (eg: RC-M90)
• JVC PC series (eg: PC-5)
• Panasonic RX series (eg: RX-5350, RX-7700, RX-7000)
• Crown SZ series (eg: SZ-5100)
• Lasonic series (eg: TRC-931,TRC-320T)
• Conion (known as Clairtone in Canada)
• Sharp GF series (eg: GF-8989, GF-9494)
• Sharp VZ series (This model included a turntable)
• Sanyo MX series (eg: MX-920)

Other manufacturers also worth mentioning include Toshiba, Pioneer, GE, Magnavox, Sony, and Yamaha. Hitachi, Ltd ) (TYO: 6501, NYSE: HIT) is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology and services headquartered in Marunouchi Itchome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. ... Victor Company of Japan, Limited ) (TYO: 6792 ), usually referred to as JVC, is an international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927. ... Victor Company of Japan, Limited ) (TYO: 6792 ), usually referred to as JVC, is an international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927. ... Panasonic (パナソニック Panasonikku) is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ... Sharp Corporation ) (TYO: 6753 , LuxSE: SRP) is a Japanese electronics manufacturer, founded in 1912. ... Tonearm redirects here. ... Sanyo Electric Co. ... Toshiba Corporations headquarters (Center) in Hamamatsucho, Tokyo Toshiba Corporation sales by division for year ending March 31, 2005 Toshiba Corporation ) (TYO: 6502 ) is a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ... Old Pioneer Logo (Until 1998) Pioneer Corporation ) (TYO: 6773 ) is a Japanese multinational corporation that specializes in digital entertainment products, based in Tokyo, Japan. ... Ge may refer to: Gê, a group of indigenous Brazilian tribes and their Ge languages Ge (Cyrillic) (Г, г), a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet Ge with upturn (Ґ, Ò‘), a letter of the Ukrainian alphabet Nikolai Ge, a Russian painter GÄ“, an ancient Chinese dagger-axe Ge (genus), a genus of butterflies Also... Magnavox (Latin for great voice) is an electronics company founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen. ... Sony Corporation ) is a Japanese multinational corporation and one of the worlds largest media conglomerates with revenue of $66. ... Yamaha may refer to: Yamaha Corporation – A manufacturer of a diverse range of musical instruments and electronics. ...

Aesthetics

The popularity of large portable stereos declined in the early 1990s, and few models are currently manufactured. The rectangular, angular, chrome aesthetic of many 1980s models were replaced with black plastic in the 1990s, and modern designs are dominated by curves instead of right angles. The designs of older models are a source of much interest amongst enthusiasts and collectors. Aesthetics is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste. ...

Compressed digital audio and the future of boomboxes

Sony boombox circa 2005

Even though many boomboxes had dual cassette decks and included dubbing, line, and radio recording capabilities, the rise of recordable CDs first and of high-density MP3 players later have further reduced their popularity to such an extent that it's difficult to find a new dual-decked boombox. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 255 KB) Summary Photo taken January 30, 2006 of Sony model CFD-G500. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 255 KB) Summary Photo taken January 30, 2006 of Sony model CFD-G500. ... A digital audio player (DAP) is a device that stores, organizes and plays digital music files. ...

While modern boomboxes include a CD player compatible with CD-R and CD-RW, which allows the user to carry their own music compilations on a higher fidelity medium, most boomboxes still lack direct support for MP3 or other similar compressed digital audio formats such as AAC, Ogg Vorbis, and WMA. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Compact Disc ReWritable (CD-RW) is a rewritable optical disc format. ... For other uses, see MP3 (disambiguation). ... Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a standardized, lossy compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. ... This page is about the audio compression codec. ... Windows Media Audio (WMA) is an audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft. ...

The simplest way to connect an older boombox to an MP3 player is to use a cassette adapter, which interfaces an MP3 player's output directly to the cassette player's heads. The 'Line In' (also known as 'Aux In') can be used if the boombox has one.

Some modern boombox designs provide other connections for MP3 (and sometimes other digital formats) such as a USB connector for use with a removable USB drive, slots for various flash memory media such as Sony Memory Stick, SmartMedia, MMC and SD, or even a CD drive capable of reading MP3s directly from a CD, thus allowing for a relatively cheap and large music storage to be carried and played back at full volume. Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ... A USB drive, shown with a 24 mm US quarter coin for scale. ... A USB flash drive. ... This article is about Sonys proprietary memory format. ... A 128MB SmartMedia flash memory card. ... A 32 MB MultiMediaCard MultiMediaCard A 128 MB RS-MMC card and an adapter An RS-MMC card with adapter attached The MultiMediaCard (MMC) is a flash memory memory card standard. ... Secure Digital (SD) is a flash (non-volatile) memory card format developed by Matsushita, SanDisk, and Toshiba for use in portable devices. ...

Today there are new lines of Boomboxes that utilized Bluetooth technology known as Stereo Bluetooth, or A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). They use the wireless Bluetooth technology to "stream" audio to the boombox from a compatible Bluetooth device, such as a mobile phone or Bluetooth MP3 player. This article is about the electronic protocol. ...

Gallery

Functional Soundsystem in Tokyo made out of fourteen Sharp GF-777z's Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 1. ... Sharp Corporation ) (TYO: 6753 , LuxSE: SRP) is a Japanese electronics manufacturer, founded in 1912. ...

The extremely rare "Robo Disco" Boombox, made famous by Afrika Bambaataa Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (668 × 890 pixel, file size: 587 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Sean Wilson 2005, Tokyo Turbo Sonic, The Robo Disco Boombox I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Afrika Bambaataa is a DJ and community leader from the South Bronx, who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1970s. ...

References

External links

• www.pocketcalculatorshow.com, an online museum of vintage Boomboxes, as well as other electronic gadgets from yesteryear.
• Stereo 80's
• Willimantic Boombox Parade