Aiwa TPR-950
The TPR-950 from Aiwa is one of the benchmarks for boombox sound quality. The precision and detail that come from these speakers is amazing for a 1978 boombox. The tweeters sound extremely detailed and precise compared to most other boomboxes. And the bass is nice and warm too. Plus, the Wide setting is fantastic. How does it compared to other boomboxes? Well, it has all the clarity and detail of a Panasonic RX-5500, but with more bass, and of course a Wide setting. Is it as loud as a JVC M70? No.
Its dimensions are 490x370x130 mm. The speakers are 160 and 52mm. It weighs 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) not including batteries. Maximum power output is 2x4.9W. It takes 6 D-cells, and it's amazing how well it sounds with so few batteries. It's very efficient.
The service manual can be purchased HERE.
There was an upgraded model called the Aiwa TPR-955. Here are the differences:
- The 950 has gunmetal plate around the controls, the 955 has a silver plate instead.
- The 950 has black rings around the woofers, the 955 rings are silver.
- The 950 has black knobs and switches, the 955 are silver.
- The 950 has a metal bar under the tape keys, the 955 does not.
- The 950 has a dial light, the 955 does not.
- The 955 adds a music search feature and a programable timer feature.
- The 955 has Metal and Fe-CrO2 tape settings; the 950 just has CrO2.
- The 955 has slightly more output power than the 950.
- The 955 has slightly lower distorion in tape playback section.
- The 955 recording bias frequency is slightly higher than the 950.
- The 950 has slightly better FM stereo separation.
- The 955 has slightly better tape stereo separation.
Semiconductors:
- •950: 4-IC's, 1-FET, 46 Transistors, 17 diodes and 3-LED's
- •955: 11-IC's, 1-FET, 54 Transistors, 34 Diodes, 5-LED's.
The following Brochure images couretesy of collector NZ Boom