JVC PC-55 and PC-550

This is one of JVC's best-sounding boomboxes from the 80's (1983, to be precise). Its most memorable feature is its nice LCD panel that displays tape status and VU levels. It is back-lit for easy reading. Unfortunately it often malfunctions, with the LCD segments fading away. This is usually because the LCD cable connection has gone bad.

There were 3 versions of this model: The PC-55, the PC-550, and the Victor version sold in Japan. There were also 3 different colors: Black, silver, and white (the rarest). Some collectors claim the PC-55 has a bit more bass than the PC-550. If you open the speakers, you'll notice the woofers are slightly different.

The amplifier gets its power from a pair of Panasonic AN7161 chips. JVC claims its maximum output is 2x27 watts when using AC power. The speakers that come with this system contain 5 inch woofers and 2 inch tweeters, and while sound quality is excellent (better than the vast majority of vintage boomers), they're only rated for 75 to 17,000 Hz, so they're not going to produce really low bass. The amplifier is capable of delivering it, however. Its rated frequency range is 20 to 30,000 Hz (+/- 3dB), so theoretically it could do justice to some decent home hifi speakers.

It has an excellent cassette deck with auto reverse, Dolby B and C, and logic controls. Wow and flutter is only 0.05% WRMS. Frequency response is 30 to 15,000 Hz when using Normal tape, 30 to 16,000 using chrome tape, and 30 to 17,000 using Metal tape.

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Model variations: PC-55C (Canadian?), PC-55L, PC-55LB, PC-55LD, PC-550C. It depends which country it was sold in.