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Also called the 14-778, this nice-sounding boombox was sold by Realistic (RadioShack) during the early 1980's.

Realistic SCR-8

This gem of a boombox is the Realistic SCR-8 (model number 14-778A). It was introduced in RadioShack's 1983 catalog, and remained in it for 3 more years. Beautiful in layout and design, with huge dual LED VU meters that take over the front of the radio. Classic design and plenty of options to dial in the sound the way you like it. Its output of 2x5 watts might seem modest, but Realistic was being honest; they didn't inflate the number like most manufactuers did. The sound is actually very assertive and dynamic, with excellent bass and decent highs. Separate Bass and Treble controls, along with "Stereo Accent" and "Loudness" buttons, provide for flexible tailoring of the sound quality.

The tape deck is decent quality; its frequency response is 50 to 15,000 Hz when using CrO2 tape and its wow & flutter is 0.09%. However it's very hard to find one in working condition these days. Even if the buttons do respond, the heads often fail to rise high enough to contact the tape. Usually this is because the plastic bracket behind the heads is cracked and can't handle the spring tension anymore. If so, you will need to epoxy it, or replace it with a 3D-printed one sold by hobbyists on the Boomboxery forum. There is also a very small idler gear in the tape mechanism that often shrinks and cracks. You can replace it with one found HERE.(external link)

The LED meters on this model are huge! There's a total of 24, with 12 going left and 12 going right. And they function rather strangely. The inner 5 LEDs on each side measure input levels, while the remaining LEDs measure output levels. So, the inner LEDs will beat to the music even if the volume knob is set at zero. But the outer LEDs start flashing only when you raise the volume high enough. You can make all 24 LEDs flash if you're willing to raise the volume to a very distorted level. Unfortunately the metal trim plate around the LEDs is often missing. I guess the previous owners were too lazy to glue it back on.

This boombox was clearly built by the same manufacturer that built the GE 3-5259A Blockbuster. The back panel is exactly the same, down to every last detail. And so is the battery door, the antenna, and the input and ouput jacks. But the front panel is totally different. Even the tuning knob has been relocated.

Realistic SCR-9

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Realistic SCR-8 ghettoblaster

Realistic SCR-8 boombox

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Created by blu_fuz. Last Modification: Saturday 03 of February, 2024 05:31:09 GMT by Reli.
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