Lasonic TRC-920

The Lasonic TRC-920 came out in 1982 or 83 for about $250, dropping under $150 by 1985. But today they sell for anywhere from $300 to $800 on Ebay, depending on condition. It has become a collector's favorite, due to its classic good looks and strong sound. It has loads of shiny chrome all over it. It isn't built as well as a JVC or Panasonic, but it is built better than Lasonic's black models.

For its day, this box was pretty powerful. The power amp consists of two Sanyo LA4440 chips. The bass comes on very early on the volume scale, partly because the woofer surrounds are soft and flexible. And those woofers are mounted to a partially-enclosed chassis which may amplify the bass to some degree. This box puts out a lot of treble too. But it's not one of the most accurate or clean sounding boomboxes. So if you like classical music or acoustic guitar, this is not the right box for you. But if you like rap, electro, house, or action-movie soundtracks, this is your box.

NOTE: There is a re-branded version of this boombox called the Alex A-91. It is identical except for the name. There is also an Indonesian imitation called the Fujisonic F-920.