Goldstar TSR-580 and TSR-581

The Gold Star TSR-580 is an "unsung gem" in the world of boombox collecting..It isn't considered one of the "holy grails," but it's very well-built and sounds very nice. It's got a nice weight to it. 7.0 KG without batteries, which is heavier than I would expect for a boombox this size (550mm long, 308mm tall). In fact, it's 0.4 KG heavier than a Crown CSC-850, which is a much larger radio.

The front face is simple and uncluttered, making it an ideal radio to custom paint. It is dominated by a large, shiny aluminum tuner plate, covered by a clear acrylic sheet mounted by 4 screws. On the left side is an LED VU meter that measures input levels. According to the service manual (which is available HERE), the output power is 2x4.5W at 10% THD. The amplifier chip is a Panasonic AN7156N. The woofers are 16cm diameter, 3.2 ohm, and the tweeters are 5cm and 4 ohm. Interestingly, the tweeter on the left side is different than the one on the right. Perhaps Goldstar ran out of stock of one of them?

The ones sold in Europe have a 4-band tuner selector and a mono/stereo switch. The ones sold in North America have an AM/FM/FM Stereo selector and a Loudness switch. But don't worry, the European models don't suffer from the missing Loudness switch. They make just as much bass.

There is an upgraded version of this ghettoblaster called the TSR-581. It looks almost identical, but it has chrome knobs instead of black knobs. It also has a digital clock (but most of them don't work anymore). Also, it has shoulder strap rods on each upper corner, which appear to be missing on the TSR-580.

NOTE: There was a version of this boombox called the President TSR-585 that was assembled in Nigeria by Daddybond Industries. It appears to be identical except for the brand name.