REVIEW: M90 Mini & Micro Boomboxes - More than just excellent replicas
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 เม.ย. 2022
- Over forty years after its launch, the JVC RC-M90 AKA 'King Of Boomboxes' has been re-created in the form of two replica miniatures which function as bluetooth speakers. Here's my review.
For more information on the M90 recreations visit: newwavetoys.com
(Non affiliated link)
I backed these on Kickstarter - this is an independent review.
My video all about the original RC-M90 is here • JVC RC-M90 The 'King o...
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I worked as an engineer for JVC(UK) when the original RC-M90 was still current. Repaired lots of them. Wish I'd bought a few now.
What was the most common fault/failure?
@@edwinsalisbury83 Back then it was mostly standard mechanical stuff - belts, motors, gears, etc. Pretty much the same as you'd expect now. There were a fair few of them that had been dropped and damaged too. Not surprising considering their size and weight I guess.
I owned an M70, M90, PC-5 and PC-55, all bought on London’s Tottenham Court Road. M90 was my favourite followed by the M70.
Hi is possible to buy one ?
You can tell it's been made with love by people who knew what they were doin.
I do think they maybe missed a trick by not putting a second USB inside the fake battery compartment - would have made it easier to carry about without worrying about snapping off your stick.
My first thought:
"You can put your weed in it" ; )
True, but I'd just use a low profile drive that barely sticks out. Nice that it plays FLAC though; you could certainly get a few C90's worth of content on with no loss of quality...
Good idea.
Use the SD card
Except they ruined it by using a blue LED.
Disappointed that the VU Meters don't work , Being a Teen in the 80's meant that VU Meters were a main part of the "Cool Factor" of any Boombox along with the Graphic Equalisers .
It would be cool. They sould make it a LCD display and simulate Vu meter, or equaliser and use it for MP3 navigation option.
I wasn't a teen till the 90's technically but I remember this and you are so right.
Yeah, I'm surprised that they don't even just move randomly.
Would be a fun mod.
Can't believe they did so much great work just to fall flat. VU is so important to the looks and cool factor!
The fact they've managed to put two stereo speakers in the Micro is impressive. Honestly assumed it would be one speaker inside, with 2 "prop" speakers
It's more common then you think. I have a 808 XS Sport and it has stereo. I also have the original 808 XS, Both have stereo for how small they are.
yeah, I've reviewed bluetooth speakers from the dollar store (poundland) that have stereo amplifier chips. some have dual mono it's one feeding each channel.
Even more than that; for its size it sounds very very good!
4:20 I enjoy that they made the peels blue, making them obvious to take off. WAY too many manufacturers use clear plastic and end-users end up overheating their products as they're not designed to be used with the plastic!
The Mini version is such a beautiful piece of "nostalgia tech", lots of details and yet actually usable as a good quality FM radio/BT speaker, not just for show. Loved it!
It’s refreshing to see such a well designed product from a kickstarter. Even the case really well done!
As a miniaturist I am just as pleased as yourself with the attention to detail, including the "extraneous" packaging and literature. An amazing product - thank you for showcasing it!
@D M Of course it it a thing. People like their model trains, cars, homes, etc.
This channel is one of the quietest yet most satisfying and exciting channels on the internet.
Finally a product that isn’t a disappointment 😂👍
They look really good.
Awesome video. Brings back memories to this former Break dancer from back in the early eighties. Back then no sitting on our asses for hours wasting time on a ridiculous expensive cel ph. .. What great times , riding my Schwinn BMX all over town socializing , hanging out at the mall and playing Galaga at the Arcade or anywhere they had a Galaga arcade game, 7-11 or a mom and pops store. Long live Afrika Bambaataa And The Soulsonic Force !!!! To all you millenniums whom do not know what I mean... check them out. Planet Rock ..... Play At Your Own Risk...
Looking for the perfect beat.
I like that you've incorporated the little miniature figurine into all your videos now! What was it called, Toney?
those are „Tonies“ or „a“ Tonie. A german physical music medium.
haha, I've noticed that too. i would've been confused if i didn't watch the tonie video
Brilliant, I'd get one in a heartbeat if they made a full size version of this.
Hell yeah!
That actualy has all the functionality or at least a decent tape drive with Dolby or illegitimate noise reduction compatible with Dolby. Having a big box of toy knobs is not something I have a particular need for no matter how cool it looks.
I grew up using and loving old speakers, portable radios and even portable dvds. Watching someones video like this one gave me a lot of nostalgia.
Thank you.
So impressed by the attention to detail. Even the boxes.
Even the yellowed tape!
Woudn't it be amazing, if the little cassete was in fact some sort of SD card adapter? But I guess it would make it way more expensive. Still super cool thing!
The absolute chad move would've been to make it an actual microcassette player, but I get the feeling that it would've been way too niche of a product if they did that.
Or if they had put a micro cassette deck in it for those dictaphone cassettes
@@Ranger_Kevin bet no one makes them anymore
Probably no one make this micro cassete player mechanisms more...
BUT, if they plan to launch a bunch of these scaled down versions, they maybe have the volume needed to reopen a line of production for these things... That would be amazing
I imagine that door being able to open and close is more of a thing to adjust for display, it probably wouldn't tolerate too many opens and closes
Cool device, not really something I'd ever buy but I like it! Shame the replica cassette doesn't move also, maybe an idea for their future devices.
30 cents for the cheapest dc motor, and since it's non-functional, that's good enough.
they should have made it a real cassette and a real head with real playback
Real micro cassettes would have been amusing if the scale was close enough :)
A cassete deck., even a fake, with moves, it will take a lot of parts.
Might be an idea to have an oled or such in the door, navigation when needed, visualization when just listening.
Many thanks, Matt, for the demonstration. The Mini unit seems to be astonishingly good.
Love this! Glad to see a review of something that's nice. You find some really cool stuff. Thanks for the review.
These are very cool! I really wish more companies would take this much and attention to detail in their products.
I´m not really a boombox guy but those devices really look amazing.
However personally i prefer a bluetooth speaker that do not make weird noises when turning it on, off, pair etc.
Same, the length of the startup chime is three to four times longer than I'd be repeatedly comfortable with, and all the loud chimes when interacting with it (particularly the radio 'tuning' sound effect) would drive me up the wall within a day, which is a shame, as that and the non-functioning VU meter are the only dealbreakers for me.
@@AliceHawke Yeah the "mode change" effects seem a bit much, chimes for switching on and successful pairing aren't too bad, though. They at least let you know something happened!
I was excited to hear all the chimes. as someone who is totally blind, it's a great built in accessibility feature having those sounds and knowing exactly what mode it's on. I wish more devices would have that. all the sounds are nice and distinct, too. that was my favourite feature.
The chime seems to be OK for me, unlike those "dah Bluetooth device is connected uh successfulleh. " at full volume.
Nothing wrong with a chime, helps those with visions issues, tells me that the device is actually on, and it’s about to make noise anyhow so it’s not like you need to be stealth
I'm glad that you've you got a product that you're happy to enjoy and recommend. That must feel nice after the last few duds that you couldn't recommend. I'm actually keen to get one of these because like you say it makes a cool bluetooth speaker.
So cool how much they paid attention to details but also made things functional.
What a beautiful combination! Enjoy it Matt!
I love it when the replicas have lots of functioning parts. Seems like they did a great job with that mini
The micro coming in a replica box as well brightened my morning.
I love my mini. Thank you for sharing your review.
Fantastic review, thank you
Love these types of videos!
Very cool, and nice review. Thanks.
The box that they come in...I LOVE IT. That's how all of that stuff looked. My Dad still has his Pioneer tape deck box in the rafters. Big blue pioneer logo. They made those boxes to last and be re-used. Some of them have plastic knobs and a string that you wrap around to keep them shut.
Ah yes, I'd wondered about those tweeters too - thanks for the additional section!
What an awesome idea!
Neat idea
Going over to the site to see what else they have and maybe some future products.
I have these and they’re great. As a 70s kid and 80s young adult I fully endorse them.
Made with love amazing
It's nice to see a company putting that much attention to detail and yet still making a quality product, usually quality is the first thing that gets sacrificed. These are not something I would be interested in myself but I can see it being popular with a lot of people. Let's hope a few other companies go down the same path as I can see many people wanting an old looking radio for example but with new modern features and would be willing to pay for that if the quality was there.
Thanks for the review!
Fantastic review Mat! I received my Mini and Micro about 3 weeks ago, and I have been listening to the Mini constantly throughout the day! They are great devices, made with very good quality, and look fantastic. My only small issue, is that when you use the Bluetooth function, about a second of the songs get cut off. I believe this to be a software issue that might possibly be fixed in the future via an update. Overall, quite impressive devices from New Wave Toys!
wow, they look amazing..!
Oh wow, love this, must get one
Thanks for the update!
Well designed and they sound nice! Amazing really! Cool concept!
Whenever you review something good, it sells out. These are great - now on waiting list to get one.
Those are F'N........ AWESOME!!!! I want both!!!
Has a really nice sound. Honestly would use the larger one as bedside radio
Very interesting products. If those models were made in the 80's, the mini model might have a micro cassette deck.
Wow ... it''s very nice , very different system , Thanks for share this video , Great job
thanks for always putting out great content!
Very nice review and radios
I still remember the smell of the Dragon's lair arcade game.. it had a different scent ! I think it was all the plastic or vinyl on it . Very enchanting game for an 8 year old boy - and I was able to work with Don Bluth years later ! Very nice chap - he was 'anti-disney' as he was totally railroaded by them and they stole a bunch of his concepts.
Wow!
@@fixman88 Many people are upset at current Disney for reasons I'm sure you're aware of. But Disney has ALWAYS been a company of S***Bags. My Wife is a Director of Animation at FOX Studios. She's been involved in the industry since the early 1990's. The horror-stories she has heard from & experienced... Yikes.
Those are really awesome. I'm not a Bluetooth audio fan, but I genuinely want to get a Mini at some point.
Gosh darn it! I need them both!
Really cool to see that they didn't just slap a 'retro' shell on some standard BT speaker guts, but actually went the extra distance to make it literally work as close to the original at those small scales.
Not having working VU meters is of course a bit of a loss. Would have been great to see those working too.
YES! ordered mine (blue) today!!
WOW! I stopped what I was doing to watch this - thanks!
Thanks again for great video.....I enjoy watching....greetings from Serbia !
I was really impressed with the Bluetooth range on the M90 Mini as well. I do the bulk of my music listening on a vintage stereo in my basement. I have an MEE transmitter plugged into it the receiver and I can carry the M90 quite a ways with no break in the signal. I can easily take it up two flights of stairs or out in my backyard with no problem.
I liked seeing the whole family of them together, pity the VU meter's didn't move and were backlit as well. I purchased this small radio its a HRD 701 , it gets AM,FM shortwave and weatherband although of no use down under. for it's very small speaker it sounds way bigger than you would think. I saw someone review it and went and purchased one myself. it also is a bluetooth and SD card play capacity as well.
seems like a cool little unit!
There are always design trade-offs and it looks like they did a good job in making this!
impressive quality. i hope these guys stick around.
Very cool! Can't wait for the Conion CF100
Nice, now I want one of each.
Great video and device. The only thing I don’t like is the oversize silver caps in the main speakers, that sort of spoils the look a little for me, also, agree, if the VU meters actually worked I would of made it a must buy.
YES FINALLY... I have searched for a good quality replica boombox for so long... There are so much junk retro boomboxes and I always wondered, why no one makes a decent one as a nice sounding bluetooth speaker.
Impressive little gadgets.
I received mine a while back, and was amazed at the quality of the devices. Glad you had the guts to explore inside, I would have been petrified to do so!
I originally bought my set for the Micro, as it works well with my Sixth Scale collection, but the Mini has become my favourite bonus from this purchase, the sound quality is just astounding!
Cool review. Good stuff.
Nice to hear a happy Mat with a “remake” or tribute product.
I bought the complete kit, the blue speaker and the black speaker mini and 2 of the micro on Kickstarter. I am not disappointed. The black speaker mini is in my kitchen so I can look outside and listen to FM radio. The blue speaker mini is in my game room so I can play some Bluetooth while looking sharp. I have 1 of the micros on a shelf just being shelf candy and the other is still boxed up.
New Wave Toys has great customer support, both of my minis had flaws and they sent return shipping for them and I got 2 new replacements without flaws. Both sound amazing and no problems at all.
From what I heard there could be firmware updates for these as well, I am curious to see what they can do with the software.
Love watching your videos especially when you get a non-working gadget working. Oh, you must have a huge attic to store all bits & pieces.
Keep making the videos 👍
Another excellent video
I’m loving this ❤️
I learned how to complete Dragons lair when I was 15 at Camber Sands. I watched someone play it who could also finish it. Over a couple of hours with 70p he told me the moves as I played and went back the next day and completed it on my own. Nuts game. There was a space one aswell but I never bothered with that one and can’t remember what it is called. Dirk the Daring was the name of the cartoon character on DL.
@Bfef They were not fun to play at all, they're barely even games! Imagine explaining to kids today that we spent a fortune on "games" that consisted of 30 quicktime events in a row where it didn't tell you what or when you had to press and the only way to progress was trial and error!
Space Ace. I think they were by Don Bluth studios?
@@havoctrousers the game play was very rigid but the graphics were insanely good. That was the selling point. And the princess was rather attractive
Just Brilliant
When I saw your link to this episode I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it but I really have enjoyed this and I would Definitely purchase the device if they where in stock, thanks for showing this.
Man, if demand for this guy wasn't already sky high (sold out, as mentioned right at the end of the video), it certainly will be after that glowing review!
A real breath of fresh air after the craptastic LED spectrum analyzers from a week or two ago. Pretty amazed by the apparent sound quality! Way better than I was expecting for both the units.
These look really cool, I love tiny things.
These are very cool.
The microphone sound quality is surprisingly good on both of them
Although I have gave up long ago trying to find an old school Boombox, ended up buying a Bumpboxx Flare 8. But these reproduction M90's are so cool
Retro boomboxes are always going up in value
Definitely surprised at the sound quality coming out of both of those units. I thought the micro wouldn't sound very good, but it seems quite serviceable, let alone the mini, which sounded lovely.
@@jubuttib It’s scary how good the new MBP sounds. It’s still not like a headphone, but it’s so much better than so many other laptops I’ve had. Combine with leaving the fans off, and it’s amazing for basic content consumption to say nothing of trying to do focused work.
8:30 had me on the floor. Wonderful.
really cool, nice
I really love when you peel the plastic off haha.
I noticed the dust covers on the speakers are just about the same size on all of them! what a touch!
Nice review 😁
Honey I shrunk the boom box, what an excellent looking Bluetooth speaker. As always great review
That mini is amazing! Would be a total no-brainer for me if it had shortwave too. 👍👍👍
Amazing you actually bought this. I'd have thought 'no vu meters, no sale', considering your taste for these things.
Those mini things look cool
I looking forward to their 'M90 MACRO' model. It'll feature 12" speakers and will play Elcasets!! :)
That Micro is really quite good for the size, I was impressed for sure
Who doesn't love an amazing peel moment!! 😂😁👍
Great video of a cracking item. I’ve just purchased one of the minis off Sideshow. £150 delivered to the UK 👍🏻
As someone that grew up in the 1980's and had the Lasonic 975 this is awesome! I wish they'd make a full size replica. I'd be all over it
Great video, As with the VU meters which if working would add to it and probably be impractical but when I saw the dummy cassette I immediately thought Microcassette!