Thread: Best portable stereo/boombox for gigging?

Hey bhuzzers! I'm looking to get a new boombox for gigging and was wondering what ones worked best for you.

I know to look for one that will do batteries and one with attached speakers, but do you know of anything else that I should look for in a gig stereo?

I have a Sony that is 4 or 5 years old now - it has PLENTY of power and a good tone. I also have a Sony that is about 25 years old, not quite as powerful - but its still going strong!

Awesome! Thanks!

My old one was a sony that lasted for 8 years... it would still be alive if it didn't get sawdust all in it. Good to know that they are still making quality.

I have a Sony Xplod boombox that is pretty powerful, about as good as you'll get short of an amplifier or spending a ton of money on a Bose system. The biggest problem I have with it is that if the source music was recorded at a high volume, it can't be turned up that loud before it starts distorting. Usually not a problem with traditional style recordings, but it can be a problem with Arabic pop and certainly with Western music. I've done outdoor gigs with it though, and it carried pretty well, so I'd recommend it. It's got a line in jack for hooking up an mp3 player.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

I have a Sony Xplod boombox that is pretty powerful, about as good as you'll get short of an amplifier or spending a ton of money on a Bose system. The biggest problem I have with it is that if the source music was recorded at a high volume, it can't be turned up that loud before it starts distorting. Usually not a problem with traditional style recordings, but it can be a problem with Arabic pop and certainly with Western music. I've done outdoor gigs with it though, and it carried pretty well, so I'd recommend it. It's got a line in jack for hooking up an mp3 player.

Ooh the mp3 player jack would be a good thing to have too. I'll have to check those out. Thanks!

I "think" my newer Sony is an Xplod - but an older one without the line in jack. It also has a "bass boost" button, which I often end up turning OFF - which can help with distortion problems.

JVC Kaboom! Great sound, MP3 jack, shoulder strap.Good bass. Heavy with the batteries in though!

We use it in one of our studios and it's better than the regular small sound system in the other.

Originally Posted by zorba

I "think" my newer Sony is an Xplod - but an older one without the line in jack. It also has a "bass boost" button, which I often end up turning OFF - which can help with distortion problems.

Yeah, my Xplod has a bass boost button, with two levels of boost, and keeping it off definitely helps with the distortion issue. I think it's meant to be used with heavy bass club music, not stuff with many highs and lows and volume changes ,r:;

I bought this Harmon/Kardon Go+Play 2 years ago and absolutely LOVE it. It fills a huge room with rich sound. I see they now have a mini one too: Harman Kardon

The Xplod boost works fine with western music but it really distorts most of my dance music so I rarely use it. That said, the boombox packs plenty of power and isn't overly heavy to tote around. I paid around $80 at HH Gregg.

I might try the Xplod then since it isn't terribly expensive... going to keep looking for reviews for a stereo that doesn't distort like it though.

It was recommended to me to get an iPod docking station with speakers.