A boom box vs. Bluetooth speaker smackdown (pictures)

Hunkered down in the CNET NYClistening room, the Audiophiliac compared an ancient JVC PC-X100 boom box withthe latest and greatest portable wireless speakers, starting with the little Riva Turbo X that some say is a top contender.

Armed with ADX Trillium audio technology and seven custom ADX transducers, the Turbo X wasn't bad, but the JVCPC-X100's size advantage was obvious. The little Turbo X's bass had niceimpact, but the midrange and treble sounded like a small table radio. Dynamicrange was compressed and limited, so the JVC PC-X100 stomped all over the TurboX.

The Riva Turbo X wasoverwhelmed by the PC-X100, so I next tried the mighty Aiwa EXOS-9 Bluetoothspeaker that's bigger and bulkier than the PC-X100. The EXOS-9's brawn madeitself known; it played louder, but this bad boy sounds harsh and grating atany volume. The PC-X100 was smoother and clearer, but it couldn't play as loudas the EXOS-9. It was a closer contest, but I'd rather listen to the PC-X100any day of the week.

The JVC PC-X100 has an easy-to-adjust graphic equalizer on its top panel, changing the sound's tonalbalance was a snap. Most vintage 'boxes were similarly equipped.

The Fluance Fi30 looks a bitlike a boom box, and this one sounded clearer than the other Bluetooth speakers.The high-gloss wood cabinet looks sweet, too; bass is nicely detailed, not atall pumped up or exaggerated. The Fi30 is the best affordable Bluetooth speakerI've heard, but the JVC PC-X100 wasn't embarrassed by the comparison.

I'm not claiming the PC-X100was the greatest boom box of its era, just a very decent-sounding 'box. It'sbig, and sounds it, especially when you compare it with any small 2015 portableBluetooth speaker. They all sounded crude and harsh next to this big guy.

I haven't seen too manyBluetooth speakers that let you spread the left and right speakers like the JVCPC-X100's. Placed a few feet apart, the two speakers produce true stereo!

Substituting the inexpensive Dayton B652 speakers was a major upgrade over the JVC PC-X100's standardspeakers. Some, but not all boom boxes let you change speakers, that's an advantageI've rarely seen on Bluetooth systems.

Even better sound, here's apair of Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers with the JVC PC-X100, I lovedthat combination. Of course, you can try out any small speaker with your boom box.

Look and see if your boom boxhas speaker connectors like this on its rear panel.

The JVC PC-X100's centralunit not only houses the amplifier, radio, CD and cassette player, there's alsoan internal woofer you hear from the front panel's twin bass ports. The bass was boomy, and lacking in definition. Then again, that's why they called them boom boxes!