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"Boombox" portable audio system (model M-90)

"Boombox" portable audio system (model M-90)

c.1981
A portable “boombox” made of plastic, aluminum, steel, and electronic components that combines an FM/AM radio, cassette deck, and loudspeakers so people could carry, play, and record music loudly in public and private spaces.
What hits you first is its imposing, boxy symmetry — two large circular speaker grilles flanking a dense central panel of knobs, sliders, and VU meters, topped by a handle and extendable antennas that promise both power and mobility.
This object captures the 1980s shift toward democratized, mobile sound—making loud, personal music a public, communal experience and influencing street culture, DJing, and portable audio design.
Medium
Plastic, aluminum, steel and electronic components
Dimensions
13 3/4 x 26 1/4 x 6 3/4" (34.9 x 66.7 x 17.1 cm)
Classification
Credit
Committee on Architecture and Design Funds
Accession
755.2014
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
View on moma.org ↗

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