My Panasonic RQ-548S: Purchased on eBay for $26

 

Hailing from the mid 1970s and evocative a boombox, my Panasonic RQ-548S cassette AM/FM radio with 7-inch dual cone speaker arrived yesterday in good condition. All the functions, including the cassette player, work fine. The radio is big--9 inches tall and 14 inches across. One slight problem is that the antenna tips one way and tightening it at both sides of the base with a phillips screwdriver have proved feeble. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong. 

As a point of comparison, I'll use the current $99 Eton Sound 350. For robust sound and fullness the Panasonic is the clear winner, which is not surprising since it boasts a bigger speaker. 

The analog tuning dial on the Panasonic is silky smooth but so is the Eton's. Tie. One advantage of the Eton is the digital tuning display even though it is, like the Panasonic, an analog radio.

FM reception on both is strong, a tie. However, I have to give AM the nod to the Panasonic. 

There's something nice about having a big heavy radio because it seems well grounded and stable, a good foundation for receiving signals. The Panasonic gives you that assured feeling.

Verdict: At a price of about $30 on eBay, the RQ-548S is highly recommended. Now if I can just find out how to tighten the base of the antenna. 

Comments

[Tom Welch]

Back in the early 1990s, there was a store called Affordable Portables on Hawthrone Blvd near 182nd street. Anyway, they carried a nice stock of Panasonic radios...all sounding exceptional for their size. I bought a ghetto blaster from them as my travel radio.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Tom, that's about a mile from my house.

[Ed S.]

Replace the tiny screw in the antenna, it could be stripped.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Thanks, Ed. Do you suggest I take the whole radio to the hardware store so I can match the screw?

[gerald johnson]

jeff you might want to take it to the nearest electronic repair shop. they could fix it in a jiffy and im sure they'll have the right hardware to do it

[jeffrey McMahon]

Perhaps I will. If the screw is stripped, then I assume I can't remove it without special tools/skills.

[¾ Blind (Steven H.)]

Regarding the loose antenna did you mean the screw keeps turning and never tightens suggesting stripped threads, or the screws are as tight as you can get them but the antenna is still loose? If the latter, there could be a washer that provides resistance between the antenna and base that is either flattened or missing. If the washer is flattened, gently bend it such that there is slight springiness. Coating the washer with a small amount of light oil (not WD-40) may smoothen the motion. This should provide the resistance needed to keep the antenna supported at any angle.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Steven, thanks for that info. I'll check to see if there's a washer. Jeff

[Tom Welch]

I looked up Affordable portables, they now sell only cell phones.

[jeffrey McMahon]

Thanks, Tom, for the info.