Remember your first boombox? Memories May Be Coming to Life (ad)

This post was created as part of a campaign by Best Buy. I have been compensated for sharing my boombox experience (love music!) and some of the links/information in this article.

Not sure why, but I have always been a music person. Music and photography are the loves I have always spent money on in fact. Live music is my favorite, but I have always got music by my side.

I remember as a very young kid, having a radio that went with me all sorts of places…. at least until the batteries died. So when I started babysitting and all, I saved up for a boombox! I watched all the ads for a month of Sundays and when I had the money and the right boombox in my sights, I got my mom to take me over on Summer Avenue to Scott Appliance (this was long before Targets and Best Buys).

That first boombox — a typical ’80s cassette featured in the center between speakers — was a game changer for me for a few reasons… it had an option to plug it in while I was at the house. That extended the hours of listening too! Usually radio but I had a few cassettes now and then. I’d even record on it now and then!

Flashbacks At The Mention of Boombox

When I saw an email from Best Buy about a sponsored post opportunity and it had boombox in the subject line, I HAD TO LOOK. And the photo immediate took me back to holding the cash, counting it again and talking with my mom about the ad in the paper. And then I saw the picture. I was pretty sure I would be writing about the days of a boombox even if I didn’t selected for the campaign. The rush of memories had started afterall.

These days most of my music is digital but you can bet I still not only have vinyl but cassettes! Can you imagine the looks I’d get pulling out a boombox and a favorite mixtape I made for an old school roadtrip?

A box could be counted on to deliver:

• Some pumping bass out of those speakers
• The ability to play all the tapes I have
• Record onto cassette from radio or the built-in mic

Well, that boombox pictured above — the ION Boombox Deluxe available via Best Buy online, is different then the one I had in several ways despite the fact it offers that killer 80’s retro look.

• Streams music via Bluetooth (so load up that phone with all the apps and playlists!)
• Plug it in or take advantage of the rechargeable battery (last for 10 hours! What I wouldn’t have given for that instead of D or C batteries!)
• Records onto USB stick so you can archive your old cassettes 
• USB playback capability VU meters help adjust your recordings to ideal level

So basically, it’s like the awesome boombox I had but upgraded to also do all the things I’d want in it now…. like listening to music on my phone with real speakers, bass, etc. And I can picture my friends and family hanging out with it.