8-track Heaven
Portable Players

Portables have long been the most colorful and fun-to-own 8-track decks. Although they typically have the worst sound and poorest construction of 8-track players, they are without a doubt the coolest looking. Plus you can take them anywhere! Here are a few of our favorites.

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Panasonic "Dynamite 8"
RQ-830S

Panasonic's advertising tag line was "Just Slightly Ahead of Our Time," and when it came to portables, they were king. The "Dynamite 8" model is probably the best remembered and has come to symbolize the entire 8-track oeuvre. It's in mono, has no automatic track changer (you have to hit that plunger, man!), no headphone jack, no tone control, but it's still one of the most sought-after of early '70s portables. The Plunger came in an assortment of colors (red, blue, and yellow, and clear),  and was great for the beach.

Click here to see all 5 colors of plungers Image courtesy Keith Wright

Click here to see the amazing CLEAR plunger!
Image courtesy John McDaniel, tpmcdanj@sunny.orl.lmco.com 

Click here to see a Plunger with original carton and inserts

Click here for a swell WHITE Plunger  Image courtesy Steve Suttle, Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Click here to see the original magazine advertisement

Plunger

click here for more pictures!

General Electric
3-5502 "Power Sound"

This is a great little mono player with an "earphone" jack (remember those little white transistor-radio earphones?) and a microphone input so the unit can be used as a "sing-along P.A." It has a separate volume control for the mike, making this a kind of portable karoke box. The unit also has a shoulder strap so you can blast your Grand Funk tapes while strolling through the 'hood. These sturdy units came in red, blue, and grey.

Power Sound

Westbury
AM/FM Stereo 8-track player


notes and photo by Darwin Heiser
hemihead@getnet.com

Runs on 8 "D" cells, 12vdc cigar lighter, or 110vac. All cords neatly stowed in rear compartment. Speakers on the sides are removable and have approx 5ft of wire to spread the speakers out away from the unit to provide more stereo separation. It has individual channel volume control, battery level indicator, whip antenna, and belts out fabulous sound especially the tape player. The cabinet is wood, with a vinyl stretch & glue covering, and is a retina-burning bright yellow. It is very much along the line of the "EGG" (Brother, Aquatron), but is a bit heavier, and has classier (my opinion) looks.

PlayTape
Model 1403 2-track Player

Not strictly an 8-track player, the mini 2-track cartridge known as the PlayTape was nonetheless a valid entry in the endless loop market. This particular battery-only unit featured AM radio as well. The sound was pretty awful, and the tapes didn't hold much music, but they're cute little players and make a swell take-to-the-beach mini jam box. For complete details on the PlayTape era, check out Lynn Fuller's article at playtape.html.

Aircastle 8-track and AM radio

Funky 1970's AM radio and 8 track player. Made in Taiwan, battery powered. I think the look says it all!

Sears Portable
Model # 800-21121-700

Here's a stereo portable built to look like your favorite cutie's denim back pockets. Tapes pop in to the side of one of the sections, which means older tapes are more likely to break since they have to sit sideways to be played. The two sections are apparently built to pack together so that you can go portable, but a design flaw makes the two pieces ill fitted to one another.

notes and photo by Angela Sawyer of
In Your Ear Records

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