This is the 1980s-style boombox every fresh B-Boy needs

(Image credit: Bumpboxx)

The Retro New trend continues to dominate 2026, and I think I've found my favourite example so far. Bumpboxx's recent killer Kickstarter boom box, the BB-777, is impossibly cool-looking, but if the spec sheet is to be believed, it also promises to be a super-practical and powerful audio device for the music-loving B-Boys out there.

And I'm not alone in thinking so. It's smashed its $50,000 goal, currently hovering around $3,700,000... that's quite convincing!

So what is it? Well, apart from being a physical connection to the worlds of Do the Right Thing and White Men Can't Jump, it's a reinterpretation of one of the 1980s' most iconic silhouettes – the legendary Sharp GF-777.

What I love about it is that although it has Bluetooth features, this 3-year project has invested in endangered mechanical formats – dual cassette and CD decks – that you just don't see anymore. It's clearly a passion project from a team that loves music, loves culture, and loves offering its audience a killer project that's built to last!

A house of music

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(Image credit: Bumpboxx)

The BB-777 is built to play music loud, delivering a total of 270 watts through two 6.25-inch super woofers with independent channel gain for controlled low-frequency response. In English? These are bassy boys. But this ain't yo daddy's bass! To ensure the low frequency output remains deep and resonant, the housing is internally chambered with dedicated bass ports. These are real bassy boys!

It's not all about the bass. With two 6.25-inch coaxial speakers for mid-range clarity and two horn tweeters for high-frequency precision, I don't expect any lob-sided sound from the BB-777. A fan-cooled amplifier promises to maintain thermal stability during periods of sustained high-volume playback... which I'm guessing will be whenever these bad boys are used.

Play it all!

(Image credit: Bumpboxx)

I think the coolest thing about the BB-777 is its versatility – it basically supports every audio format in circulation. You get radio; a suction-load CD deck; two cassette decks, which are capable of recording and high-speed dubbing; Bluetooth with TWS support for pairing two units wirelessly; and USB playback for lossless files, for all you audiophile nerds (that would be me).

That's sweet, and I'm sure the Bluetooth will do the heavy lifting here, but the BB-777 also allows users to record directly to USB from tapes, CDs, or radio broadcasts. I think this is the potential soul of the unit, and I'm hoping its owners will rediscover the magic that making mix tapes brings.

All day, all night?

The original Sharp GF-777 fed off 10 D-cell batteries, and lasted for about 8 solid hours of playback. Today's BB-777 is a different beast, and runs off a TSA-approved 97.6Wh rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

That means 15 hours of cordless playing, but you can also get interchangeable battery packs, so it's more like 30 hours.

I really like the approach that Bumpboxx took to the weight of the BB-777. Although slightly lighter – 12.7kg to the original's 13.6kg – I think this heft is important to the whole vibe of the boombox. You don't want it to feel like any other Bluetooth speaker, and that weight, plus its 30-inch width, chimes with the physical interface of switches and volume knobs.

On paper – and in the photos – this looks like a clever Retro New audio system that we can't wait to try out.

Beren cut his teeth as Staff Writer on the digital art magazine ImagineFX 13 years ago, and has since worked on and edited several creative titles. As Ecom Editor on Creative Bloq, when he's not reviewing the latest audiophile headphones or evaluating the best designed ergonomic office chairs, he’s testing laptops, TVs and monitors, all so he can find the best deals on the best tech for Creative Bloq’s creative professional audience.

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