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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment. |
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13th Jan 2008, 9:42 pm | #1 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Posts: 41
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Custom Radio/Hi-Fi recievers
In the States we had several ultra high end manufactures that worked in the "Duesenberg" manner. You purchased a receiver, specified what record player, remote control, auxiliary amps, crossovers, filters, drivers and finally cabinets you wanted.
Makers who operated on this level included Scott Radio Labs, McMurdo - Silver, and Capehart, some systems costing up to $5,000 dollars when you could buy a Ford v-8 for less that $800. My question is, did any UK or Continental brands offer this level of set and could any have survived? Thanks in advance Brock |
13th Jan 2008, 10:15 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Custom Radio/Hi-Fi recievers
I think Dynatron and Keates-Hacker did this in the 1930s.
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13th Jan 2008, 10:17 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 4,246
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Re: Custom Radio/Hi-Fi recievers
Hi Brock,
Some very highly specified radiograms were released here under the HMV marque, but otherwise I think Dynatron - run by the Hacker brothers - and to an extent RGD come closest to meeting your criteria. Few if any of the custom models seem to survive, but you might enjoy a look at http://www.dynatronmuseum.org.uk/ , an online presentation of a current Dynatron collection with illustrations of many further models that may or may not still be around at all. The Hacker brothers operated from 1937 another company, Keates-Hacker, competing with Scott and McMurdo-Silver (both of which imported small numbers of radiograms/chassis into the UK), marketing bespoke equipment using chromed Dynatron chassis sometimes in conjunction with Capehart record changers. There's a booklet concentrating on the Hackers' Dynatron years available for download at http://www.vintage-radio.info/docs/ . Interested to see you run the Magnavox Yahoo group - I started the Hacker one, but it chiefly deals with Hacker transistor portables. The brothers' involvement with the industry ran for some fifty years from 1927, but they're best remembered now for a line of top quality portable radios they made from 1960 under the Hacker name. I couldn't say whether there were any Magnavox radiograms marketed over here, but I doubt there would have been any of much distinction. The only Magnavox item I have is a transistor table radio from about 1962, distinctly of UK origin. Regards, Paul |
16th Jan 2008, 2:10 pm | #4 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Posts: 41
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Re: Custom Radio/Hi-Fi recievers
Thanks Pual. I joined your group and downloaded the Hacker book. I'll be reading that this week and doin more research on the HMV.
When I was initially doing a search for HMV radiograms and found this group, I ran across a note that said the H.M. received one as a wedding gift. Does anyone know what model and have any pictures? Brock |