Well, the much-expected and heavily-dreaded day has come, and after 14 years of ownership, the 1966 Philco cabinet hi-fi all-transistor stereophonic radio-phonograph is in need of a replacement needle. Sigh. Although miffed and a bit curious (as to how it broke), I’m confident that a replacement can, and will be found. Now begins a hunt of a completely different kind.
Tag Archives: Hi-Fi
How Your Hi-Fi Stereo Record Works
Not much to say today (or any day), so here is a lovely insert from Mercury Records circa: 1961. So, just in case you wanted to know how your hi-fi stereo record works, have a glance at the handy diagram above. Cheers.
Over the Rainbow
Little is known (by me) about theater organist Jesse Crawford. Big in the 1920s and 1930s, he received the “Decca treatment” on this 195? mono release of Over the Rainbow. Though I generally steer clear of organ-based wobblers, I couldn’t pass up the amazing cover art, depicting a sensationally colorful, and spectrum-spanning pipe organ. This copy is also signed by Mr. Crawford, so that helped matters.
RIAA’s Tech Data
Cleaned house (and my desktop) to discover this post-ready (Photoshopped) RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) Technical Data explanation guide. Circa: 1960-ish, the technical readout to this battle station, er, hi-fi record is sure to massage all your audiophile (nerdy) needs.
Enjoy…
A friendly reminder that Columbia Records (now owned by Sony Music Entertainment) would like for you to enjoy the world’s greatest catalog of high-fidelity records… superbly performed and recorded on Columbia 33 1/3 LP Records. Your favorite artists… your favorite music reproduced with matchless clarity and realism.
Enjoy Columbia Records, and have a great Friday doing it.
Big Band Sounds
There’s nothing small about the Big Band Sounds of Earle Spencer and Other Great Bands, mischievously offered by Golden Tone Hi-Fidelity Records. Delight in the bewitching atmosphere of Lisbon Antigua, or romanticize about a much more celebratory time with an instrumental version of Auld Lang Syne (preferably, NOT out of tune), or even snuggle up close to an intimate loved one while toe-tapping to Bolero in Boogie. Whatever your poison, Big Band Sounds blows the cure, in harmonious, brass-bellied rhythm.
The Triple P
On my quest to find the perfect portable phonograph (the Triple P, as I call it), I stumbled across this weathered insert from who-the-hell-knows-when. A quick Google search reveals that Philips began manufacturing these beauties in 1963, so I guess, now-we-all-know-the-hell-when.
This insert features two, distinctly different looking players. First is the AG-4026. This compact player is perfect for annoying your temporary beach neighbors with your controversial Lenny Bruce albums, and plays 4 speeds on 7”, 10” and 12” record. Operating on easily accessible flashlight batteries, this lightweight (8 pounds) transistorized phonograph offers distortion-free response from 80-16,000 cps from its new 7” TICONAL speaker. The word around the waves is that it’s the “Big Set Sound” so, there you go.
The second is the AG-9115. Think of the AG-4026 as being the “Four” series and the AG-9115 as being the “Nine” series. This is NOT a kids toy. This portable Hi-Fi STEREO phonograph provides two TICONAL speakers, separate tone and volume controls, a new “auto-manipulator” tone arm and weighs a slender 24 pounds. Alright, that may be a little heavy to tote around on a bike trip or on a romantic picnic, but I’d still love to see the AG-9115 in action.
Made in Holland by Philips, these two portable players, one mono and the other stereo, would be perfect for my everyday record-listening mobile needs… if, you know, it were still the early 60’s. My hunt for the Triple P marches on.
The Prudent Groove 