Vintage Audio Advertising

[Neddy]

a) Which ones became (or were already) famous actors/models? Some of them look familiar.
b) Sure seems like female ad models were doing well for themselves back then. What is the modern eqivalent (if any) for them today, or are those more jobs that just vanished over time?
c) I had one of those Sony portable radios - when I ran night crew at a local store, it was perfect for laying the office PA mic down on it (one of those monster chrome 'attention customers' mics) for 'crew music' blasting - fell off the counter numerous times, I had to replace the front grill with something home made (circuit board perf stuff IRCC), but the thing lasted another 20 years, and then somehow dissapeared into a dust bin somewhere along the way. Huh. I listened to the watergate hearings on my 3 mile walk to the store with it; later, on a bicycle. Had amazing reception and sound.

 

[hnash53]

Is this one promoting, Jazz, wine, cigarettes, reading poetry or turntables.
View attachment 174355

Oh my!!

 

[hnash53]

I'm a late comer to this thread... what a trip!!
All the lovely ladies!
Thanks!

 

[DanielT]

I'm a late comer to this thread... what a trip!!
All the lovely ladies!
Thanks!

Well, let's put it this way, I don't get the urge to buy some vintage portable cassette player when I see these old ads, but I do get the urge to ...he he.
Damn how popular these portable sound boxes were.

Speaking of retro, vintage. Here's a tip for those who want to tinker with something. Buy an old radio, install small modern speaker elements (broadband driver), and a Bluetooth amplifier. Maybe add a battery-powered led lamp so it shines nicely.
Before rebuilding, just research so that it is not a rarity that is being rebuilt.

Picture of many old radios from a radio museum:

https://radiomuseet.se/museiinformation/

 

[DanielT]

 

[hnash53]

Well, let's put it this way, I don't get the urge to buy some vintage portable cassette player when I see these old ads, but I do get the urge to ...he he.
Damn how popular these portable sound boxes were.

Speaking of retro, vintage. Here's a tip for those who want to tinker with something. Buy an old radio, install small modern speaker elements (broadband driver), and a Bluetooth amplifier. Maybe add a battery-powered led lamp so it shines nicely.
Before rebuilding, just research so that it is not a rarity that is being rebuilt.

Picture of many old radios from a radio museum:
View attachment 280782
https://radiomuseet.se/museiinformation/

I found this art deco Zenith Chairside Radio circa 1939 and refinished the cabinet and put in a wifi speaker and a replica of the Zenith clock. Some people thought that what I did was pure heresy.

 

[DanielT]

I found this art deco Zenith Chairside Radio circa 1939 and refinished the cabinet and put in a wifi speaker and a replica of the Zenith clock. Some people thought that what I did was pure heresy.
View attachment 280983View attachment 280984View attachment 280985

Nice!

To rebuild, add something new or not. It all depends on who you ask. In the automotive world, I remember a thread a few years ago about where it was, in principle, considered by some to be sacrilege to install a modern AC system in vintage cars. Then we're talking about something that can't even be seen, but you know how the most orthodox fundamentalists can look at things. They weren't many who had that view, but still.
(it was not about the financial value of the car but the principle itself)

Well. This with sound and HiFi is a hobby, you do exactly what you want.

Edit:
This would surely be considered sacrilege by Luxor-faithful fundamentalists. I completely ignore that. Adding a pre out gave me more flexibility.
An amp operation that cost nothing:

Project sub output

An old amplifier Luxor 7082 A. I connected a high to low level converter on the speaker outputs, to be able to connect an active subwoofer. Connected in parallel, together with the cables to the speakers. The converter: My friend said: why not take the signal directly from the pre amp section...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[DanielT]

Ad from the 1920s. If I see correctly, cost then of $535 gives in today's monetary value:

It was most certainly supposed to be superb sound quality reproduction stuff, at least I suspect that was the case.

Edit:
A little more information about the stuff:

https://www.radiolaguy.com/Showcase/Radiola/Radiola104.htm

Loudspeaker 104 Speaker-P RCA RCA Victor Co. Inc.; New York NY, build |Radiomuseum.org

Loudspeaker 104 Speaker-P RCA RCA Victor Co. Inc.; New York NY, build 1926, 8 pictures, 16 schematics, 3 tubes, United States of America , semiconductors

www.radiomuseum.org

 

[Robbo99999]

Ad from the 1920s. If I see correctly, cost then of $535 gives in today's monetary value:
View attachment 339696View attachment 339697

It was most certainly supposed to be superb sound quality reproduction stuff, at least I suspect that was the case.

I like how that advert is written, that is proper writing, grammar, punctuation, and nicely chosen words - I get the impression that people were more eloquent back then. Maybe they read more books (fiction) for entertainment than they do nowadays, as praps less entertainment choices back then.