The talking machine world (July-Dec 1924)

December IS, 1924 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 43 S. O. Martin, President, Sonora Co., Discusses Radio-Phonograph Future Gives Large Share of Credit for Advance in Cabinet Design of Radio Sets to Phonograph Manufacturers— Predicts Combination Phonograph-Radio Will Be Household Standard In a recent interview S. O. Martin, president of the Sonora Phonograph Co., Inc., was asked to give his opinion of radio and its future in America. He said: "Before answering your question, permit me S. O. Martin to point out to you the disadvantage from a volume sales standpoint under which the phono graph has suffered since January, 1924. I wrote in a trade periodical in December, 1923, that general business conditions for 1924 were noted as being less promising than in 1923, thereby affecting unfavorably the prospects of the phonograph business because of its peculiar sensitiveness to general business conditions. The warning seems to have been justified as the reports from the phonograph industry indicate. "Yet, with the recent improvement in general business conditions comes a constantly increasing demand for phonographs and radio-phonographs. We believe that phonograph companies must make a proper connection with the radio industry since the situation in regard to radio is not at all a question of whether the phonograph business will be extinguished by radio, but on the contrary as to how far the phonograph business can safely ally itself with radio. Radio Becoming Standardized "Radio, despite the multiplicity of makes, has become sufficiently standardized so that certain makes have dependability and are becoming generally known as having dependability. Radio is really not so tremendously new. It has been in practical operation for telegraphic purposes for a decade. Receiving sets used as early as 1913 are still in operation and phonograph records have been regularly broadcast for several years. "Now that radio is being dressed up in appropriate cabinets, it is becoming a drawingroom feature instead of an attic experiment. The advent of the cabinet type radio speaker to which the phonograph manufacturer has contributed his acoustic experiences is making even more rapid headway than in the old phonograph days when the enclosed type horn began to supersede the visible talking machine horn. This horn with its curves and decorations was then regarded as picturesque but is now practically obsolete. "The experience of the phonograph manufacturer in cabinet design as well as acoustics is also rapidly" being directly utilized by the radio field. Few people are aware of the active part now taken by phonograph companies in the design and manufacture of the better grade cabinets used by radio manufacturers. The American taste in furniture is excellent, and the progress made in the design of radio and radiophonograph cabinets within the last six months does credit to the executive minds engaged in supplying the greatest home entertainment devices known to history. A Household Standard "In their intense interest in radio many people have lost sight of the fact that phonograph development as evidenced in the performance of the better phonographs has not stood still. It will not be surprising if the combination radio-phonograph becomes the standard household entertainment and educational instrument of the future." Attractive Children's Record Envelopes Offered Dealers The Musical Instrument Sales Co., Victor wholesaler, New York, is offering to its dealers children's record envelopes for Victor records 16863 (Mother Goose), 16955 (Noah's Ark), 17104 (Children's Games) and 18599 (Sugar Plum Tree). These envelopes are printed in attractive colors and are packed in bundles of 100, twenty-five of each design. These envelopes were used by dealers last year with great success and the M. I. S. Co. feels that the dealer who utilizes these envelopes in his display windows and in his warerooms will attract a considerable amount of children's business which ordinarily would pass him by. 66 The Big Clear Voice of Radio" thrald TTHE HERALD Model B Loud JL Speaker is a "big clear" bid for business. No speaker finer at any price. The only speaker at this price with a gooseneck horn. Height 25 inches. Bell of fibre horn 12 inches. The public likes the new Herald because it is clear and loud. You will like it because its voice wins sales. Stock the Herald. Let it speak for itself. Let it coin public approval into profits for you. THE HERALD Phonograph Unit instantly turns any standard phonograph into a radio loud speaker. Exactly the same device that makes the Herald Speaker so full toned and clear. Durable — simple — quickly adjusted. Every phonograph owner a possible buyer. An ideal unit for "built-in" cabinet loud speakers. HERALD ELECTRIC COMPANY, Inc. 113 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY