Altec Model 15 and Model 19 loudspeakers

Empire Phono Cartridge

Hitachi metal-cone speaker drivers. Who knew?

Jennings-brand Hi Fi speaker systems

Experimental binaural headphone system by JVC.  500-cycle crossover point; highs originate in front of the face, lows from above the ears.

Above: KOSS headphones, for both pop/rock and classics

NIKKO Hi-Fi components

]]> https://www.preservationsound.com/visual-culture-the-late-1970s/feed/ 3 https://www.preservationsound.com/empire-high-fidelity-complete-c-1964-catalog/ https://www.preservationsound.com/empire-high-fidelity-complete-c-1964-catalog/#comments Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:36:35 +0000 http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=5259 Download the complete 16pp EMPIRE “World’s most perfect high fidelity components” catalog (circa 1964 – exact year is unclear):

DOWNLOAD: Empire_HiFi_1964

Products covered, with text, specs, and images, include: Empire Grenadier model 8000, Royal Grenadier 9000, and Imperial Grenadier 8200 speakers; Empire Troubador 398 and 488 turntables; Empire 880, 880P, and 880PE cartridges; and empire 980 tonearm.

Oh yeah it’s those round speakers!  I come across these things every year or so in some un-re-decorated suburban ranch house.  Never bothered to buy a pair: just too big and not really my style, finish-wise.  Although they appear a bit chintzy in construction, they apparently handle 100 watts and the woofers have 18LB magnets!  Anyone currently using a pair of these speakers?

Now as for those ranch-houses…