Comments on: TECH: antique theater equipment

By: lance coble

lance coble — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 18:00:57 +0000

hi looks like you built something similar to what im going to have to build using the mi9268 modules out of a 50’s RCA theatre sound system also recently acquired a pair of mi4118a modules as well sure would be nice if some one who has schematics would post or make available to help keep this fantastic historical equipment alive. thank you for posting this, Lance

By: chris

chris — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:04:18 +0000

In reply to E. Gold. Please click the link "Contact us/ FAQ" on the main page of the site.

By: E. Gold

E. Gold — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 01:41:05 +0000

I own an abandoned 1940’s era movie theatre.
What’s the potential value of the equipment?
Who can I speak to?

By: Graham Pearson

Graham Pearson — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 02:50:45 +0000

In reply to Graham Pearson. Oops,that's a RCA pa not Eca.

By: Graham Pearson

Graham Pearson — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 02:49:26 +0000

I own a circa late ’50’s Eva theater pa. It has several mic pre’s using a x-fmr and a 12ay7 . It also has a bass and treble tone amp ,volume amp, and amplifiers featuring a pair of 6v6’s with tube diodes.It is set up as a redundant system ,A, B not stereo. It came out of an Army base movie theater. It also features separate power supplies for the small amps. All of this is housed in an metal enclosure. I have been unable to document any of the components. I can’t use it as the pws uses a selenium rectifier which is shot and I have no idea what the b+ voltage should be. Any advice would be great and it could be for sale as I could remove the modules.

By: Don Bell

Don Bell — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 02:45:33 +0000

In reply to harry young.

There was an early sound for film system that used a turntable synced to the projector. The disc had a hole punched in it for the start mark. I can only imagine the problems keeping that working.
Thank God W.E. figured out putting it on the film.
Now if only we could get digital television to figure out how to sync the picture and sound……..

By: harry young

harry young — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 00:25:55 +0000

I came to own a movie theather built in the 1900’s ….one of the pieces of equipment we found was an in-theater sound system named “orghestraphone”….made in the 1920’s ??? it has a 78 rpm turn table and looks to be in good condition…any idea where I could get information about this equipment? Tks.Harry

By: Doug Williams

Doug Williams — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:20:20 +0000

Alan heard a set of WE 121A’s I had for a few minutes. I had an acoustic live to two track session I set up to compare a bunch of different antique preamps, and recorded a bunch with the 121A’s. They are real good, but so was the rest of the bunch. The tubes on the WE alone probably cost more than the combined value of everything else I tried.

By: Brad Rinkert

Brad Rinkert — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:37:13 +0000

I have never heard a WE amp that was any good performancewise. They are just crappy low fidelity units, except that they are very well built and last a long time with minimal maintenance. But the sound is dismal for the price.

By: Alan Wyrick

Alan Wyrick — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:02:27 +0000

“Does anyone out there use old WE theater equipment for tracking/recording?”

No one can afford it.

Strictly for bragging rights only. 🙂

I did get to hear a certain WE amp in person but I just can’t bring myself to say that it sounded right on the same level as several other similar amps that happened to be much easier on the wallet . . . . oops! 🙂

Very cool website BTW.