The Future of Radio

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 7, 31 August 1928, Page 8

The Future of Radio

(THE future of radio is assured. This is the considered opinion of Mr. E. R. Boucher, a director of the wellknown Auckland wholesale house of Spedding Ltd., who has just returned from an extensive trip abroad, during which he investigated the radio industry from all angles. His views are as follow :-~- ONTRARY to the feelings of many New Zealanders that radio is waning in popularity, the general impression abroad is that, it is really only commencing on _ its most popular period. At the Radio Convention in Chicago the general tone was most optimistic. There were 800 manufacturers exhibiting, and over 20,000 radio dealers from all parts of the States attended the convention. The tone was most optimistic, and all the addresses which were given by the leading men of the industry and of the various associations were most emphutie that the industry had reached a stable. basis, and tbe progress from now on would be more substantial and satisfactory. One manufacturer exhibited a sevenvalve Console set, which operated direct from the A.C. mains, and had incorporated a dynamic speaker. Figuring on production of a quarter of a million sets for the year, a popular price was made which is only slightly in excess of the old type D.C. set. The result was that during the week of the exhibition the manufacturers of this set booked orders for 400,000 sets. I had an invitation to visit the factory, and although it was practically at the end of the radio season, they were producing and shipping from the factory each day 2000 complete’ sets. Being of the Console type, these are very bulky, and the factory has a special railway siding running alongside the factory, and from this siding each day a full train load of radio:-vets left for distribution in various parts of the States. — The new dynamic speaker, the patent of which is held by the Magnavox Company, practically supersedes the horn and cone types. The reason for its popularity is that it is not subject ‘to climatic conditions, and does not ‘show up the imperfections of poor transmission and cheap types of sets. As there-is no. actual contact between the diaphragm and. the magnets, it is impossible to make a: dynamic speaker rattle. Another feature is that’ elec-. _trical energy canbe secured direct from the lighting mains, so that an cnormous vyolume.can be secured by those who desire it. There has been quite a ‘lot of controversy over the patent situation, but the Magnavox Company has .established their rights, and American manufac‘turers are now manufacturing under license from -the Magnavox Company. This new speaker is undoubtedly going to supersede ‘all’ other’ types in this ‘country, as it has done in U.S.A, and is now doing in England: ‘The A.C. set during the past year has proven itself.to be thoroughly satisfae‘tory, and the Americans have accepted it generally as every responsible manufacturer now lists the A.C. set as their leading line, although many .of them -are continuing to produce small quan‘titlés of the’ D.C. set. The advent of this. set does not mark. the elimination of the D.C, set, because there are many

places throughout the States where A.C. current is not available, and,.of course, there are those who still prefer the battery set. A very. satisfactory feature is that there are no revolutionary improvements which are liable to upset the industry by. making the present apparatus obsolete. Any improvements which have, been effected have been in the audio stag of the set, that is to say, more at tion’ is being paid to the quality,‘of reproduction and the quality of the} speaker, 4 Radio dealers throughout .New Zea-> laud should look forward to the radio trade with more confidence with the knowledge that nothing revolutionary has taken place in this season’s derelopments in: U.S.A.