Trade Development

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 42, 3 May 1929, Page 9

Trade Development

‘ ee An All-Electric Instrument Wide Appeal of "Majestic" HOSE with experience dating back to the inception of radio have sought the reason why "the wonderful service of the air" i§ not as universally used here as in older countries. In travelling out from London on any yhilway line, when looking out the Larriage window, the first thing that strikes the traveller’s eye is a mass of masts, so dense that it could be likened to the stakes in a hop field. Apparently there is no single house without its little aerial mast. They do not use high aerials in England. The conclusions arrived at by those who have studied the subject have been divided between criticism of the programmes which are broadcast, and the fact that buyers have hesitated to invest £50 or more in apparatus which may become out of date in a very short period. This latter reason is undoubtedly the main cause of the small proportion of listeners-in to population in New Zealand as compared with, say, Australia. That this is correct, is clearly . proved by the fact that the "Majestic," a low-priced, highly efficient and attractive all-electric radio receiver, has. been sold in such large numbers during the past six weeks, over 800 of these instruments having been sold throughout New Zealand. The manufacturers of the ‘"Majestic’ receiver realised that the public demanded a radio receiving musical instrument. Where possible’ they wanted to discard batteries, chargers and the accessories that go to make up a battery operated set. A receiver that could be installed in a handsome ouk cabinet which would be an ornament in the most elaborately furnish‘ed home was required. This problem was an enormous one, because’ the ‘space required to manufacture a large eabinet in huge quantities n.eant that an area hitherto not used in the construction of radio material had to be provided in close proximity to the fac- ‘ tory producing the apparatus. However, this was overcome. Next came the question of eliminating the electrical intricacies of the A.C. valve. This also was overcome in 1928. Finally, a metal born or flimsy cone could not be accepted as a musical instrument; hence the intro‘duction of the dynamic (or moving eoil) speaker last year, to solve the final problem of producing the all-elec-tric radio musical instrument. The glorious tone which can be seeured from the Console electric radio set, using a dynamic cone speaker, is equal to that which hitherto has only been procurable from electric gramophones selling at well over the £100 mark. There is no doubt but that the ; 1929 all-electri¢: receiver will convert the most criticil and séeptical who hav. hitherto refrained from installing radio