Radio Development in 1930

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 27, 17 January 1930, Page 31

Radio Development in 1930

Smaller .and. More Powerful. Receivers

AM this time the thoughts of listeners ™ and would-be listeners are directed to the sets. of 1980. +-Various are the prophecies and the fallowing. from the "Scientific American’: presents "a very comprehensive summnipit'y iWhile it would appéar froma glance at the radio advertising that there had been a great many "startling: develop ments, it frequentl¥:ibecomes apparent after the sedson is WéH under way that thére ‘have been only. one or two important’ innovations." This season we are confronted with such terms as "s¢rpn-grid," "linear ‘detection," "band-pass filter," and countless other terms "and phrases’ whith hold no méaning for the layman. ' After all, the final test of any radio réceiver is what cotiiés out’ of the loudspeaker. If the quality of reception does not come upto his expectatidns, the mere fact that: the set uses screengrid valves or has -Hrear detection or any other feature will not induce him to buy. yate In reviewing this:stason’s radio sets, . we find that the gréatest stridés have been made in the fmnproved quality of tone and fidelity dfréeproduction. In fact, a point has been reached ‘where it. is a difficult matter to note any marked différence*in the reproduction’ of sets ranging in the same price class.’ ‘In this respect it..would be interesting, to witness a radio Blindfold test, using a dozen or so of thé leading radio sets: of different manufacture similarly pric-° ed. It is safe’ to predict that the result of such a test-‘vould show that the majority of people who are incapable’ of splitting hairs of musical harmonics, ° and to whom overtones and undertones go unnoticed,’ would be unable to make: an honest distinction- between them, | While the great’ majority of manu-: facturers’ are feituring sets using ‘sereen-grid ‘valves, not all of the iin‘proved tone quality can. be attributed’ to the use of this? new valve. A power’ valve which has recently come into use,’ and the progress that has been madé in dynamic speaker’ design, have. contributed largely to the better reprotiuc-' tion evident in this year’s receivers. Some credit niust also be given tothe broadcasting. stations for their: -higher quality ‘of transmission which has reached a state of perféction un-' dreamed of a few years ago. ' Although the présént furore over the: sereen-grid valvewould seem to indicate that its applichtion has revolu-: tionised radio overnight, we have two prominent manufgcturers who are con-: tinuing to use"the’standard type of A.G. valve in their latest productions. , The one indisputable’ fact regarding, this year’s models is that the purchaser is given greater value for his money than at any timeé;in the past. Any number of manufacturers. are marketing, sets in console cabinets with dynamic speaker and scr¢en-grid valves, together with other.,improvements, priced around £50. Wheén-we get above this figure we find more elaborate cabinets, automatic -tuning, remote control, and other features that:increase the manufacturer’s cost. of production." This cost is finally passed along to those who are more exacting: in their tastes and: requirements, -;;Hor-éexample, the "tir-

ed business man" will have oné;of the new rémote-control receivers which. he may adjust without leaving his easy chair, or he may have the control box on a table‘ beside his bed, enabling him to start, stop, or tune the set without getting up. For that matter, the control pox may be installed in any room in the house and the radio set proper located in dny other room deésired. . ae sont ' There’ is no question that the average unit price on the complete-set has been dropping rapidly during the past two years, and probably the ‘outstand ing price devélopment in méanufacturers’ merchandising plans ‘for the present year is the large: number of sets "retailing between £40 ‘and £60. The majority of these sets, are. built in small consoles, many of them using the screen-grid valve. and. ail equippéd with dynamic speakers. _ There are probably fifteen .ot more manufacturers fighting tooth. and nail in this highly competitive price class, Obviously large volume is necessary to build profitably at this privé, and it is equally, true that not all .of these manufacturers can by any, means secure the. volume of sales. which is necessary. Consequently, several of these manufacturers will probably retire. from the field this year or be obliged:.to seek mergers: with, their competitors, . Hvidence of this, latter development is already at hand. Some mergers have already. been | accom: plished, and radio trafle ‘paperé are filled with rumours of many more. Manufacturers are striving desperately to create the impression. that the new:models are a _ distinct advance over sets that have been .heretofore available. It is true, .névertheless, that for the first timé in radio history

-o ae = .it is difficult for the average listener to distinguish between the new sets and those that were available a year ago. This is the best evidence. of the stabilisation that is making itself evis dent in the rado industry, and puts chasers of ‘well-désigned sets mianufactured in 1928 are to-day practically "as well off as the ownér of any of the latest models; © .° 3 . Whereas hundreds of thousands electric sets were sold last year, it is getierally believed that the big swing from battery sets to electric sets will take place in 1980, and that consequently more pounds pér capita will be spent by. the public for radio in the next six months than in any: corresponding period in the history of the art. . ae . ve