Emerson 838 "Hybrid"
Emerson 838 tube & transistor radio circa mid 1955.......
Before Hybrid cars there were Hybrid radios. In the mid 50's transistors were slowly making their way into the electronics industry, threatening the dominance of tube technology. Regency and Raytheon had already released their all transistor sets, Zenith Philco, G.E. and other American electronics giants were hard at work putting the finishing touches on theirs.
Emerson got on the solid state band wagon, well sort of, with this half and half radio.
The subminature tube compliment consisted of a 1V6, 1AH4, and 1AJ5. On the output stage were two RCA made transistors. Still, Emerson thought it would be impressive to market this 838 as a TRANSISTOR POCKET RADIO. Look closely below the Emerson name on the front of the cabinet. Deception and half-truths in product marketing?! Never!
This coat pocket portable sports a front facade that is entirely reverse painted, nice! The rest of the cabinet is a cherry red plastic.
The transistors are socketed and the chassis is handwired.
The box that housed this radio on store shelves claimed that it was "the world's first pocket radio". Questionable....I believe that honor could be awarded to the Belmont Boulevard, a subminature tube radio that was released in 1946.
Two years earlier in 1953 Emerson released the all tube model 747 using the same basic cabinet (6-3/8" wide, 3-3/4" tall, and 1-1/2" deep).
The last member of this family of Emerson radios was the 856. It utilized three subminiature tubes and two transistors as well. On the front of its cabinet was POCKET RADIO rather than TRANSISTOR POCKET RADIO. Perhaps Emerson was caught red handed trying to call a radio with three tubes a transistor radio and changed to the more "honest" pocket radio classification.
There are more entries for this historic radio - keep looking..........
Emerson 838 "Hybrid"
Emerson 838 tube & transistor radio circa mid 1955.......
Before Hybrid cars there were Hybrid radios. In the mid 50's transistors were slowly making their way into the electronics industry, threatening the dominance of tube technology. Regency and Raytheon had already released their all transistor sets, Zenith Philco, G.E. and other American electronics giants were hard at work putting the finishing touches on theirs.
Emerson got on the solid state band wagon, well sort of, with this half and half radio.
The subminature tube compliment consisted of a 1V6, 1AH4, and 1AJ5. On the output stage were two RCA made transistors. Still, Emerson thought it would be impressive to market this 838 as a TRANSISTOR POCKET RADIO. Look closely below the Emerson name on the front of the cabinet. Deception and half-truths in product marketing?! Never!
This coat pocket portable sports a front facade that is entirely reverse painted, nice! The rest of the cabinet is a cherry red plastic.
The transistors are socketed and the chassis is handwired.
The box that housed this radio on store shelves claimed that it was "the world's first pocket radio". Questionable....I believe that honor could be awarded to the Belmont Boulevard, a subminature tube radio that was released in 1946.
Two years earlier in 1953 Emerson released the all tube model 747 using the same basic cabinet (6-3/8" wide, 3-3/4" tall, and 1-1/2" deep).
The last member of this family of Emerson radios was the 856. It utilized three subminiature tubes and two transistors as well. On the front of its cabinet was POCKET RADIO rather than TRANSISTOR POCKET RADIO. Perhaps Emerson was caught red handed trying to call a radio with three tubes a transistor radio and changed to the more "honest" pocket radio classification.
There are more entries for this historic radio - keep looking..........