Audivox Model 83 "Custom" Transistor (Body) Hearing Aid
The Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid
was made by Audivox, Inc. of Boston, MA in 1961.
This hearing aid had 5 transistors and utilized a push-pull amplifier
circuit. It measured 2 15/16" x 1 13/16" x 9/16" (7.5 x 4.6 x
1.5
cm) and weighed 2.9 oz (82 g) without batteries.
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Front view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid
showing its chrome front. Note the wire pocket clip.
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Close-up of the upper front of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid
showing the microphone grill (hole in center) surrounded by three black
"gems" set in an attractive graphic design.
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Top view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the
3-position switch (left) (see below for description) and the volume control/on-off wheel (right). |
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Close-up of the top left corner of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the
3-position switch—T (t-coil), N (normal tone) and H (high-frequency
emphasis).
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Rear view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the battery door on the lower half of the back.
The battery door swings up from the bottom.
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Bottom view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the
recessed thumbnail slot (center) to pull open the battery compartment door.
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View of the inside of the battery compartment lid of the Audivox Model 83
"Custom" transistor body hearing aid battery compartment showing the
warning "Important" and "Remove battery when not in continuous use".
Otherwise, the batteries tended to corrode in place and destroy the
battery compartment.
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Close-up of the left side of the battery compartment of the Audivox Model 83
"Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the serial number (24107)
in white numbers. Below that is the manufacturer's information (Audivox,
Boston, Mass, USA) and below that the model number (Model 83). |
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View of the battery compartment of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid
with the battery compartment door opened. It swung up from the bottom.
Note the twin battery slots on the right. This was a higher-powered aid
and took not one, but two batteries.
Also note the plastic "tab" that went under the batteries to make it
easy to remove them. |
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View of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid
battery compartment showing how pulling up on the plastic tab (right
side) dislodged the batteries so you could replace them.
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View of the battery compartment of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the two
Type "N" or 401 batteries in place. This aid used two 1.4 mercury
batteries such as these
Rayovac
RP-401 batteries.
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Lower right side view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the two-holed jack for the receiver cord and the
plug on the end of the receiver cord. Note that they used a very
unusual (perhaps unique) way of ensuring that the plug would only fit
one way (with the cord facing up). One pin on the receiver cord plug was about twice as long as
the other (right). Only the lower hole extended in far enough to insert
the plug all the way.
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Right side view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid showing the receiver cord plugged into the body.
Note that the plug was oriented vertically so the receiver cord would
not have to have a sharp bend in it when used in a pocket.
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Front view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid receiver showing the "Audivox" name on the receiver
(bottom left), the part number—8C-1 (bottom right) and "Made in USA"
(top right). The ear
mold snapped onto the nubbin in the center.
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Close-up of the back of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid receiver. The receiver cord
is plugged in (right).
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Side view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid receiver showing the receiver cord plug (left) and 2-holed
jack on the bottom of the receiver. Both holes are the same size so you
could put the plug in either way. |
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Close-up view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid receiver and ear mold
unsnapped.
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Side view of the Audivox Model 83 "Custom" transistor body hearing aid receiver showing the clear plastic ear mold
(left) snapped to the
receiver (right).
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