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The Hearing Aid Museum |
Hearing Aids of all types—Ear
Trumpets, Carbon Hearing Aids, Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids,
Transistor Hearing Aids, Body Hearing Aids, Eyeglass Hearing
Aids and much more! |
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Click on the "General
Information" button (top button above) for an overview and general
information on this category of hearing aid. |
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Body Type Transistor Hearing Aids |
Maico Model AO (Transist-Ear) Transistor (Body) Hearing Aid
The Maico Model AO was manufactured by Maico Electronics, Inc. of
Minneapolis, MN in 1960. The name "Maico" was derived from the
initials of the Medical Acoustic Instrument Company.
The Model AO was a 6-transistor hearing aid with AGC (automatic gain
control). It also sported a T-coil. The case was
stainless steel over black plastic. It measured 2⅝" x 1¾" x
⅝" thick.
The cord and receiver (earpiece) are shown to the right. An ear mold
(not shown) needs to be snapped to the receiver.
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Click picture for larger view |
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Top view of the Model AO. It was a bit unusual as both the volume
control and a second control wheel were in the same top right corner—the
volume control to the back and the other control wheel to the front.
This control wheel is labeled "R", "W" & "T". Since this model has a
T-coil, the "T" probably refers to the t-coil mode, the "R" could stand
for "regular" (the normal microphone mode). The "W" is a mystery at the
moment. The
receiver (earpiece) cord jack is on the left.
Notice that the microphone was located on the top (center), not on the front as
was more commonly done with body aids.
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Click picture for larger view |
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The Maico Model AO used two 1.4 volt Number 401 mercury batteries.
Notice above the batteries, the screws for adjusting the "response" and
for turning on "compression". This aid only had two positions for
compression—on or off.
Under the name Maico (and above the top battery) is a little tab labeled
"140". It has contacts that make contact with the hearing aid when it is
pushed in. (We don't know its function.) |
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Click picture for larger view |
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