Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid
The Maico model MT-2A portable desk hearing aid was a "lunch box" model
made in 1961 primarily made for use in the classroom.
This model seems to be a bit of an anachronism as by 1953
transistorized hearing aids were small body worn units and contained 3
transistors, not a "lunch-box"-sized hearing aid only containing 1
transistor and using large headphones rather than small ear molds.
Here is the
brochure
explaining the use of this desk hearing aid and giving its
specifications.
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Front view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid. The other side looked exactly the same. This large
desk-top unit measured 7½" by 4¼" by 3½". It weighed 2 lbs (916 g) without batteries
and 3 lbs, 11 oz. (1.676 kg) with batteries.
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Inside view of the electronics of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid showing the single transistor this aid used (left), the
yellow vertically-oriented T-coil (right) and the large cream-colored
microphone (near top between the 2 posts and the T-coil). The top of
the transistor "can" is marked "RAY 2N361 6152".
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Hidden under the right end of the carrying strap was the microphone
grill (4 slots) of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid.
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View of the near right corner of the top of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid showing the "MIC-MAG" switch shown in the microphone
position. The "MAG" position was for using the built-in t-coil so this
hearing aid could be used in classrooms with room loops. Yes, special
classrooms were looped back in 1961. MAG is the abbreviation for
"magnetic" referring to the magnetic field that the coil picked up. For
some reason, Maico used this abbreviation rather than just a "T"
commonly used for indicating a "T-coil". |
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Left end view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid showing
the on-off switch/volume control.
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Right end view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid
showing the binaural balance control (left) and the headphone jack
(right). The binaural balance control let you adjust the relative
volume between your ears if your ears had a different degree of hearing
loss. That way you would hear at the same level in each ear.
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Right end view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid
showing the phone plug plugged into the headphone jack. Using a stereo
plug and a four-wire cable allowed each headphone to have a different
volume.
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Close-up view of the headphone ¼" phone plug of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid. Note that this is a TRS stereo plug with tip, ring and
sleeve.
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Front view of the earphones of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid showing the large rubber cups. (Not the most comfortable
things to wear as they fit tightly over your ears.) The ear cups
measured 2 11/16" (6.9 cm) in diameter. The headphone cord was
relatively long at 8' (203 cm).
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Rear view of the the left headphone of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable
Desk Hearing Aid. This earphone was color-coded blue for the left ear. |
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Rear view of the the right headphone of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable
Desk Hearing Aid. This earphone was color-coded red for the right ear. |
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Side view of the headphones of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk
Hearing Aid. The headphones were heavy—weighing in at 14.7 oz. (416
g). |
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Bottom view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid showing the
"barn door" access to the battery compartment here in the locked
position. Note the identification information stamped into the right
door (see below).
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The picture at the right shows the information stamped on the battery
door.
Notice that there weren't too many of these models made as this
serial number is only 4527.
The USA Copyright Office in their Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third
Series: 1961 under "Current Registrations" p. 455 has this entry:
"Model MT-2A Maico portable desk hearing aid.
© Maico Electronics, Inc.; 7Feb61; A489228." ["A489228" is the
copyright registration number.] |
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Bottom view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid showing
the shiny metal plate rotated 90° to its unlocked position, and with the
right battery compartment door partially opened.
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Inside (bottom) view of the Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid
with both "barn doors" fully opened revealing the large battery compartment
inside.
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The Maico Model MT-2A Portable Desk Hearing Aid used two Eveready No.
276 9-volt carbon-zinc batteries. This battery measured 2" x 2½"
x 3⅛" high (5.2 x 6.5 x 8.0 cm).
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