Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum
Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum

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.

 

Body Type Transistor Hearing Aids

Zenith Model 50-X Transistor (Body) Hearing Aid

The Zenith Model 50-X transistor tearing aid was manufactured by the Hearing Aid Division of the Zenith Radio Corp. beginning in October, 1955. It was an 3-transistor aid.

The Zenith Model 50-X measured 2⅝" x 1¾" x 11/16" thick (6.6 x 4.5 x 1.7 cm), and weighed 1.9 oz. (56 g) without the battery. This hearing aid was rather striking in that the case was black-colored rather than the light silver or gold colored cases usually used by Zenith (and other manufacturers) at this time.
 

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Front view of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the wire pocket clip. The vertical rectangular microphone grill (front center) was skirted by the pocket clip on its sides and bottom.

Note the name "Zenith" across the front near the bottom.

Read the Zenith 50-X "How To Use Manual".

Read the Zenith 50-X "Tests before returning hearing aid for service".

Read the Zenith 50-X "Battery Reminders".
 

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Top view of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the volume control/on-off switch (top front left). In the center is the receiver cord jack.
 

Note that in this earlier version, there were no markings (numbers or "off") on the volume control wheel. These were added in a later version (see below).

 

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Top view of a later version of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the 1 to 7 volume control/on-off switch (top front left).

 

 

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Top view of a later version of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the 2-pronged receiver cord plug and the corresponding jack unplugged.

Note the plug was black to match the body color.

 

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Side view of the Zenith 50-X hearing aid. The spring-loaded pocket clip fits into holes on each side. You could pull the clip ends out and then fit it on the back of the aid instead of the front if you wanted to.

 

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Rear view of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid. Engraved into the back are the words "Zenith", "50-X" and "the royalty of hearing".

In the upper left corner is an up arrow and the word "Volume".

On the battery compartment lid is the serial number 0623304  (bottom center).

The later version (numbers on the volume control wheel) had the serial number 0624895.

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View of the battery compartment of the Zenith 50-X hearing aid. The battery door swung up from the bottom.

 

 

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View of the battery compartment of the Zenith 50-X hearing aid showing the battery in place.

The Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid took an "N" sized 1.4 volt No. 401 mercury battery such as this Mallory RM-401H battery.

 

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Rear view of the receiver of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid with the receiver cord plugged in.

This receiver was smaller than the regular-sized receiver, namely 11/16" (1.8 cm) rather than the normal size of 13/16" (2.1 cm).


 

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Side view of the receiver of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the two-pronged plug and socket.

 


 

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Front view of the receiver of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid showing the clear hard plastic ear mold that snapped onto the receiver's nubbin.

 


 

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Side view of the receiver of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid with the ear mold snapped onto the receiver.

 


 

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View of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid in its original case.

 


 

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Top view of the carrying case of the Zenith Model 50-X hearing aid.

 

 

 

 

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