Amplivox "Radovox" Vacuum Tube Hearing Aid This "Radovox" table model or box-style vacuum tube hearing aid was probably made by Amplivox Ltd of London England. The exact date of manufacture is unknown, but the case is almost identical to the Amplivox Model D8 manufactured in 1938. This style of hearing aid had self-contained batteries and was made to resemble the box cameras of the day. It could be set on a table or carried by hand.
The Radovox hearing aid measured 4⅞” high by 6⅞” wide and 3⅞” deep. It weighed 1 lb 7 oz without the batteries.
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| View of the front panel of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing the controls. The large on-off/volume control knob is at the top, and below it is the round microphone grill. The only identifying mark on this hearing aid is the name "Radovox" at the bottom. The swing-down battery compartment door comprises the left side of this hearing aid.
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| View of the battery compartment of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing how the brass contact strips of the Ever Ready Type W1323 "B" battery lined up with corresponding brass contact strips on the side of the "Radovox". The top contact provides 52˝ volts. The next contact provides 3 volts. Notice the battery has a 1˝ volt contact, but the hearing aid does not use this. The bottom contact is for the ground. The "secret" spring clip to open the battery compartment door is visible as a small "bump" on the top of the case immediately above the right side of the battery.
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| View of the battery compartment of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing the "B" battery in place. The "A" battery fit in the space to its left. The "A" and "B" batteries took up half of the internal volume of the hearing aid. The red and black "A" battery contacts are hanging in front of the "B" battery. This "B" battery weighed a hefty 1 lb 3 oz.
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| View of the top right corner of the "Radovox" showing the lid to the earphone compartment. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| The earphone compartment of the "Radovox" opened showing one-half of the earphone cord and plug. The earphone and the other half of the earphone cord and plug and headband are missing. Notice the interesting arrangement of the earphone plug. There was one male pin and one female socket on the plug. There would also be a corresponding female socket and male pin on the earphone cord plug. This curious pin arrangement was common on English hearing aids of this period. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Side view of the electronics module of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing the volume control (top left), microphone (bottom left) and the three vacuum tubes (right). |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Rear view of the electronics module of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing the three miniature vacuum tubes (center) and transformer (bottom right). |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Top view of the "Radovox" vacuum tube hearing aid showing the volume control (bottom right).
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