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.

 

Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids: 1921-1953

Beltone Mono-pac Model R "Rhapsody" Vacuum Tube Hearing Aid

The Beltone Mono-pac Model R "Rhapsody" vacuum tube one-piece hearing aid was  produced by the Beltone Electronics Corp. of Chicago, IL in 1952.

 It measured 3⅛” by 1¾” by ⅞” and weighed 4½ oz including the batteries. It used 3 vacuum tubes.

The case was chrome front and back over a black (or wine-colored) plastic chassis—visible on all sides. Pocket clip is on the front in the center.

The microphone grill (top right corner) is in the shape of a lyre—the same design as used on the Model L.

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Back

 
Top view of the Beltone Mono-pac Model R showing the 2-position tone control (labeled on the back as "1" and "2") (center) and the receiver cord jack (left).

Also, note the mic/tel switch on the front left corner indicating this aid had a built-in t-coil.

 

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Not all the Beltone Model R "Rhapsody" hearing aids had t-coils. This one didn't.

 

 

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The Beltone Rhapsody was still selling for $215.00 in July of 1953 at the time when vacuum tube aids had just become obsolete.

Click here to read this invoice as a pdf (easier to read).

 

 

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View of the left side of the Model R showing the volume control/on-off switch.

 

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Rear view of the Model R showing the make and model engraved in the case "Beltone MONO-PAC Model R".

Note the green dot on the left side above the hinge.

 

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View of the battery compartment of the Beltone Mono-pac Model L showing the batteries in place. The "A" battery (center) is an RM-1 1.4 volt mercury battery, while the "B" battery is a 30 volt No. 506 E.

Note that in the above invoice, this hearing aid came with only one No. 506 E "B" battery, but with 8 RM-1 "A" batteries because the "A" batteries didn't last near as long as the "B" battery.

The battery compartment door is hinged at the top and swings upward.

The Model R is much the same as the Model L except for the larger battery compartment which necessitated a longer case. This 30 volt battery would produce more power than the 15 volt battery used in the Model L—so the Model R is likely a higher powered version of the Model L.

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The Beltone Mono-pac Model R "Rhapsody" in its original case.

 

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Outside view of the original case of the Beltone Mono-pac Model R.

 


 

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