Sonotone Model 533 Vacuum Tube Hearing Aid The Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid was manufactured by Sonotone International, Inc. of Elmsford, New York in 1942. The Sonotone Model 533 used three vacuum tubes. It weighed 9¾ oz without the batteries and measured 5" high x 2⅜" wide by ⅞" thick (12.7 x 6.0 x 2.2 cm). It was quite attractive with its shiny black plastic case with the pearlized inserts on the front. |  | Click picture for larger view | | |   | | | |
| Right side view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid showing the volume control.
|  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Left side view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid showing the tone control. Both the volume and tone controls look identical and there are no markings on the case to tell them apart. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Top view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid showing the on-off switch (center). |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Top view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid showing the battery/receiver cable unplugged. It was a bit unusual to have the battery cords plugged into the top of the hearing aid, rather than the more normal bottom plug. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Close-up view of the 2-pronged "A" battery plug (left) and the 3-pronged "B" battery plug (right) of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Close-up view of the unplugged 2-pronged "A" battery plug (bottom) of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid and the top of a 1½ volt Sonotone No. 800X "A" battery. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Close-up view of the unplugged 3-pronged "B" battery plug (bottom right) of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid and the top of a 45 volt Burgess No. XX30E "B" battery. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| This is what the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid looked like when plugged into its "A" and "B" batteries. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
Side view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid receiver and an early custom hard black plastic ear mold.
|  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| View showing how the ear mold snapped to the receiver. Here shown unsnapped.
|  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Top rear view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid showing the name (Sonotone) and serial number (B30194). |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| The model number was at the lower back of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| The Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid in its original leatherette carrying case. |  | Click picture for larger view | | | |
| Outside view of the Sonotone Model 533 vacuum tube hearing aid's leatherette carrying case.
|  | Click picture for larger view | | |
|
(If a larger picture doesn't appear, you may have to
turn your pop-up blocker off)
|
| |
