1955 Life magazine article that made Jim Lansing famous?

[JBLnsince1959]

Hi Phil, I took the liberty to replace your avatar pic with a different version of the same image... I hope you don't mind.


Widget

good job Widget

[Tom Brennan]

Waco Johhny Dean, anudder brave man!

[Phil H]

Hi Phil, I took the liberty to replace your avatar pic with a different version of the same image... I hope you don't mind.


Widget

Thank you. It looks much better. I don't know why I had problems, and I haven't had time to look at it.

[Titanium Dome]

'Tis indeed quite cute.

[glen]

Thank you. It looks much better. I don't know why I had problems, and I haven't had time to look at it.

Hi Phil,
The moire patterns caused by the dot sceens on printed material can uglify images. I was going to send you a new pic but I see Mr.Widget beat me to it. Good job Widget!

I like the images for the Dream Set that feature a sort of "Rich Uncle Pennybags" character (you know, the lil' guy in the top hat from the Monopoly game). Especially the one where he's having his hapless butler build him an enclosure.

[Steve Gonzales]

Thank you Glen, I love this stuff!

[JBLRaiser]

Although I was two years old at the time of that article, I am able to enjoy it now thanks to the selfless contributors to this PREMIUM audio site.

[Titanium Dome]

Thank you Glen, I love this stuff!

I love the fact that the originals were real drawings, not just computer images. Can you imagine being a commercial artist in those days and having to draw all the time? imagine over the years all the stuff you'd get to do.

This layout alone must have been amazing from concept to completion.

[Todd W. White]

Hey guys - check out the item to the left (his right) of the guy's elbow.

Sitting on the table is an Altec 440 Preamplifier....

USed to have one of those - sweet!

[glen]

This small ad was in the April 4, 1955 issue of Life magazine.
Notice it's message that Allied "has recommended High Fidelity systems".
Obviously geared to capitalize on any interest stirred up in Life magazine readers.
I've blown the one-column wide ad up twice as big to make it easier to read on monitor screens.

[Titanium Dome]

I bought a ton of stuff from them over the years. No longer in Chicago, but still got a gigantic catalog, BTW.

http://www.alliedelec.com/CustomerSe...Literature.asp

[glen]

This full page ad in the April 11, 1955 issue of Life magazine asserted that the "sound hobbyist pseudo experts" were wrong claiming that "true musical repro­duction can be achieved only by selecting the "best" of numerous parts made by a variety of manufacturers and assembling them at home."

Facts and Fiction

ABOUT HIGH FIDELITY

HIGH FIDELITY is not a new invention. It is, in fact, the result of 20 years of evolution in recording and reproducing techniques. Until recently, however, the performance of phono­graphs was limited by the capacity of the records. Introduction of the vinylite long-playing record, which eliminated surface noise, made it possible to record an audio range encompassing the entire tonal spectrum of musical instruments.
These new records, with their thrilling concert-hall realism, opened up a new world of musical pleasure in the home. At the same time, they captured the enthusiasm of a new kind of hobbyist, the "hi-fi" fan. Interested more in sound than in music, he set out to "do it him­self." As he hooked up his assorted components he became fascinated with cre­ating sounds that are often mechanical­ noises, incidental to music, which the musical artist strives to suppress.

The Fiction

AT THIS POINT, the sound-hobbyist and the music-lover frequently parted ways. Yet many lovers of music have been caught in the maze of confusion created by pseudo experts and writers who contend that true musical repro­duction can be achieved only by selecting the "best" of numerous parts made by a variety of manufacturers and assembling them at home. It is a great deal like say­ing that a fine piano can be built only by assembling the action from Steinway, strings from Knabe, case and sounding board from Baldwin. To put it another way, it is like claiming that your garage mechanic can put together a better car than Cadillac.
This is not to say that home-assembled rigs will not produce High-Fidelity music. In fact, Magnavox itself offers integrated components systems for sound-hobbyists. But claims that High Fidelity can be attained only through hooking up as­sorted parts; or that such parts cost less for comparable performance than a fac­tory-integrated instrument; or that "up to half" the, price of this instrument goes into a cabinet-such claims are not true.

The Facts

COMPONENTS made for home assembly cost more to build, because of smaller sales volume, and they cost more to sell. Our own Magnavox components reflect similar higher costs. As for cabinets, the truth is that they represent only about 15 per cent of the total cost of a complete instrument. And because of volume pro­duction, this cost. is actually lower than that for a comparable piece of good furniture.

Magnavox has been the pioneer in sound reproduction since 1915, and was the first to develop the electrodynamic speaker which is the voice of every mod­ern sound system. Some of our pioneer inventors are still with us; in addition, a staff of younger engineering talents are specializing in High-Fidelity repro­duction. As a result, Magnavox instru­ments are as superior today as they were recognized to be years ago by engineers, musicians, and music lovers alike.

Our High-Fidelity three-speed phono­graphs range in price from $99.50 to $198.50. AM-FM radio-phonographs are priced up to $495. Nothing finer is made, regardless of price. "Magnasonic," model 251M, for example, sells for $198.50. Yet it houses four speakers (two high-fre­quency speakers coaxially mounted with two 12-inch bass speakers), a 20-watt High-Fidelity power amplifier, and has a three-speed precision record changer. The Magnavox Pianissimo Pick-up, with less "needle-talk" than any, has better tracking characteristics than any pick-up selling for less than $80, as well as wider, smoother frequency response -all the ele­ments that "hi-fi" fans consider essential except high price.

The Challenge

BUT when everything is said, the real truth is in what you hear. If you are a High-Fidelity fan, Magnavox offers you the finest group of integrated component systems you have ever seen amplifiers, speakers of various types, tuners, record-players. If you and your family love fine music but are not sound-hobbyists, Magnavox offers you true High Fidelity in instruments that are fully integrated, precision-tested, and adjusted for optimum performance in your home. Modestly priced models re­produce tone such as you may never have heard from a phonograph record. More expensive instruments deliver an acousti­cal performance that cannot be excelled for any sum of money. I invite you to visit your Magnavox Dealer (he is listed under "Television" in your classified phone book) and listen to a thrilling demonstration.

If any of our, 1955 Magnavox High­-Fidelity instruments does not sound better to you than an assembled-components rig costing three times as much, your Magnavox Dealer will take back the instrument and refund the purchase price.

[glen]

I thought I was very clever to dig up the elusive original article, then I found a picture of the article included on the bottom of page 8 of the "Insight" brochure on this website:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...74-insight.htm


From the brochure:
'Then, in 1955, LIFE magazine published a survey of the hi-fi phenomenon and listed JBL's Hartsfield as the "ultimate dream speaker." This established JBL at the forefront of the industry, where it has remained ever since.'