Twin antenna AM headphones hold up 40 years later

Over at Retro Thing, bohus — my favorite retro-techno-fetishist — takes a pair of 40 year old, no brand AM radio headphones for a spin. Not only does he look fantastic in them, like some sort of a retro-futuristic cyborg DJ, but the technology remains impressive nearly half a century later...

There's no manufacturer listed, but the design reminds me of unyielding grammar-school headsets from the primordial days of educational multimedia in the 60's and 70's. The hexagonal earcups and the high tech chrome patterns are rather futuristic in that space age way, but the finest feature must be the twin antennas. AM radio is very directional. If you can remember any novelty radios from your youth, you might remember rotating the entire radio to get the best signal. With twin antennas you can get good AM reception no matter which way you may be facing.

Here's the kicker. After 40 years the contraption still works! I got a good signal on several AM stations. No signal drift, even when I was moving around... Looking around my house I can see a lot of newer gadgets that I have real doubts will be working in four decades' time.

It's indicative of the industry, really: technology moves so fast that obsolescence always outpaces durability, even if you don't take corporate penny-thrifting into account. Forty years ago, it was impossible for some engineer to imagine that portable headphone technology would change much in five, ten or even twenty years, so they built them to last. That's just not the world we live in anymore.

Just Add Twin Antennas To Make AM Radio Look Cool [Retro Thing]

[#1 posted by License Farm , June 2, 2008 7:38 AM]

Lobot! Lando calls! Bring him a Colt 45; works every time.

[#2 posted by twoeightnine , June 2, 2008 7:44 AM]

40 years? That's nothing. My parents have an old Atwater Kent 55 in their dining room that was manufactured in 1929. It still works perfectly and sounds better than my clock radio.

The one on the bottom.
http://www.atwaterkentradio.com/ak55.htm

[#3 posted by Enochrewt , June 2, 2008 7:52 AM]

So I can't buy a pair of these? *Sniff*

[#4 posted by muis , June 2, 2008 7:54 AM]

Don't forget current & clever business model: make it last just enough to force a new purchase soon enough. I'm sure I read on Boing Boing about Japan proposing a bill to forbid selling "too old" gadgets, just to force you purchase new ones.

[#5 posted by saint_al , June 2, 2008 4:34 PM]

Too bad about the bandwidth they receive; good only for "Coast To Coast AM".

[#6 posted by NicoleRichieVicodinRave , June 2, 2008 4:41 PM]

I'd so wear these at a baseball game.