How did it all begin?
Crystal Sets
The Baby Champ 5110 radio carved its niche in industry by filling the gap between inconvenience and inaccessibility of previous radios through technological and manufacturing advancements. Leading up to the release of the Baby Champ radio, several crucial technological changes were made from the original crystal set radios. The crystal set radios were typically built by hobbyists at home and had various disadvantages. For example, crystal sets came in separate components, were limited in range and volume, and required the additional purchase of batteries, radio tubes, and antennas. Also, the radio had to be plugged into via headphones which made using the crystal sets an individual activity (MacLennan, Windover, and Borck 2024a).Technological advancements
In 1925, the contribution from Canadian Edward S. Rogers led to the development of alternating current (AC) tubes which enabled radios to control amplification while also connecting to home electricity thus eliminating bulky batteries within radio. In addition, the creation of the electro-magnetic cone-speaker in 1927 amplified the sound of radio without distortion replacing the horn speaker (MacLennan, Windover, and Borck 2024b). These advancements enabled increased sound quality and convenience in radios which removed radios from semi-private spaces in the home (such as the attic, basement and garage) into public spaces such as the living room and kitchen (Windover and MacLennan 2017, 71).
Radios into the home
As a result of these significant technological advancements combined with the rise of Canadian broadcasting in the 1920s, there was a growing popularity in new self-contained floor sets. These radios were promoted beyond their technical specifications and were renowned for the craftsmanship of their wooden cabinets tailored to the taste of the upper class. Although popular in the homes of the affluent, the floor sets were out of reach for most Canadians as they were expensive—typically worth the weekly wage of an average Canadian male worker (MacLennan, Windover, and Borck 2024c). Furthermore, there was sparse radio signal over large areas and a lack of electrification in homes. Therefore, many Canadians still continued to use their crystal sets (Windover and MacLennan 2017, 14).Click below to read on how the tabletop radio became the ideal radio in the 1940s!
l.JPG){kind=link}
