Classic Hifi Care

Old guys will remember the Look Sharp, Be Sharp March, composed for the Gillette razor company. They played it on the sports programs they sponsored on TV (and probably radio).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSTSdksGlU

I have that same 78. It's from an old neighborhood movie theater. Up in the projection booth there were two P-P 6L6 audio amps, one as backup in case the other failed during a movie. There was also a 78 rpm turntable that could play through them. They drove 2 big field-coil speakers mounted at the sides of the prosecenium in the wall. I played the March and wow, it sounded way better than I ever imagined 78s could sound.

There were also two cool old Simplex 35 mm carbon-arc projectors. Can't beat carbon-arc lighting for brightness and color.

The theater was acquired by a community players group. Eventually the projection booth got turned into a lighting and sound booth, I think, and the projectors probably ended up in the scrap yard. Better not to contemplate it.

Chris Campbell

What happened to the amps? I got a McIntosh Mc75 from guy who serviced drive-in theaters in VT and NH, it was used to power all those portable metal speakers that hung on the car's windows. Also got some new RCA black-plate 6L6GCs in Altec boxes. Theaters are a good source for vintage audio stuff, especially anything old WE that are like gold now.

I'm guessing that the amps got pitched. One had a burned out power xfrmr. Somebody gave the theater group two Altec Voice of the Theaters and likely the audio system got upgraded.

In the town where I grew up I knew an older guy who was a projectionist at the town's newest, largest movie theater. One evening I got a trip to the projection booth. As memory serves, they had a rack of 8 big RCA tube amps for the multi-track audio extravaganzas. The theater closed then became a dance place like a disco, and then an event center. I often wonder about conning my way into the projection booth again to see what remains there. Maybe nothing, or maybe 8 old RCA amps that are way outmoded, being tubed....

Chris Campbell

Those big old RCA tube theater amps are super-sought after especially by Asian audio-crazies who will pay astronomical sums for them. Replacing pwr xfmrs are not a big deal, it's the outputs that are tricky.