by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
© June, 2017
“As a young salesman, Eugene F. McDonald Jr. hurt his head in an auto accident and became deaf in one ear. When he became the hard-driving boss of Chicago’s Zenith Radio Corporation, one of the biggest US radio-makers of the day, McDonald was shocked at the price of hearing aids.” (1)
He reasoned, “If a complete radio receiver sold for only $29.00, why should a simple amplifier (only part of the radio) cost more than six times as much?” McDonald thought he could “produce hearing aids as cheaply as radios and make them a profitable side line.” (1) And that is exactly what he did.
The Ravox was the first hearing aid the Zenith Radio Corporation made. This 5½ pound, 3-vacuum-tube table-model hearing aid came out in 1939. It was not battery operated, but plugged into a standard wall socket. Thus, it was not portable, but had to be used in one place—wherever you had a source of power. This unit sold for $29.50.
Three years later, in 1942, Zenith came out with its second hearing aid. This hearing aid was a wearable hearing aid—the 2-piece, 2-vacuum-tube Radionic Model A2A. It sold for $40.00. This was at a time where hearing aids typically cost $150-$200. No wonder Zenith hearing aids quickly became one of the most popular hearing aid brands made at the time. In fact, McDonald boasted this second model ”made Zenith the world’s biggest producer of hearing aids”. (1)
Two-piece hearing aids consisted of the hearing aid itself (the first piece) connected to a battery pack (the second piece). Typically the battery pack just consisted of two batteries into which the battery cables plugged.
All vacuum-tube hearing aids required two batteries—a 1½ volt “A” battery and a high-voltage “B” battery. The Zenith Radionic models used 45 volt “B” batteries.
Two years later, in 1944, the Zenith Radionic A2A was followed by the more-powerful 3-vacuum tube Radionic A3A. The price of the A3A climbed to $50.00.
Then in 1947, Zenith came out with their first 1-piece hearing aid. One-piece hearing aids had much smaller batteries—small enough to fit inside the hearing aid case itself. Zenith’s first 1-piece hearing aids was their Model 75. It was a 3-vacuum tube hearing aid and sold for—guess what—$75.00! (Occasionally, hearing aid manufacturers made the price the model number.)
In March, 1948 “McDonald was sure he had finely tuned in on his market. He announced that Zenith’s hearing-aid division had chalked up a handsome profit, though he was mum on the figures (they ‘were too good to say anything about to competitors’].”
The new Zenith Model 75 weighed only 9 ounces. With the arrival of the Model 75, Mr. McDonald bragged of a “new revolution in hearing aids”. Furthermore, by selling it via mail-order, McDonald hoped to tap “a huge market which he considered sadly neglected.” (1)
Between 1948 and 1952, Zenith produced a few more 1-piece vacuum tube models. Then in 1953, Zenith came out with its first all-transistor hearing aid, the Zenith “Royal T”. 1954 saw the introduction of the smaller Zenith “Royal M”, and in 1955, the Zenith 50 X. The price of these latter two models dropped back to $50.00.
Zenith continued their aggressive policy of producing inexpensively-priced hearing aids for a number of years, thus beating out the
competition. The result was that Zenith hearing aids in the 40s and 50s were probably the most common brand of hearing aids sold, and became a household name in hearing aids. Each aid was stamped on the back, “Zenith, “the royalty of hearing”.
They were good hearing aids too. How do I know? My first hearing aid was the Zenith “Royal M”.
________
(1) Low Tone. In: Time. Monday, March 29, 1948.
I came across one of these recently and at first thought it was a transistor radio. Are they worth anything?
Hi Brenda:
Zenith hearing aids were very popular in the late 1940s and 1950s so they are typically not worth all that much–often around $10.00 and up to around $20.00. But this really depends on the model. Early models can be worth more.
If you look on the back, it should say “Zenith–The Royalty of Hearing” and then under that give the model name. For example “Royal” or “Royal T” or “Royal M” or Crusader, etc., etc. Let me know what you have and I can give you a better estimate of its value.
Cordially,
Neil
what about a ‘Premier’model, s.n 2064661
Hi Virgil:
The Zenith Premier came out later, in 1959.
Cordially,
Neil
I’m curious about the value of a Zenith phone magnet Super Royal T in original box with ear piece.
Hi Lani:
Since Zenith hearing aids were so popular, there are still a number of them around so their value is not all that great. For example, you could expect to get between $10.00 and $25.00 for it on eBay depending who wants it. The Super Royal T was not as popular as the Royal T so maybe you’d get towards the high end of that range.
Cordially,
Neil
I have a phone magnet Royal and a bigger one that is a miniature 75 then they both say the royalty of hearing and they’re both vacuum tube
Hi Ronald:
Beginning with the Zenith Miniature 75 hearing aid that came out in 1949 and continuing right through until 1959 and the Zenith “Premier” transistor hearing aid, almost all the Zenith aids had this tag line inscribed on the back–the royalty of Hearing”.
A number of their hearing aids that had a t-coil installed had the words “Phone Magnet” and a phone symbol on the bottom front. This was just denoting a feature, it was not the Model. In your case, “Miniature 75” and “Royal” were the models.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello Neil,
My grandfather (born 1891) had what I recall was a 2-piece hearing aid – possibly a Zenith. The large piece was about the size of other hearing aids of the period (late-1950’s – mid 60’s). The ear-piece was not placed in the ear, but was attached to one end of a metal band worn across the head, and placed over the bone behind the ear. I have not seen any pictures of such a hearing aid. I used to play with it, and it was incredibly noisy! Any ideas what brand that was, and how it worked? Thanks!
Hi James:
Before I get into answering your questions, just a point on terminology. Two-piece hearing aids are hearing aids where the batteries were external to the hearing aid body. Two piece hearing aids disappeared when they got more efficient tubes and smaller batteries. This occurred between 1946 and 1948.
The earphones or receivers or transducers that went over, in or behind your ears were never considered a separate “piece” in this sense, although truly they are a separate piece.
The hearing aid your grandfather had rather than using a receiver with an earmold attached, used a bone-conduction transducer that had to press firmly on the mastoid bone–the bump behind your ear. It was held there by a headband exactly like you describe.
Bone conduction transducers were you for people that had conductive hearing losses. The sound signal was converted into vibrations in the transducer. These vibrations basically vibrated your skull and thus your inner ear structures letting you hear even though your outer, or more commonly your middle ear wasn’t working properly. They were fairly common during the 30s and 40s, but much less common in the 50s and later.
The major brands of hearing aids at the time–Acousticon, Sonotone, Zenith and others, all had bone-conduction versions.
For example, you can see a 2-piece Acousticon bone conduction hearing aid at https://www.hearingaidmuseum.com/gallery/Vacuum%20Tube/Acousticon/info/acousticona140.htm
The transducer is the dark device on the right. The two plugs on the left were for the external “A” and “B” batteries.
Cordially,
Neil
Neil,
I’m so glad I found some history about these hearing aids that I grew up with. I recognize the Royal M for sure which I had for years. I was born in 1954 with a hearing disability. What I remember s that I had to wear a “bra” to put my aid in the middle of my chest so people will speak to it! I wore only one hearing aid on my left ear through high school days. Just wasn”t cool to be wearing two aids with wires coming up! Lol! I was very active playing sports growing up, especially ice hockey. But one thing that I remember is that the static wire was driving me crazy sometimes trying to hear the teachers in the classrooms.
Since 41 years ago, finally I have hearing aids behind my ears strong enough to get great hearing!
Thank you and stay SAFE!!
John
I have a royal m is it worth anything ?
Hi Lisa:
All hearing aids are worth something–most of them just not much. The Zenith Royal M came out in 1954, and depending on the condition and completeness should bring between $10 and $20.00 or so. The zenith aids of the 1950s were so popular that there are still many around so that keeps the price down.
Incidentally, the Zenith Royal M was my first hearing aid. It’s hard to believe I’ve been wearing hearing aids for 67 years now.
Cordially,
Neil
I used to wear Zenith hearing aids as a kid with profound hearing loss. I wore a harness with a pocket at the center during the 1970’s. Digital hearing aids are the buzz now. That’s history for you. Zenith was a brand of TV’s also.
I have my Grandmothers Zenith hearing aid #0702881. I was wondering if you knew of a museum that has hearing aids so that I can donate it?
Hi Diana:
The Hearing Aid Museum (https://www.hearingaidmuseum.com/) gratefully accepts donations of hearing aids, so feel free to send it there. The address to send it is at the bottom of this page.
Cordially,
Neil
I recently bought a zenith ultra royal model T, in great condition.
Im looking to get it fully working again!
I checked everything, put in new batteries, and im measuring 2.5 volts on the earpiece plug.
Only problem is… I don’t have the earpiece. Do you have any idea what kind of plug would fit into it?
Also, is there circuit diagram, or at least a diagram for the outside parts of the device?
Hi Lucas:
I take it that you don’t have the cord from the hearing aid body to the receiver, nor the receiver. Is that correct. Even if you had that, you’d have to have a hard custom earmold made to hold the receiver in your ear before it would be fully functional.
You can see all the parts and descriptions of the controls, etc. in the Hearing Aid Museum website. The specific page you want is at https://hearingaidmuseum.com/gallery/Transistor%20(Body)/Zenith/info/zenithultraroyalt.htm .
You can see closeups of the earmold, receiver and receiver cord/plugs in the previous model at https://hearingaidmuseum.com/gallery/Transistor%20(Body)/Zenith/info/zenithsuperroyalt.htm .
I can probably find/sell you a cord and receiver for this aid, but used cords are notorious for being discarded due to breaks in the wire giving intermittent operation at best. There are no guarantees that it will work. That would make your hearing aid look complete, but it is problematic whether it would be fully functional.
Cordially,
Neil
I’ve first worn Zenith hearing aids in 1957 at Flint and Muskegon, MI. I remember it costs $75 for it.
Hi Brian:
Cool. I guess the price went up by then because mine in 1954 was only $50.00 and had been for the previous 10 years or so.
Cordially,
Neil
I came across a Zenith 75-X & it still has the original battery in it , just curious on what it could be worth
Hi Jeffrey:
Hearing aids are worth what people are willing to pay for them–and that varies from person to person.
Because Zenith aids were so popular, there are a lot of them still around so people that want them typically already have them in their collections. Thus, this keeps the price low on Zenith aids. Typically, you could get around $15.00 to $30.00 for a Model 75-X if it has all the parts–body aid, receiver, earmold, cord, case and hopefully the instruction book–and battery if it is not corroded. If the battery compartment is corroded, that really affects the price.
Cordially,
Neil
The negative part of the battery is stuck to the spring & everything else is there , but the intruction book is not , I’ll see what I can do about selling it & if not , I’ll just put it back into storage where it will be safe , Thank You for the info , you have a good day