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Topic: Philips/Norelco tube amplifiers

Doug Eisemann
Film Handler

Posts: 21
From: Douglassville, PA
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 03-03-2003 11:31 AM

I don't believe I have posted anything on the forum in over a year, mainly because I am not directly involved in the cinema industry, but I was hoping someone might be able to help me out. I am a fanatic about old cinema sound gear and try to rescue as much of it as possible before it goes in the dumpsters of the dumpsters of the few theaters that still were using their old Altec or IPC/Simplex sound system and have modernized.
I have a friend who returned from Europe with a number of cinema amps built by Philips (aka Norelco) in the late 1940's, some using all European style tubes, but with no clear model numbers.
I was hoping some theater techs around here with European connections might be able to help me find some sort of documentation for any antique Philips cinema sound gear. I do collect german Klangfilm equipment, which has some resources available, but no such luck with this antique Philips equipment.

Thank you for any help
Sincerely Doug Eisemann

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 03-03-2003 11:51 AM

Hey Doug,

We had three Norelco rack mount amps with the four push-pull tubes mounted perpendicular to the face plate -- very distinctive looking units. They were incredibly stable and real work horses. One of them was used for background music playback in the theatre complex (they have 70v output taps) and we just took it out of service last year; it had never been turned off since 1974!! I don't know how many model amps Norelco made made back then, but I will try to find the manual and schematic for the ones we have and if they are the same amps, then I'll be happy to send you a copy of it.

We also had a mixing console they manufactured and a massive electronic organ in the big theatre. The organ used all Norelco parts (same modular design and many interchangable components as their mixing console modules)

Frank

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Doug Eisemann
Film Handler

Posts: 21
From: Douglassville, PA
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 03-03-2003 12:45 PM

Thanks for the help. It sounds as though the amps you have (had) are a little newer than what I was thinking, but info on those might be very helpful as well. I have a Philips rackmount amp that sounds similar. It uses a very distinctive construction style, and European output tubes that must have an extremely long life since they seem to be the originals. The rackmount was built in the Netherlands, while another philips mixer amp I have was made by Philips of Canada, but shares a lot of components.
My friend's amps that I am trying to find info on must be from the late 40's and are a distinctive style quite like the IPC/simplex AM-1000 series of tube amps, with a traditional chassis and a small meter and control panel mounted at the front. Apparently built for cabinet mounting as the amps "plug in" with the use of large multi pin connectors integral with the back of the chassis. Most likely pre-70mm Norelco.
Again, thanks for any help as this is a really obscure request. I might have to use my German and take it up on a European film forum.

Sincerely
Doug Eisemann

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