Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum
Hugh Hetherington Hearing Aid Museum

The Hearing Aid Museum

Hearing Aids of all types—Ear Trumpets, Carbon Hearing Aids, Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids, Transistor Hearing Aids, Body Hearing Aids, Eyeglass Hearing Aids and much more!

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Click on the "General Information" button (top button above) for an overview and general information on this category of hearing aid.

 

Carbon Hearing Aids: 1900-1939

Sonotone Model 505 Carbon Hearing Aid

The Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid was manufactured in 1938 by Sonotone International, Inc. of New York.

This hearing aid is configured as a bone conduction aid.

Without the battery, it weighed 6.5 oz. (186 g).

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Back

 
Front view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone. This microphone measured 3" (7.6 cm) in diameter and ¾" (2.0 cm) thick.

This Sonotone microphone was made out of faux tortoiseshell and was a beautiful translucent reddish color, especially with the light shining through it.

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Close-up view of the center of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone showing the Sonotone stylized "S" logo. The mic grill consists of 2 sets of 3 grooves (above and below the logo) with a tiny hole at the end of each groove.

The main entrance for sounds going into this microphone wasn't these 6 tiny holes, but slots around the circumference of the microphone (see below).

 

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Close-up of the side of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon microphone showing the microphone slots around the periphery of the microphone.

There are two main slots—one on each side and two short slots at the bottom. The volume control slot at the top also serves as a sound entrance to the microphone.

 

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Close-up of the bottom edge of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone showing where the 3-pin battery cable/bone conductor transducer cord plugged into the 3-pin socket (shown unplugged).

Note that the bottom pin is smaller in diameter than the other two so you can't plug it in "wrong".

 

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Close-up of the bottom edge of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone showing the 3-pin battery cable/bone conductor transducer cord plugged into the 3-pin socket.

Note the short slot to let sound in to the microphone immediately to the right of the plug. There is another short slot on the left side too.

 

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Close-up of the top front edge of the Sonotone Model 505 microphone showing the sliding volume control rheostat in the "off" position.
 

 

 

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Close-up of the bottom front edge of the Sonotone Model 505 microphone showing the sliding volume control rheostat in the "off" position (this picture is upside down to the one above). Notice the line (groove) just above the control that starts there and goes to the right. This is the tail end of the volume level arrow.

 

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Close-up of the top front edge of the Sonotone Model 505 microphone showing the sliding volume control rheostat in the "loudest" position.
 

 

 

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Close-up of the bottom front edge of the Sonotone Model 505 microphone showing the sliding volume control rheostat in the "loudest" position (this picture is upside down to the one above). Notice the arrowhead just above the sliding control indicating the loudest position.

The volume control slot also acts as a way for sound to get to the microphone.

 

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Rear view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone showing the pocket clip (top) and the manufacturer's data in the circle in the center.


 

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Close-up rear view of the center of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid microphone showing the manufacturer's data.

It reads, "Sonotone" and "Reg. U.S.P.O." In the center is the serial number "248638". Below it, "Made in U.S.A." and "Elmsford, N. Y."
 

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Top view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid carbon amplifier showing the Sonotone name (center).

This carbon amplifier was heavy for its size at 2.4 oz (70 g). It measured 2 3/16" x 1 5/16" x 1 1/16" (5.6 x 3.4 x 2.7 cm).

 

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Right end view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid carbon amplifier showing the microphone cable jacks. Note that the left hole is larger than the other to prevent the plug being inserted backwards.

 

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Right end view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid carbon amplifier showing the microphone cable plug and corresponding jacks.


 

 

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Right end view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid carbon amplifier showing the three-pin microphone cable plugged in.


 

 

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Bottom view of the Sonotone Model 505 hearing aid carbon amplifier. The two pins either plugged into a battery case such as was used with the Sonotone Model 400 carbon hearing aid, or plugged directly into the top of a battery such as the 3-volt Sonotone Model X42 battery, or the higher-powered 4½ volt Sonotone X65 battery.

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Close-up of the bone-conduction transducer showing the pins and jacks (unplugged). Note that the left pin and jack are smaller than the right ones.

This bone conduction transducer was quite small compared to earlier models. It measured 1 3/16" x 11/16" x ½" (3.0 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm) and weighed 0.4 oz. (12 g).

Just above and between the jacks is the number 4. (You can see it faintly in the larger picture.)

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Right side and front view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid bone conduction transducer showing the cords plugged in (left).

The flat side (bottom) was held tightly against the mastoid bone behind your ear by a headband (missing).

 

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Right side view of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid bone-conduction transducer with the inscription, "Pat. Re. 20896".

The hole in the center (there is a corresponding one on the other side) is for attaching the gimble bracket of the headband.

 

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The headband and gimble bracket of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid is missing. This picture shows a similar headband and gimble bracket for the Sonotone Model 451 carbon hearing aid. This headband wouldn't fit the Model 505 transducer as the gimble bracket is too large to fit the smaller Model 505 transducer.

 

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View of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid in its carrying case.


 

 

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View of the inside top left corner of the carrying case lid of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid. The inscription reads "Sonotone Audicle". The line below reads, "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off."

 

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Bottom view of the carrying case of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid showing the inscription, "Made in U.S.A.".

 

 

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Outside view of the carrying case of the Sonotone Model 505 carbon hearing aid.

The case measured 6 3/16" x 4¾" x 2 1/16" (15.7 x 12.0 x 5.3 cm).

 

 



 

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