Acousticon A-165 (Super-X-Ear) Vacuum Tube (Wrist-worn) Hearing Aid
The Acousticon A-165 (Super-X-Ear) hearing aid was produced by
Dictograph Products, Inc. of New York in 1950. This is a unique hearing
aid in that it could be worn on the wrist, or alternately as a body aid. It is
the only such hearing aid made.
The Acousticon A-165, although so small actually contained 3 vacuum
tubes. This hearing aid measured
3” by 1⅝” by 1” and was quite heavy for its size—weighing 4˝ oz. without
the batteries.
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The Acousticon A-165 showing the microphone (top), wrist strap (middle)
and receiver and ear mold (bottom) The receiver cord plugged into the
bottom left corner of the A-165.
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The body-worn version of the Acousticon A-165 showing one of the two
pocket clips on the front corner (top). The back corner shows one of the indentations for the pins to
hold the wrist strap in place if you were going to wear it on the wrist. (The other side had
a matching clip and indentation.) |
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The battery compartment of the Acousticon A-165 slides out from the
bottom to reveal the two batteries required to operate this hearing
aid—a 1.4 volt RM-1 mercury
"A" cell (left) and a 15 volt 504 "B"
battery (to right of "A" cell).
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Top view of the Acousticon A-165 showing the top-mounted (removable)
microphone. |
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Top view of the Acousticon A-165 with the removable microphone removed,
revealing the name and model number. The two shiny spring clips (on the
left and right sides) hold the microphone in place. |
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Close-up of the top of the removable microphone. This microphone was x"
x x". |
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The bottom view of the removable microphone. It also had the make and
model number stamped on it. Notice the two slots (left and right sides)
into which the spring clips snap. To remove the microphone, you just
pull/pry it straight up. |
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The Acousticon A-165 showing the external microphone arrangement. The
microphone was removed and snapped on to a remote base. The other end of
the cord snapped on to the top of the hearing aid where the microphone
usually resided. |
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View of the remote microphone cord. The red plug plugged on to the base
plate (upper left), then the microphone (bottom left) snapped on over
it. The other end of the cord had a clip (right) that fitted on the
hearing aid in place of the microphone. |
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Same view as above except showing the red plug plugged into the base
plate. The cord was x" long. |
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The Acousticon A-165 shown being worn on the wrist. The receiver cord
was fed up the arm and out the collar to go to the ear. This hearing aid
was virtually invisible when worn with a suit jacket. The microphone
faced the hand. |
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The Acousticon A-165 in its original case. The remote microphone clip is
on the left. |
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Outside view of the original case for the Acousticon A-165.
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