Fisher Dynamic Noise Suppressor Wide Range Amplifier

[dusty-rhodes]

I just got this Fisher Dynamic Noise Suppression Wide Range Amplifier and haven't been able to find any information on it except this:

http://www.deviantsynth.com/2007/09/10/

I did get the amp chassis with mine, as well as a Fisher Volume Expander. The Volume Expander might be an SA-1. There is a partial hang tag on one of the leads. The tube compliment in it is a 5Y3, a 6H6, a 6SL7, and a 6SK7. The amp chassis is a plain rack mount face with 4 x 7C5's, a 7A4, and 2 x 5Y3. At least I think it's the amp chassis. Does anyone have any more information on this unit?
Is the information in the link accurate?

Thanks,
Sam

 

[joel27]

Wish I had the answers but that thing is cool.

 

[Jailtime]

Never seen one or heard of one. How about some pics? Lots of folks in this forum can dig up info on the rarest of Fisher gear.

Looks like a prototype to me.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Looks like production-line broadcast gear to me. I don't think they would have screen-printed a prototype so neatly.

 

[TheRed1]

Holy Cow! That's a rare bird. Any chance you could post some photos?

Does anyone have any more information on this unit?

Information on the SA-1 is fairly hard to come by and much of what you find online is inaccurate. It is certainly a very early Fisher chassis dating from at least as far back as 1948 and likely earlier. The arrangement of controls is very similar to those on my '41 Philharmonic Futura K-1 which is a good demonstration of the continuity between Philharmonic and Fisher products immediately before and after the war. I was able to recognize my Philharmonic as an Avery Fisher/Victor Brociner creation primarily because of its similarity to the SA-1.

I believe there were other (perhaps earlier) "S" chassis that would have incorporated a tuner. I found an advertisement for the SA-1 in the NY Times from Feb. 1948 - here is the copy from that ad:

Record Scratch Banished!

BY THIS REVOLUTIONARY INSTRUMENT
NOW AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE UNIT

The Fisher

DYNAMIC NOISE SUPPRESSOR
WIDE RANGE AMPLIFIER

Here, at last, is the music-lover's dream come true - full-range
record reproduction without scratch, without turntable rumble.
Even worn records become as quiet and enjoyable as an FM broadcast!
Formerly available only with a complete radio-phonograph, this equipment
can now be purchased as a separate unit. It can be used as the
core of outstanding sound reporduction, and connected to any type of
record player, radio tuner or speaker; it is worthy of the best of them.
Our own service engineers are available to help you with the installation.
Designed for rack and panel mounting, installation in a console cabinet,
bookcase, or any suitable space.

Outstanding Features

• 
  [*]A man's size amplifier with less than 1% distortion at twenty watts!
  [*]Uniform response from 20 to 20,000 cycles.
  [*]Utilizes any make of crystal or magnetic pickup.
  [*]Push-pull parallel power output.
  [*]Muting circuit eliminates needle landing noise on record changers.
  [*]TWO-chassis construction.
  [*]17 tubes.

PRICE $254.50 - LIMITED QUANTITY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

FISHER RADIO CORPORATION
39A EAST 47TH STREET - NEW YORK

*Licensed under Hermon Hosmer Scott patents pending for
use only in phonograph and phonograph distribution systems.​

You will note that the ad indicates that the SA-1 was "formerly available only with a complete radio-phonograph," which implies that it was introduced earlier than Feb. 1948. It also strikes me as a very early example of a 'component' system. In the same vein, I have been wondering recently if Fisher's R-3 and its predecessors, the R-1 and R-2, weren't among the very first true 'receivers'. They were being advertised - chassis only - for $445 as early as Nov. 1949. Can anyone think of an earlier single-chassis 'all-in-one' receiver?

 

[dusty-rhodes]

Thanks for the great info, TheRed1! I knew someone here would have the scoop. I'll try to take some pictures this weekend and post them. Any idea how long they made this unit? I checked the date code on one of the tubes and it's from 1950. So your pre 1948 makes sense.

 

[TheRed1]

I don't know for certain how long the SA-1 was produced. However, I suspect there was a major redesign 1949-50. That is when the "R" series chassis debuted. I'll have to look closely at the wording of the ads to see what they say about the phonograph-only models. In other words: were the Noise Supressors integral or offered as an option? I'll get back to you on that.

I noticed that you listed 11 tubes which made me double-check the ad to make sure it said 17. I still think it does but there is room for doubt. Fisher would have - for sure - counted the two eye tubes which I don't see among those you listed. Are you sure your tube count is complete? I suppose it's also possible you have a different version with a different tube count. Does yours actually say "SA-1" somewhere on the chassis? Be sure to get a close-up photo of any ID plate on the backs of the chassis.

Also of interest - at least to me - are your 7C5 output tubes. They appear to be a carryover from the later Philharmonic models like mine. Yours having 4 in PPP makes me think that it is a direct descendant of the ELECTRA model which replaced Philharmonic's top-of-the-line LINEAR STANDARD in 1942. Philharmonic had two models: their base model FUTURA and their deluxe model which was originally called the LINEAR STANDARD and later the ELECTRA.

After the war, when Avery Fisher restarted the company under his own name, the two-model lineup continued with the MEDALIST replacing the FUTURA and the ANNIVERSARY model replacing the ELECTRA. Of course, the ANNIVERSARY was a '47 model because Mr. Fisher was using 1937, the year he started the Philharmonic Radio Co., as the founding date for the Fisher Radio Corp. I'm sure that it was all the same company to him.

There may have been other model designations before '47's ANNIVERSARYs and MEDALISTs but I don't have much information on them. The earliest hard data I have on Fisher Radio Corp.'s products is from 1947. There were certainly Fishers from before '47 since they were being written about in Fortune magazine in Oct. 1946 which listed the two Fisher models as S1 and S2. Those may have also been their chassis designations. The 'A' in SA-1 may signify an amplifier-only version of the the S1; it's possible your Fisher may truly be the "Genesis" Fisher.

 

[dusty-rhodes]

The chassis with "The Fisher" on the front has two 6E5's, two 6BA6's, and one each of the following: 6AL5, 6AU6, 6AQ6, 6C4, 12AX7, and 12AT7. So there are 10 in that chassis and 7 in the plain front chassis, for a total of 17. The Volume Expander is a long thin chassis with the 5Y3, 6H6, 6SL7, and 6SK7.There is one knob on the end of this chassis. I'm guessing this is acting as the preamp?

 

[TheRed1]

Wow, it didn't dawn on me until just now when I went back and re-read your first post that you have the 17-tube SA-1 AS WELL AS an undetermined 4-tube EXPANDER chassis. That is extraordinary!

So nothing is marked with any sort of chassis model number? If not, then these are indeed very early Fisher chassis.

I am extremely anxious to see those photos!

 

[dusty-rhodes]

Since you were anxious to see pictures, I took some quick ones. I didn't even clean up the equipment, so they are truly as found. The black spots on the front of the two chassis are tar spots. They will come off. The volume expander has a partial paper tag. The chassis with "The Fisher" on the front looks like it had a paper tag, which is gone. The plain face chassis doesn't have any ID.

 

[TheRed1]

Thank you for the photos which aren't bad for "quick ones". I believe the tag belongs with the other two chassis. Together they comprise the Fisher SA-1. Fisher's Expanders had model numbers like 'X-4'.

It really looks like Fisher took the Philharmonic K-1 chassis; removed the tuner and replaced it with the expander circuit. The transformers look like they might be the same model. I wish I had a Philharmonic Electra chassis to compare it to; I'll bet they're even more closely related.

I went back and reviewed all the early Fisher information I have. There's really not all that much to go on. Fortunately, the advertisements that Fisher ran in the 1940s often list the number of tubes in a particular set - a habit they got out of in the 1950s.

• Oct. '46, Fortune magazine: both S1 & S2 have 23 tubes.
  
• Feb. '47, NY Times: 23-Tube set available installed in very fancy B. Altman furniture - $1375-$2550.
  
• June '47, Washington Post: Fisher console - $1285; Noise Suppressor & Volume Expander available at additional cost.
  
• Sept. '47, Washington Post: 21 tubes plus 2 rectifiers - $1285; Expander - $59.50/Suppressor - $94.50
  
• Oct. '47, NY Times: Fisher consoles $705-$5000 (!); 5-tube Dynamic Noise Suppressor (separate unit).
  
• Oct. '47, NY Times: NEW 26-tube 'The Medalist' model $705-$985. (Tube count may include the 5-tube Suppressor.)
  
• Nov. '47, NY Times: 32-tube model advertised. (May be the 23-tube model plus the 5-tube Suppressor and the 4-tube Expander.)
  
• Feb. '48, NY Times: Models available 26-32 tubes. (Contradicted in the SA-1 ad which specifies 17 tubes.)

Also of interest is this 1947 price list which I copied off of eBay quite a few years ago when an pair of ANNIVERSARY series amps were up for sale. I can't vouch for its authenticity but it looks reasonable to me.

T H E F I S H E R

Price List

Four models have been introduced since the printing of the Fisher brochure on the Anniversary model. These are included in the following current price list of all Fisher Phonograpshs as delivered in Portland.

Anniversary Model*

Chassis only $1034.50
Chandwick cabinet $1134.50
Allegro cabinet $1184.50
Regency cabinet $1259.50
Georgian cabinet $1274.50
Covington cabinet $1459.50

Medalist Model

Chassis only $775.00
Allegro cabinet $925.00
Georgian cabinet $1015.00

Wide-Range Phonograph (Without Radio)

Allegro cabinet $785.00
Georgian cabinet $675.00

Wide-Range Applifier-Suppressor Unit

Chassis only $275.00

Notes:
All models (Except Amplifier-Suppressor Unit) available with Co-Axial Speaker System as listed here: Multi-cellular horn system is $115 extra.

*Anniversary model available without Fisher Dynamic Noise Suppressor for $94.50; all other models include this as standard equipment.

(Prices subject to change)

 

[dusty-rhodes]

More great information! I had no idea on the original prices of Fisher equipment. I also checked out the strand on your K-1. I would have driven 900 miles for that one, too. So your K-1 uses 7C5's as output tubes, too. I think these were used in ham equipment. Most interesting.

 

[TheRed1]

I put this table together to try to visualize the sundry bits and pieces of information contained in all the early Fisher ads I've been able to dredge up. (Television ads were omitted for the sake of clarity.) The chassis data in red are my educated guesses based on fairly sketchy evidence.

Note that the original 23-tube "S" chassis does not include the tube count of either the Suppressor (5) or the Expander (4). However, I believe the entry-level Medalist "K" chassis's 26-tube count probably does includes the 5 tubes of the Suppressor. I believe the Suppressor was an integral part of the Medalist's "K" chassis in the same way it is on the SA-1. The 1947 price list supports this as the note at the bottom indicates that you can't subtract the Suppressor like you can with the Anniversary model.

I am also of the opinion that the 32-tube count of the Anniversary model's "24" chassis probably includes both the Suppressor and the Expander tube counts (totaling 9) which would make it a 23-tube two-piece chassis - as shown in Jonboy55's photo below.

I believe there is also evidence that the "K" chassis had two separate tuning eyes - one for AM and one for FM - similar to the SA-1 but perhaps integrated into the tuning dial. I suspect that chassis' designation may be "K-2" which would be quite similar to the SA-1 but with the addition of a tuner and perhaps only PP 7C5's instead of the SA-1's PPP. I'd like to find one of these to go with my K-1!

Fisher 24B Chassis:

 

[dusty-rhodes]

Simply amazing! So would the "Dynamic Range" (10-24-48) in the chart be the same as the Volume Expander that I have? I see it has 4 tubes also.

 

[TheRed1]

Yes. Actually, I entered "Dynamic Range Expander" but the column wasn't wide enough and it was cut off. Often they were referred to simply as 'Volume Expanders' in Fisher's advertising. The 6-26-47 and 9-6-47 ads are the earliest mentions I have found. They are both local advertisements (Washington, DC) from an upscale department store called Woodward & Lothrop which appears to have been one of the first retailers to offer Fisher products outside New York City.

June 26, 1947 - Woodward & Lothrop, 10th 11th F and G Streets, Washington, DC:

You Are Cordially Invited to Meet Mr. Avery R. Fisher, Founder and President of Fisher Radio Corporation here today, 1 to 3:30 o'clock introducing his new noise suppressor and volume expander.

Mr. Fisher, whose life's work has been custom-building fine radio-phonographs, will be in our Fourth Floor Radio Galleries to answer any questions you may have concerning radio or phonograph . . . explain the advantages of a Fisher radio-phonograph. Through Mr. Fisher's engineering skill and foresight the Fisher radio-phonograph today embodies refinements and beauty seldom found in any instrument of this type.

Sept. 6 1947:

"The Georgian" by Fisher

A radio-phonograph "custom built" under the personal supervision of Avery R. Fisher . . . with an interest in musical reproduction that is a scientific profession, and a personal hobby . . . like every Fisher, the Georgian is a superb instrument, of such simple design that repairs and changing of parts are easily accomplished. We invite you to hear the Georgian, for concert-hall fidelity, for full-range sound reproduction.

The Georgian - 37½" high, 41" wide, 19¾" deep with multi-cellular speaker, surface-noise suppressor, free-floating Garrard changer, 21-tubes, two rectifiers. Cabinet of fine mahogany veneers . . . $1,265

Volume expander . . . . . . . . $59.59

Noise Suppressor . . . . . . . . $94.50

In Washington the Fisher is available only at Woodward & Lothrop.

Correction: In my post above I advanced the theory that the 32-tube Fishers were probably the 23-tube Anniversary model with the addition of the 5-tube Noise Suppressor and the 4-tube Volume Expander. However, in the '47 Fisher catalog it specifically states that the Anniversary model is a 24-tube, two-piece, cadmium-plated AND baked-enamel coated chassis. So that theory doesn't hold any water.

 

[buglegirl]

Hiya,

I am still strucked by how E.H. Scott looking the Early Fishers were. That is close to a E.H. Scott Metropolitan.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=203873

And no I am not saying Fisher was being a copy cat. Although at the end of the war with all the turmoil swirling with Mr. Scott I can see where a void was being forecast in the high end market.

Sorry for the thread wander. I just find this fascinating as I have E.H. Scott stuff here and have always been in awe of it.

Frannie

 

[dusty-rhodes]

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery?

Sam

 

[Chris Wall]

Based off the pics from this old thread looks like I have a similar find. I think there is a cabinet that goes with it also, will have pics of it tomorrow. Can someone help me identify what this is. Let me know what additional pics or details I can get to help confirm the identity.

 

[TheRed1]

The two large chassis on the bottom of the rack comprise Fisher's SA-1 model Amplifier/Noise Suppressor. You also appear to have one of Fisher's early Dynamic Range Expanders mounted to the right of the Amplifier chassis on the bottom in a set-up much like Dusty's. The tuner, while very intriguing, is almost certainly not a Fisher.

As far as I can determine based on Fisher's advertising, the SA-1 was only offered briefly in 1948. It appears to have been a victim of that era's latest home entertainment fad: Television. Fisher struggled to survive those years, putting their wartime experience with radar to use developing their own TV tech. But Avery Fisher's heart was never in it. He hated the whole concept of TV and returned the company's focus to Hi-Fi as soon as he was able.

The SA-1 is among the few Fisher chassis for which I have been unable to find a schematic. Based on the tube compliment Dusty found in his, it probably has much in common with Philharmonic's pre-war K-1 Futura chassis and perhaps the post-war Medalist K-series chassis. The control layouts are nearly identical. I do have a schematic for the K-1 if you would like to use it as a jumping off point for a restoration. The amplifier sections are likely closely related.