THE PRESTO HISTORY PAGE
PRESTO AMPLIFIER EQUIPMENT
The Presto 85A, B & E amplifier. This
is
The model 88A was the first hi power model
one of the original designs, and
remained
built exclusively for use in disk recording. It had 4
basically unchanged through the life of
the
807's in push pull output, and developed 60 watts
company. The E model had manual controls
of
power. The VU meter was not original equipment.
for EQ, whereas the 85A did not. The
85B
This amp sold for $290, pre-war.
was a rack mount version. Early designation
of this amp was the EU7 and EU7E. the
85E was $290 in 1941, and $345 in 1947.
PRESTO 92A 60 watt amp. The 89A
amp
The last amp built by PRESTO, the A93.
and the 41A limiter were similar in appearance. This
replaced
the 92A in July, 1955. It was a
The 92 and 89 replaced the 88 in
1950.
30
watt model, and had provision for the automatic
The 89A was a 25 watt model. the 41A
was
EQ unit if installed on the lathe. The price in
a program limiter. The 1950 price for
the
1955 was $345.
92A was $395, and $300 for the 89A.
This is the amplifier rack that went with
The
90A and 90B amps were possibly the first
the Model A and B 2 turntable
units.
mixer/consoles built exclusively for disc recording.
It contained a radio tuner, two
85B
The 90 could double for a remote location broad-
amps, 3 channel mixer, power
supply
cast mixer. The 90B had provisions for the auto-
and patch panel. The price for
the
matic Diameter EQ, whereas the 90A did not.
200A was $1645, pre 1941
price.
The 90A was priced at $505, and was introduced
the 200 B contained only one
amp,
in 1947 and remained current in the line. The 1950
and was priced at
$938.
price
for the 90B was $595.
This is the automatic diameter equalizer, which could be installed
on the 6N, 8N, 8D, 8DG, and
the 8GV lathes. It sold for $215 for a single unit, and $335
for dual tables. In recording at
33 1/3 there is progressive loss of the higher frequencies as the
radius
of the groove becomes
smaller, and the linear speed of the record past the needle
becomes
slower. The PRESTO
EQ holds the input to the head at a constant level while
continuously
boosting the frequency
response. The advent of the hot stylus basically reduced the
above problem, and many of these
units were discarded. In 1950 the price was $257 and
$400.
The 161 equalizer for the 90B
and 92A was $105.
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