Hello ! You are tuned to :
The largest Old Radio & Phonograph site in central France
This site was founded in 1997, in the early days of the internet and originally consisted of six pages displaying some phonographs and antique radios. Then a commercial section was added. Then many personal pages (not necessarily related to the subject) came and my 100 MO space was full. I could only display an abridged version of the virtual museum online. Hence the creation of a CD ROM (now an obsolete format) for the complete version.
Now, thanks to a new web host with much more space, I can at last present the complete version with all its photos and sounds. Enjoy !
QUICK TOUR : Follow this sign to see the best exhibits without wasting time and getting lost in the museum !PHONO : A few phonographs and gramophones: cylinder and disk machines from 1900 to 1930. With many sound samples.
RECORDS : The history of 78 rpm records. From Berliner's early flat discs to picture discs of the fifties...
HI FI IN 1900 : An example of high end audio in 1900 with a very rare Concert cylinder recently found. With a step by step demo of audio restoration. (not yet translated )
THE MP3 JUKEBOX :Some rare century old recordings that you will not find anywhere else !
EARLY RADIOS : The age of Wireless: A selection of early crystal radios and valve radios of the twenties. The kind that were used to hear the Eiffel Tower radio concerts !
LEON DELOY 8AB : A tribute to a French pioneer of Short Waves and Ham Radio in the early twenties (in French only)
PHILIPS RADIOS: The Philips Gallery. From 1928 on, radios look more civilized with the beginning of mass production. The sets become more "user friendly" and fit better into the home lounge. Philips radios are very much sought after for their design and remarkable technology.
MODERN RADIOS: Radios of the plastic age. After World War II, some constructors developed a high creativity in radio design. Here are some of the last brilliant Art-déco creations that bakelite and plastics made possible.
ANTIQUE RADIO FAQ : A few frequently asked questions.
PHONO FAQ : A few frequently asked questions.
YOUR OWN VIRTUAL MUSEUM : How to make your own virtual museum in 5 minutes ! Some advice on photography and the creation of web pages.
PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES : The photographic Archives of the Museum . Nearly 300 photos of gramophones, telephones, radios and more...A huge documentary source.
LINKS : If you enjoyed the visit, there is a large number of sites about old radios and talking machines.
THE ONLINE SHOP : Everything for the phono and radio collector available here. Mail order service. Paypal accepted.
ELECTRICAL PLAYBACK OF OLD RECORDS : Stop ruining old records with steel needles ! Your collectible 78's should be played on modern equipment.ELECTRICAL PLAYBACK OF CYLINDERS : Get incredible sound from your old cylinders. How to adapt an electrical pickup to your old cylinder machine.
AUDIO RESTORATION : How to improve the sound of old recordings with a sound processing software. A small demo in 5 steps.
CHATEAUROUX 1910 : Life in a small French town at the beginning of the century. A few photos of astounding quality shot around 1910 on 9 x 12 cm negatives glass plates. Just like sound recording, photography is another desperate and sublime attempt of Man to stop the flow of Time...
DEOLS, MY HOME TOWN : A short description of my home town's historical and natural wealth. A town with a discreet charm, revealed only to those who can see...With an introduction in English.
WONDERS OF THE CREUSE VALLEY : A small slide show. A nice walk around Crozant, one of the finest beauty spots in my area.
WONDERS OF THE BRENNE : Another small slide show. A walk into the "Brenne Parc Naturel Régional", our beautiful land of 1000 lakes.
CLASSICAL MUSIC OF THE XX th CENTURY : A quest for modernity....Discover the music of the past century ! 12 essential works with an introduction in English and short Real Audio extracts !
POETICAL WORKS: For the first time on the Web or anywhere else, here are at last the poems of this unfairly unrecognized local poet. Discover a new aspect of the XX th century poetry.
PROSE WORKS: A few short stories about antique radio and my region.
GABRIEL FAURE, THE GREATEST FRENCH MELODY WRITER A tribute to Gabriel Fauré, one of my favourite composers. With 11 different versions of one of his greatest hits "Les Berceaux" (The Cradles)
COSMOLOGICAL RUMINATIONS 1 Why the Universe ? 2 Is there life elsewhere ? 3 Is Star Trek possible? 4 Can we travel in Time ? 5 Getting rid of astrology 6 The Big Bang : a hopeless theory 7 Light on black holes 8 A bit of geometry 9 The true shape of the Universe 10 Cyclical Time 11 Does matter exist? 12 Spirit in the Universe 13 Does God play dice ? 14 Cosmology and oriental mysticism 15 Back to earth.....
BIRDS OF MY GARDEN A few common species observed in Déols, central France