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Now it's stereo all the way
Page 63
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• Last week a demonstration of a coach fitted out for stereo entertainment was mounted by Radiomobile Ltd, with the cooperation of Mr Ernie Harrington, managing director of Wrens Coaches (1965) Ltd.
The vehicle employed was a Ford R226 with Duple Viceroy body from Wrens' fleet, which was already equipped with normal radio and public address equipment, incorporating the usual loudspeakers mounted in the central roof panels. A Radiomobile Model 103S eight-track stereo tape player has been fitted above the windscreen at the front of the coach and four speakers fitted on baffles between the parcel rack and the cant rail on each side of the coach. The nearside speakers pick up the left track and the four offside speakers the right track.
An advantage of the system is that the hand microphone can be plugged in at any time to enable the driver or courier to speak to the passengers, and the driver can also switch to normal radio relayed through the central speakers. A wide range of stereo cartridges is available, and the coach operator can select the type of entertainment likely to interest his particular party.
During the demonstration run from Earls Court through some of the West London suburbs the full effect of the stereo player and equipment could be analyzed. This was to give individual passengers a chance to listen to the music or entertainment if they wished to, and the volume could be controlled to meet the request of the majority of passengers. Switching off one or other of the tracks highlighted the stereo advantage of the equipment.
By comparison, music and singing transmitted from the radio through the conventional speakers seemed extremely flat. Turning up the volume to try to drown a babble of conversation simply increased the noise inside the coach and it was extremely difficult to listen to any speach on the radio.
On the other hand, it was possible to hear the stereo music or speach very easily even above the noise made by other passengers or any noise from the vehicle itself. Furthermore, the stereo entertainment is free from outside interference which can interrupt normal radio reception.
The cost of equipping a coach with a Radiomobile Stereo 8 player depends partly on the coachwork, but works out on average at about .£100 including the eight speakers. The equipment is supplied by Radiomobile Ltd, Goodwood Works, North Circular Road, London NW2.