Altec 304A (mid-1950s)

Not much is documented about the Altec 304A outside the mid-1950s hi-fi press. The record shows an AM-FM broadcast tuner, sold as part of Altec Lansing's then-new line of home music components. Period sources place it in circulation from 1954 through at least 1956.

Altec's own advertising in High Fidelity (1956, p.87) showed the 304A next to an AM-only sibling, the 305A. It promised sensitivity, selectivity, and above all stability and freedom from drift. The ad shows a plain panel: on/off, tuning, AM, FM, and FM-AFC positions, with the AM band covering 540 to 1700 kc. Earlier, Audio-Collection (1954, p.139) picked the 304A as the radio tuner in a high-cost system and listed it at $186.00.

Beyond those listings, the Archive has no measured review, no manual, and no confirmed production dates.