Like many phono-enthusiasts whose interests in phonographs and gramophones are very wide, I'm interested in Edison phonographs, Victor Talking Machines, the RCA Victor 45 phonographs and the unique Ristaucrat family of phonographs.  I'm also interested in some business leaders in the phonograph/gramophone industry, specifically Thomas Edison, Emile Berliner, Eldridge Johnson, Charles Sumner Tainter, William Barry Owen and David Sarnoff presented here. 

What is a Phono?

• an instrument that reproduces sound recorded on a grooved disc or cylinder
• record player: machine in which rotating records cause a stylus to vibrate and the vibrations are amplified acoustically or electronically.
• The phonograph also gramophone was the most popular device for playing recorded sound from the late 1870s through the late 1970s. Ok, radio later.

What is a PhonoJack?  

• Phono connectors are the common type of connections between turntables/CD players/tuners/mixers/ amplifiers to link audio products together i.e.: the red & white sockets on the back of all CD players.
• I hope this web site will help make connections between people who want   to research, repair, restore and collect vintage phonographs.    

PhonoJack History

• The word 'phono' found on the RCA phonograph connector is an abbreviation of the word phonograph because the RCA jack was originally used to connect the audio output of a phonograph to its corresponding amplifier input.
• RCA, formerly an initialism for the Radio Corporation of America is now a trademark used by two companies for products descended from their common ancestor, RCA.  Thomson Consumer Electronics which manufactures RCA-branded televisions, DVD players, VCRs/PVRs, audio equipment & accessories and Bertelsmann AG (now Sony BMG Music Entertainment), which owns the RCA Victor and RCA Records record labels.              
• Although many know the name RCA Victor, RCA Corporation was ultimately broken up in the 1970s and sold to General Electric (GE). GE was formed as Edison General Electric in 1889 when Thomas Edison's electric companies were brought together.  Later in 1892 when Edison General Electric merged with its leading competitor Thompson-Houston,  Edison was dropped from the name and the company became known simply as General Electric. We've come full circle as this part of RCA has been absorbed into General Electric.  

What is the scope of the PhonoJack website

• The interest in phonograph related hobby is wide and varied.  The rate of growth in the number of phono-enthusiasts is accelerating as information and trade is more readily available on the Internet and as boomers find more time and money to devote to this fascinating hobby.  I hope to keep this web site a work in progress for a long time.  My key areas of interest are:
• Thomas Alva Edison, the greatest inventor; gave us the phonograph
• Emile Berliner, the inventor of the practical disc gramophone
• Eldridge Reeves Johnson, founder of Victor Talking Machines, RCA Victor
• Charles Sumner Tainter, the father of the Talking Machine, graphophone.
• William Barry Owen, founder of British Gramophone Company
• David Sarnoff, successful businessman, chairman RCA
• Edison spring-wound cylinder phonographs
• Victor spring-wound phonographs and
• RCA Victor 45 RPM phonographs
• Ristaucrat phonographs
• Ristau Brothers

Francis Barraud, William Barry Owen, Emile Berliner and Eldridge Johnson might appreciate my updated version of His Masters Voice.