# Orpheum Theatre Memphis



## cavecom (May 22, 2011)

I know how you guys love seeing gear from when men were men and didn't need any sissy guards around the equipment, so here goes...:wheelchair:

I'm not sure but I'd bet all of this would still work if it were cleaned up!! 

The door is the most photographed by the Broadway chorus boys who visit. They must love fully enclosed Wurlitzer fan motors. Who knew?


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

The amplifier looks like mid to late 30's design. Only about 25 watts. Is that when the rest of the equipment was installed?


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## EBFD6 (Aug 17, 2008)

You can call me immature, but the sign on the door actually made me laugh out loud.


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## cavecom (May 22, 2011)

retiredsparktech said:


> The amplifier looks like mid to late 30's design. Only about 25 watts. Is that when the rest of the equipment was installed?


 Orpheum was built in 1928, nobody around anymore from that time period, and no records on the equipment. I'm sure the swichgear is original. Saw a picture of the generator that was in the basement, 12 foot tall monster. Unfourtunatly, it was dismantled and removed to make way for an air handler.


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

*I can name those amps....*










Those are International Projector Corporation amplifiers, part of an early sound film setup. Put fresh capacitors in those amps, check the tubes and they will still work and sound great. 

There was quite a bit of competition back then between IPC and Western Electric for sound film systems. As well as several sound-on-film formats (Movietone, GE's Pallophotophone, Phonofilm) and the sound-on-disc (Vitaphone, Vocafilm). Today's DTS digital sound is a modern version of the Vitaphone system, where a cd-rom and timecode reader reading impulses on the film replaced the old system of a mechanical turntable coupled to the projectors and lacquer discs.


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