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VV 9-15 / VE 9-15

RARITY: ¤¤¤   VALUE:  ¤¤ 

The VV 9-15 was a premium radio/phono combination machine introduced in the fall of 1926. It featured an RCA-produced Radiola Model 28 radio (RCA's best set) and Victor's Orthophonic phonograph with a medium-sized "folded" (re-entrant) horn.  A small electromagnetic driver was coupled to the neck of the horn, which allowed the radio's output to be heard with excellent volume and fidelity. The user would then switch a large valve to change the horn's input from the radio to the acoustic tone-arm when records were played. These sets were intended for the early audiophile who wanted the most advanced sound system that was available at the time. These components were enclosed in an elegant walnut cabinet.
The 9-15 was a upgraded replacement for the Florenza model, which had been discontinued a few months earlier. While the 9-15 used the same cabinet as the Florenza, the Radiola 28 in the newer set was a big improvement over its predecessor.  The 9-15 lacked an AC power adapter, meaning that the radio set must operated by a large contingent of batteries; therefore the 9-15 was a good choice for homes where AC power was not yet readily available. The phonograph motor was spring-wound; buyers could opt for an AC-powered motor (VE 9-15) for $35.00 extra. However, even if the phonograph motor was electrically-powered, the radio still required the use of dry-cell batteries.
The 9-15 sold new for $600.00, which equates to approximately $8,800.00 in today's money.  Due to the high price, not many of these machines were sold, and they quickly became obsolete with the introduction of the vastly improved performance of paper-cone speakers in 1927.  While this model is very rarely found today, the cost of restoration of these early and complex combination sets limits the interest of most collectors in the current market.
An estimated total of 850 VV 9-15's were produced, and all were manufactured during the final few months of 1926. 1,400 electric-powered (VE) versions were also made. These models remained available at dealers well into 1927, but were likely being discounted by that time.

The current survival database shows the earliest existent VV 9-15 to be S/N 520 and the latest to be S/N 1341.    

The earliest existent VE 9-15 (electric) is S/N 505 and the latest is S/N 1777

Do you own a Victrola 9-15? Please take a moment and enter some basic information about your machine into the collector's database by clicking here. No personal information is required.