Amplifier used as part of a DJ setup: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A Phase Linear 400 amplifier. The amplifier has a brushed aluminum front plate with two cut-outs for volume unit (VU) meters. The front plate has black cursive text at the top and center that reads: [Direct Coupled Solid State Amplifier / Phase Linear / 400 / Four Hundred Watts R.M.S.]. Black print text found below the meters reads: [CHANNEL ACHANNEL B / POWER LEVEL]. The back of the amplifier is black metal with five sections created by metal pieces extending from the back of the machine. To the far proper left of the back there are four plastic dials, white, black, and red in color, in a vertical row. Underneath the dials there is a metal input and a metal output, both silver in color. On the side of the panel to the right of the dials, yellow text and diagrams that indicate the purpose of the dials and the input and output. Inside the next section to the right of the last, there is a caution message in white text. To the far proper right of the back there is a power cord at the top and a metal plate that gives the serial number, model and power information. The information reads: [Phase Linear / SERIAL NUMBER 1490 / MODEL 400 / MAX POWER IN 750 WATTS / AC VOLTS 117 50 TO 400 HZ / U.S. PATENT 3,727,148 / MADE IN U.S.A / PHASE LINEAR CORP. / LYNNWOOD, WASHINGTON]. There is a yellow and red sticker below the plate.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1970s
• Manufactured by: Phase Linear, American, founded 1970
• Used by: Angelo T. King, American, born 1959
• Type: amplifiers
• Medium: metal and plastic with aluminum
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 7 × 19 × 11 in., 28 lb. (17.8 × 48.3 × 27.9 cm, 12.7 kg)
• Place used: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place made: Lynwood, Snohomish County, Washington, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Object number: 2012.47.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Angelo T. King / The Original DJ Tony Tone AKA Tony Crush of The Cold Crush Brothers
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.