Its advertising still
referred the "volume fad"— anything that diverged from
Edison's conception the phonograph was likely called a
fad. One
year after Victor had crossed the Rubicon 1925, the louder
Edison dance reproducer was announced. competitor had again taken the technological
initiative. The experience the
phonograph the 1920s shows that this was longer present
in the R&D effort. was being beaten the marketplace more innovative
company. was follower rather than leader in
phonograph technology, lagging behind key innovations such
as electrical recording and universal reproducer, and had
paid the price the marketplace. the other hand, Victor
had wasted time responding the challenge radio,
quickly producing new phonograph and radio and rushing them
into production. These new products exploited the public
acceptance the Victrola while making that technology
obsolete! burst innovation the mid 1920s gave Victor an
opportunity reclaim much their phonograph market.^® Edison's plan for the West Orange laboratory lay in
speed, flexibility, and control.XIII-23
development universal reproducer and the manufacture of
lateral cut records, but little was done. Only the control remained. TAE Inc.^ When the Brunswick
record company came with universal reproducer— that would
play any record— quickly gained large section the
market.
Edison was now technological conservative, and TAE
Inc.
