Elvis Presley
Celebrity System
Often called the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley was a transformative American singer and actor who became one of the 20th century’s most significant cultural icons.
Emerging from Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-1950s, he revolutionized popular music by fusing rhythm and blues, country, and gospel music. This “rockabilly” sound, paired with his high-energy performances and suggestive hip-swivelling, captivated teenagers while simultaneously sparking national controversy.
His impact was monumental:
- Big Screen Presence: Beyond music, he starred in 31 films, further cementing his status as a global superstar.
- Musical Legacy: With over 100 “Top 40” hits, including “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog,” he remains one of the best-selling solo artists in history.
- Cultural Shift: He acted as a catalyst for the rock and roll movement, helping to bridge racial divides in music during a segregated era.
Sadly, Elvis passed away in 1977 at age 42, but his influence continues to define the modern era of celebrity and pop culture.
We have a few photos from Elvis’ home in Memphis. The home is called Graceland and is now a very popular tourist attraction. The house and contents have largely been preserved in the same state as they were when Elvis passed away so you can visit the home if you like.
Here’s a link to the Graceland website: www.graceland.com/
Elvis Presley’s Home Hi-Fi System
Elvis had Hi-Fi systems in a number of locations in Graceland: the TV (Media) Room, Jungle Room, Main Bedroom, and even in his private jet, which was nicknamed the “Lisa Marie” after his daughter. We’re just going to look at his “serious” Hi-Fi system which was located in the racquetball court.
Visitors to Elvis’ racquetball building know the space was designed for much more than just a workout. There were pinball machines, a piano, as well as a fantastic Hi-Fi system.
The setup was designed and installed by Elvis’ longtime recording engineer, Bill Porter. Since Porter was an accomplished engineer, he treated the court like a professional acoustic environment and designed the Hi-Fi system accordingly. The irony, as Porter hinted, was the room itself; racquetball courts are essentially giant echo chambers made of hard surfaces. Cranking up a system that powerful in a room designed for reverb would have been a sonic whirlwind.
From the photo, you can see that the system contains some impressive components. From top to bottom, it included:
- Tandberg TCD300 cassette deck
- Luxman T310 FM tuner
- Crown OC-150 Output Control Console
- Crown IC-150 Preamplifier
- Crown D-150 Power Amplifier
- Crown DC-300R Power Amplifier
We know from the interview with Bill Porter that the speakers were three-way, custom-made systems using Electro-Voice (E-V) drivers, including an 18 inch woofer! Sorry, there is no photo of the speakers, but a likely configuration would include an E-V 18W “Patrician” woofer, T25 horn midrange, and T35 horn tweeter.
All of those products were discontinued years ago, but if you’re interested in the companies that made them, Luxman, Crown, and Electro-Voice are still going strong and building “King worthy” Hi-Fi equipment. Tandberg has gone out of business. Here are links to the three companies websites:
