[Hallicrafters] Communications Receivers - why speakers separate?

[Peter VK6PM]

I've been chatting with some younger amateurs on a local net, and the question of why communications receivers did not come supplied with built-in loudspeakers emerged.

Some of the younger guys reckon that  it appears to be at the outmost extremity of "stinginess" that you would have to buy the speaker separately.

Historically, broadcast receivers from the crystal set era onwards came with a built in loudspeaker.

I shot down the argument that it was just USA companies (which was the original beef, aimed at the Lafayette HA-600), pointing out that Eddystone (UK) STC and Kingsley (Aust) also followed the practice.

Does anyone have any ideas on this one? I don't have any sensible answers for the young blokes.

Regards

Peter VK6PM

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