ACOUSTIC CONTROL CORPORATION, ca. 1973 Hello there

The legendary Herculoids -- DJ Kool Herc's earliest surviving sound system.
A pair of Acoustic Research 804 speaker columns graced the rear seat of a white convertible that was the setting for a lengthy interview with Herc in the 1984 BBC documentary, Beat This! A Hip-Hop History.

Herc got his startwith a Shure P.A. system that his father had purchased for a local rhythm and blues act he was sponsoring—and only secured the privilege of using it for hisown parties after he figured out how to rewire it to vastly expand the system's power (in his words, "monster, monster!"). And with that, "Me and my father came to a mutual understanding that I would go with them and play between breaks and when I do my parties, I could use the set…. That's when Cindy asked me to do a back-to-school party." (Chang, pp. 69-70)

As the parties grew in popularity, Herc began investing in new equipment and this Acoustic P.A.system was his first major acquisition–purchased from Sam Ash Music on 48thStreet in late 1973 or early 1974. Like his father's Sure P.A. system, it ha deight channels, which allowed for multiple microphones, but could pose a challenge when switching between records--a problem solved by the purchase of aGLI 3800 mixer with a slider to more easily transition between turntables (see lot 11).