VM Corporation - Present

Present

In September 1998, the service parts and technical files were transferred to the care of V-M Audio Enthusiasts at the website shown below, for the benefit of V-M owners everywhere. The revival of "vinyl" (records) and tube audio in recent years has sparked a renewed interest in quality built, easy-to-service V-M products, and the internet has facilitated buyers and sellers getting together. V-M Corporation remains a registered corporation in Michigan but no longer manufactures equipment. Its ex-employees still get together twice a year for a pot luck supper in St. Joseph, Michigan.

VM Corporation (Voice of Music), from the late 1950s through 1967, was the world's largest record changer manufacturer. Most of its record changer production was sold to original equipment manufactures (OEM). At the request of the original equipment manufacturers, VM record changers were not labeled with the "Voice of Music" trademark. Record changers sold to original equipment manufacturers were either unlabeled or labeled with the original equipment manufacturer's trademark. Record changers, retailed by VM Corporation, as components, or placed in VM phonographs did, however, have the VM (Voice of Music) trademark placed permanently on the record changer. (Please note: some early 1950s VM record changers, sold to OEM customers, did have the VM (Voice of Music) trade mark placed permanently on the record changer). In the 1970s VM placed the following heading, in large print, on its round record changer paper instruction sheet, placed on top of the turntable platter. The heading stated: "This Record Changer is Manufactured in the United States of America". During the peak years of record changer production, VM Corporation produced more record changers than all other record changer manufacturers in the world combined. In the early 1960s, VM Corporation created a record changer advertisement, placed in an audio magazine. In this advertisement, VM stated that they produced more record changers than all other record changer manufacturers in the world combined. Also, in this advertisement, VM listed their original equipment manufacturers, (customers), by name. BSR LTD, a British record changer manufacturer, in the 1970s, copied the format of this ad. BSR, by the late 1960s and the 1970s, had surpassed VM Corporation, in record changer production, to become the world largest manufacturer of record changers. In several countries, VM record changers were produced under license. Telefunkin, of then West Germany, was an example, of one company, to sign a licensing agreement with VM Corporation, to utilize their record changer technology. As late as 1966, VM produced over three million record changers at its Benton Harbor, Michigan record changer plant. Record changers were sold to OEM customers in two formats; dissembled, requiring final assembly, at a lower OEM cost, or final assembled.