Showco Equipment & Technology
The equipment behind the shows—and the people who built, maintained, and operated it.
Explore original photographs, product brochures, manuals, and technical drawings from the Showco archive. This collection will grow as more material is identified and added, tracing the equipment’s development through the years.
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Showco S-2500 Owner’s Manual
Original Showco Manufacturing Corporation owner’s manual for the Model S-2500 mixer/preamplifier, including operating instructions, technical information, and a supplement. View the 18-page archival PDF.
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Nakamichi 550 Dual Tracer Brochure
Original product brochure for the Nakamichi 550 Dual Tracer portable cassette recorder, with photographs, features, controls, and specifications. View the six-page archival PDF.
Robert Medley at the Showco yellow mixers at Expo. Event date and location unconfirmed.
Jack Maxson and Rusty Brutsche with Showco modular rack mixers.
Showco mixing console photographed during restoration. Built by Chuck Conrad for Three Dog Night and also used by The Carpenters. Courtesy of Chuck Conrad.
Showco yellow mixers at Dripping Springs.
Showco mixing and rack equipment. Photograph by Carl Dunn.
Showco yellow mixer, 1977.
Showco yellow mixer identification plate, dated April 1977.
Indigo Kretzschmar-May receiving a donated Showco yellow mixer manufactured in April 1977.
Interior of a Showco yellow mixer, showing the channel circuitry and power supply.
Identification plate on the donated Showco yellow mixer, dated April 1977.
Power supply and internal circuitry of the donated 1977 Showco yellow mixer.
Detail of the power supply and wiring inside the donated 1977 Showco yellow mixer.
Channel controls on the donated 1977 Showco yellow mixer.
VU meter and master controls on the donated 1977 Showco yellow mixer.
Showco speaker tower on The Rolling Stones’ 1981 tour.
Showco Prism sound system at Texxas Jam, 1987 — Aerosmith.
Showco lighting console used on David Bowie’s 1978 tour. Jands Pty Limited.
Buford Jones with Showco rack mixers.
Showco Chicago equipment identification plate.
Chuck Conrad at the Showco Superboard.
Craig with a Showco speaker stack.
Surviving Crossroads Audio equipment.
Diane Conrad with a Crossroads Audio speaker prototype.
Showco electrical disconnect.
Showco electrical disconnect — detail.
Showco power distribution panel.
Showco power distribution panel.
Showco equipment panel.
Harrison SM5 mixing console. Photograph by Mark Jay.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
Vintage Showco speaker enclosures and horns in storage. The seller reported purchasing the collection at a Sound Productions auction and described it as equipment used by Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night, and The Who.
James Taylor setup, October 1971: Kevin McNevins, Jock McLean (monitor mixer), and Eric Barrett (lighting designer).
Showco speakers on Led Zeppelin’s 1972 Australian tour.
Showco speakers during soundcheck on Led Zeppelin’s 1972 Australian tour.
Showco mixer on Led Zeppelin’s 1972 Australian tour.
Side view of a Showco mixer on Led Zeppelin’s 1972 Australian tour.
Marantz Model 16 amplifier schematic.
Jack Maxson’s console used by Three Dog Night.
Jack Maxson and Tiny with the Showco console used by Three Dog Night.
Jack Maxson’s console, circa 1972.
Robert Medley at a Showco yellow mixing console, believed to be at the same Billy Graham event shown in the earlier photograph.
Mixing console setup for The Moody Blues.
Peter Asher at the mixing console, 1971.
Showco Prism loudspeaker baffles.
Showco Prism loudspeaker system.
Showco Prism speakers used for a small shed PA system.
Showco equipment rack.
Rusty Brutsche at the Showco Superboard on Led Zeppelin’s 1975 tour. Photograph by Jim Bornhorst.
Showco console at David Bowie’s Universal Amphitheatre tour stop, California, September 1974.
Showco console at David Bowie’s Universal Amphitheatre tour stop, California, September 1974 — detail.
Showco console at David Bowie’s Universal Amphitheatre tour stop, California, September 1974 — another view.
Showco console at David Bowie’s Universal Amphitheatre tour stop, California, September 1974 — console detail.
Showco console at David Bowie’s Universal Amphitheatre tour stop, California, September 1974.
Showco loudspeaker horn.
Showco Maxson mixing console.
Showco preamplifier.
Showco Prism system test at Reunion Arena, 1985.
Showco SD-250405 circuit-board layout - left section.
Showco SD-250405 circuit-board layout - right section with handwritten notes.
The Disco Sound System from Showco - Showco Manufacturing Corporation product literature with 1977 advertising references.
Showco Model 2500 mixer/preamplifier - product sheet.
Showco Model 2500 mixer/preamplifier - specifications.
Showco Pyramid 900 loudspeaker system - cutaway illustration and features.
Showco Pyramid 900 loudspeaker system - specifications.
Showco Pyramid 1000 loudspeaker-system brochure - components, performance, and specifications.
Showco Pyramid 1000 loudspeaker-system brochure - front cover.
Showco Pyramid 1000 loudspeaker-system brochure - interior spread.
Showco Model S-2500 mixer/preamplifier - features and controls.
Showco Model S-2500 mixer/preamplifier - specifications.
💬 Add to the Story
Did you build, maintain, or operate this equipment? Recognize a model, know when it was used, or have photographs to share?
I’d love to hear your memories, stories, corrections, or additional information. Your contributions help preserve The Family Behind the Music.
Every memory shared here helps make the Showco Archives more complete for future generations.
indigo@showcoarchives.com or comment below.