At the time of dissolution, RDR was owned by Bogue Electric. It is likely that at some earlier time, RDR quit the "clandestine radio" business, and sold its name and assets to Bogue. Then when Bogue no longer wanted to support the RDR name, it dissolved it.

The civil activity was done at Jersey City, NJ. Three chassis designs have been identified, and were sold under five model numbers (500, 501, 504, 508, and 900). The first of these was designed in early 1946, and the third in early 1948. The first chassis is a very conventional 5-tube design, in two variants with either octal or loktal tubes.

The two later chassis designs are simpler 4-tube styles, and were packaged as 'novelty' radios. The model 504 was in the shape of a large whiskey bottle, using the bottle's cap as the on/off/volume control. Models 508 and 900 are in the shape of a root beer keg; the 900 also having a lamp socket and lamp shade on top.

The Magic-Tone radios are electronically very ordinary, simple designs. Considering that RDR already had much experience building expensive and sophisticated equipment for the OSS, why would RDR dabble in commercial "novelty radios"? At about the same time as the "root beer keg" radio, RDR would have been starting work on parts of the RS-1 set, and the large RT-4 transmitter. Perhaps the Magic-Tone products were a 'cover' activity, to hide their work on secret CIA projects. The simple Magic-Tone designs would not have been much of a distraction to RDR engineers that spent most of their time on much more "serious" work.

The first type of Magic-Tone set, which has a conventional wood case, may have actually been intended to generate revenue for RDR, since 1946 would have been somewhat of a 'recession' in the spy radio business. No further orders were coming from OSS, and the CIA would not be formed until the following year.
[Peter McCollum}