What ever happended to...................

I had presumed you lived a bit more up-market...............

Don Atkinson posted:

I had presumed you lived a bit more up-market...............

Naah.... I spent it all on hifi. But checking on the cost of living rise in that same  time period, it's about a factor of 10 which would put the effective cost today at £5.5K which is probably about the same place in the market.

Yes, "As safe as houses" still prevails when it comes to long-term investments.....

I think I was 5 years old when I got my dad to buy me a Little Sir Echo record player.

"Little Sir Echo" now that's a new one on me.

Where did they come from and where did they go to ?

ken c posted:

dave marshall posted:

On the OP's theme of "whatever happened to?", my original venture into hi-fi, (well, almost....as above), courtesy of Comet consisted of :

Armstong 521 amp

Garrard 401 / SME turntable

Wharfedale Dovedale speakers

 

Only Wharfedale seem to have survived, which just confirms that there's no accounting for taste! 

 

Dave.

Gosh! that takes me back!

My first 'stereo' system when i was @ Uni...

Audiotronic LA32 (i think) integrated amp (from Lasky's -- whatever happened to them???)

Garrard AP96 record deck (from Lasky's again, i think) with some Shure cartridge

Wharfedale Dovedale speakers -- from Henry's in Edgware Rd (whatever happened to them???)

As i recall, i bought the amp first -- couldnt afford anything else at the time, so i just put the little amp in my wardrobe while i was saving for the other bits. you can see that sacrifice for Hifi started a long time ago 

enjoy

ken

Bit late to the party, however...

Laskys was acquired by the Kingfisher Group and merged with Comet (at least if my memories from 27 years ago are reliable!). 

I worked at Laskys part time for 5 years whilst doing A levels and college.  We found out about the acquisition by hearing about it on the TV news...

Laskys was one of the main factors that got me into hifi.  Once they started making us sell white goods like washing machines, I left.

Don Atkinson posted:

"Little Sir Echo" now that's a new one on me.

Where did they come from and where did they go to ?

In fact the record player was made in Wales I believe and was called a Marks or Marx.  Cost then would have been 60p.   The song I played on it continuously was called Little Sir Echo.   Mum got sick of it and broke the record.

That was my introduction to HiFi.   As I grew older LOL I went on to a Rega Planar2 Acoustic Research Cambridge, better known as Arcam A60 Integrated amp with Heybrook HBO2 speakers.

Then onto Naim.

Kingfisher Group. B&Q......not to be confused with B&O...........

I bought a Pioneer cassette deck from a shop in Tottenham Court Road way back in '74 or '75. It might have been from Laskys, or possibly a place called Lion House ?

Don,

There was indeed a hi-fi shop called 'Lion House' in Tottenham Court Road. It's a store I will never forget.

Back in the early 70s when I was a teenager in the North of Scotland, I always made a point of making the rounds of the Tottenham Court Road shops whilst visiting my brother who worked just outside London. As I was walking out of Lion House, a rather large man who was in deep conversation with a very pretty woman bumped into me on his way into the shop. He apologised, I murmured something like 'it's OK', and walked on. It was only when my brother asked me if I had recognized the man that I turned round for a good look, and realised that the man was Michael Cain and the pretty accompanying him was his wife Shakira.

I got my own first hi-fi from Lasky's in Tottenham Court Road, chosen for me by my brother. A BSR McDonald MP60 turntable with Shure M3DM cartridge, Trio KA2000A amplifier and Lasky's Audiotronic MK X speakers. It doesn't sound like much these days, but I loved that system. It ended up accompanying me to University - both a good and bad thing. Most of my time was spent listening to music or playing football, and not nearly enough studying.

I do, however, have very fond memories of Tottenham Court Road in the early to mid 70s. A wonderful place for a hi-fi nut. 

As well as wandering around Tottenham Court Road, I used to like looking in the hifi shops on Edgeware Road. Not sure what it is like now. I remember buying a pair of (ex dem I think) Mission 770s from Edgware Road. They were the canine's gonads in those days. Previously I bought my first proper (I thought) hifi from Studio 99 (gone now) in Swiss Cottage - a NAD 3020 amp (actually it was the receiver version of the amp) and a Rega Planar 2 with an A&R P77? moving magnet cartridge. Can't for the life of me think what speakers I had back then. Old age I guess.

Then moved on to a Musical Fidelity Synthesis integrated amp Linn Sondek LP12 with a Basik arm and LInn Kans. I never really realised that the Synthesis was woefully inadequate to drive the Kans. Ho hum. Those were the days.

nigelb posted:

As well as wandering around Tottenham Court Road, I used to like looking in the hifi shops on Edgeware Road. Not sure what it is like now. I remember buying a pair of (ex dem I think) Mission 770s from Edgware Road. They were the canine's gonads in those days. Previously I bought my first proper (I thought) hifi from Studio 99 (gone now) in Swiss Cottage - a NAD 3020 amp (actually it was the receiver version of the amp) and a Rega Planar 2 with an A&R P77? moving magnet cartridge. Can't for the life of me think what speakers I had back then. Old age I guess.

Then moved on to a Musical Fidelity Synthesis integrated amp Linn Sondek LP12 with a Basik arm and LInn Kans. I never really realised that the Synthesis was woefully inadequate to drive the Kans. Ho hum. Those were the days.

looks like we have tread the same path. i bought my second turntable , Thorens TD160 and a pair of Wharfedale Dovedales (not at the same time -- i was a student then!!) from Henrys in Edgware Rd -- and i used to wander around Tott Ct Rd too...

enjoy...

ken

Ferrograph ?

Always got the impression they built tanks as a side-line...........

IIRC, Ferrograph was sold/merged with North East Audio Ltd (NEAL) in the late '70s.

I was given a very nice Ferrograph Series Seven R2R.  I have yet to try it out though as I'm a bit worried about the pinch wheels - the rubber had a nasty habit of turning to goo with messy results.  I'd feel better replacing them rather than taking the risk - they do feel a bit too soft and tacky.

I've stumbled on a really interesting web site called Audio Miscellany. It has some very in depth articles on the likes of Armstrong and J. E. Sugden.

To avoid contravening forum rules just Google:  Audio Miscellany.

Richard, is your entire property filled with bits of hifi equipment?

Richard Dane posted:

IIRC, Ferrograph was sold/merged with North East Audio Ltd (NEAL) in the late '70s.

I was given a very nice Ferrograph Series Seven R2R.  I have yet to try it out though as I'm a bit worried about the pinch wheels - the rubber had a nasty habit of turning to goo with messy results.  I'd feel better replacing them rather than taking the risk - they do feel a bit too soft and tacky.

Yes, I was wondering what happened to NEAL as well.

Ferrograph were based in South Shields IIRC, but i'm not sure where NEAL operated fro, or whether they are still in business.

Based in Washington near Sunderland I think. Seem to specialise in recorders for legal applications.

sheffieldgraham posted:

Based in Washington near Sunderland I think. Seem to specialise in recorders for legal applications.

Part of a group called Canford, based in Washington Co. Durham..............or at least when I lived in Chester-le-Street, Washington was only 3 or 4 miles away and part of Co. Durham, but it might well be part of some conurbation now !

Ferrograph --> NEAL --> Canford. Now we know !

Thanks Graham and Richard

NEAL was formed by a breakaway group of Directors/employees from Ferrograph who believed the future was in cassette not reel to reel tape. Originally NEAL were based in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne (Carliol Square). My model 302 mk1 originates from that period. In the late 70's when Ferrograph were struggling it merged with NEAL to form NEAL-Ferrograph and all production moved to Ferrographs Simonside Works in South Shields. This was all with the support of the North East Development Agency. When Mrs T. came to power the Agency was abolished and the company went to the wall. The remnants were bought up by Lee James Electronics and carried on eventually specialising in interview recorders for the police etc. Eventually the company was bought out by Canford Audio who are based in Washington Tyne and Wear. I'm not sure who bought the Ferrograph part of the brand but they went on to specialise in public information displays for railway stations, airports, bus stops etc. 

Since we're on the subject of tape recorders (well, for the moment anyway !)......

AMPEX.....?

Last I knew was that they were making data recorders and real-time transmitters for military equipment. But then seemed to fold about 10 years ago.

Might as well mention Akai and Tandberg while I remember them......

Don Atkinson posted:

Might as well mention Akai and Tandberg while I remember them......

Don,

funny you mention Tandberg I am still using cassettes and have Tandberg s top deck the 3014 A.Still working but needs a new bulb for a V.U Meter.An absolute beast of a deck.As good as the some of the top Naks.

Does anyone remember ARC speakers ?

I remember back in the Flat Earth 80' s they where often used with Nytech amps.The 050 always sounded good at my dealers.

My first "proper" system was an Goldring Lenco playing through a Teac integrated amp into a pair of Wharfdale Lintons - latter bought at JG Windows in Newcastle. I subsequently went on to acquire a rega Planar3 plus a second hand Meridian 101/103 and a pair of Heybrook HB2s. Loved this system although always lusted after Naim - couldn't afford it at the time though.

Teac.......another name from the past. Decent tape recorders IIRC.

Are they still in business ?

and JG Windows in Newcastle. I well remember the name but don't recall ever visiting them. Were they in one of the arcades ?

and JG Windows in Newcastle. I well remember the name but don't recall ever visiting them. Were they in one of the arcades ?

Yes, they were. Was there a "Central Arcade" - 35 years ago now and my memory for such things is fading. Windows was where I bought all my vinyl from as well.

 I didn't get into CD until after I left uni - couldn't afford to!