• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Rule, Britannia!, Britannia rule the (sound)waves!

Pluto

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 2, 2018
Messages
990
Likes
1,631
Location
Harrow, UK
others like Ferrograph… … were taken to the cleaners by Japanese manufacturers
I would be inclined to suggest that Ferrograph were taken to the cleaners by a certain Swiss manufacturer.

And Brennell were simply taken to the cleaners…
 

sergeauckland

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
3,440
Likes
9,100
Location
Suffolk UK
I would be inclined to suggest that Ferrograph were taken to the cleaners by a certain Swiss manufacturer.

And Brennell were simply taken to the cleaners…
I was particularly fond of Brenell, as I had a rare Series 510,

Brennell 510.jpg


which was a Series 5 enlarged to take 10.5" spools. It was also hugely simpler mechanically than a Ferrograph.

I added electronic spooling motor control and fitted Bogen heads and used it for a fair few years.

As to Ferrograph, I think they were affected more by the Akai 4000 than the ReVox, which was always more of a semi-pro machine. Ferrograph did quite well with the MoD and other government departments, they were used in submarines and in Air Traffic Control, but clearly in terms of numbers, these would have been well below what a consumer market would have supported. The Ferrograph 8, on which I did a small amount of early development work when at Wayne-Kerr, (Part of the same group) did find limited success with commercial radio, but it was already too late.

You may recall Leevers-Rich and Scopetronics and of course EMI (BTR2 and BTR4) as well as several manufacturers that used the Wright & Weaire tape mechanism (like Vortexion) with their own electronics. A general result of British underinvestment.
 
Last edited:

Pluto

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 2, 2018
Messages
990
Likes
1,631
Location
Harrow, UK
I used to have nightmares about Evil-Rich machines.

The main issue with Ferrograph, as I recall, was the fact that their immediate competitor against Revox had pressure pads. I'm sure that had they introduced the transport that became the series 8 (no pressure pads) sufficiently early to compete with Revox, history might have been somewhat different.

Sadly, they really didn't seem to realize (early enough) just how awful pressure pads were, particularly when it came to back-coated tapes that were coming to market about that time.
 

Soniclife

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
4,500
Likes
5,417
Location
UK
What does this have to do with British HiFi? Well, I run that witch's brew together with a pair of old British JPW P1. Yummy budget speakers. Now refoamed.:)

Poor JPW P1 who gets that signal. He he.:)
My first proper hi-fi speakers, I really liked them, changed them for a pair of tanoys that were crap, that's when all the problems started. Wish is kept them in retrospect.
 
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
My first proper hi-fi speakers, I really liked them, changed them for a pair of tanoys that were crap, that's when all the problems started. Wish is kept them in retrospect.
You can always buy a used pairs of JPW P1. :)

If they have not been refomed, it is not a question of whether it may be needed, but when.Most certainly fairly promptly.

Woffer: VIFA M21WG-09-08

Teweeter : VIFA D19TD-05-08

You may currently have better performing speakers, but the JPW P1 as part of a secondary system?

Just because I got curious, I'll take a look at the crossover filter tomorrow.:)

2021_10_23_21.41.19.jpg


Edit:
Had nothing better to do so I took a quick look at the filter. Whatever it would be good for, the speakers work.:)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20211023_221007.jpg
    IMG_20211023_221007.jpg
    120.1 KB · Views: 64
  • IMG_20211023_221436.jpg
    IMG_20211023_221436.jpg
    105.6 KB · Views: 80
  • IMG_20211023_221541.jpg
    IMG_20211023_221541.jpg
    201.7 KB · Views: 58
Last edited:
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
You British boys. You have lots to be proud of in your country but ... well ..


Zeppzeppzepp says in that thread:

Rega is a vinyl player company, not expert for amplifier for sure.

A Swedish proverb:

Shoemaker, stay by your profession

.... means that you should not invent something new, but stick to the task you have been given or in the areas you master.
 
Last edited:

tomtoo

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 20, 2019
Messages
3,607
Likes
4,514
Location
Germany
You British boys. You have lots to be proud of in your country but ... well ..


Zeppzeppzepp says in that thread:

Rega is a vinyl player company, not expert for amplifier for sure.

A Swedish proverb:

Shoemaker, stay by your profession

.... means that you should not invent something new, but stick to the task you have been given or in the areas you master.

Bahh its greek. Stolen by the swedish and (hust) germans.



;)
 
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
Nothing bad meant about England's HiFi in general now. There is both good and bad HiFi in England, as in all other countries.

However, Rega seems (if you read the comments about Rega IO here on ASR) to still be a brand that is considered to make (or have done) good Hifi. In any case, it seems to have a good reputation. Sad about the REGA IO review by Amir. Good of course he did it. Sad with the result that is.
 
Last edited:

DLF

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2021
Messages
6
Likes
4
Hi All,

My friends, don't forget England isn't Britain! Linn is Scottish and Nytech and ION were made in Wales!

One interesting (and possibly unique) aspect of British Hi-Fi was that the upgrade path for many manufacturers was to 'go active', often with third party speakers. Nytech, Linn, Naim and Meridian even formed the "Active Loudspeaker Standards Organisation" to facilitate this. You would see systems with Naim, Nytech or ION electronics (including the electronic crossovers) and speakers from Linn, Spendor, Royd, ARC etc. It's also a reminder that an active system doesn't mean "all in one speaker + amp".

Looks like it's still a thing.

Box-tastic!

naim.jpeg
 
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
Hi All,

My friends, don't forget England isn't Britain! Linn is Scottish and Nytech and ION were made in Wales!

One interesting (and possibly unique) aspect of British Hi-Fi was that the upgrade path for many manufacturers was to 'go active', often with third party speakers. Nytech, Linn, Naim and Meridian even formed the "Active Loudspeaker Standards Organisation" to facilitate this. You would see systems with Naim, Nytech or ION electronics (including the electronic crossovers) and speakers from Linn, Spendor, Royd, ARC etc. It's also a reminder that an active system doesn't mean "all in one speaker + amp".

Looks like it's still a thing.

Box-tastic!

View attachment 166719
Are you right in that we add Scottis and Wales i the thread. :)

I like that rig. From an aesthetic perspective in any case.
 

Mart68

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 22, 2021
Messages
2,609
Likes
4,861
Location
England
Yeh, well, maybe, but what about chips.

And what about the rum? I mean when it comes to ruling the waves, the Royal Navy rum rations probably had more to do with it.
The rum certainly helped but the main difference was the British did a lot of gun drill and the French and Spanish didn't. Result was the British ships had three to four times the rate of fire which tended to be conclusive in every engagement.
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
The other thing is the Royal Navy became predominant, so less time to get to a place and give notice.
 
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
I'm familiar with ceramic speaker elements, but I've never seen the whole ceramic speakers before::oops:
df893d047307a8c9b652dc88d192a798.jpg

5053604ecc3451ffd90d74d840bba41d.jpg

Ad:

Just out of curiosity, what kind of manufacturer made those speakers? Is that manufacturer good or just a gimmick made to look nice?

Here the same model speaker, another ad:
Screenshot_2022-11-24_163632.jpg



I think these are the ones who made them:

 
Last edited:

sergeauckland

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
3,440
Likes
9,100
Location
Suffolk UK
^

Pedant mode on:-

I really hate adverts that use words incorrectly.
One can't have something very unique!! It's either unique or it isn't. There are no degrees of uniqueness.
Very rare possibly, very unique absolutely not.

Similarly, one of the only....It's either the only, or it's one of the few. It can't be one of the only!!!

Pedant mode off.

S.
 
OP
DanielT

DanielT

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Messages
4,751
Likes
4,633
Location
Sweden - Слава Україні
^

Pedant mode on:-

I really hate adverts that use words incorrectly.
One can't have something very unique!! It's either unique or it isn't. There are no degrees of uniqueness.
Very rare possibly, very unique absolutely not.

Similarly, one of the only....It's either the only, or it's one of the few. It can't be one of the only!!!

Pedant mode off.

S.
Sure, but the speakers?! What's that? The resonances should be terrible with thin goods.:oops:o_O ...Or how they are constructed.Maybe it's just ceramic on the outer layer and other material in the urns?

Omni speakers, that much I can see.

Lifestyle speaker for grandma who likes china?:D

IMG_7735_master.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Suffolkhifinut

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 8, 2021
Messages
1,224
Likes
2,027
Here I fiddle with some vintage Swedish Hifi. Just some goofy soldering and sound experimentation. Most waffle from my part in that thread, but still.

What does this have to do with British HiFi? Well, I run that witch's brew together with a pair of old British JPW P1. Yummy budget speakers. Now refoamed.:)

Poor JPW P1 who gets that signal. He he.:)

Had a pair of JPW P1 for many years loved them to bits, unfortunately that describes what happened to the foam surrounds. Think the cabinets were made by prisoners in Dartmoor prison.
 

Pluto

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 2, 2018
Messages
990
Likes
1,631
Location
Harrow, UK
indisputably, Fuller's London Pride is the best beer in the World!
Sadly, I no longer believe this is so. Over the past few years, both London Pride & ESB have lost something of their magic; the 'fruity' flavour is considerably diminished. I have reason to believe that this is largely down to something about the yeast having changed, but neither my palate nor knowledge of the brewing process are sufficient to offer further explanation.

The Fullers brand (including the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick) was sold to Asahi in 2019.
 

Suffolkhifinut

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 8, 2021
Messages
1,224
Likes
2,027
Sadly, I no longer believe this is so. Over the past few years, both London Pride & ESB have lost something of their magic; the 'fruity' flavour is considerably diminished. I have reason to believe that this is largely down to something about the yeast having changed, but neither my palate nor knowledge of the brewing process are sufficient to offer further explanation.

The Fullers brand (including the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick) was sold to Asahi in 2019.
Considering Pride is brewed using London water, the fact it still tastes good is a tribute to Fullers whoever owns the brewery in Chiswick. When living a few miles from Chiswick we couldn’t even make tea using tap water. We had a collection of 5 litre bottles in the boot of the car, when we drove out of London filling them was a priority.
 
Top Bottom