HMV - oxford street in the 1960's - Some great pics + some more articles

[loo]

They're actually HMV's own decks, as you can see on http://www.grammofoon.com/ - go to the 'His Master's Voice' link where there's more information, although sadly in Dutch! However, with chunky ceramic cartridges like you can see on them, I'm not sure I'd have bought any records that I tried out on them...

The Gramaphone company did not make their own decks they were out sourced to Collaro and Garrard.
they made the records

[Beobloke]

Lol... Thanks for the clarification

You and I will have to differ (as I'm a fan of some of said "clunky" cartridges), and so I suspect that the sound would've been rather good, provided that the whole record playing process was carried out with care, as I'm sure would've largely been the case in those days, because people then generally had more class and respect for property that wasn't theirs, than they do now (especially with some of the 'zombies' one sees walking the streets of cities these days)!

Marco.

Hmm, that's as maybe but it looks like an HMV 91065C cartridge dating from 1953 so I'd still suspect a tracking weight measured in tens of grams!

The Gramaphone company did not make their own decks they were out sourced to Collaro and Garrard.
they made the records

Very true. For clarity, perhaps I should have said they are "HMV-badged" units.

[Marco]

Hmm, that's as maybe but it looks like an HMV 91065C cartridge dating from 1953 so I'd still suspect a tracking weight measured in tens of grams!

Since when has something like that ever deterred this big daftee?

Far better than a Shure V15, tracking at less than a nano-feather, and skipping all over the place like a drunken ballerina!!

Marco.

[istari_knight]

Only real men have the cojones to track at 15g ... According to a German website that gives the specs on that cart.

[Marco]

Really? Lurvely... Bet it had real 'balls'!!

Marco.

[DSJR]

Since when has something like that ever deterred this big daftee?

Far better than a Shure V15, tracking at less than a nano-feather, and skipping all over the place like a drunken ballerina!!

Marco.

The V15 series tracks superbly and with utter stability Marco, just not in that curvy gas pipe thingy you use


I remember the Bond St branch still using Garrard 4HF's in the 1970's basement classical dept (the 4HF had a distinctive off-white plinth, curved to follow the top plate shape IIRC), but the first really good HiFi I ever heard was in 1970 or so, where the rock dept on the first floor had a Thorens 150 with Ortofon M15 (gold body, blue stylus assembly) into a Quad 33/303 and B&W DM1's (I think as the DM3 was much bigger), these sitting sideways on the suspended ceiling framework above. Wonderfully clear sound (the DM1's may have tightened up with age now, but the midrange is still phenominal IMO, judging by Alex's pair!). Playing yes 'Close To The Edge,' I was stunned. This system survived a good few years up there, the TD150 becoming a 160 with Shure M75-6S (the tone controls were well in use by now) and KEF's replacing the B&W's (can't remember if the whole setup was replaced by then).

I bought much of my vinyl collection in the Bond St store I remember........

[chelsea]

This is the same as the one i have.
Little idle wheel and tiny spindle/bearing;

[Barry]

The V15 series tracks superbly and with utter stability Marco, just not in that curvy gas pipe thingy you use


I remember the Bond St branch still using Garrard 4HF's in the 1970's basement classical dept (the 4HF had a distinctive off-white plinth, curved to follow the top plate shape IIRC), but the first really good HiFi I ever heard was in 1970 or so, where the rock dept on the first floor had a Thorens 150 with Ortofon M15 (gold body, blue stylus assembly) into a Quad 33/303 and B&W DM1's (I think as the DM3 was much bigger), these sitting sideways on the suspended ceiling framework above. Wonderfully clear sound (the DM1's may have tightened up with age now, but the midrange is still phenominal IMO, judging by Alex's pair!). Playing yes 'Close To The Edge,' I was stunned. This system survived a good few years up there, the TD150 becoming a 160 with Shure M75-6S (the tone controls were well in use by now) and KEF's replacing the B&W's (can't remember if the whole setup was replaced by then).

I bought much of my vinyl collection in the Bond St store I remember........

It wasn't just HMV that used good gear - a small family-run record shop here in Chelmsford had a Thorens 150 fitted with SME 3009 and a good quality cartridge (though I can't remember what it was) running into Mordant Short Pagent 2s via a Quad 33/303.

It was an excellent shop, staffed by knowledgable and helpful staff who wouldn't quibble at all if you returned an LP as a bad pressing. They would apologise and simply say "the only way record companies will improve their quality control is if we send back all the poor pressings". Quite unlike HMV, where you had a real battle on your hands to convince them to provide a replacement for a poor pressing.

The sad thing is, HMV forced this shop and another small but equally good record shop out of business, when HMV opened up their shop in Chelmsford. That added to the fact that the staff are not particularly knowledgeable about anything, other than the price, is why I couldn't care less if HMV goes bust or not.

[MartinT]

Ah, memories. I shopped there a little later (probably around 1973 or so on my first trip), and later still at Simon's Records (they of the Portuguese imports) and the shoe shop that first hosted Virgin Records upstairs. Later still was the Megastore and who could forget Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus with the most fab classical record department I ever saw.

[Magna Audio]

Great history there.
So many genres and things to explore! The late 70's and early 80's when I did my record buying in Winchester, Southampton and Brighton could not compete with that.
It was a very different high street. Now it's all Mobile phone shops - How many of them does one need? I wonder what will be replacing them when their time is done?