|
This web-page gives a potted history of Brenell: the company and their many domestic and professional models, as well
as that of Soundcraft Magnetics, created by former Brenell staff.
The book, Brenell - True to life performance fully records the history of these two companies and
their influence on the development of the British tape recorder / home studio / studio recording industries.
The site also looks at their competitors, such as Truvox and Thermionic Products
whose histories have also been recorded in A Truvox Product and of those 100+ other British companies
recorded in, A Guide to British tape-recorders.
It is hoped that those who worked for Brenell/S-M, or used them professionally in studios, industry, the MoD or
indeed have specialist knowledge of them and their many competitors, such as TRD, RGD, EMI, Truvox and Collaro etc. will continue
to contribute to this record of a much neglected part of British audio engineering history.
Brenell - True to Life Performance
Barry M Jones
The full, detailed history of both Brenell and Soundcraft Magnetics is told in this well researched book,
written with the help of former Brenell directors, engineers and archive material. It presents more than just a glimpse of
the company and the people. Every known model and many prototypes, are discussed in detail.
There is also a history of the development of the tape recorder since Valdemar Poulsen, as well as analysis
of the British domestic and studio tape recorder industries.
"Anyone involved in the industry will be delighted with this book" - Alex Nicholas: former MD,
Brenell
"Brilliant! The detail uncovered is awesome. I learnt more about Brenell in a few pages than ever I did when
I worked there!" - M.A
Over 200 black and white illustrations. 140 pages plus. A4 Soft back.
£15.00 plus £3.00 p&p UK (Air Mail, please ask).
See last page for address and payment instructions.
|
|
| Brenell - True to life performance |
|
|
| A Guide to British tape-recorders |
A Truvox Product
Truvox/Thermionic/Racal tape recorder history
Second edition
Barry M Jones
A major competitor to Brenell's domestic models, this new book relates the fascinating history
of Daniel Dan Prenn and his Truvox Engineering business which bought Celestion loudspeakers and then BCC,
Airmec, Vectron and Thermionic Products, later merging with Racal Electronics.
Each were specialists in their own field; Truvox with loudspeakers, tape decks and language laboratories; Thermionics
with the British made Recordon and Soundmirror and pioneers in airfield voice
loggers; and Racal for their military electronics who, as Racal-Thermionic were world leaders in analogue
and digital voice logging and instrument recording such as the Store 4, Storehorse, V-Store etc. Racal also bought the Zonal tape
company, whose history is also recorded.
Truvox also made the Wembley cameras and floor cleaners! But this book is more
than an industrial history, it also records the engineering talents of many European engineers who escaped Nazi and Soviet
tyranny. The books also covers the history of the ShipYard site, Hythe and its association with the British Power Boat Company,
Lawrence of Arabia and Imperial Airways!
"(the) book is amazing - a great thrill to read" (D.E ex Truvox)
"A superb job - most impressed" (P.W ex Racal-Thermionic)
"The greatest story never told" (A.B ex-Racal-Thermionic)
Revised and updated Second edition - OUT NOW
107 pages A4 paperback, 200+ B&W illustrations: £13.50 + £3.00 p&p
UK
(See last page for payment details)
"A Guide to British tape-recorders"
Second edition
Barry M Jones
This illustrated softback is a major work and has been fully revised to double the size and content.
It presents a comprehensive history of magnetic recording from the pioneering work by Valdemar Poulsen, through pre-war
wire recorders and the development of plastic tape by BASF in the 1930s, before concentrating on the British taperecorder
industry and the development of the many British models with histories of the 100+ domestic, studio and scientific
tape deck manufacturers, plus potted histories of the many component and tape manufacturers.
The A-Z section covers over 100 British companies and their models from 1949-1990:
ACE, ACES, Alba, Amplion, Ariel Sound, Astronic, Baird, Bias, Bradmatic, Brenell, Bristol Cine, BAFC, BSR,
Bush, Cadey, Casian, Cape, Chilton, Chitnis, Clarke & Smith, Collaro, Dansette, Dynatron, Editor (TRE), EKCO, Electromechs, Elizabethan,
Elpico, EMI, Epsylon, EWA, Excel, Ferranti, Ferguson, Ferrograph, FiCord, Fidelity, Garrard, Gaumont-British, GBC,
Gramdeck, Hartley, HMV, ITAM, JSR, Kenton, Kurland, Lane, Leevers-Rich, Lorlin, Magnavox, Marconiphone, Minivox, Motek,
MSS, Murphy, Pamphonic, Penny & Giles, Perdio, Planet, Plessey, Portagram, PYE, Qualtape, Racal-Thermionic, RGD,
Reflectograph, Reps, Regentone, Robuk, Scoptronics, SE Labs, Simon, Soundcraft Magnetics, Sound Master, Spectone,
Studio Magnetics, TRD, TRE, Thermionic Products, Thorn Group, Trix, Trusound, Truvox, Ultra, Unitrack, Van der Molen,
Verdik, Veritone, Vortexion, Walter, Winstone, Wright & Weaire, Wayne Kerr, Wyndsor and many, many
others.
Plus, related histories of head and component producers such as: Branch & Appleby,
Marriotts, Phi-Magnetronics, Ilford-Zonal etc etc:
Based on interviews with those who formed, worked in and intimately knew the industry, as well as contemporary
records and company archives, it is also intended as a foundation for others to fully research individual companies of
choice, before it is too late, just as I have done on Brenell, Truvox and Thermionics and Terry Martini
has now done on Wright & Weaire and Ferrograph in his excellent Built like a battleship
- see links page.
Foreword to first edition by Terry Martini (BVWS):
"... a useful and practical guide that no serious collector of British audio tape recorders or historian can
really do without. The history of the British tape recorder in all its glory".
"I congratulate you on a terrific job." Peter Lindsley, Director Bias/Leevers-Rich
"I have been a tape recorder enthusiast for 50 years, but I was amazed at what I learnt from these (three)
books. Still impressed with the amount of research you have done; these must be the best of their kind anywhere." George
West (ferrograph.info)
200+ A4 pages, 300+ B&W illustrations, softback £21.00 + £3.00 p&p UK
(See last page for payment detsils
Information still wanted:
I am keen to learn more of Boosey & Hawkes and
Wirek as well as histories of tape head, microphone and other accessory companies, so that this subject may be
fully recorded before such intimate information is lost forever.
Brenell serial numbers wanted
In the absence of surviving factory ledgers, I am particularly keen to collate Brenell serial numbers to determine
dates of specification changes and production levels.
In common with most industries, serial numbers were designed to mislead competitors! Early models, including the
'gold with ivory head cover' Mk.5 and the Type 19, appear not to have serial number stamped on them, but occassionally
they survive as paper labels under the head cover and on the despatch boxes. From the 'gold with black head cover' Papst motor Mk.5
(Srs 1) the number is stamped under the front edge of the deck plate and from the 'grey' Mk.5 Srs 2 it also appears in
the lid on the manufacturer's label, often with a suffix number which is the pre-amplifier serial number.
ERRATA + UPDATES
A free errata and update slip is available for these books on ad hoc basis. Simply send me an SAE or contact
me on bjrustic@aol.com
Analogue recording tape
The final batch of Quantegy analogue recording tape was made by in early spring 2007. RMGI (formerly
EMTEC) has now begun to offer the BASF/Agfa range. For suppliers of tape, please see the Links
page. Remember, if you don't support these suppliers, it is unlikely there will ever be furthur
production runs of analogue tape. You have been warned!
(c) Colour photographs and text copyright of
Barry M Jones - May 2003
Major revision + Truvox/T-P pages - February 2008
Last updated - 23rd March 2009
ADVERTISEMENT
introducing the " Diamond "
What better way of enjoying your quality recordings on your professional British tape recorder than through
a hand-made British, integrated valve amplifier?
The recently introduced Diamond from Proteus Audio Development Ltd is designed
and built to order by Geoff Kremer of ServiceSound fame, using a twin cascade triode phono stage, free from microphony, with
a twin triode output stage offering unparalleled sound quality, right up to a full 20Watt RMS power output. Diamond
uses transformers hand made to the original "Williamson" specification.
'Hi-fidelity' is the faithful reproduction of sound, in its most natural elements. The test of a good hi-fi
system is one you can listen to all day long in total comfort and absorb the intricacies of the music, rather than be bamboozled
by the electronics. I thought my Armstrong amp and Mordaunt-Short Pageants were 'good', but the Proteus Audio Development
Diamond integrated valve amplifier is truly stunning. This is what Hi-Fi Critic said of
it in a three-way comparison:
"Familiar, interesting, unforced, detailed, dynamic, pleasant, realistic... a high end sound that is remarkably
uncontrived always doing the best to reveal the essence of the music without sign of stress. It draws you in and makes you
want to listen" Hi-Fi Critic
... and it sounds superb too! (Barry M Jones)
Full details from:
Proteus Audio Development Ltd
31, Turkey Road, Bexhill, East Sussex
Tel: 01424-216245
and please mention this web-site!
|
|
| Proteus " Diamond" valve-amplifier |
Modern instrumentation taperecording
3rd edition - 1986
We have several copies of this fascinating, technical Engineering Handbook on non-audio Instrumentation
and data recorders. Written by a Senior Thorn-EMI engineer, it also covers the EMI-SE Labs models (both of whose histories
are recorded in the Guide to British tape-recorders book!) 130pp A5 NEW (but old stock) and in good
condition. £5 + £1.50 p&p UK
|
