BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Colourstar · 30th Apr 2025, 6:51 am

This is a beautifully filmed 1959 report from the BBC's Monitor series, with a tongue-in-cheek look at the sometimes eccentric world of the hi-fi enthusiast and his quest for perfection. A wonderful snapshot of the era with lots of equipment to spot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us6hQLwG1S8

Ted Kendall · 30th Apr 2025, 7:06 am

And Humphrey Burton sending up Record Review - a programme I actually found enlightening...

williamsunique · 30th Apr 2025, 8:46 am

Brilliant, loved it.

Paul

Craig Sawyers · 30th Apr 2025, 9:39 am

Did you spot that it was directed by a 33 year old John Schlesinger. Before he became famous directing Marathon Man, Midnight Cowboy, etc etc

Craig

BrianAllen · 4th May 2025, 7:23 pm

Can you imagine walking into a shop with all those components displayed for sale.

dave walsh · 5th May 2025, 9:25 am

Thanks for bringing that to our attention C Star

A window into the fifties/sixties with the much admired Corner Cabinet Spkrs, sometimes to be found constructed in brickwork and concrete for additional bass resonance. I liked the gentle humerous "tone" as well but there did seem to be people more interested in frequency response than the content of the record. I'd seen that opening clip [the man with a Gram in a Pram] in other contexts but not in this excellent documentary.

There was an emphasis on classical music at the beginning but Humphrey Burton [a bit of an open minded Polymath] covered a lot of ground in his Aquarius arts programs, including a very welcome doc re the "supergroup" Cream and other aspects of contemporary "pop" music. This was welcomed by younger peple in particular then. There was a focus on Clemency Burton-Hill [the very well known BBC classical music presenter] in a recent documentary about her recovery after, being struck down with a life threatening illnes. Despite the middle name I'd not realised that she was the daughter of Humphrey

Dave W

Sideband · 5th May 2025, 10:14 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianAllen

Can you imagine walking into a shop with all those components displayed for sale.

Yes....and frequently did back in the 60's and 70's.

I loved the documentary! Very tongue-in-cheek.

Ted Kendall · 5th May 2025, 11:24 am

Robert Robinson's stock-in-trade was gentle irony, beautifully delivered, as here.

McMurdo · 5th May 2025, 1:58 pm

This subject has been covered before last year:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=210413

Trigon. · 5th May 2025, 2:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by McMurdo

This subject has been covered before last year:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=210413

Oddly that version from the BBC site is only just over 8 mins long whereas the version on YouTube posted above, provided by the BBC archive, is over 16 mins...

Cheers

dave walsh · 5th May 2025, 7:57 pm

Indeed! I was surprised I hadn't seen the documentary before but my archive shows that between 20/4 and 1/5/24 the DVD recorder in the North was out of action, so that may have diverted me from the usual "media watch". It ocurred to me earlier that the Flanders and Swann ditty, "A Song of Reproduction" has much the same theme of, perhaps, a growing obsession. It even begins with the content of the Pram ie "I had a little" gramaphone

Dave W

Richardgr · 6th May 2025, 7:28 am

That was an entertaining watch, thanks for the pointer.

I wish I could have been the dustbin collector for the featured enthusiast!

Viewmaster · 19th May 2025, 4:46 am

O dear, I was one of those with my home built Williamson amplifier (Partridge o/p transformer manditory). Driving into a 9 Cu ft sand filled Briggs designed bass reflex. Not forgeting the 301 turntable.
Happy days......and expensive ones too.

Slayer12 · 24th May 2025, 4:39 am

Thanks for sharing this, Colourstar — what a gem! That 1959 Monitor piece is a real time capsule. The combination of dry humour and beautifully framed shots makes it a joy to watch. It's fascinating to see how seriously (and lovingly!) hi-fi was taken back then, and how much of that perfectionist spirit still lives on in enthusiasts today. Also, great fun spotting all the vintage gear — some real classics in there!

Thanks again for the link — this one’s going straight to the favourites.

30th Apr 2025, 6:51 am	#1
Colourstar Octode Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 1,481	BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast This is a beautifully filmed 1959 report from the BBC's Monitor series, with a tongue-in-cheek look at the sometimes eccentric world of the hi-fi enthusiast and his quest for perfection. A wonderful snapshot of the era with lots of equipment to spot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us6hQLwG1S8

30th Apr 2025, 7:06 am	#2
Ted Kendall Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 3,991	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast And Humphrey Burton sending up Record Review - a programme I actually found enlightening...

30th Apr 2025, 8:46 am	#3
williamsunique Pentode Join Date: Feb 2023 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 170	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Brilliant, loved it. Paul

30th Apr 2025, 9:39 am	#4
Craig Sawyers Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 5,828	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Did you spot that it was directed by a 33 year old John Schlesinger. Before he became famous directing Marathon Man, Midnight Cowboy, etc etc Craig __________________ Doomed for a certain term to walk the night

4th May 2025, 7:23 pm	#5
BrianAllen Heptode Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK. Posts: 640	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Can you imagine walking into a shop with all those components displayed for sale.

5th May 2025, 9:25 am	#6
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 6,032	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Thanks for bringing that to our attention C Star A window into the fifties/sixties with the much admired Corner Cabinet Spkrs, sometimes to be found constructed in brickwork and concrete for additional bass resonance. I liked the gentle humerous "tone" as well but there did seem to be people more interested in frequency response than the content of the record. I'd seen that opening clip [the man with a Gram in a Pram] in other contexts but not in this excellent documentary. There was an emphasis on classical music at the beginning but Humphrey Burton [a bit of an open minded Polymath] covered a lot of ground in his Aquarius arts programs, including a very welcome doc re the "supergroup" Cream and other aspects of contemporary "pop" music. This was welcomed by younger peple in particular then. There was a focus on Clemency Burton-Hill [the very well known BBC classical music presenter] in a recent documentary about her recovery after, being struck down with a life threatening illnes. Despite the middle name I'd not realised that she was the daughter of Humphrey Dave W Last edited by dave walsh; 5th May 2025 at 9:34 am.

5th May 2025, 11:24 am	#8
Ted Kendall Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 3,991	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Robert Robinson's stock-in-trade was gentle irony, beautifully delivered, as here.

5th May 2025, 1:58 pm	#9
McMurdo Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK. Posts: 5,769	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast This subject has been covered before last year: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=210413 __________________ Kevin

5th May 2025, 7:57 pm	#11
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 6,032	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Indeed! I was surprised I hadn't seen the documentary before but my archive shows that between 20/4 and 1/5/24 the DVD recorder in the North was out of action, so that may have diverted me from the usual "media watch". It ocurred to me earlier that the Flanders and Swann ditty, "A Song of Reproduction" has much the same theme of, perhaps, a growing obsession. It even begins with the content of the Pram ie "I had a little" gramaphone Dave W

6th May 2025, 7:28 am	#12
Richardgr Octode Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Täby, Sweden Posts: 1,058	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast That was an entertaining watch, thanks for the pointer. I wish I could have been the dustbin collector for the featured enthusiast!

19th May 2025, 4:46 am	#13
Viewmaster Hexode Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, UK. Posts: 268	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast O dear, I was one of those with my home built Williamson amplifier (Partridge o/p transformer manditory). Driving into a 9 Cu ft sand filled Briggs designed bass reflex. Not forgeting the 301 turntable. Happy days......and expensive ones too. __________________ "One small step for man".....because he has arthritis. www.retinascope.co.uk Albert.

24th May 2025, 4:39 am	#14
Slayer12 Diode Join Date: May 2025 Location: Hanoi, Vietnam. Posts: 3	Re: BBC Archive- the 1950s Hi-Fi enthusiast Thanks for sharing this, Colourstar — what a gem! That 1959 Monitor piece is a real time capsule. The combination of dry humour and beautifully framed shots makes it a joy to watch. It's fascinating to see how seriously (and lovingly!) hi-fi was taken back then, and how much of that perfectionist spirit still lives on in enthusiasts today. Also, great fun spotting all the vintage gear — some real classics in there! Thanks again for the link — this one’s going straight to the favourites.