Parman Symphonia - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Paul_RK · 14th Jun 2012, 2:08 pm

Something of an oddity here: a very well made oddity, though, if I say so myself. Has anybody else come across one, or any other products of Parman Aircraft Industries in the audio field? This beast turned up at my local auction room about 20 years ago, whereupon I remembered the Lasky's ad., which is from Wireless World for August '62.

Paul

brenellic2000 · 15th Jun 2012, 8:32 am

Good morning Paul,

By the late 1950s Parman was primarily a component supplier/light-engineers. What possessed them to turn to tape-radiograms, I know not but this appears to be their only tape-based model, and used the Truvox Mk.VI deck. It first appeared in early 1960 and details/reports are rarely found.

That Lasky's are selling them off - well into 1963 - means the model has been discontinued and was clearly a poor seller. It certainly looks a well made cabinet though.

Barry

Paul_RK · 27th Jun 2012, 3:42 pm

Thanks, Barry. Yes, the cabinet's extremely heavy and well made, more to 1930s than 1960s standards but for a considerable amount of chipboard. It's hard not to guess that it was designed and built without much forethought as to whether there was a market for such an item, and presumably the absence of one caught up with production soon enough to stop very many Symphonias being produced. This one doesn't appear to have seen much use at all.

Regards,
Paul

brenellic2000 · 27th Jun 2012, 4:01 pm

Hi Paul

Very few 'tape-o-grams' were successful, even though several famous name companies offered one. I guess the price of the tape alone (compared to a gramophone) put people off buying them and without a built-in radio or gramophone to record from, they served little purpose... but a mudane tape deck in a decent furniture-grade 9-ply cabinet with a large speaker offers a far superior replay performance over the bog-standard cabinet that most tape-recorders came in.

I am still amazed at the sound quality from my Brenell MK.2 based Elpico Impressario. I reckon its all that French polish and beeswax...

I've yet to determine if this Mr Parman was related to the pre-war aviator, of the same name, who may have had experience of plywood aeroplane fuselage assembly...

Barry

14th Jun 2012, 2:08 pm	#1
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,259	Parman Symphonia Something of an oddity here: a very well made oddity, though, if I say so myself. Has anybody else come across one, or any other products of Parman Aircraft Industries in the audio field? This beast turned up at my local auction room about 20 years ago, whereupon I remembered the Lasky's ad., which is from Wireless World for August '62. Paul Attached Thumbnails

15th Jun 2012, 8:32 am	#2
brenellic2000 Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 1,647	Re: Parman Symphonia Good morning Paul, By the late 1950s Parman was primarily a component supplier/light-engineers. What possessed them to turn to tape-radiograms, I know not but this appears to be their only tape-based model, and used the Truvox Mk.VI deck. It first appeared in early 1960 and details/reports are rarely found. That Lasky's are selling them off - well into 1963 - means the model has been discontinued and was clearly a poor seller. It certainly looks a well made cabinet though. Barry

27th Jun 2012, 3:42 pm	#3
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,259	Re: Parman Symphonia Thanks, Barry. Yes, the cabinet's extremely heavy and well made, more to 1930s than 1960s standards but for a considerable amount of chipboard. It's hard not to guess that it was designed and built without much forethought as to whether there was a market for such an item, and presumably the absence of one caught up with production soon enough to stop very many Symphonias being produced. This one doesn't appear to have seen much use at all. Regards, Paul

27th Jun 2012, 4:01 pm	#4
brenellic2000 Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 1,647	Re: Parman Symphonia Hi Paul Very few 'tape-o-grams' were successful, even though several famous name companies offered one. I guess the price of the tape alone (compared to a gramophone) put people off buying them and without a built-in radio or gramophone to record from, they served little purpose... but a mudane tape deck in a decent furniture-grade 9-ply cabinet with a large speaker offers a far superior replay performance over the bog-standard cabinet that most tape-recorders came in. I am still amazed at the sound quality from my Brenell MK.2 based Elpico Impressario. I reckon its all that French polish and beeswax... I've yet to determine if this Mr Parman was related to the pre-war aviator, of the same name, who may have had experience of plywood aeroplane fuselage assembly... Barry