Strathearn Audio - British Hi-Fi's Answer to the DeLorean Motor Corporation!
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- This episode sees the guys discussing the tragic tale of Strathearn Audio, the UK's first and last ever state-owned hi-fi company.
Back in the 1970s, the British government backed a new Northern Ireland-based audio maker - in a bid to bring jobs to this troubled part of the United Kingdom. Sadly, it didn't go quite as planned...
The guys agree that this is one of the weirdest things ever in the hi-fi world, and take a close look at one of Strathearn's mainstay products, the STM-4 turntable. Was it flawed genius, they ask? Less of the latter, more of the former, they say!
Each episode of Hi-Fi Riff features Mike and David's unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and wonderful hi-fi designs.
Business executive Mike has a wealth of knowledge from previous hi-fi retail experience, and David has written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few things along the way.
So relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and please leave your comments below. And don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
For more on the Strathearn story, click on David's zStereo feature here:
zstereo.co.uk/...
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I remember them when I was a Hi-Fi obsessed early teenager. The design seemed excellent and adverts sounded great… then you read the reviews… and I never saw them in any shops! I think they may have been mainly mail order? 😊 Great ballast from the past guys…
Love this, good to know their was a State owned Hi Fi manufacture, thoughts of the Electronics company that made Chips called " Transputers "
The most entertaining Hi-Fi related show going. Well done, thanks and keep ít coming!
I do like your chats. Best hifi utube keep it up,
I do love that you covered this little bit of History- producing work in NI - such difficult times among difficult times.
I was unfortunate enough to have an Allegro as my first car. Nice blue but unfortunately that's where all the positives end ..... enough said. Thanks again chaps for the interesting video . Best regards.🤗😺
Ah the Austin Agro. I used to have nightmares over that
I remember these when they were new and that Amstrad thing with the 3 arms instead of a round platter.
I saw one for sale on eBay a few months ago and the seller described it as a classic British turntable and wanted a lot of money for it.
Love it lads very funny but i'd still wouldn't mind one, hey lads what's ever happened to AVID Audio? They mainly made hi-end turntables, i' Love to see you review one of them
I bought an STM4, except mine was silver (it wasn’t white) and those circles on the platter were the same red as the SMA2 which appeared during the video. I think the drive units on their speakers were the same red as well. My STM4 did indeed go backwards, but luckily(!) a quick flick in the opposite direction would get it going the right way. The whole thing looked great but felt cheap. It was replaced by a Pink Triangle …
Another marketing misjudgement was that the 'th' in Strathearn could not be easily pronounced by speakers of most European languages. They had the same problem with Mrs. Thatcher's surname.
In the case of the turntables, they were re-branded 'Stratech' in some export markets.
I love smoked turntable cover
Disappointed: i read the title and had “Strathclyde” in my head. At least I didn’t buy one and expect an STD to arrive in the post😮 Not sure what would be worse actually, buying one of these or getting a nasty rash somewhere intimate.
Just purchased one. Buttons were unresponsive and would not engage their functions at first. But suddenly the table started to spin, come on, come on (you can do it). Sniff. Sniff. What's that burning smell? Then the turntable stops spinning and all lights out. Turntable is now a doorstop that smells like cats piss and burning plastics. 😂
I got an SMA2 when the company closed and it’s still going strong. No it doesn’t go backwards and it’s a decent turntable………..well for the money I paid it is very good.
Interesting social history, but terrible audio equipment 😀
Wow they used the same hinges as the jbe series 3:😂
The clear lesson here, if I’m not mistaken, is that to avoid the next global financial crisis, the government needs to start up another hifi company - right guys?
The idea was Hifi was a growth industry so let's grow some UK hifi productsemploy a few hundred and perhaps people might feel they have a steak in getting some badly needed peace. Today because Hifi is more underground it wouldn't work but aid for the film industry is a current example of something that has had taxpayer support for social and political objectives.
Allegro 😂😂😂