PYE BLACK BOX MODEL BBA 1958, 1958

''Mutton Dressed as Lamb''. This would have looked fine in a parlour during the 1950's. The Pye Black Box was designed to fit in with expensive decor of the time, and certainly wins here. Unfortunately its performance does not, similar to today's so called Hi-fi systems looks sell, the sound is of no consequence. Pye must have invented the catchphrase 'BOXY' any true High Fidelity enthusiast of the time would not be impressed. The Pye Black Box Range started in 1954 with their original model using an inexpensive crystal Cartridge on a BSR turntable with an amplifier consisting of two EL42 valves in push pull configuration and two speakers wired in parallel on either side of the cabinet. There were four variations in this design. In 1958 the second range of models arrived including this one the BBA version (as shown), the Amplifier used two PCL83 valves (Triode Pentodes) again in Push Pull, these valves were designed for use in the audio output stage of Televisions using the other section of the valve as a pre -amp, Why Pye chose this valve is probably obvious (economy). Together with this change two additional tweeters were added (high frequency speakers), a bit pointless as the amplifiers frequency range could not drive them, if it could have done it might have improved the sound considerably. Also the BSR deck in the earlier version was changed for a Garrard AT6 Auto Slim auto-changer using again an inexpensive Crystal Cartridge having a dual tip being LP/78 rpm change over stylus. The Pye Black Box was still an icon of its era if you could have afforded it, at £31.0.01d Plus Purchase tax. Nearly two weeks wages for some in those days. Release date 1958. Valve compliment 2 X PCL83 1 X ECC83 and a metal rectifier.

This item can be demonstrated.

Kindly donated by the Design Museum London

Your comments:

• 
  I bought MY Black Box from an Edinburgh flea market in about 1981.... I'd been busking on Princes St.. Hired a car (in South Shields where I lived aged 17) and drove to Edinburgh for the day playing my bagpipes, thinking I might make enough to pay for my tea... However, in full Highland Dress, I made £200 in my first hour! Quickly phoned the hire company from The Scotia Hotel to ask for an extension to the end of the week!
  I must have made over £3000 by that weekend.. I only came home, because my Mam insisted..
  The Pye Black Box served me really well..
  I managed to attatch wires to the speaker termials, onto a cable plugged into a hi fi cassette seperate via an old amplifier, later into a Philips Hi fi CD recorder..
  
  But the Black box died a few years ago..
  
  I played a 'Crown' 78, Gracie Fields he's Dead but he won't lie down.. It played the record, but by the end it.. It slowed down gradually.. Gradually... Until it stopped forever...
  I've JUST bought another Black Box, a slightly later model, but with a matching record cabinet to sit it on.
  It looks rather smart as one unit in the photos..
  Shipleys are dellivering it from Hackney, to it's new home in Northumberland.
  I honestly can't wait!
  Your description makes it sound so unimportant, but really?
  The sound The Black Box makes, when the lid is closed, is the most deep, and mellow reproduction.
  Any ancient 1920s 78, just sounds like you just bought it yesterday.
  Sometimes, you listen to modern recordings of old 78s using the latest digital, computer programes designed to make old recordings listenable.. But it kind of muffles, and stereofies the playback..
  The Pye Black Box, with all it's heavy wood, and ancient valve technology, using supposedly an inferior amplifier, and useless tweeters... Just happens to make even the most worn, scratchy 95 year old 78rpm shellac disc, sound beautiful.. And in my book, Pye just manufactured THE best reproducer in the world... Not necessarily for vinyl, but for the humble 78.
  10 out of 10!
  
  .......... Craig Ryan, Blyth, Northumberland; England. , 13th of April 2021
  
  
• I was ateenager in the 50's and every Saturday we'd go to our local record shop, Boyd's at the Angel Islington. The records were played on a laquered Chinese themed Black Box. We would stay there for hours. It was not the music nor the Black Box that held our attention. It was the beautiful girl who sold the records. Aaah happy days.
  .......... John Bobby, London, England, 20th of February 2021
  
  
• I was 15 in Jan 1954 & had a Saturday job in our local record shop, we had a Pye Black Box on legs, can't remember model, I used to open the shop door on warm Saturday mornings, load six of the latest 78s and played them fairly loud to promote sales/orders. When I started my apprenticeship in engineering I still went to the shop on Saturdays and one week of my factory holiday until I was eighteen.
  .......... Peter McCrann Campbell, Spennymoor, County Durham, 13th of May 2020
  
  
• When Trevor had finished fixing the stylus, cleaning up the box and mending the mechanism we needed to try it out, so I choose a 78 rpm record which is very close to my heart. My Dad was a great fan of Ronnie Ronalde and would whistle along to “In a Monastery Garden” thinking he was as good!, the recording was a bit scratchy but still bought back wonderful memories, and we proved that something which was made way back when can still bring great joy.
  .......... Rosie Hourihane Director Museum of Technology, Throckenholt, Lincolnshire, 19th of December 2019
  
  

A1591