1960s PYE all valve broadcast console, info search!

[mylesgm]

This was a recent find in a converted milkbar in suburban Melbourne. The owner operator was a sun studios aficionado deep into recreating a time warp of recording history.
Sadly he passed away recently and a lot of knowledge was lost including all of the documentation for this console. He serviced it himself and clearly knew what he was doing. I’m helping the team that bought the desk and are refurbishing it before installing it in another local studio.

This console is loaded with history and can be seen in the Seekers live recording in 1964 which wasn’t recorded at Abbey Rd but instead was recorded here in Melbourne at CH9 but made to look like it was abbey rd (as confirmed by members of The Seekers). The console has been modified, it looks like they’ve added a third buss at some point in the 60s.

There is some info on the excellent postfade website and a few other mentions here and there but we’re looking for more details.

Any info especially schematics or circuits or specs would be much appreciated!

 

[ruffrecords]

Seriously cool mixer definitely in need of some TLC. Looks like it uses a range of fixed gain modules with balanced in and outs which was the standard design practice at the time.

Cheers

Ian

 

[mylesgm]

some more info here:

http://www.tvcameramuseum.org/pye/audioepq/p1.html

 

[CJ]

I think Deep Purple might have recorded some tracks through this mixer as they did their first album at Pye Studios London?

I always thought that their early stuff had a bit more sparkle than the Mk 2 records.

 

[mylesgm]

I think Deep Purple might have recorded some tracks through this mixer as they did their first album at Pye Studios London?

I always thought that their early stuff had a bit more sparkle than the Mk 2 records.

Very doubtful as this particular one was custom designed and delivered to GTV here in Melbourne but similar consoles were made and so it’s possible that the DP albums were made on a sibling console.