Meet the designers:  Malcolm Hill, discussing the new Series 7 at the launch in 1968

I recently had the opportunity to contact Malcolm, and ask him about his time working at Ferrograph, the following reply from him gives us a real insight into the company.

He writes....I started working for Wright & Weaire in 1955. W&W being the parent company, Ferrograph  just a brand name for completed products, Tape Recorders and Echo Sounders. 

When I joined Wright & Weaire in 1955, the 2 AN had just replaced the series 2A-the N standing for the more modern "Noval" valve type which replaced the old B8A range. There never was a series 1 as such only a model "A" (prototyped only), "B" a tiny number of which were sold or given away for comments, perhaps then model "C" of which hundreds were made, and which had a VU meter as opposed to the peak-reading type used on the final "D" version of series 1. 

It seems such a long way away now, from my work at Ferrograph on the audio circuits for the valve model 633. That was the first recorder whose electronics (but not the deck) I was responsible for.  There was almost no design brief except it was to  be mono, with downstream monitoring (a new term for third head off tape monitoring) and including a power amplifier.

Series 7 Electronic Design. 

I don't remember a time scale being given, its so long ago. The design was left to me, but there were to be separate record/play heads used, and since I had long been keen to use transistors, they left me to it.  I do remember having to make many measurements to determine the optimum inductance for record and replay heads, and comparing various makes and types of transistors.

It was my idea to fit a more powerful  2 x 10W loudspeaker output stage, against much opposition, since the old 3 watt valve amplifiers in the series 6 were thought to be quite sufficient.

The basic audio circuits never changed, even into the Logic 7 range, since the Wayne Kerr appointed Sales Director Jerry Griffiths insisted there were no complaints about them and forbade us to change them.  Since I had decided on a modular design using one printed circuit per function i.e. Record; Replay; EQ. etc. the units were well suited to any physical layout.  Actually, the 10W power amplifier PCB. was used as the basis for the F307 stand alone amplifier.

As for the design of the new Series 7 tape deck, the brief from Niblett / Merrick being to continue using as much of the previous design as possible.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" was the motto of the management and their definition of broke may well not have agreed with Ferrograph enthusiasts or mine.

It was specific policy to change the products as gradually as possible, only adding features as deemed necessary, but without large model changes-which were thought unsettling to existing customers.  This policy continued until the need for 10.5 inch spools caused a deck re-design with new more powerful reel motors etc. with Super Seven. In those days Ferrograph was an incredibly successful and profitable company almost entirely owned by Richard Merrick (Sales), and Ernest Niblett (Technical and Factory Management).

 Head Problems

Contrary to popular views, the heads were identical to the older stereo heads apart from the impedance-200 mH inductance-to suit the transistor electronics. The cores were mu-metal a trade name of Telcom Metals-and the only realistic source in the UK at that time, of the alloy.  Similar magnetic and physical properties apply to Permalloy, a brand name sometimes used by overseas companies.

The main cause of head problems was the 'dirty head syndrome', a combination of the increasing use of ultra critical four track standard and more modern tapes which were not as abrasive and 'self cleaning' as earlier tapes. In fact the excessive sillicon lubricants used in some tapes was far more troublesome in adhering to heads than loose oxide particles themselves.

  Both all metal and plastic head construction was used over the years by Ferrograph but the active part, the laminations themselves, were always Telcom Mu-Metal. Techniques such as surface hardening were in the future, and not even used by dedicated head manufacturers such as Bogen.  At that time and their heads were just as soft as ours.

Wilmot Breedon (The new owners)

It must be realised that at that time Ferrograph was very profitable and remained so until the owners sold out in order to become wealthy men.

Unfortunately, the company passed to Wilmot Breedon who removed the original directors and installed a motley collection of retired BBC and EMI directors whose skills probably lay elsewhere.

Wilmot Breedon was a company making car keys; bumpers etc. based in Birmingham and London, and one of the Breedon brothers David, had an interest in Hi-Fi and specifically tape recorders, Ferrograph became his 'baby'. David was a charming man, and keen to see Ferrograph do well, but his main loyalty lay with his original employer Wayne Kerr (who had no audio experience) and inevitably they struggled with the later involvement with the Logic 7 deck and complete Studio 8.  Wayne Kerr manufactured test equipment, measuring 'bridges' etc. for the telecoms industry (mainly 'the Post Office') at that time.

Wayne Kerr and Ferrograph off-shoot Rendar were also part of Wilmot Breedon and that is why they were drafted in during the final years.

Basic mistakes were made with the Studio 8 by the Wayne Kerr engineers. For instance the head preamps were so far away from the actual heads that an unsuitably low head inductance had to be used, causing reduced head output and rather poor signal to noise ratio's for a professional machine. The use of AC Papst reel motors to supply back tension led to rather uncertain flutter performance and various other weaknesses became apparent.

So it was only when Ferrograph was sold again, this time to a consortium (including ex-engineer of Ferrograph Allen Halliwell, who had left to form NEAL) that the Studio 8 came to South Shields. It was, too little too late.

To survive at that time of increased competition, Ferrograph were expected to make a full range of matching Hi-Fi. We were quite successful with the Tuner, Amplifiers, etc. but could not compete on price with dedicated manufacturers or, increasingly, large international corporations.

Eventually Neal-Ferrograph (as it was then) was split up and the various products went to new owners. The Ferrograph part struggled on for a while as Ferrograph Spares and Service using remaining stocks of parts to produce a few more Studio 8 and other models, and then using the Ferrograph name for an early digital recorder designed in the USA but it was a short-lived product.

The Ferrograph name was even used for a range of early LED moving message display units.

The Neal brand name was bought by another ex-director of Neal Ferrograph, Allen Helliwell and this became a separate company making audio and industrial cassette recorders. That was the company I transferred to.

It's gratifying to learn that there are still people who admired the products that played a part in my early life and I thank you for your interest.

Kind regards Malcolm Hill