Retro Audio

Overview

From the early 1950s to the 1970s, many Australians enjoyed gathering around a radio or record player, as well as a unit that combined them both, the radiogram. These multi-function entertainment units were manufactured in Australia, largely from Australian components and cabinetry, though often with turntables imported from Britain. They ranged in size from 30-centimetre portable units to two-metre-long furniture pieces. A key feature was the auto-changer, and most played four record speeds. Early radiograms contained valve amplifiers, until the mid-1960s, when many Australian models began to move to the smaller, cheaper and more energy-efficient transistorised amplifier. The 1960s also saw the introduction of the “stereophonic” record player (with multichannel sound, as opposed to single-channel mono). This transformed the radiogram into the “stereogram”, and some later models even incorporated a television. The golden age of Australian radio and radiogram manufacture took a downturn in the 1970s, when a change in import laws saw an influx of cheaper imports. In the 1980s, the record was made largely redundant by the compact disc, but vinyl has made a distinct mainstream comeback in recent years.

Stamp photographs by Melissa Webb.

Technical specifications