HISTORY:
PYE, well there's a name that was very well known in communications circles many moons ago. At one stage PYE ventured into the world of consumer electronic products, at the 'budget' end of the market, this is an example of their product from way back then.
Make no mistake, it is basic (but it works fine) which has obvious 'signs' of low cost manufacturing which was bought on by the Federal Government removing tariffs from cheap imported electronics in the 1970's which resulted in many local companies (including PYE and AWA) deciding that "if you can beat 'em, join 'em" and they had their products produced overseas instead of locally (lower manufacturing costs, in particular wages) Thus the government killed off the local electronics industry, no more protectionism for local manufacturing = a greatly reduced local industry.
This amplifier is housed within an outer wooden 'skin' and once the numerous bolts are removed, the very basic printed circuit layout is revealed inside. Single sided board, no integrated circuits except the thick film hybrid for the audio power output.
Front panel uses the hybrid plastic & Aluminium technique, none of the front panel or knobs are 'real' solid Aluminium.
So, that's my introduction .... this is offered as a curiousity, museum piece or even a piece of Australia history with a story behind it.
Oh yes, it works fine but I can only envisage its use for a small party (it is only 20W RMS after all) or in the 'man cave' aka garden shed/garage.
On with the details ...
PYE (Consumer Products) - Stereo Amplifier
Country of manufacture Taiwan
Manufactured for PYE Consumer products, Australia
Circa 1970's ~ early 1980's
Model: PA-600
Standard Australian 2 pin AC plug is fitted (original) NOT 3 pin (no AC earth)
20W + 20W Stereo into 8 Ohms nominal loudspeaker impedance
3 Inputs: Phono, Auxiliary & Tuner
Tape input & output
14V AC (@300mA) supply output is provided on the rear panel for use with a PYE tuner. The PYE Tuner is not supplied, it used very poor quality components and even the main tuning capacitor had 'fallen apart' VERY low grade product which was not worth even 'parting out'
Dual front panel analog Power Output meters
Usual front panel controls including Subsonic filter (for turntable rumble reduction) and Loudness switch
DIMENSIONS:
140mm H x 295mm D x 415mm W
WEIGHT: 5.1Kg
TESTING:
Powered up no problems, great after sitting in one of my boxes for around 30 years! I powered up with the outer wooden case removed so I could observe anything 'hey, that's not good' happening - nothing did.
Measured the main DC supply - all good here. I did notice that the main filter capacitor looks to have been replaced sometime in the past (fresh solder on the PCB pads), I cannot see any other component changes/servicing on the PCB. There is nothing special about the passives used, stock standard types for the day and I don't recognise the electrolytic cap manufacturers.
Nice U shaped black heatsink, mounted on this heatsink is the power amplifier which is a thick film hybrid type STK441, a nice tidy way to take care of the audio driver and output stages.
Two on board M205 size fuses, great! Both are fine.
I then fed an audio source into each of the inputs EXCEPT the phono as I didn't have a turntable 'handy' but I just used another much lower level signal source for testing into this input (single tone) and listened for output - all inputs are functioning fine AND the sound quality is also fine with nice clean audio (Tuner & Auxiliary but I did not check the Phono audio quality properly)
Adjusting the Volume, Balance, Treble & Bass produced NO noise or "scratching" - great!
Immediately I noticed that only ONE of the front panel power meters (Left Channel) has a working backlight. While I had the outer wooden cover off I tested the Right lamp and it is indeed open circuit. I have included a couple of photographs of this lamp if anyone wished to replace it or perhaps better, fit a diffused LED array with a suitable limiting resistor. The supply for the lamps measures 13V.
Actually I WAS going to change the Right lamp however my one and only spare was a dud! being "open circuit" so I had no spare lamp left to fit - I have left the old lamp in place on the meter.
Regardless of the lamp(s), the meter movement was positive and reasonably accurate with full scale (almost) at around 20W RMS output into an 8 Ohm load.
The front panel controls all functioned as they should ... actually I love the pots and switches that the manufacturer used because they are all indented, meaning that when the control is rotated, it 'clicks' into each position - it just has a nice 'positive tactile feel'
What I am not so impressed with is the use of hybrid plastic and Aluminium all over the front panel. The panel itself is actually plastic onto which has been glued a thin Aluminium skin with the labelling. The knobs are all solid Aluminium 'outside' (at least they are not painted Aluminium!) but inside is a plastic insert - all in the name of keeping costs down.
I found the loudspeaker output terminations interesting and easy to use, push button style i.e push the button inwards and insert your loudspeaker wires. You can of course connect two sets of loudspeakers if you wished.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
For 50+ years old this amplifier is in really good condition, especially as it was manufactured to a 'price point'
The wooden outer case is NOT damaged at all and barely has any marks. I wouldn't be placing anything heavy on this outer casing though, it is quite thin particle board and may not take kindly to other heavy audio equipment being placed on the top.
The front panel has some light marks and scratches but nothing too dramatic. All knobs fit onto the shafts correctly and are not loose.
The rear panel ports such as the RCA inputs are all clean and reasonably shiny, good contact points.
All feet underneath are present so the amplifier sits nice and evenly onto a flat surface.
That about covers everything about this stereo amplifier from PYE, a relic from audio history!
