ICONIC ABBEY ROAD EMI TG12345 MKI CONSOLE AND LOCKWOOD MAJORS REUNITED

The long-awaited reunion of the renowned Abbey Road EMI TG12345 MKI recording console and Lockwood Major Loudspeakers took place at the Bonhams auction.

Lockwood provided a pair of original Lockwood Major Loudspeakers to support the special Bonhams auction held at London’s Knightsbridge. Named “Sound of The Beatles: The ‘Abbey Road’ Console,” this auction witnessed the first-ever sale of the iconic Beatles Abbey Road Console.

The fortunate buyer of the console is expected to seek the matching Lockwood Majors that accompanied this storied console during its illustrious tenure at Abbey Road Studios, marking a complete chapter in the historical continuum of these revered audio legends.

ABBEY ROAD CONSOLE

The historical significance of the EMI TG12345 MKI recording console and Lockwood Majors resonates deeply within Abbey Road Studios. During their tenure, these iconic pieces were the studio’s preferred pairing for recording and mixing. In 1968, the studio manager, Allen Stagg, replaced all studio monitors with Lockwood’s loudspeakers, swiftly establishing them as the industry-standard reference for studio sound. Abbey Road acquired over thirty pairs of Lockwood-designed Loudspeakers. Many original Abbey Road Lockwood speakers remain operational today, some in private collections.

Installed in 1968 as EMI’s groundbreaking first solid-state transistorised desk, the EMI TG12345 MKI recording console played an integral role in music history. The Beatles utilised it a year later to record and mix their landmark album, Abbey Road, achieving a notably smoother and refined sound. Beyond The Beatles, notable artists like Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney (solo), George Harrison (solo), Ringo Starr (solo), John Lennon & Yoko Ono with the Plastic Ono Band also harnessed the prowess of this recording console alongside Lockwood Loudspeakers between 1968 and 1972.

LOCKWOOD LOUDSPEAKERS

The legacy of Lockwood Loudspeakers traces back to the 1930s, inspired by Stanley Timms’ visionary spark from the first UK television broadcast. A partnership with the BBC that birthed the Lockwood Loudspeakers. These speakers swiftly became the favoured choice of many TV, radio, and recording studios worldwide.

Music legends such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, R.E.M., Robbie Robertson, The Who, Iggy Pop, Daniel Lanois, Lenny Kravitz, The Rolling Stones, and many others have entrusted Lockwood Loudspeakers.

Lockwood’s Studio Client list encompasses the best studios in the industry, including Abbey Road, Decca, Trident, Vangelis’s Nemo studio, and The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Hundreds of studios worldwide select Lockwood as their loudspeaker reference for studio, cutting, and mastering facilities.

On its website, Lockwood has a comprehensive discography dating from the present day to 1961, documenting iconic albums and soundtracks made with Lockwood Loudspeakers.

 With established global distribution channels, Lockwood remains committed to delivering the same level of excellence to audiophiles for home enjoyment. Each Lockwood Loudspeaker is handcrafted in the UK using original 1960s designs at Lockwood’s London production facility, utilising UK-sourced components, including custom-designed Volt point-source drive units with Alnico magnets.

HiFi PiG Says: We have enjoyed hearing the new Lockwood speakers at HiFi Shows this year, they have a real place in iconic British music history and going forward into the future.