Quite so, Frank. That was in the second half of the 70ies, when the B series appeared. And my friend has a master's degree in electronics, works in the Institute for Physics on measuring technology, so he's not just some Joe Bloggs.
But technically, you can't touch them, they don't claim anywhere to have an instantaneous, thump-less start. That we all take that for granted is, legally speaking, our problem. It's only if you happen to own its service manual (which you have to pay for) that you might find some basis, in their claim that their start up time is "less than 0.1 sec". That one is more like 2-3 seconds befire it stabilizes.
Unfortunately, the engineers are not heard often enough, they take a strictly back seat to the bean counters and whizz kids babbling about "product niches", "competitive prices" and "aggressive marketing". Engineers deal with real world things, often measurable, not pie-in-the-sky concepts.
I don't. Do tell, please.
All I know is that when I ask "the staff" of a company something, I get a lot of psycho babble and some bad ganja at work.
When I ask an engineer (if I can get to one), I get meaningful answers. If they have a professional fault, it's perhaps that too often they assume you have their background, so answers are sometimes impossible to decypher because they assume too much. Not to worry, jump through the hoop again and it's usually made clear to you.
Look guys, Studer made pretty darn good mechanical assemblies for many decades. Better than Ampex (for audio) and a MEASURABLE standard that others could attempt to equal. My professional opinion of 40 years ago was that they did not have the advanced knowledge that we got from Silicon Valley at the time. AND they were very stubborn about what they knew at the time. I could live with early electronics, but the later stuff was really compromised. In my limited experience with Studer A80 decks, they were great!
Just throw away the electronics and you can have something wonderful. '-)
Just throw away the electronics and you can have something wonderful. '-)
Zee Germans are very much like that, not unusual for them to request a 30 page thesis to fix basic in the field problems.
Just saying ...
Just saying ...
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I have found that German (Swiss) technicians at a very high level of competence, and teachable. It is only the engineers that are problematic, as they are hard to teach new concepts.
Well, it appears that in their later days, even the mechanics were no longer great.
Hopefully, German members here may remember than in 1981, their well known "Stereo" magazine exchanged their reVox B78 open reel deck reference for a Philips N4520. A few months after I purchased my sample, so I would remember. If memory serves, that Phiips, beside being a very serious machine and externally looking like a reVox 720, was about 10-15% more expensive than a B78, but in my view played better music and had some practical touches the B78 didn't, like a LED digital tape length display with memory, external bias command (with a very comprehensive list of tapes supplied), wind/rewind speed control, and, for TT lovers, it was a belt drive (the flywheel weighed just upwards of 3 kg or app. 7 lbs). The optical quartz speed control was in the inner side of the flywheel. Ferrite crystal heads. Switchable NAB/IEC eq for 38 cm/s speed.
Sold it off in 1996, when tapes started becoming scarce and their price allbut doubled. Never a hitch.
In all truth, I have been told that the last incarnation, the PR99, had all problems ironed out and worked like a charm, but I personally never worked with it.
Zee Germans are very much like that, not unusual for them to request a 30 page thesis to fix basic in the field problems.
Just saying ...
That is not my experience, Wayne, and I have laways had a houseful of German products (the ones REALLY Made in Germany).
ALL worked flawlessly for many, many years, with only regular servicing as per the instruction manual. NOTHING ever broke down, and I went through two Uher tape decks and two Dual TTs, one of which is still with me, at least 35 years later.
But then, my late father's Philips electric shaver, purchased in Stuttgart in 1956, also never broke down, never even a hiccup from it. Works today just as well.
Those were different days, then things were built to last, quite the opposite of today. And there's less and less "originals" (i.e. actually Made in Germany) around - my Bosch fridge was Made in Turkey, another model was Made in Spain. Not one model available to me was Made in Germany.
I think German made cars are so reliable only because they are one of the few product families actually Made in Germany. Too bad their prices are becoming cuthroat. Not that I have one single thing bad to say about the GM produts Made in Korea (my old Daewoo Nubira and my newer Chevrolet Cruze), very possibly because they are both actually German made products in drag. My Cruze has at least 95% of all parts mechanical made in Rieselheim, Germany, in GM's European chapter, Opel.
(I hope I got the spelling right, if not, please correct me).
I believe that, John.
That about coincides with what I am aware of. Today, they are a part of Harman International. Don't know whether they still make tape machines.
If only it were so easy... 🙂 Installing new complete (as opposed to PB only) electronics would also require a lot of mechanical design. More than 2 tracks and it's real pain in the behind.
I never liked those card edge connectors Studer used, designing new cards that would fit in place of original ones would be a compromise.
I still have a Revox A77 sitting on a shelf. Is there really any reason to use one of these machines today? Where you would even get tapes would be a good question and even with an upgraded electronics, as I remember there are many boards in that machine, what reason besides live recording would you ever use one of these machines anymore? It's just a curious thing sitting on the shelf for anyone younger, and something I don't know what to really do with, but can't seem to just get rid of.
Some still use tape recording, like Cassandra Wilson:
Cassandra Wilson-Recording Thunderbird With T Bone Burnett
Cassandra Wilson-Recording Thunderbird With T Bone Burnett
dvv,
1. I'm not aware of B78 tape recorder. B77 - yes.
2. PR99 (regardless of MkI -MkIII) is the same B77, just masquerated as "pro" deck. Slightly different electronics (worse?) but still the same.
3. Studer don't make tape recorders anymore. Last machines were A827 (multitrack) and A807MkII. Last date of order was 31 August 2001.
4. Philips N4520 was more complicated design, using electronic tape tension sensors. No such thing on A77/B77/PR99.
Performance-wise it should be compared to Revox A-700 (=Studer A-67). Was it cheaper that A-700? I bet it was! (Swi$$, you know). No wonder Stereo mag choosed something that the regular reader could afford.
A-80 back in the day was as much as a good new car.
Best,
1. I'm not aware of B78 tape recorder. B77 - yes.
2. PR99 (regardless of MkI -MkIII) is the same B77, just masquerated as "pro" deck. Slightly different electronics (worse?) but still the same.
3. Studer don't make tape recorders anymore. Last machines were A827 (multitrack) and A807MkII. Last date of order was 31 August 2001.
4. Philips N4520 was more complicated design, using electronic tape tension sensors. No such thing on A77/B77/PR99.
Performance-wise it should be compared to Revox A-700 (=Studer A-67). Was it cheaper that A-700? I bet it was! (Swi$$, you know). No wonder Stereo mag choosed something that the regular reader could afford.
A-80 back in the day was as much as a good new car.
Best,
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