"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
"Eiron" wrote in message
...

As teenagers we dreamed of the Revox A77
but the best any of my friends could afford was an Akai 4000DS

I dreamed of a Ferrograph or better still a Vortexion CBL 6.
The dream came true:-)

http://www.mosabackabigband.com/Pics/VortexionCBL6.jpg

Good workhorses though they might have been in their day, Revox was in a
different league.

The Revox A77 was not available then. The G36 was the
current model. The Vortexion was a more durable machine
with a better performance and ease of maintenance (modular
amps), though nechanically a bit clunky and less refined.

Mine is on its 2nd second head block but is still only
-1dB (replay) and -2dB (overall) at 18kHz. An A77 had
to be constantly tweaked to maintain this level of performance.

But it's all a matter of taste. I did not want a machine that would
look nice in the living room, I needed a tough reliable machine
to go from gig to gig, and stand the rigours that are involved.
Hence my choice of Vortexion recorder and Vortexion mixer
back in those days.

Not then surprising it still exists while the others long since gone.

????

I seem to remember that Revox closed circa 1997
when production of the B77/III ceased. The name
was bought by a venture capital company.

There is, I think some kind of multi room AV system currently
made which carries the Revox badge.

There are countless firms offering spares and service, but none
that I know of offering new product.

Iain

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
Revox, like the then parent company Studer worked hard to build
a good products with a fine reputation to ensure client loyalty.

It paid off.

Studer seem to be going from strength to strength.

How many owners have they had? ;-)

You should know that, Dave! But how is it
relevant??

Up until 1990 only one, Willi Studer since 1948.
He sold the firm in its entirety to MC AG, who then
split Studer, Studer Editech and Revox. Studer was
sold to the Harman Group in 1994 which still own it,
and under whose ownership it flourishes.


Iain

In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
I remember a trip top Thames TV in the 80s with a group from
Scandivian Broadcasting. They were amazed to find that Thames had
Ampex VTRs.

I suppose you only saw a tiny part of Thames.

We got there mid morning, saw the premises, met many
of the staff, had an excellent lunch and left mid afternoon
I think we were given the main tour. About four hours plus
lunch.

Just which premises did you see? They had more than one and widely
scattered around London. And there's no way you could have visited more
than one in four hours.


The transmission area used an ancient Ampex AVR setup for commercials
before changing to Panasonic MII in the '80s. That the AVRs were still
- just - reliable said much of Thames' VTR department.

Yes indeed. They showed us the maintenance schedules,
and logs - one for each and every machine. The standard
of maintenance was first class. It must have been expensive.
Per Lindfors commented that for a 10% increased capital
outlay (Sony BVH ?) they could have probably saved
30% in maintenance hours.

Sony BVH is a later generation than the Ampex AVR. The AVRs were replaced
with Panasonic MII MARC - jumping C format for this purpose.

All the same, the whole operation
was impressive, and we wefre introduced to both Benny Hill
and Bob Todd-

You're easily impressed. ;-)

But the system there and the ergonomics of the set-up was so good,
and their service rotas so efficient that they told us they had never
in their history had a breakdown serious enough to take them off the
air. Not many broadcasters back then could make such a claim.

The AVRs became so flaky ad breaks were compiled to 1" in later years
until replaced. I'd guess you were shown round by management in nice
suits. ;-)

Yes. Nice suits indeed:-)
We were treated to an excellent lunch in the directors suite.
I had several friends at Thames at that time, including the
Musical Director Ronnie Aldrich, executive Joyce Sharpen
and music associate Ted Taylor.

I got the impression it was a good firm, and a happy working
environment.

It certainly was. I'd have been there 'till retirement if it hadn't lost
its franchise.

I won't ask the obvious question:-)

Did I know any of the 'names' you dropped? Of course, and many more. Not
'friends' though. Just people I worked with.

--
*Don't use no double negatives *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
Good workhorses though they might have been in their day, Revox was in a
different league.

The Revox A77 was not available then. The G36 was the
current model. The Vortexion was a more durable machine
with a better performance and ease of maintenance (modular
amps), though nechanically a bit clunky and less refined.

You're certainly right about the last bit. Horrible machines to operate.
Using a deck near enough unchanged from the early '50s.

Mine is on its 2nd second head block but is still only
-1dB (replay) and -2dB (overall) at 18kHz. An A77 had
to be constantly tweaked to maintain this level of performance.

Strange. I have two A77s - and neither needed 'constant tweaking' to
maintain their high spec when they were heavily used. Perhaps you use poor
tape?

But it's all a matter of taste. I did not want a machine that would
look nice in the living room, I needed a tough reliable machine
to go from gig to gig, and stand the rigours that are involved.
Hence my choice of Vortexion recorder and Vortexion mixer
back in those days.

Oh they certainly were rugged. But nowhere near class leaders in
performance. Sort of semi pro stuff.

Not then surprising it still exists while the others long since gone.

????

I seem to remember that Revox closed circa 1997
when production of the B77/III ceased. The name
was bought by a venture capital company.

And Vortexion? Ferrograph? Ferrograph did attempt a better machine, but it
was never well received.

There is, I think some kind of multi room AV system currently
made which carries the Revox badge.

There are countless firms offering spares and service, but none
that I know of offering new product.

--
*Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Eiron" wrote in message


On 16/02/2011 14:00, Arny Krueger wrote:

When I was in Germany in 1970, a Revox rep said that
they were running (a little scared) from the Japanese.
They did a really good job of that for at least 10 years.

As teenagers we dreamed of the Revox A77
but the best any of my friends could afford was an Akai
4000DS

I was talking to the Revox rep because his tech was tuning up my A77. A77s
were sold in the armed forces audio clubs (available to all with a military
ID card, including those from the UK) for under $300. I sold my A77 in
1984 to pay off the CDP 101 that pretty well ended my involvement with
analog media.

"Iain Churches" wrote in message


Mine is on its 2nd second head block but is still only
-1dB (replay) and -2dB (overall) at 18kHz. An A77 had
to be constantly tweaked to maintain this level of
performance.

Noticed no such thing on my A77 which I used routinely from 1970 to 1984.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in
message

Strange. I have two A77s - and neither needed 'constant
tweaking' to maintain their high spec when they were
heavily used. Perhaps you use poor tape?

That makes 3 stable A77s including the A77 that I used from 1970 to 1984.
I started out with the machine biased for Scotch 203 and then moved on to
TDK, which formula I have forgotten. EU A77s were delivered biased for Agfa
PE36.

"Iain Churches" wrote in message



Their Vista 9 is a console to die for:-)

The Vista 9 probably impresses you Iain because its big, expensive, and has
a pretty elaborate UI. Under the covers there is very little that it does
that can't be accomplished for a fraction of the price with a LS9.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in
message
In article ,
Iain Churches wrote:
Revox, like the then parent company Studer worked hard
to build a good products with a fine reputation to
ensure client loyalty.

It paid off.

Studer seem to be going from strength to strength.

How many owners have they had? ;-)

Currently: Harman.

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...
"Iain Churches" wrote in message


Mine is on its 2nd second head block but is still only
-1dB (replay) and -2dB (overall) at 18kHz. An A77 had
to be constantly tweaked to maintain this level of
performance.

Noticed no such thing on my A77 which I used routinely from 1970 to 1984.


'I was talking to the Revox rep because his tech was tuning up my A77.'

??

:-)