Analog Gear News

Good things come in threes — or, in this case, in III. What I mean by that is, Revox have seen fit to announce their new B77 MKIII reel-to-reel stereo tape recorder, and we couldn’t be more pleased to hear all about it.

First, a brief history note. In 1960, the Revox D36 became the first stereo tape recorder for 2- or 4-track recording on the market, and the company has been among our industry’s tallest tape-recorder and master-tape-making titans ever since. Well, they actually were major tape-domos well before that, really, given that the Studer-Revox axis can be traced all the way back to the Dynavox reel-to-reel machines company founder Willi Studer introduced in 1948 before the Revox T26 arrived a few years later in 1951 — but I digress. Back to the here and now!

As Revox observes, the main goal behind any of their reel-to-reel tape machines is to “reproduce music exactly as the artists recorded it in the studio.” To that end, the new B77 MK III stereo tape recorder has been duly redesigned and updated from previous models. “Proven components” (their words) are still being used, such as original Revox pickups that are now said to have a “considerably longer service life,” along with those notable, unique Revox motors.

Other new features for the BK MK III include a digital counter, the ability to play “all” common tape standards, a switch for CCIR/NAB EQ switching, an adjustment option for different magnetization during playback and recording, a headphone connection (DC-coupled, bipolar), and a wide range of connection and optional expansion options.

The B77 MK III has a 2-year warranty, and the consumer will receive a certificate after ordering theirs. The unit is manufactured in the Revox factory in Villingen, Germany. Importantly, Revox rightly points out that “the high level of production and quality control required for the B77 MK III means that no more than 20 machines can be produced per month.”

Revox adds that, concurrent with the debut of the B77, a new Revox Analog Master Tapes Collection is also being introduced, and all elements and entrants of that new collection (and others!) can be perused here.

Revox claims the MK III is “better” than its direct MK II predecessor — a well-respected reel-to-reel model the company manufactured from 1980 to 1998 — because their engineers worked on upgrading featured elements such as external voltage drop in addition to coming up with a “further improved” frequency response. The company stresses that, during the developmental work phase (a.k.a., the R&D), it was “always important to Revox to keep the analog products analog” — hence, there are no semiconductors (i.e., chips) with software in the entire model.

More tech-spec speak now via Revox, so buckle up. The B77 MK III is equipped with a three-motor drive with direct-drive and servo control. Two winding motors bring the tape reels up to operating speed in the shortest possible time or slow them down “quickly, precisely, and smoothly,” according to Revox. The winding motors are said to be particularly strong and robust thanks to the increased starting voltage, in turn enabling them to bring “heavy” metal reels up to operating speed in a matter of seconds.

The unit’s regulated capstan sound motor is said to compensate for “barely perceptible fluctuations” in speed. The direct-drive capstan sound motor’s tolerance is a concentricity of one-thousandth of a millimeter. The capstan shafts are produced close to the aforementioned sound factory in Villingen, Germany.

Revox tape machines sport three sound heads for playback and recording options. Among other things, this design enables rear band control. The special alloy of the tone heads is said to guarantee the best magnetic properties and a long service life. The shape of the sound head mirrors is designed for smooth frequency response, down to the lowest frequency. Long pole pieces are said to guarantee a straight frequency response. The core carrier of the heads is milled from solid material with the highest precision to achieve optimum uniformity of the respective track positions.

The gap of the playback sound head measures 2µm (0.002mm). The core packages are made of high-quality magnetic material with above-average permeability and minimal losses. This is said to achieve optimum sound voltages and very low distortion. The new Revox B77 MK III uses improved original cartridges with a considerably longer service life — “everything to ensure maximum longevity and sound quality,” posits Revox.

Many different ¼-inch 2-track tapes can be played and recorded on the B77 MK III, including 19cm/sec recording and playback with 257nWb/m and NAB, and 38cm/sec recording and playback with 510 or 320nWb/m and NAB or CCIR. Switches are, of course, available for each of these functions.

The connections are said to be suitable for both recording studios and private home system usage, and they include balanced XLR ins/outs, cinch via the enclosed adapter, and a DIP switch.

The digital counter offers two modes: 1) counter, and 2) time. The displayed time is calculated from the current meter reading. The meter speed and the meter reading are used to determine the set belt speed of 19 cm/s or 38 cm/s, and the meter reading is then converted into a belt running time corresponding to the belt speed.

Additionally, the “precisely calibrated” Revox VU meters have long scales, and an LED immediately indicates the risk of overdriving. The display also works during playback. Expansion options include a multiuser adapter global cache available for the integration of the B77 MK III and the control in a Revox multiuser audio solution.

Finally, the SRP for the Revox B77 MK III reel-to-reel tape recorder — which will be made available “from the end of December 2024” and will be “delivered in the order in which [the] orders are received” (relative to the latter, also recall that, as Revox noted earlier in this story, they can only produce 20 units per month) — is $15,950.

For more about Revox, go here.
To find an authorized Revox dealer, go here.