New ReVox Details Emerge!

Here's an update on the new ReVox tape machine.

The transport is based on the Studer B-676.
The electronics and heads are completely redesigned, based on professional mastering requirements.
The heads are the professional configuration used by both Studer and Telefunken—so-called "butterfly" heads.
The heads are designed and built by the Horch House team in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The target price for the playback-only machine is $4500.

Yes, the new ReVox will cost about what a high performance MC cartridge costs! First live presentation will be at The Rocky Mountain Audio Festival in October, 2016 with delivery first quarter 2017.

COMMENTS
brian_pdx's picture

What would be the increase in price? Beautiful machine but I would sure like to find my Teac 4 ch R to R.

Protuc's picture

It will with meters...stay tuned.

mobileholmes's picture

That's what we needed anyway. I never understood the idea of recording LPs to "save them". If your cartridge was that bad, you should buy a better cartridge.

audiof001's picture

I did just that, but it was due to a lemon Harman Kardon ST-7 turntable (bought new in 1979), but it sported a very nice Ortofon MC-20 low out put MC. I had to tweak this tt every time it played - a terrible miss-tracker that was absolutely maddening to operate. My albums stayed virtually unplayed while I used my Revox A77 half track as my primary source. Once I got my Well Tempered around 1992, I think I tossed the ST-7 went down a building shaft. My pristine vinyl never sounded so good, so thank you ST-7 for that.

kenkirk's picture

Sometimes we only have access to the minty, nice, lp for a few days... :)

Ken

mobileholmes's picture

The market is for new tapes (at a quality that was never available before) and machines that can play them as well as a restored Technics, or whatever. By adding all extra bells and whistles, you just wind up killing sales of the new machine. "Oh, this needs auto-reverse, to play 3 speeds, 2 track and 4 track play, 2 track record, timed record, single ended and balanced ins and outs, headphone outputs, built in test-tones, easily adjustable tape bias, a block for cutting and splicing, detachable IEC plug, VU meters, balanced and 1/4" microphone inputs, blah blah blah blah...". Then the machine costs $20K to do correctly and only a handful of people buy it. So, if you want to record, several dozen folks, can take a Technics and totally rebuild it for you, and it sounds freaking fantastic. But most audiophiles, the kinds of guys that spend $15K on a set of cables, will never use the record function. They don't give a damn about "saving their records" because it only degrades the sound, and playing back a tape is always more of a hassle than pulling out an LP.

kenkirk's picture

Sure, you have it right about the target market. I was just saying for me personally a no record option means I have to keep both of my other decks. I use an Otari for my Tape Project tapes and to record live events at 15 ips. I use my Teac X2000r to play my 4 track tapes and to record my lp box sets and 45's to tape at 7.5 ips in 4 track for convenience. Not sure I want to store a third reel to reel. But honestly new blank open reel tape has gotten so expensive I seldom record anyway on the format. My Nak Dragon usually gets the work. I wish they would reintroduce 7.5 ips 1/4 track tapes again at a decent price.

Ken

mobileholmes's picture

You also need a 4 channel head. That's the thing about a TD124, and similar turntables. It can play everything ever produced, though it probably wouldn't be very good as a lathe.

Protuc's picture

468 formulation (Agfa) on a pancake is $45, on plastic reel $50, metal $65; 10.5”. Same highest quality tape that Tape Project uses.

Jay's picture

I don't trust myself to drive my car or ride my motorbike after a few drinks, so I'm not going to take the same risks with my rare and delicate vinyl. This is where high-res digital needle drops or tape copies really come into their own.

mobileholmes's picture

that I couldn't cue up, and play a record, without destroying it, or the cartridge. It's harder to string up a Technics tape deck when drunk, BTW.

Jay's picture

Then you haven't lived my friend... Seriously though, when dealing with my rarities I'm not taking any chances.

c1ferrari's picture

AAA 15 ips reels of music from the 60's - 70's!
Ah...to dream! :-)

Protuc's picture
PeterPani's picture

I guess, the spare space on the head block can be used for additional tone heads (4-track, twin track). Butterfly heads! One mint head NOS alone cost $500. Very important will be, that they provide three switchable speeds (3.75, 7.5 and 15 ips). Only then all commercial tapes can be played. And if I could wish, a direct tonehead out. So that an external pre- and EQ-filter and tubed pre-preamp can be used to accomodate all the different EQ-curves (there are many variations between EU and US and between 1950's and today). Just dreaming. I will buy this machine in any case.

Protuc's picture

2 speeds only 7.5/15ips. Head block design will have direct to use with external head-amp ie. Doshi

audiof001's picture

I sure wish I hadn't sold my two Revox A77 half tracks and all my tapes back in 2000... or at least hadn't sold them so cheap! Man, that half track made the best recordings! One worked great and the other was for parts. I thought I was starting to look look an old curmudgeon of an audiophile... so few people I knew had R 2 R's. I loved recording my own vinyl and bought a ton and Maxell tape was being blown out for just $9.99 a 10.5" reel at Global Imports in NYC. Why not make this new deck a recording one? This seems so shortsighted.

Anton D's picture

It's nice of them not to gouge. They could have propably gotten twice that thanks to the chrome!

However, I also expected it to record.

I guess 'play only' will be OK for the car. Maybe they will license a version to Clarion!

Protuc's picture

Upgrade will be offered for record and meters.

marmaduke's picture

What do you believe the stand will cost?!

As a charter subscriber of The Tape Project, it has long been held that (cost aside) the primary impediment to the niche of a niche getting some traction was more newly remastered/produced software and the availability of a currently produced RTR deck.

The classic chicken and egg conundrum.

Despite the lack of the latter, the former lack of software seems to be easing

While not cheap at $4,500 it sure beats most if not all of the prices for used modded RTR machines currently being sold to play TP and other high quality prerecorded RTR tapes.

While it will never be a threat to other formats for a number of reasons this RTR groundswell is another indication that some would rather purchase evolved analog technology than try to keep up with the latest Hi Rez digital advancement.

To each his own said the farmer as he kissed the cow.

Catcher10's picture

I was expecting $10K-$15K.....I suppose it is still possible if you include record and other options. I will guess the Record option will push you close to $8K.

Tape is expensive for new, The Tape Project is wonderful but very expensive at $400-$500 for a 10.5" reel and they only do 15ips, 7.5ips on special order/request.

I am very happy with my X-2000R.

astrotoy's picture

Tape Project tapes are currently $450 for 2 reel albums - that would make them $225 per reel. They usually have some inventory, so depending on the tape, you don't have to wait. You can also subscribe and get them as they are issued.

mraudio's picture

...the recording model will be about $1000 more.

http://www.monoandstereo.com/2016/05/horch-house-reel-to-reel-tape-deck....

Anton D's picture

Thanks for posting that!

Jakobean613's picture

Thanks for posting that link. So we are talking 5000 € with the record head. That's close to $6000. USD. A steal,as it were ...

marmaduke's picture

Well it is good to see the Hi End learn a little something from our computer pals as in the so called printer ink model of marketing.

Essentially giving the printer away at cost and profit from the sale of ink cartridges.
Recording option and XLR options as well?

Sweet

TommyTunes's picture

My friend and I are planning on attending RMAF, if we like what we hear we'll be leaving a little lighter. I have no interest in record capabilities but I do hope a 1/4 track head is an option because there are some excellent 4 track tapes that I own.

Protuc's picture

The head-block on the B-67 transport had a position for a 4th head ie. 1/4tk, pilot tone etc. Since OEM ReVox heads are available ($417); a good tech can probaly mount and provide a switch between the two.

marmaduke's picture

Not at all.
My post was in reply to a SPAM post which has since been removed.
Unfortunately it now appears that I have replied to you which is and was not the case.
I have asked Mike to take my post down to avoid just this kind of unintentional dust up.

Bob Levin's picture

There's nothing wrong with wanting fresh, minty dubs of new LP's or making mix tapes.
That's half the fun of having a good RXR.

Protuc's picture

Studer B67...not B676

Jakobean613's picture

I can't understand why Revox/Studer would not want to make this a two track recorder. Sync the heads ,so you can overdub a generation,or two ? If your running 15 ips,you can get a great quality recording . Again,it's garbage in garbage out scenario. But if you have good mics,use your bathroom as a template for echo, ( Someone with any knowledge of acoustics,could make a room,that reflected the sound at different angles,and create an in home booth . Point being,use a manipulated natural echo ,which would not put another cog in the wheel of distortion ) you could ,if talented enough,make great live sounding recordings . I did this back in the seventies. Revox A-77 1/2 track. It was so long ago,I can't remember how I double tracked,but do remember using the bathroom for vocals.
The mindset today is so geared towards production. It has to be,as there is very little talent. In contemporary music,if you took someone like Paul Simon or McCartney ,with just a piano or acoustic guitar and had a machine like this,with a record mode ,they could knock out songs like "Overs" or " Blackbird" etc. that would blow you away. All analog ,with possibly one generation over the second track.
OR.
Mono recordings ,mixing of two live tracks.
I thought I was reading incorrectly,in respect to just being a playback machine.
Why not just buy an old A-77 ,if your just preserving your albums ?
10 1/2 inch spool of quality tape and I would love to hear people's responses .
Needless to say,you would be limited,but ! ( and this is a huge issue )
If a song is truly great,and the instrumentalist and vocalist are the real deal,you can capture it on two tracks.
Add a small board,and if you have good ears,like a balance engineer,you could record music at a level you can only imagine.
Live small string of horn ensembles,or church choirs etc.
Let me know,when the add a record head.

Jakobean613's picture

As this would basically be a mastering machine, when they get the head alignment ,if your using a board to record,you would have your VUs there for the input / output signals,but they would most certainly have to have VUs on the deck. I was surprised adding a record mode and VUs is only going to be 1000€ more.
That's a Big Bang for the buck. I know everyone wants quarter track machines,but as we are talking 1/4 inch tape,it would seem to me,to be a good idea as a half track machine. I'm just referring to live recordings,not playback.

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