Revox

Swiss precision tape machines that still run like clockwork

History

Revox was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1948 by Willi Studer, an engineer who had previously worked at a radio station and been frustrated by the poor quality of available tape recorders. Studer set out to build the finest tape machines in the world.

The company's first product was the Revox T26 (1949), a professional tape recorder. This was followed by the Revox A36 (1952), which established the company's reputation for precision engineering. The "Revox" name came from "revolution" and "voice," reflecting Studer's desire to revolutionize sound recording.

The A77 (1967) became Revox's most iconic product. This quarter-track stereo reel-to-reel recorder brought professional quality to serious home recordists. The A77 featured three motors, three heads, and exceptional tape handling that made it a favorite among audiophiles and professionals alike.

The B77 (1977) updated the A77 design with improved electronics and features, remaining in production for over a decade. The PR99 (1980) was Revox's final reel-to-reel recorder, bringing professional features to the consumer market.

Willi Studer also founded Studer (the professional brand), which became the industry standard for professional multitrack recording. The Studer A800, A827, and A820 tape machines were found in virtually every major recording studio worldwide.

Key Facts

• Founded: 1948, Zurich, Switzerland
• Founder: Willi Studer
• First Product: Revox T26 tape recorder
• Most Popular: A77 (hundreds of thousands sold)
• Professional Brand: Studer (studio standard)
• Current Status: Vintage units highly collectible

Legendary Products

Revox A77 (1967-1977)

The most popular high-end reel-to-reel recorder ever made. The A77 featured three motors (two capstans, one for reels), three heads (erase, record, playback), and a robust transport mechanism. It offered professional quality at a price home recordists could afford.

Revox B77 (1977-1990s)

An improved version of the A77 with better electronics, improved speed stability, and enhanced features. The B77 remained in production for over a decade and is still highly sought after by tape enthusiasts.

Revox PR99 (1980-1990s)

Revox's final reel-to-reel recorder, bringing professional features like XLR inputs and balanced outputs to the consumer market. The PR99 represented the pinnacle of Revox's tape recorder engineering.

Revox A700 (1970s)

A high-end reel-to-reel featuring direct-drive capstan motors and advanced electronics. The A700 offered exceptional speed stability and was considered the ultimate consumer tape recorder.

Classic Models

• T26: 1949, Mono, 7.5/15 ips, First Revox
• A36: 1952, Mono, 7.5/15 ips, Early classic
• A77: 1967, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, The legend
• A77 MK II: 1970s, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, Improved A77
• B77: 1977, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, Updated classic
• B77 MK II: 1980s, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, Final B77
• PR99: 1980, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, Pro features
• A700: 1970s, Stereo, 3.75/7.5/15 ips, High-end deck
• A76: 1970s, Tuner, -, FM tuner
• A78: 1970s, Amp, -, Amplifier

Sound Signature

Revox tape recorders deliver a sonic quality that reflects their Swiss precision engineering. The three-motor transport systems provide exceptional speed stability, which translates directly into low wow-and-flutter figures and a solidity in pitch that makes sustained piano notes and orchestral strings sound rock-steady. The recording and playback electronics are designed to be transparent — Revox machines aim to capture and reproduce the signal with minimal coloration.

The A77 and B77 produce recordings with a warmth and dimensionality that digital formats struggle to replicate. There is a smoothness to the high frequencies and a natural compression characteristic that many engineers and audiophiles find musically satisfying. The tape handling is exceptionally quiet — gentle reel tension, smooth braking, and precise head alignment mean that the mechanical noise floor is negligibly low, allowing the full dynamic range of the tape to come through. These are machines that make the case for analog tape as a serious listening format.

Collecting Revox

The A77 is the most popular high-end consumer reel-to-reel ever made, and it remains the essential Revox collectible. Hundreds of thousands were produced, so finding one is not difficult, but condition varies enormously. The B77 improved on the A77 with better electronics and enhanced reliability, and the B77 MK II represents the most refined expression of this design. The PR99, Revox's final tape recorder, brought professional features like XLR balanced connections to the consumer market.

The A700 is the high-end collector's choice — a direct-drive capstan design with advanced electronics that represented the ultimate in consumer tape recording. Beyond tape machines, the A76 tuner and A78 amplifier allow collectors to build a complete Revox system. When buying any Revox, the condition of the tape transport is critical — heads should show minimal wear, brakes should hold firmly, and the transport should move smoothly between modes without hesitation. The Studer/Revox parts network remains active, making these machines among the most serviceable vintage tape recorders available.

Competitors & Comparisons

Revox vs Tandberg: Both European; Revox more studio focus. Revox vs Akai: Akai more consumer; Revox more professional. Revox vs Technics: Technics direct-drive; Revox three-motor transport.

Amplifiers

• A740 — Revox A740 power amplifier — 150 W per channel, £688.50 retail. A scarce, thinly documented A-series amp for completing period Revox systems.
• B780 (1980) — Revox B780 (1980) — Swiss-built receiver with quartz PLL tuning, motorized volume, and dual regulated supplies. 80W/ch into 8 ohms. 1980–1984.
• G36 (1967) — Tube-based reel-to-reel preamp and recorder with professional build quality and warm analog sound. Covers the complete spec table and when it was made.

Cassette Decks

• C115 — Documentation on the Revox C115 is thin, scattered across forum posts and aggregated spec listings rather than any surviving official brochure. What the

Reel To Reel

• A-77HS — Revox A-77HS high-speed two-track reel-to-reel, a studio workhorse documented in 1970s-80s recording trade listings. Specs and years unconfirmed.
• A-78 — Little is documented about the Revox A-78. What the period press shows: it was a two-channel integrated amplifier from the early 1970s, built by the same.
• A36 — A tube-powered mono tape recorder from Studer-Revox, marking the start of the 36 series and setting the standard for precision in postwar European audio.
• A700 (1973–1978) — Revox A700 (1973–1978): Swiss flagship reel-to-reel with quartz-locked 3-speed capstan, 24kg aluminum chassis, built-in phono preamp.
• A77 (1967–1977) — Revox A77 (1967–1977) reel-to-reel deck — three-motor transport, 0.08% wow and flutter, 30Hz–20kHz at 7½ ips. The Swiss tape machine that defined home hi-fi.
• AGORA B — A Swiss-designed active three-way loudspeaker system produced from 1984 to 1989 with a high original price point. Covers full specifications.
• ATRIUM B MKII — A floorstanding two-way bass reflex loudspeaker from Revox, noted for serviceability and long-term support through repair parts.
• B-226-S — Revox B-226-S: a 16-bit, quadruple-oversampling CD player from the late-1980s B200-S series, documented in HiFI-Stereo and Audio reviews.
• B-252 — Revox B-252 preamplifier, documented only through a High Fidelity test report from December 1984. Little else is known. Find production dates here.
• B-261 — Revox B-261 FM tuner from Studer-Revox, profiled in Audio magazine December 1983 with full specs; little other documentation survives.
• B150 — A stereo integrated amplifier from Revox, documented in use during the late 1980s. Covers detailed specs and production dates.
• B215 — A microprocessor-controlled cassette deck with automatic calibration and Dolby noise reduction, introduced by Swiss manufacturer Revox.
• B22 — A CD player from Revox's Emotion Series featuring bitstream digital conversion and differential mode output. Includes detailed specs and production dates.
• B226 — A German-built compact disc player from the late 1980s, known for its durable construction and enduring performance. This page has current market value.
• B242 — A solid-state stereo power amplifier from Revox, noted for its high output and rarity. Includes the complete spec table and when it was made.
• B25 — A stereo integrated amplifier from Revox, part of the B-series lineup including the B22, B25, and B26. With the complete spec table and when it was made.
• B250 — A stereo integrated amplifier from Revox, produced in 1991, known for robust performance and a high original price. Covers detailed specs.
• B260 — A high-end FM stereo tuner from Revox, built in the late 1980s and known for its rich sound and RDS readiness. Includes the complete spec table.
• B285 — A stereo receiver from the mid-1980s, known for high build quality and requiring capacitor maintenance. Find the complete spec table here.
• B710 — Revox B710 two-motor cassette deck with HX Pro and Dolby C. Specifications, service manual references, common faults, and current market pricing for collectors.
• B720 — A high-end Swiss-built cassette deck with digital nixie tube display and precision tuning, made during the peak of analog fidelity.
• B750 — A stereo integrated amplifier produced in Germany by Studer Revox during the late 1970s and early 1980s. With full specifications and production years.
• B77 MKII (1980) — Revox B77 MKII (1980) open-reel deck — variable-speed pitch control, edit switch, $1,799 new. The refined version of Revox's classic quarter-inch machine.
• B790 — Revox B790 (1977–82) — quartz-controlled direct drive turntable with tangential arm. Prized for precision, notorious for setup.

Speakers

• Piccolo — Revox Piccolo S60 (1984–1989) — compact 140mm cube speaker with 116mm aluminium woofer and syncaxial tweeter. Known for studio-quality sound and modular satellite-sub design.
• symbol-b-mkii (1979) — High-end floor-standing speaker from Revox with 3-way design and Swiss precision engineering, produced from 1979 to 1982.

Tuners

• A76 — FM stereo tuner with modular construction, all-silicon circuitry, and precision tuning instruments. Covers production dates.
• B760 (1981) — Revox B760 FM tuner (1981) — quartz PLL, 16 presets, XLR outputs, RDS. $1,650 retail, now $300–$600. Reference-grade reception.
• T78 (1975) — High-end FM/AM tuner from Revox with quartz PLL synthesis and digital display, known for precision tuning and Swiss build quality.

Unknown

• 1222-HS — The Revox 1222-HS, a self-contained tape recorder with varipitch, sel-sync and remote, documented mainly through 1973 classified ads.
• B-126 — Revox B-126 (1988–1992) CD player with Philips SAA7220P/B filter and TDA1541A DAC — twin coaxial digital outs, remote, black/silver finish.
• B-286 — Revox B-286 tuner/preamplifier (1986): $1,690, 29 presets, dual microprocessors, 87 dB measured FM S/N. A rare tuner/preamp combo worth seeking out.
• E-36 — Little is documented about the Revox E-36 beyond a handful of period trade advertisements and reviews. What the record shows: it was a stereo tape

Other Models

• B-203/205 — Revox B-203/205 Control System — a Swiss timer controller and wireless remote that runs a whole Revox stack from one button, with RS232 programmability.
• B-710 Mk II — Revox B-710 Mk II cassette deck — Studer A710 transport, four direct-drive motors, die-cast chassis, $1,995 in 1982. A professional cassette deck in Revox clothing.
• B200-S — Revox B200-S (1989): a Swiss matched separates system — B226-S CD, B250-S amp, B260-S tuner, B215-S deck — over $10,000 complete.
• B201 — The Revox B201 is a curious entry in the Studer-Revox catalog — so curious, in fact, that the surviving record can't even agree on what it was. The most
• B205 — Revox B205 infrared remote for the B200 series—pairs with the B203 Timer Controller for one-button system control, timed events, and RS-232 automation.
• B215-S — Revox B215-S cassette deck — four-motor pro transport, die-cast chassis, Dolby C, 30 Hz–20 kHz with metal tape. A studio machine for the home stack.
• B251 — Revox B251 integrated amplifier — the Swiss hub of a complete Revox system, with linked front-panel functions and a remote that commanded the whole stack.
• C270 (1988) — Revox C270 (1988): a 23kg Swiss two-track reel-to-reel built on Studer A807 mechanicals — one of Revox's final tape machines.
• C274 — A 4-track 1/4-inch reel-to-reel logging tape recorder made by Revox. This page has the complete spec table and when it was made.
• C278 — Revox C278 8-track 1/2-inch tape machine, 32.5 kg, 20Hz–20kHz response — compact studio recorder with aluminium head block, once $5,995, now $950
• D36 — A stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder marking Revox’s entry into stereo recording, part of the 36 series. Includes full specifications and production years.
• F36 — A Swiss-built hybrid stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder from Studer-Revox, produced in the early 1960s. This page has detailed specs and production dates.
• PLENUM B MKII — Revox Plenum B MKII speakers, 3-way studio monitors with 10-inch drivers — rare, foam surrounds degrade, original price 179€