Revox B-286 (1986)
A tuner/preamp that cost $1,690 in 1986 and still makes a strong case for itself against separates - if you can find one and you have the shelf space.
Overview
The B-286 is a tuner and preamplifier in one chassis. That combination is uncommon. The fact sheet's period review says the tuner/preamp is a rare species, one that European manufacturers kept building because FM mattered in Switzerland and West Germany, even as Japanese firms largely abandoned the format for export receivers. Revox built the B-286 for the listener who wanted a serious tuner and a serious preamp without buying two boxes and a separate tuner to feed them.
Start with the numbers. The FM section is rated at 12.8 dBf usable sensitivity in mono, with a claimed 84 dB signal-to-noise ratio in mono and 80 dB in stereo. Those are manufacturer figures, and Audio (December 1986, p.105) found them conservative. The review sample hit 87 dB mono and 82 dB stereo, better than claimed. THD at 1 kHz was specified at 0.15% mono and 0.3% stereo. The magazine measured 0.12% and 0.09%. That pattern of under-promising runs through the whole tuner section.
The preamp half is where the B-286 earns its keep. Phono equalization is rated RIAA ±0.3 dB, and the moving-magnet input is specified at 2.7 mV for rated output with a maximum input of 150 mV. Audio (December 1986, p.105) measured phono overload at 200 mV, well above the spec, and found the preamp section capable of holding its own against dedicated high-end preamps. Those are the reviewer's words, not a marketing claim. High-level signal-to-noise is specified at 96 dB, crosstalk between inputs at 90 dB. The tone controls are restrained: bass ±12 dB at 40 Hz, treble ±10 dB at 15 kHz, with the midrange left alone. The reviewer noted that this is exactly the kind of tone control that doesn't smear the critical midband, which is the usual objection to tone circuits.
The ergonomics are a big part of the appeal. The dual-microprocessor tuning section stores 29 AM and FM presets in nonvolatile memory, and each preset can carry its own reception mode and its own loudness level. Switching between a heavily modulated station and a quieter one doesn't send you reaching for the volume control. You can power the unit on by pressing any source key on the front panel. The optional B-205 remote adds power, source selection, preset scanning, A/B output selection, volume, balance, tone defeat, and 20 dB muting. Add the B-203 timer controller and the B-205 can drive other Revox components. Add the B-206 transceiver and it becomes a multi-room controller. None of that is included at the $1,690 base price. The moving-coil input was $95, the B-205 remote $125, the B-206 transceiver $125, and the B-203 timer controller $500.
The physical package is not small. Dimensions are 17⅜ inches wide, 6 inches high, and 13¹⁄₁₆ inches deep (45 × 15.3 × 33.2 cm), and it weighs 20 lbs (9 kg). Audio (December 1986, p.105) called it bulky and then called the ergonomics "as close to perfection as anyone has yet achieved." It needs a shelf with real depth, and it needs ventilation. Power draw is 50 watts maximum.
There are two quirks. First, the tuner's stereo blend is manual, not automatic. The user decides when to blend a weak stereo signal rather than letting the circuit do it. The reviewer found the approach sensible once he'd listened to it. Second, SCA rejection measured only 55 dB, which the magazine flagged as a weak point if you listen to a station that carries SCA subcarrier programming. In most markets that's a non-issue. In a few it isn't. The preamp's phono stage also uses a modified RIAA curve with an IEC-style low-frequency roll-off, so response is down 1.0 dB at 30 Hz and 2.5 dB at 20 Hz relative to the original RIAA curve. That's a deliberate choice aimed at turntable rumble, not a fault, but it matters if you're matching the preamp to a turntable with strong low-frequency output.
The B-286 shares its chassis and most of its circuitry with the B-285 receiver. The difference is that the B-286 has no power amplifier stage. You supply the amplifier, either a power amp of your choosing or powered speakers, and the B-286 supplies the tuner, the preamp, the switching, and the memory. The price only makes sense if you already have amplification you like.
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