Dear reader, it is the year of our Lord 2024, and Revox is still launching new and upgraded reel-to-reel tape recorders. Yes, you’ve heard right, it is not a joke, or a piece of false news meant to tease you and sell you a false replica made in Bogus country. This new tape machine is really a Revox! Wow, that’s some piece of news, isn’t it? When it comes to Revox and tape machines, it’s like we are talking about tenors and Luciano Pavarotti. So – let’s dig in and find out all about this new tape machine.
First, a little bit of an overview – Studer was founded in Switzerland in 1948 by the legendary Willi Studer, and was a brand meant to sell hi-fi gear and tape recorders. And, oh boy, what tape recorders they made, the most legendary out there!
The original Revox brand and company were sold by Willi Studer back in 1990, and in the meantime the brand has been passed from different kinds of companies to another. Currently, Revox is brought back by a german company based in Villingen, using the brand name Revox Klangwerk, for a short while they built a new upgraded version of the original 1977 iconic B77 tape machine, called the B77 MK II. Below you can see the legendary Yello band promoting a special Yello edition of this B77 MK II:
So, the news is that Revox Klankwerk is still active, and this year they announced a new upgraded version of their B77 MK II. This new one was unveiled at this year’s Munich High-End Audio Show, and it is called the B 77 MK III, hand manufactured in Villingen and coming with new features. After its unveiling in Munich, the B 77 MK III is now available to buy for the impressive sum of $15,950.
The entire electronics of the original B77 were upgraded with modern ones; to realize the Revox B77 MK III, an engineering team redesigned the original analog classic tape recorder. The entire electronics have been optimized with the components and simulation options available today. Proven components are still used, such as improved original Revox pickups with a considerably longer service life and the unique Revox motors. The result is this outstanding new version: the B77 MK III.
The great thing is that Revox Klankwerk is also selling Revox Analog Master Tapes, a mandatory aspect in order to tap in the full potential of the B 77 MK III. You see, dear reader, Revox’ master tapes are made from the original analog production tapes from the 60s and 70s, being original and not stepping through any digital process and reconversion. The sound that Revox wants to bring in our homes they call “Studio Sound Quality”. Revox works with Horch House, the market leader in the field of analog master tape copies. The copies from the master tapes are made in a special line of production inside Revox’ factory, the line of production was built by Revox in cooperation with Horch House.
It is wonderful that in a form or another Revox is still active and still making such wonderful tape machines and the so-necessary master tapes to go along and unleash the full potential of the tape machine. So, what can I say besides the fact that this machine is an analogical dream? I can’t wait to hear it!
