Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 A few years ago (actually about 6-7 years ago now), my old Akai 635-DB R2R died. Since then I have had that "lust" for that "ole' timey" analog reel sound. Well a couple years ago (December of 2007), I found a Revox B-77 for sale. Always wanted one, but they were very expensive back in the day; far more expensive than the Akai's, Teac's, etc. They were however, built like a tank, and are still in general use today. Well, thought about for a while, and bought it for $300. It had issues so I stuck it up on a shelf for the "git a round toit" list of things to do. I bought another one but it was a slow speed deck (3.75" only) and while it worked well, I decided to sell it and use the money to get the "normal one" done by a reputable technician. Found a techniciam. Kevin Kaas in St. Petersburg. There's a couple other folks on the Forum who are aware of his work, and it is well worth it. So in May of 2008, off it went. The B-77 drove him crazy because of take up reel delays, etc. and by the time it was over, the entire deck was pretty much rebuilt, including a custom logic board circuit modification to correct a delay problem that apparently many of the older B-77's had. It was worth the wait. It arrived yesterday, and today I unpacked it and tested it to see how it sounded after all these years. Gotta love the packing labels. The first box I've ever got from UPS that was not stabbed to death!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Where did I put the reels and tape? The tape is new from US Recording Media; it's a pro tape, thick, 2400", and is the same characteristics as the Ampex Grand Master 456. They come in "pancakes". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Reel assembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Unpack. New NAB hubs and the modified circuit diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Install the hubs and the reels!!! But.... the nice new pro audio RCA connectors wont fit. Back in the 70's the distance between the jacks was much narrower than now. I never throw anything away, and had a couple of pairs of good quality RCA jacks from another AV amp. They fit and are actually well shielded/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 The deck is connected to the Esoteric Sound Super Connector. It allows inputs from any source and outputs to any source - all at the same time. Great tool for multiple amps, cascading amps, decks, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Ready to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Power up and check everything, couple of fast forwards and backs, etc. Check the input levels, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Record the favorite song. Booker T & the MG's - "Melting Pot" Melting Pot was the first album that I ever owned, bought at the PX in Stuttgart, played on a Thorens TD-125, Shure M-91, Through a Sansui AU-999 and a pair of JBL 4311 Contol Room Monitors in 1971. Spent my entire paycheck on that system. Fortunately.... I lived in the BOQ on the "Grenadier Kaserne" (Stuttgart - Zuffenhausen - about 2 miles from the Porsche factory...), and all my girlfriends fed me for a month!!! Well that's how I got started. [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Works perfectly; tested it over the K'horns, Belles and the Heresy's in the Wall of Voodoo. Maybe I should read the directions now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Stunning, Marshall! Light years nicer-looking knobs, dials and meters than my superlative-sounding A77. Great choice, and I don't care what it cost you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Total investment: ~$750, but it will last forever (or at least as long as I can find reel tapes LOLOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Outstanding, Marshall! Many moons ago I made some recordings on a B77 with DBX (Allan Parsons "Tales of Mystery" fresh out of the wrapper was one). It was, in a way, my first preview of the digital future in that DBX doubled the dynamic range and made metering childs play. I transferred those to 1 bit, 2.8mhz a while back and they sounded like the day I made them, certainly equal to or superior to any digital I have today. The Parsons was a superbly engineered recording and I had (still have) a first rate pressing. Of course, the vinyl has a few pops and a hair less presence now...but the recording I made back then of it remains perfect and transferred to digital as though it were mastered that way. You'd be amazed at the pre-recorded stuff you can get cheap on Ebay. Not all is first rate, but some of it is stunning. Enjoy! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollar bill Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Want a A722 to go with it?[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Very cool indeed! Looks beautiful. I did notice, though, that there are fingerprints all over the back of her butt. Whatcha been upto? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Hey Marshall, That looks alot like the one I sold you!!! LOL!!! I am glad to see you are enjoying tape it is alot of fun!!! BTW I still have alot of Revox stuff if you are interested in any of it!!! Like a remote control for the B77 some sealed Revox 621 Mastering tape 3600ft' etc!!! Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Canyon, I had to sell the one I got from you to "finance" the rebuild of this one which has the higher speeds. I would be interested in a PM from you with a list of what you still have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Very cool indeed! Looks beautiful. I did notice, though, that there are fingerprints all over the back of her butt. Whatcha been upto? The fingerpints date back to the previous owner handling the fram and not wiping his greasy little prints off. The deck did not come with a "case". It was a studio deck and apparently ordered like that. It came with "rack" rails, but I removed them. I am going to make a case for the deck in the next several weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Hi Marshall, Ok give me a little time I am at work, and will need to go through all the Revox stuff I have!!! Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Nice machine Marshall! I just got through recording from a clean album Steely Dan's "Aja" to an Ampex GM 456 tape at 15 ips. What fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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