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Revox A77 vs A700 - Do they sound different?

P

pqlia

Member
Hey tape specialists!

I’m very pleased that this site helped me to revive an A700 a year or so ago and I have to say that I love it.
The guy who very kindly did the work also kindly loaned me an A77 whilst my A700 was being repaired. I seem to remember the A77 sounding slightly different: perhaps a little more flattering than the A700 coming off tape than going on. When my A700 was returned by the genius who repaired it I thought It sounded excellent but possibly even more 'accurate' (faithful to the source) and less flattering than the A77. unfortunately I didn’t have them at the same time to compare them though, so I keep wondering if I was making up the difference, was the difference simply psychological?

Every now and then, I keep searching online to see if anyone out there has done a side by side comparison but I’m unable to find anything. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places.

Would anyone know what the audible differences are, if any?

Thanks.
 
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Not having any Revox's I wouldn't know BUT......I'd call the guy who loaned you the 77 and see if he'd be interested in an A/B comparison like you suggested. Think it would benefit both of you to see if there were any differences.

Larry
 
larryderouin said:
Not having any Revox's I wouldn't know BUT......I'd call the guy who loaned you the 77 and see if he'd be interested in an A/B comparison like you suggested. Think it would benefit both of you to see if there were any differences.

Larry
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Thanks Larry.

That's a good idea.... but I may have understated the repair mans generosity!... He travelled a very long way to come and collect the A700 for repair because he's an enthusiast. He returned the A700 and took his A77 back before i even entertained the idea of doing an A/B. Obviously, i wouldnt take advantage of his generosity to suggest that he travels all the way back again just so i can compare machines :)

I think there must be someone out there who has both the A77 and the A700 who could describe how they differ, if they differ at all. It's certainly very difficult to find any information comparing the audio performance of them online.... no Google reviews in 1973! :)

Regards.

PQlia
 
I have an A77, B77, PR99, A700, B67 and an A810. They all have their signature sound. While slight, there is a difference between machines that use IC's versus transistors. But I suspect most comes from alignment and the age of the components.

Having said that, I don't do A/B comparisons..... I like them just fine how they are.
But I was surprised by how good an A77 sounds, given it's age.
 
Tinman said:
I have an A77, B77, PR99, A700, B67 and an A810. They all have their signature sound.
Click to expand...

You must have a permanent smile!!

They all have their signature sound. While slight, there is a difference between machines that use IC's versus transistors. But I suspect most comes from alignment and the age of the components.
Click to expand...

Ok, i know sound is subjective, and I’m not asking you to drop everything you're doing and A/B your A77 against your A700... but if you had to give any subjective opinion regarding their basic differences (which are not attributable to alignment) what would you say these difference are? I would rather trust someone who owns both, than to rely on my dubious memory of how the A77 sounded.

My impression of them... which maybe flawed... is that the A77 enhanced the source in some very compelling way, whilst the A700 appears to capture the source more faithfully

Of course, i could be totally wrong. ???

While slight, there is a difference between machines that use IC's versus transistors.
Click to expand...

What would that difference be? I presume the A700 uses IC's?... yes, a novice here!
 
I have A77 and PR99, and allmost daily access to a 810.

You can hear clear difference between A77 and PR99, Where A77 has a sort of warm sound, PR99 are a bit more bright sounding, but at the same time , sounds like there are a more dynamic sound (more OOmpfff) - The A810 in the studio has no sound, what goes in, comes out :)

Again - as stated earlier , everything depends on the alignment. A PR99 certainly do benefit from mounting more up_to_date IC's here and there
 
jan_stevns said:
I have A77 and PR99, and allmost daily access to a 810.

You can hear clear difference between A77 and PR99, Where A77 has a sort of warm sound, PR99 are a bit more bright sounding, but at the same time , sounds like there are a more dynamic sound (more OOmpfff) - The A810 in the studio has no sound, what goes in, comes out :)

Again - as stated earlier , everything depends on the alignment. A PR99 certainly do benefit from mounting more up_to_date IC's here and there
Click to expand...

Does the PR99 have anything in common with the A700? I get lost with all these models?

Having the A700 is a complete luxury for me... i would hate to ever have to get rid of it. But my memory of the sound of the A77 was very positive! - If cash wasnt an obstacle, i'd love to own an A77 too. Interesting that you say that yours sounds 'warm' as that was my impression of it... whereas it was the 'accuracy' of the A700 which impressed me on first listening - I certainly didnt expect a 1973 to sound like that!

I dont suppose measurements would verify this but the perception of the A77 was almost as though it had a subtle 'smiley face' EQ curve??

Who knows, maybe i'm crazy! :¬)
 
I don't think there are much A700 shares with other A series - it's a kind of strange bird. Back then, we found it a dog to handle - seemed difficult to get into a stable alignment, now i can't remember what it was :)

A77 indeed has a sort of warm sound - allmst like them old Marantz/Luxman radios
 
A77 indeed has a sort of warm sound - allmst like them old Marantz/Luxman radios[/QUOTE said:
Thanks Jan for confirming that at least. Very helpful.

I wouldnt describe My A700 as being 'warm' particularly
It sounds sort of like it's attempting to be as accurate as it possibly can - and it does a fine job of that IMHO ..especially for a 1973 machine!

I love that A77 sound too... so may end up searching Ebay one day.

Anyone else out there with BOTH a A77 and a A700? I need to double check my opinions about the A700 - (i think we've established that the A77 is a little on the 'warm' side)
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I like the A 700 transport best. The A 77 electronics sound better to my ear. And parts are far easier to find for A and B 77 machines.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
I like the A 700 transport best. The A 77 electronics sound better to my ear. And parts are far easier to find for A and B 77 machines.
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Thank you!!!!! great to hear from someone who's heard both! can you quantify the difference... even in subjective terms? Would i be right to say that the A77 is a little more 'flattering' than the A700?
 
pqlia said:
Thank you!!!!! great to hear from someone who's heard both! can you quantify the difference... even in subjective terms? Would i be right to say that the A77 is a little more 'flattering' than the A700?
Click to expand...

I think I could agree with that statement. The A700 has some lousy op amps in it. Of course, that can be remedied now. I think the A77 has a "nicer" sound to it.

Some day I'll change all the op amps in the A700 and see what it brings. Remember, early IC technology back then....
 
Tinman said:
I think I could agree with that statement. The A700 has some lousy op amps in it. Of course, that can be remedied now. I think the A77 has a "nicer" sound to it.

Some day I'll change all the op amps in the A700 and see what it brings. Remember, early IC technology back then....
Click to expand...

Thanks Tinman!

I’ve conversed once with a Motown legend (online) who goes by the name of Bob Olhsson. He explained that back in the day, Abbey Road Studios did a modification to the A700’s which enabled the input to be bypassed, supposedly this improved the audio performance somewhat. He explains how his modified A77 sounded better than an unmodified A700. Basically the modification involves hardwiring the input directly to the input fader (I think) apparently this sidesteps some electronics and makes the signal path purer.

Even if I was clever enough to attempt this modification – (which I’m not presetly :) would I be correct in saying that there are old IC’s on the output stages of the A700 too, and therefore I would never fully eliminate any artefacts caused by the IC’s ?
 
Tinman said:
I think I could agree with that statement. The A700 has some lousy op amps in it. Of course, that can be remedied now. I think the A77 has a "nicer" sound to it.

Some day I'll change all the op amps in the A700 and see what it brings. Remember, early IC technology back then....
Click to expand...


TBA931 can benefit from being replaced with NE5532 etc.... :)
 
jan_stevns said:
TBA931 can benefit from being replaced with NE5532 etc.... :)
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Thanks to all. You've all helped to confirm what i 'thought' i heard when i loaned the repair mans A77... the playback was often 'nicer' 'warmer' more pleasant than the source... which obviously means it was flattering the source.

To be honest, i dont feel i have the skills needed to carry out any mods to the A700. I was almost secretly hoping that you'd all tell me that i was hearing things.. that way i'd be content with the A700... and I DO love it.... but would love to have that warmer A77 sound too.

A couple of A77's are presently on Ebay for around £350 which is way above what i can justify spending. So i will stick with the A700 for now. To my ears, it's more clinical and precise than the A77 which i loaned. But the A700 does still 'glue' sounds together.. which is the main reason i use it (as part of a home recording studio set-up)

You can't always have it all... as they say.... (unless you are like Tinman who has an A77, B77, PR99, A700, B67 and an A810!!! :¬)
 
Tinman said:
I have an A77, B77, PR99, A700, B67 and an A810. They all have their signature sound. While slight, there is a difference between machines that use IC's versus transistors. But I suspect most comes from alignment and the age of the components.

Having said that, I don't do A/B comparisons..... I like them just fine how they are.
But I was surprised by how good an A77 sounds, given it's age.
Click to expand...

I was Happy:banana: you made dad's old A-77 Mk IV sound like NEW again...:thmbsp:.. I think you told me the A-77 and B-77 use the same heads.:scratch2:
 
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