• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Revox B710-MK2, B215 or B215-MK2 ?

ofery

ofery

Active Member
Hi all,

I just bought Revox B215-MK2 & need one more tape deck. I should choose one from the above list & need your advice.
I know that since the B215-MK2 is the newer its probably the preferred one, but since I already have B215-MK2 & really wanted to buy a diff. Revox model to my collection this time. I like the B710.
My only concern that B710 or B215-MK1 are not reliable anough & in few years from now hardware problems will occure on these tapes.

How far is the "reliable/quality distance" between the B710 & the B215-MK2 ?

Regards,
 
Register to hide this ad
All four are virtually identical as far as the transport goes. The pinch rollers and heads were changed towards the end of the B710-MK2 run, for Canon heads and 'big' pinch rollers. But reliability is not an issue. Specific machines may have been used hard, that is an issue - like worn reel motor bearings. But you cannot ascribe that to a series or model.

Change the capacitors and pinch-rollers in whatever one you get - and it will run for 30 more years still.

I like the B710 better for ease of use. No alignment computer, but it feels more responsive to drive. And the meters are far easier to read.
 
Two questions please ...
Is there any technical diff. between B215-MK1 & B215-MK2 ?
If you had all three tapes in top condition & in the same price - which one you will buy ?

Regards,
 
I'm not aware that any were designated Mk2, but later ones have the head-lifting option - to clean the heads & pinch rollers, press the loop button. It's a software upgrade only no hardware changes.
The 'S' versions (Black faces) had a reverse-contrast back lit display, which is much less reliable. The back light panel is the trouble, not the inverter or the LC itself.
The tape-end sensor was improved by changing from IR to visible red on some.
Later version had ball-race bearings in the reel motors - so they last better. You can check this by the part number printed on the reel motor itself.
 
B215 MK-2 is not the S black model, its B215 with new/diff. front.

If you had all three tapes (B710-mk2, B215, B215-mk2) in top condition & in the same price - which one you will buy ?
 
ofery said:
B215 MK-2 is not the S black model, its B215 with new/diff. front.
Click to expand...

It was just a cosmetic change to match the look of the 'new' B250 and B260.

My favourite is the last of the B710-2, with the big pinch rollers and Canon head transport - only a few Mk2s has the big pinch rollers.
 
Because I have so many Nakamichis, if I could only own one Revox it would also be the B710MKII. (As it is, I restored and still own 2 B215s and 2 B710MKIIs, though none of them are much later versions. One B215 has the lift via loop button, the other doesn't. One B710MKII has the same size rollers, the other has one smaller and one larger, but neither has Canon heads) It is just such a cool deck to use. Unlike any other deck made, with the huge toggles, the built in clock, and the cool meters, the separate headphone volume and mic inputs & the flip down door. Matches my B780 receiver. If, however, I was going to do a lot of recording on different types and models of tape, I would go with the B215 for it's superior autocal. The full manual B710 doesn't even have bias fine tune. It is cal'd for one specific tape of each type, and that's it.
 
What I would really like to get - but only a handful were ever made - is the B710 with Hi-Comm noise reduction instead of Dolby C.
 
What is the advantage with big pinch rollers ?
I thought that since B215-MK2 is newer than B710-MK2, it must have the big pinch rollers - right ?
 
Yes, the B215 pinch rollers and the last generation of B710MK2s are the same. The Revox decks are very pressure roller dependent on performance. The larger rollers are easier to get, or have re-rubbered, and are more forgiving.
 
ofery said:
Two questions please ...
Is there any technical diff. between B215-MK1 & B215-MK2 ?
If you had all three tapes in top condition & in the same price - which one you will buy ?

Regards,
Click to expand...

hi
the difference between mk1 and mk2 is mainly in the design of the audio boards.

revox is a brand that often redesigned their audio boards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom