REVOX B77 Mk 2
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Hi,
The ReVox B77 Mk II was made until 1986! This was the best machine ReVox made of the A and B 77 line. Parts are available from J-M Technical Arts and these decks are service/maintenance friendly. Worth owning if you like open reel!
The ReVox B77 Mk II was made until 1986! This was the best machine ReVox made of the A and B 77 line. Parts are available from J-M Technical Arts and these decks are service/maintenance friendly. Worth owning if you like open reel!
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
Indeed. The nice thing about ReVoxes is that they're generally worthy of fixing/restoration. The two A77 beaters I got last year are in the process of being turned into a nice working unit (with the help of a third organ donor carcass) even as I type this.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
As long as it is has quarter-track stereo heads and will record at 7-1/2 (and/or 3-3/4) ips... sho' nuff. If it's got half-track stereo heads... not so much.
EDIT: FWIW, this is my above-referenced FrankenReVox. This one has half-track heads and is configured for 'high speed' (i.e., 15 and 7-1/2 ips).
EDIT: FWIW, this is my above-referenced FrankenReVox. This one has half-track heads and is configured for 'high speed' (i.e., 15 and 7-1/2 ips).
Yes, the B77 will handle 7" reels, no problem. Make sure the heads are 1/4 track heads on the B77. If the Revox has 1/2 track heads, tapes recorded on the machine will not play on the Pioneer.
I own a Revox B77 Mk2. It is a fantastic reel to reel machine.
SaSi
Seriously Illogical
There are two versions of the deck. The original B77 and the newer B77MkII. Biggest visual identifier of MkII apart from the MkII on the head cover is the speed pitch control to the right of the front.
There are several speed variants of the deck, most common being the normal 3 3/4 and 7.5 ips machine with 4 track stereo heads. This version will play all 7 and 10" quarter track tapes, i.e. the "common" ones.
The higher speed variant, 7.5/15ips is mostly found with half track heads, although I have seen quarter track versions of it. It's a good deck to have unless the compatibility with quarter track tapes is critical for you.
There are other slow speed versions, that are somewhat rare and items for collectors. I have a 1 7/8 - 3 3/4 speed deck that I found in perfect condition and a price I couldn't pass. Audio is somewhat questionable in the slow speed though.
And there is an even slower speed version (SLS) that plays 15/16 - 1 7/8. That's really for broadcast logging and has nothing to do with hifi.
Main thing to look at is the heads. Revox heads are soft (wear out relatively fast) and expensive. Lay the deck on it's back and remove the head cover. Flip the metal shield of the PB head towards the bottom of the deck. Look at the face of the heads. If there is a visible flat "mirror" at the front of the heads (PB / REC) then the heads are worn.
All heads are worn after some time. A 1-2mm mirror is OK and nothing to really worry about. A 4-5mm mirror effectively means the heads need replacement.
You can find replacement heads, even brand new, but expect to spend about $100 or so each.
Pricewise, a Revox deck with worn heads is good only for parts.
There are several speed variants of the deck, most common being the normal 3 3/4 and 7.5 ips machine with 4 track stereo heads. This version will play all 7 and 10" quarter track tapes, i.e. the "common" ones.
The higher speed variant, 7.5/15ips is mostly found with half track heads, although I have seen quarter track versions of it. It's a good deck to have unless the compatibility with quarter track tapes is critical for you.
There are other slow speed versions, that are somewhat rare and items for collectors. I have a 1 7/8 - 3 3/4 speed deck that I found in perfect condition and a price I couldn't pass. Audio is somewhat questionable in the slow speed though.
And there is an even slower speed version (SLS) that plays 15/16 - 1 7/8. That's really for broadcast logging and has nothing to do with hifi.
Main thing to look at is the heads. Revox heads are soft (wear out relatively fast) and expensive. Lay the deck on it's back and remove the head cover. Flip the metal shield of the PB head towards the bottom of the deck. Look at the face of the heads. If there is a visible flat "mirror" at the front of the heads (PB / REC) then the heads are worn.
All heads are worn after some time. A 1-2mm mirror is OK and nothing to really worry about. A 4-5mm mirror effectively means the heads need replacement.
You can find replacement heads, even brand new, but expect to spend about $100 or so each.
Pricewise, a Revox deck with worn heads is good only for parts.
beans
Got arth-a-ritis
Anybody else want to weigh in on this statement?
What if I can pick it up for a about $200? If I then replace 2 heads I'll be about $400 into it, plus any labor costs I might incur. That's only a little more than I paid for my RT-707 8 years ago.... but then I probably overpaid for that one, too.
SaSi
Seriously Illogical
I was, perhaps, too harsh and not so clear.
A Revox deck with worn out heads will most likely also have many other worn out parts that wear as a function of usage. A worn out pinch roller it the first that comes to mind. But that might be in need of replacement due to old age anyway.
Also, the tension arms will have created grooves, as will the tape guards near the heads. They can be turned by 90 degrees for extra life or be replaced - they seem to go cheap and I buy whenever I find them in the 2-3 euro price range.
The tape counter belt also seems to be broken or missing in many of these decks. Again easy to find and replace, they come in kits with the pinch roller.
Finally, the left hand side bearing acting as tape guide might need replacement and the stationary RHS guide will most likely need to be turned.
Luckily, nothing else on the deck seems to get old and die. I have only heard of one faulty capstan motor, but that might have been caused by leaving the machine on for years.
Pricewise, it all depends on how much one is prepared to spend and how much alternatives go for.
If $400 seems like a decent amount for a B77, then yes, a $200 price on the deck is a fair price.
And my PR99 sounded very good even with totaly worn out heads. Just a little bit of phase modulation in the highs, but that was barely audible in normal programme listening. But it then sounded terrific when the heads were replaced.
A Revox deck with worn out heads will most likely also have many other worn out parts that wear as a function of usage. A worn out pinch roller it the first that comes to mind. But that might be in need of replacement due to old age anyway.
Also, the tension arms will have created grooves, as will the tape guards near the heads. They can be turned by 90 degrees for extra life or be replaced - they seem to go cheap and I buy whenever I find them in the 2-3 euro price range.
The tape counter belt also seems to be broken or missing in many of these decks. Again easy to find and replace, they come in kits with the pinch roller.
Finally, the left hand side bearing acting as tape guide might need replacement and the stationary RHS guide will most likely need to be turned.
Luckily, nothing else on the deck seems to get old and die. I have only heard of one faulty capstan motor, but that might have been caused by leaving the machine on for years.
Pricewise, it all depends on how much one is prepared to spend and how much alternatives go for.
If $400 seems like a decent amount for a B77, then yes, a $200 price on the deck is a fair price.
And my PR99 sounded very good even with totaly worn out heads. Just a little bit of phase modulation in the highs, but that was barely audible in normal programme listening. But it then sounded terrific when the heads were replaced.
beans
Got arth-a-ritis
Thanks for that. I'm going to talk to the guy here at the office in a little while to see what we can work out. At first he said he'd give it to me just for taking a couple of 10-yr-old Sun monitors off his hands, but I'd have to drop those off at GW since I have no use for them and no room to put them.
junkaudio
Super Member
i love that r2r had 3 so far easy to repair and all parts available (not cheap)
http://www.reeltoreel.de/Revox/B77.htm
http://www.reeltoreel.de/Revox/B77.htm
beans
Got arth-a-ritis
I went on and picked up the B77 for $200. It is a half-track Mk II, and I was close to calling the whole deal off since I don't know how much I'll use it in light of that. The only reason I went ahead with it is because he threw in all of his tapes... 4 blank Maxell XLI 35-180B and 4 Quantegy/Ampex 456. It has issues, so I am going to restore it then see how much I use it. It needs a pinch roller kit and one of the meters is not working. But the big thing is that I think it needs new heads. Also the counter isn't working.
beans
Got arth-a-ritis
No, it has 7 1/2 and 3 3/4 ips.
1/4" tape is not configured the way cassette tape is, with both tracks per direction on one half of the tape. I thought R2R had adjacent tracks in alternating directions. If so, that would put one stack of the quarter track head picking up half of the tape track and the other stack picking up half of the other track of the half-track tape. So my concern would not be picking up the tracks from the other direction but with the output level.
But what-a-wino?
steerpike2
Super Member
When I bought my PR99 new around 1983, I asked ReVox if they made a variant that could be switched between 1/4 track and 1/2 track playback. The guy laughed and said "Only the Japanese do that."
The B77s all have an option for a pilot head on the headblock - for running a slide projector & dissolve unit. I've wondered if a second playback head would fit in the space allocated for that pilot head.
(although it is 'outside' the capstan, so w&f may be somewhat worse.)
The B77s all have an option for a pilot head on the headblock - for running a slide projector & dissolve unit. I've wondered if a second playback head would fit in the space allocated for that pilot head.
(although it is 'outside' the capstan, so w&f may be somewhat worse.)
SaSi
Seriously Illogical
The space there for that head is small. It fits only a head as large as the erase head, much smaller than the Revox heads, even if removed from the shell.
However, Joe Dundovich sells suitable heads that are much smaller and might fit there, but it takes a lot of effort and DIY to make a proper and adjustable head mount.
I was thinking the other way round, just like the japanese... Get an extra headblock, mount quarter track heads there and find a way to replace the whole headblock. Not easy to do with a plug connector a'la Technics, but even a simple multi pole plug would suffice - I think.
But in the end, it's simpler, neater and cheaper to have an extra unit.
Even in the Technics RS1500 case, one might find that an extra headblock sells for almost what a complete R2R deck does.
However, Joe Dundovich sells suitable heads that are much smaller and might fit there, but it takes a lot of effort and DIY to make a proper and adjustable head mount.
I was thinking the other way round, just like the japanese... Get an extra headblock, mount quarter track heads there and find a way to replace the whole headblock. Not easy to do with a plug connector a'la Technics, but even a simple multi pole plug would suffice - I think.
But in the end, it's simpler, neater and cheaper to have an extra unit.
Even in the Technics RS1500 case, one might find that an extra headblock sells for almost what a complete R2R deck does.