Studer А807 vs А810

[@donquixote4630]

Brilliant, I always learn so much from you, thank you ! Selling my gorgeous A810 was one of the gravest mistake I made in a life full of errors.

[@DimitarBorisov-i6j]

Once again I want to express my huge gratitude for the video and the channel. Comprehensive and useful information on a topic that I hope excites many other people like me. Maybe one day we will have the opportunity to hear a short video only with a comparative sound test between the two machines. Greetings and all the best!

[@Foxbat9000]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I am happy it helps someone.

[@waltwimer2551]

As always, Victor, thank you for sharing your wonderful collection with us! ❤

[@sylvaind9086]

Thanks Fox Bat! This is very helpful. I am considering buying an A807 because they seem to be more affordable than 810 when I find them. Actually, they are both hard to find at a good price.😏 But thanks again for your comparison.👍🏻

[@Foxbat9000]

Their prices seem to differ by a factor of two... more or less. It also looks like the market is cooling down a bit.

[@Runco990]

IF you buy an A807, make sure you buy exactly the one you WANT. They are not modular and parts are rare. The thing with the A810 is you can buy a basket case and BUILD the one you want. Which is what I did. I now have a fully restored, fully optioned out MINT A810 I am very proud to own.

[@claudiobrunelli6415]

Gran belle macchine, non parlo inglese ma bastano gli occhi e le orecchie per questi magnifici registratori, debbo dire che ti invidio, io posseggo "solo" un REVOX A77 MK4 e suona molto bene, certo che i tuoi hanno una marcia in più, complimenti

[@alvarocoutinho3103]

Thank you, thank you, thank you very much!!!!! This is simply the EXACT video that I needed, that I was looking for!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Undoubtedly you have helped me a lot! Can’t thank you enough!!! Keep up the great work!! P.S.: To complicate things, how would you compare the A807 and the Revox B77 HS? 😅

[@Runco990]

As someone who restores and owns these machines, I can tell you that finding parts for an A807 is very difficult. I sold mine and kept my A810. The B77HS strength is it's SIMPLICITY. Or the PR99, of course. 😉

[@alvarocoutinho3103]

@@Runco990thanks for your attention!

[@juliensullerot1111]

Great informative and interesting video. Thanks a lot to share your point of views on those beautiful machines.

[@abaachi13]

Great review... Thank you, Sir.

[@spacehopper999]

Thanks so much for this video, just what I've been looking for. I have a Revox G36HS and a B77HS. I find the G36HS sounds better than the B77HS, using pre-recorded 15ips tapes, even though it is a little warmer sounding than it probably should be. What I would like to know is how much better is the sound on the A807 and A810 compared with my two machines?

[@Foxbat9000]

I can't comment on G36HS, as I don't have it, my only G36 is 2 track, but normal speed. But I have two B77HS's, and I think you might like their sound better than their younger brethren. The main development of the A series was the functionality and tape handling, but their electronics is mainly IC based, which loses next to the B77's discrete circuit.

[@ltbruun3991]

In Finland A807s were a common sight at the broadcasting stations. The tape handling was very good for tape editing purposes and the 3 speed option + microprosessed bias. When Eeprom memory chips fail A807 is real pain to have. Soundwise A807 is quite good but not to my taste as well. Though very sufficient for editing / radio broadcast use. I prefer the sound of A80 better.

[@Foxbat9000]

Generally speaking, most people feel the A80 RC has the best sound of the line, but it is hard not to like the modern conveniences of the A8xx line. :)

[@meshplates]

By the way, you video ends before you have finished speaking. I have wondered about the differences between these two generations of machines for some time. Also I've often wondered how Crown machines do without the tape tension control rollers. Ampex machines or Scully from the same era have more tape tension control mechanisms. Yet it seems Crown believed that they didn't need them. In any case as recorder reproducers I would would expect the CX822 to be better than these studers. Not however in terms of sophisticated smooth and gentle tape handling.

[@DimitarBorisov-i6j]

This is the test I would be extremely happy to hear someday, courtesy of fox bat studer a807 and cx-822. I'm glad that other fans besides me are interested in such a comparison. I think this video and future ones will be extremely useful for buying advice for people who are primarily interested in sound quality at a reasonable price.

[@Foxbat9000]

Yes, I know it cuts short, and I mentioned that in the description, fortunately, it was just one sentence, which I then replaced in writing. :) Sound quality is impossible to define, there are many aspects to it. Good tension control helps to keep the W&F low, and also provide the consistent tape to head contact, that stabilizes the high frequency response - both of these are audible. The Crown is different from many pro machines of that era in that it uses tape pressure pads. These help tremendously in the contact area and might even reduce the W&F, but the big question is - among the many sound attributes which ones do we react to stronger? Different people have different preferences and their favorite irritants. Hence there is no universal answer. It also greatly depends on your choice of music - rock, pop or classical piano will emphasize different aspects of the sound. I like the simplicity... to me it might have shortcomings in some areas, but it tends to more than compensate for them in many others. OTOH, "“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler” is a succinct statement often attributed to Albert Einstein although it seems to be a loose interpretation of some of his writings), so one should always strive for a perfect balance there. And balance it may be, but to me it is closer to simplicity than to complexity. One solid proof that extra complexity for the sake of great measurable performance hurts the free and natural sound is what we find in many later models of professional equipment. Therefore the Crown, deficient as it is in certain areas, seems to excel in those many of us value most.

[@Runco990]

The Crowns were built for ruggedness in missionary applications in some of the harshest climates. They just HAD to work, and simple is king. The CX822 sounds wonderful, until you take off your headphones. It is a loud machine mechanically. In fact, youtube never shows this. My A810 and A807 are whisper quiet.

[@artysanmobile]

Those Agfa ‘spoke’ reels scare me. I don’t like the big openings, preferring a solid bottom flange or at least less blank space. It just doesn’t inspire confidence to see nothing at the bottom of my tape pack. The 810 is a fine piece of machinery. The reel motor servos can be perfectly controlled with the long-throw idlers.

[@Foxbat9000]

I am not sure why you would feel uneasy with those reels... I don't see how those openings could create an accident. But I understand the feelings are very personal thing. No disagreement on A810 at all, it IS a marvelous machine, a real milestone in tape deck development.

[@artysanmobile]

Those reels were always the most susceptible to bending. Just a learned caution. I also had a habit of hand-stopping a spinning emptied reel. I got bit once by one of those and replaced them wherever I saw them after that.

[@AndrewHeller-jn7dx]

Who is the music by-??

[@Foxbat9000]

It is Greg Ward Organ Quartet, by International Phonograph Inc, direct copy of the master.

[@AndrewHeller-jn7dx]

@@Foxbat9000 Thank you so much-!

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

Great video as always! But it is , at least for a little bit, possible to circumvent the head block area and wind the tape on an A807. I have made a demonstration video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goC8Z6Cff92HmaM Unfortunately, this will not work. for the entire tape pack.

[@Foxbat9000]

Cute! :) How do you rate the sound of that machine?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

@@Foxbat9000 Maybe my ears are not that good anymore, but I think all my Studers sound roughly the same.

[@Foxbat9000]

@@PhilipvanderMatten Could that be the other things in your system, including the source material?

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

@@Foxbat9000 Yes.