The Studer Legend - the history of our tape machines

[@Musicman25-b4d]

I fell head over heels in love with the A820 24-Track Machine during my audio engineering days in the 90s in Los Angeles. ONE INSANE MACHINE!

[@Digitalverweigerer]

Willy Studer - role model for generations of technical developers !

[@richardd.9816]

I am a retired audio engineer and when compact audio discs were introduced at first I thought these are great, no background noise and 90 DB dynamic range. After awhile I thought something was not right with CD's I played at home but seemed to sound fine in my car. It was hard to describe, slightly harsh, too bright or sounded cold. I am very happy that I saved all my vinyl. I may be just getting old but I find it comforting to watch the 10.5 inch reels pulling tape or the vinyl disc turning and the tone arm slowly moving across the record.

[@RealHomeRecording]

Any harshness you may hear on a CD was due to mastering. Early CDs especially suffered from this problem because mastering engineers were used to increasing high frequencies to counteract analog to analog loss in that frequency region. Digital is a near-perfect representation of a master "tape". The problem is, recording to digital usually sounds "boring". Most do not have the transformers, op amps and other bits of analog gear that added "that something extra" to audio sources. Some converter companies (like Burl) have addressed this issue, but most aim for transparency, which can be boring/sterile/cold. Another problem is, up until the past say 5-10 years, music was being produced at CD quality sampling rates. 44.1 kHz is fine as a distribution format but not as a production format. It would be kind of like using a 7.5 inches per second tape speed when you have the option for 15 IPS. Anyway, digital can sound great in the right hands. Just like how analog can sound awful in the wrong hands. The people who had the money to own analog audio recording equipment usually also had the money to own top tier consoles, microphones and so on. The home studios of the day were relegated to using Tascam Portastudio cassette recorders!

[@bergarteric5713]

Only one word : state of the art !!! Thanks Mister Studer .

[@ricflairjrs4]

I could watch docs like this 24hrs a day...studio equipment, mics, monitors, tape machines, consoles, hell even the DAW digital era stuff of today. Love the art & genius technology that goes into the kit that in turn helps create art in music & film soundtrack.

[@carmelolabionda7403]

I had many of these machines and still, even in the digital era, I own a 24 tr recorder A800 and an A80 stereo recorder. I consider a honour to still own the two machines left I have. Willy Studer was indeed a man who made history and helped people to make better music. RIP.

[@m.schumacher8828]

One for you, one for me ;-) Loved your hit single - thank you for the music

[@melfree]

@@m.schumacher8828 Thank you so much!

[@klbird]

Things don't always change for the better. Most of today's youth have never heard anything but MP3 audio and are amazed when I play them a tape from the 70s.

[@ikonix360]

Most have no clue what a real audio system sounds like put together with good quality components.

[@gavinkaufmanworld]

Fascinating!! I used to tape-op in a studio that had an A800 in the late 90s. I loved it!! 😁

[@arturoalonso9174]

Fantastic Tape recorders....

[@vicshere99]

Such beautiful machines, and a sound we will miss in this cold digital age. I would love to own one of these.

[@nichtimmer9134]

Belive me! Analoge maschines have never stopt in recording!, i myself have two tascam ms 16 professional 1" 16 track maschines! ( the ms 16 and the 24 track on 2" atr 80 from tascam was one of the last big pro maschines! In late 80s to 90s) one have 90 kg! Absolute top stuff! And have some other pro maschines, also tube mashines! And i have see the moste big studios have tape maschines in there!, and it come back now!, than people know digi is not better, its only different! ...now it come back, and it was also build new tape recorder!, it was never from market or not more used in studios!, no tape maschines are used all over the world!!! Look in big studios and lidl studios! Good studios can record analog! Only digi recording studios are not real studios! Not becouse i will say digi is not good!, its also good but bot better its a other kind of recording! But good studios can record analog (100%) and also digi! Both kinds of technical ;) ...greetings

[@MadScientist267]

Was I the only one that kinda gave an eye roll when the digital machines came up in the video? Not as disrespect for what they were capable of but something indeed dies...

[@woodytheman2497]

I worked in a studio in NewYork called Automated sound studios.They had all Studer machines and NEVE consoles.Absolutely the best hands down.

[@freeecountryy]

I have so much respect for the engineering and vision that went into these machines. Every time I open up one of my Fostex 1/4" 8-track reel to reels, or Tascam 246 cassette 4-track, I'm amazed at all the parts working together to capture the sound that you give it. I can only imagine opening up a Studer J-37. Obsessed. Don't think the younger generation has lost interest in the art of analog recording. It will keep on going

[@musicaltechnique1620]

I can mostly agree that many younger people completely rely on their modern computers. But there are also some, including me, that are very interested in that analog world. Im currently 16 years old and my dream would be to own a little studio with both digital and analog (multitrack, and stereo) machines to capture sound, even tho my plan is to work as a broadcast and/or live event engineer :).

[@freeecountryy]

@@musicaltechnique1620 Right on. I wasn't saying that young people lost interest with analog. I meant, "Don't think the younger generation has lost interest," because I am too and I know many people like us that are into analog recording and synthesis. I have a small home studio with an 8-input DAW running Logic and Pro Tools along with a 1/4" 8-track reel to reel machine, cassette 8, and 4-tracks and a stereo 1/4" machine to mixdown to. I love mixing the best of both worlds and using both things for their strengths, For example, my new album was recorded on a Tascam 688, mixed in Logic Pro and then mastered to tape at 15ips.

[@musicaltechnique1620]

@@freeecountryy Sounds nice! Sorry btw for reading that phrase wrong xD

[@freeecountryy]

@@musicaltechnique1620 No worries brother. Send me any links to your projects and I'll check them out

[@sinusinu8963]

❤️

[@harveysvintageaudio]

Absolutely brilliant, I own and restore plenty Revox machines, I adore them.

[@thomasmarschall1048]

Habe seit 1992 die A77, die wurde noch im gleichen Jahr bei REVOX in Löffingen generalüberholt und läuft und läuft. Seit 2004 kam noch die B 77 dazu. Seit sie auch in Reha war gibt es noch keine problems, einfach tolle Maschinen!!

[@steviedoubleu1844]

Works of art, these gorgeous machines. Very interesting video, thanks for posting.

[@nibiruresearch]

Studer equipment was really high quality. We see many 1/4 inch open reel recorders. That was only possible with Agfa or Basf tape from Germany. Thinner tape needed a coil were the tape was within two reels. I once was in the Studer factory. The man who polished the capstan from the 2 inch tape machines had a daily mission. Only 8 or 10 capstan shafts needed to be done, but perfectly.

[@videogamehistorian]

Thanks for sharing this great video. I now feel that I should collect Studer in addition to AEG ! Great Studer machines all the way. I personally record live broadcasts on my PR99 and the sound is already greay especially with a high end tuner. Thanks to Dr Studer for all the great moments he brought us. I wish I met him...

[@DalmaTon-Records]

I own a ReVox A77 taperecorder. My dad purchased it looong ago. A superb machines! *Cheers!*

[@Video-tipsTv]

WOW this is a real important history of sound! Thanks!

[@schuebelmichael9739]

Revolution a 740

[@MrocznyTechnik]

There's absolutely no WOW. Believe me.

[@aberlustig]

Stolz da gestiftet zu haben und W. Studer noch persönlich kennengelernt zu haben - vielen Dank für den wunderbaren Flashback mit diesem Vid!

[@MadScientist267]

Very interesting tensioning system on those older machines.

[@drampadreg1386]

A friend of mine had an A 80 and dropped it down about 4 feet of stairs, the damn thing wouldn't die though, wasn't damaged at all other than cosmetic. these things were built like tanks, something I miss in modern gear for the most part. These amazing tape decks still bring in a large price tag today, and can make a digital mix sound better just by bouncing them to the tape deck and back. The warmth it adds, and some slight compression giving the mix that warm rich sound digital can lack. You still see a lot of mixes that are Digital/analog/digital. They can glue that mix in the most perfect way. If I had the funds I'd buy a Studer 2 track right now.

[@kishorVittal]

Love the Spool Taperecorder ; What a Capture of Sound ; Fabulous

[@MikeGervasi]

You can see the passion in the design. Studer A800 is a truly amazing machine.

[@chabinathramkissoon1295]

I owned a( a77) on the 1st of October 1981 all the amplifiers and electronic equipment was stolen. All that remained was that reel to reel because the tape was half way on each reel . I loved the sound very much and I can even buy a new one if is re introduced.

[@jfmax2000]

Oh Yess... Now This is What You Call The Holy Grail of Analog Recording.. Thanx a Mil for This Amazing Historical Visual Document ☺💯💯

[@torugonza]

WHEN BEATLES RECORDING ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, CLEARLY I CAN SEE AN EMI BTR-2 RUNNING. HERE IN BUENOS AIRES, I HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK MANY YEARS WITH THESE GREAT MACHINES. WHEN IT WAS, THEY WAS ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD AND WAS WORKING AS THE FIRST DAY...

[@Germannio]

@legOldtimer Revox is a trade mark from Dr. Willi Studer and that's why every Revox product can be considered a true Studer. In addition it can be said that most of essential components in a Revox tape recorder such as heads, capstan and spooling motors, mains transformer... and many other parts are in fact Studer branded. Difference between Revox and Studer are mainly based on the market group wich machines were aimed to. Studer for professional use and Revox for high quality HI-FI users.

[@GEORGE-jf2vz]

Beautiful machines. Thanks for the video.

[@alandarylmusic555]

I need this type of sound in all of my music that I make, I’ve been chasing that signature Analog Tape Machine sound for a very long time. I’m very glad I came across the legendary “Studer” brand of equipment/machines!! 💯😎🙏🎵

[@redplanet9162]

Why? Will it make you write better songs?

[@StudioMagnetique]

I own a number of Studer machines, and a couple of consoles, but what I wouldn’t do for an A27.. what a machine.

[@jourwalis-8875]

I own a Studer/Revox G36 myself. An amazing machine, still working. Have been used for many music-recordings, and even for an LP-disc production. Modified to 15 ips.

[@soulslip]

Cool!

[@openreeltoreel]

Thank for your video, amazing place and collection, thank a lot to passion collector!!!

[@Zer07jk]

Thanks for sharing this great video. I was searching the old Studer here.

[@patreidcocolditzcastle632]

thank you for this awesome machine.im a huge fan of studer...for recording cant be beaten

[@RMoribayashi]

For those of you young enough to have thought WTF when the words "digital tape" were used together, you have to remember that digital storage was still incredibly expensive until just a few years ago. A combination of disk drives for editing and computer controlled digital tape for recording and storage was a good compromise. In fact tape is still used for mass storage and backup.

[@legOldtimer]

Very interesting video. I like tape-recorders. I have a Revox B36 mono in good condition and A77 also very fine state. Of course, they are no Studer machines but also made by Willy Studer. Thanks for sharing.

[@phytoport]

Great presentation to a great company and it's products. Thank you for sharing this!!

[@bolttracks]

Berklee still has quite a couple of the 16 and 24 track in operation and they're really something to behold

[@coffeehigh420]

I'd say so!

[@analogdoc]

wonderful documentary thank you for sharing

[@c1ferrari]

Excellent video documenting brilliant reel-to-reel icons. Truly, a pity that Studer, for all intents and purposes, no longer enjoys analogue reel support from its parent company - Harman. I'm proud to own a Studer deck!

[@TheMentalblockrock]

The audio quality of these Studers from the 1960's are still better than any current digital format.

[@JULIAN8845]

a 37 has up to 7volts of gain in amps so running at 1.23v plus 4db you have lots of headroom.

[@hepphepps8356]

@@JULIAN8845both the C and J are easy to overdrive so not so certain about that headroom… but a GREAT sound!

[@neilforbes416]

The Revox A-77 or even B-77 open-reel recorders were in use at the first community broadcast station I was involved with from 1988 to 1992. I'd actually been there twice, '88-'92 was my second stint. My first stint was December, 1980 the station was using these huge Scully(brand) decks that took up so much room, of the two for Studio A, one had to be "parked" out in the hall between Studios A & B. and on rewind they were noisy indeed. The Revox decks were a vast improvement and allowed for accurate cold-start and running edit work.

[@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171]

Thank you! I didn't really know about such history, I wish i had more knowledge of the general mechanical workings of tape playing/recording hardware, namely MAINTENANCE. I'll guess that the cost of maintenance and keeping the decks in the museum there operational must cost more then the rent, and I'll bet the rent is no small sum! I'm only now recently learning about electronics, but now that I've seen this, I'm realizing that I'm missing out on all of the mechanical marvels my old gadgetry is hiding...

[@MrUltraworld]

I have a A80 1". I record everything to it through recovered Neve pre's & eq's. Then I dump it into pro tools for editing. I love the sound of this machine. It's never failed me.

[@revokdaryl1]

I think this happened for more than one sole reason. I think this happened mainly because convenience overtook quality, i.e. Mp3s vs. vinyl and CD. I also think it happened because, as you know, the ultra high end analog recording equipment is VERY expensive and it does require more attention and maintenance than most digital recording equipment like Pro Tools. It is a shame that more people don't care about sound quality.

[@RealHomeRecording]

When people started stealing music, tapes days were numbered. Digital, while not as nice sounding, is simply cheaper (in sooo many ways), more efficient to work with and can quickly be sent over the internet.

[@Tritoneipelicus]

it's the decline of what we used to call Hi Fi

[@mikebrookshire3464]

When I started steeling music mostly Off fm to 8 track is when I started BUYING albums, then cds. As for analog, I'm sure you can show better specs for digital. However, I found an old recording that I made about 18 years ago put it on I was amazed as it was there in the room thay were playing. Anilog is special to me.

[@deeprajbangshi5521]

It's wonderful.... Love this...

[@patreidcocolditzcastle632]

ill add to my love of the a800,its the only tape machine that when u go threw it, u say wow how much depth is in that.never thin or brittle.never surgical just very realistic...

[@dubdoodle7191]

At least 80% of Studer reproducers now sit in homes of enthusiasts. The music industry records on hard drives now. But one thing is for certain, the best music ever created continues to be on tape, even after 20 years of digital NLE's being defacto standard.

[@jordisonjr1]

This is beautiful

[@michaelcandido2824]

these machines costed 50K back in the day and the best recordings ever came from a studer. Digital just cant touch Analog and Plugins cannot capture the full fidelity of their hardware counterparts.

[@DougGrinbergs]

4:14 J37 early adopters Abbey Road / Beatles 6:22 1970 A80, in various configurations from mix to multitrack, sold 10,000 units. (6:33 no top flange makes me nervous!) 7:03 1978 A800 16-, 24-track 7:38 1973 A80 24-track 7:58 1983 A810 2-track... 8:41 A827 late 80s- late 90s last analog multitrack 1990 gold edition 9:13 early 90s digital tape machines

[@Germannio]

Quality of Revox brand are so high, that in fact most of A77and B77 machines have been in use, not at home, but as pro in radio stations and some mid budget recording studios. The main drawback of these machines are the unbalanced inputs and outputs, but this could be irrelevant in most cases. PR99 instead were machines more specifically designed and built for professional use with transformer balanced in/outs and as option, could be mounted in a dedicated trolley console for convenient use.

[@AirGunReviewer]

The main reason you don't see "quality like this" anymore is because you aren't looking. All of the machines in this video were high-end audio machines, designed to be used by recording studios. Consumers have never had machines like that, but when I look at high-end recording equipment now, I see something just as robust, if not more so, than what is in the video. It may not be as beautiful, and it doesn't have complicated analogue circuitry and moving parts, but it's not of a low quality.

[@joselares9031]

Stunning review...¡¡¡ YEAH...

[@BeardedKingface]

A827, Gold Edition. Gotta thank that machine for giving us Chronic 2001

[@thehunterofdeath2180]

Beautiful machine I have a revox 215 tape player sound beautiful with out a equalizer no belt at all 4 motor is my baby how a tape could sound like a cd oh even better if you record on those machines tape deck is a classic build 1985 mine still working all this years 2022 unbelievable my nakamichi dragon did not last me long at all to me the revox 215 is one of the best tape tape deck ever build in the world n sound beautiful made on Germany have two of them the other I need to send it to fix to someone that know how to fix them but it took years for the other to break down on me it my need lubricant the motor oh rebuilt the whole motor it was in my closet for years those part need to be moving because when cd came out I put it away for years those are moving parts they need to be moving

[@Peishe]

Fantastic Company

[@miss.wright3035]

It is 2021, and there are only 17 certified Studer-Revox engineers remaining. The oldest is 84, the youngest is 61. Studer-Revox must return and mfg. tape machines again. Tape reproduction is in demand and growing.

[@net2netnews]

i ever work with studer equipment at Inter pratama studio ,film sound studio , i use studer a80 , console studer ,forget the series , revox , otari , nagra , westrex , steenbeck and manymore

[@coffeehigh420]

simply amazing

[@rnigma]

The Revox decks I worked with could take whatever you threw at them and still sound good.

[@kingbee1500]

Vinyl records have come back and kicked surprising butt...analog tape formats are next! Studer machines are golden...built like tanks and trouble-free.

[@vscott1011]

+King Bee "trouble free" lol. Not exactly, but as close as any company came to manufacturing a trouble free deck. Atari's were pretty reliable as well, at least the MTR90.

[@jean-francoisrobitaille6560]

You mean Otari...

[@RudyDeblieck]

I agree completely. I would buy and refurbish a Studer A810 for that money!

[@alagadum]

that´s a great history...

[@davidmthekidd]

Love it, thank you.

[@jean-francoisrobitaille6560]

I really miss working on the A827...

[@verovieira1]

state of art !

[@alobosk]

So when are you restarting production of these? It seems the market is bigger than ever. I bought a used 1/4'' Tascam recorder last year because it was the only I could find where I live. I use it for every project I do for mastering. Plugins are a joke.

[@juliodicarlo5313]

Of course they are but people don't care. Massive audience don't choose. They onpen their mouths and swallow. Don't even chew. And click "next" button. (x-cuse my english)

[@ATOMOCDOG]

i wett scho lang sones teil. schänkschmer eis?

[@macieksoft]

How could they not show A820 24track version? My favourite one. With nice control panel.

[@paulfabrique5055]

No matter how many tines you slice up a sound and convert those slices to binary, what is between the slices is lost...this us why I think the continuous nature of analogue recording, from studio to listener, conveys an emotional connection that is lost in all digital formats. Purely Analogue Audio, will return, based on its merits. Just look at how many musicians prefer valve amplifiers... Valve compressors....tape saturation... All continuous analogue phenomenon. Thank you for listening and good bye!

[@oldgoody1]

+Paul Fabrique "what is between the slices is lost". Well yes but this is misleading. We might wonder why Willi Studer's company also embraced digital audio tape recording as the video relates.

[@brentfisher902]

I have listen to a small amount of today's digital recordings and what is missing is NOT the data between the slices, but the tape hiss. It sounds like 'something's missing'. In fact with the advent of digital telephone networks they actually had to make the audio WORSE by putting the hiss back in! When you don't hear the hiss it sounds like the phone line is dead and you lost the connection. Every time shortly before I catch the common cold the tinnitus in my ears drops to a quieter level and I will know right away that something has went terribly wrong. In other words the digital recording works TOO good.

[@oldgoody1]

This is a common misunderstanding. Audible sound covers only a limited bandwidth. Both analog and digital recording can be designed to "leave out" what our ears cant hear. Just like digital, analog never captured "everything", couldnt anyway, and just for audio, didnt need to.

[@oldgoody1]

The hiss isnt there in the original speech or the music so why should it be in the recording? Why from 1966 did Ray Dolby make noise reduction units for analog tape machines including Studers? Because for hifi we wanted rid of the hiss! But telephone networks have to economise which means lo fi sound. Analog networks before them also.

[@JamesT65]

correct, digital is so good that when you master too it and then transfer it back, nothing is lost. Analogues best friend is digital.

[@kfcmcdonalds]

I think the shift away from these beautiful analogue marvels is also due to the type of music of today. Less melodious, more jerky, that's today's content.

[@orthodium]

An A816 model was omitted, which was actually a pretty nice machine as well, i guess not so common as A80's of the world but nevertheless, worth mentioning.

[@drthzn]

I love Willy and my b62.

[@temporoboto]

💙

[@oracleofottawa]

The Beatles recorded on an Studer A-37, that would win drinks at a pub....

[@waynekozak1462]

a J-37 not an A-37

[@ToniJXN]

❤️❤️❤️

[@bbbro34]

I do wish some company would start making analog multitrack machines again. I still use a 1/2" 8-track and would like to know that I can continue to record this way. I like the whole work process better, makes me focus on sound not lights and bright shiny interfaces, just sound...I do NOT think digital is superior, by the time one has processed that digital sound with digital plug-ins it all just starts to sound like over processed, over compressed muck and it all sounds the same, recording-wise, and mostly to try and get it to sound like analog. I do think there's still a market for them and all the pros still use them, and that's for a reason.

[@llewellynwilliams1956]

all you need is love ..love is all you need

[@mariushodea1736]

superbe realizari

[@Wurm1220]

super bandmaschinen!!!!!!!!!

[@DJROCKCEEENTERTAINMENT]

I know is 2019 but if you don't have a reel to reel machine in your studio..your studio is missing a big part of recording history !! analog recording for life !!

[@tablaradiofromindia1818]

Wow!

[@SimonEGab]

🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝

[@waltwimer2551]

❤

[@iainbetson5159]

Tape machine of the Gods. End of!

[@andreasu.3546]

07:44 who would've known you could record audio on a seat belt!

[@hennessy4666]

giving analog for digital was one of biggest mistake ever made, but people are awakening.........analog is best!

[@duledule1127]

Could you call it PROGRESS, if things get worse?

[@RealHomeRecording]

Blame Napster. Companies can't afford quality equipment when they aren't making a profit to justify it.

[@tubical71]

I own a G-36 and an A77-HS broadcast....awesome machines, but equipped with weak heads, sadly....

[@vanhetgoor]

They were so massive and so solid, and so very not light weight. I had one, I lost it.

[@rodjos7156]

Bummer. What model?

[@vanhetgoor]

The machine was from the 60's of maybe 70's or something, it was only stereo. It was good but not spectaculair. I bought it in a secondhand store and because it had a very good name. I expected it to be for fabulous but is was only good. It could be that my criticism is to hard, after all is was stil working perfectly after more than 20 years. When I had to move out off my house I sold it.

[@bobbybairdmusic]

Drool.

[@MrocznyTechnik]

22 thumbs down from Nagra or Uher? :D

[@neilforbes416]

It's inappropriate to call that near-to-last-shown model "Gold Edition" because you don't edit machinery! The word "edition" applies to what happens with media(adding or removing bits of audio or video, adding or removing text in magazines, newspapers or newsletters etc.). Machines are simply designed and built.

[@MrUltraworld]

If all your doing is rapping with a sampler, you can record it on a string & no one would notice.

[@jen3800]

too bad about the shit soundtrack

[@enigmasenlahistoriaOA]

micro procesors SUCK'S

[@nichtimmer9134]

Its a myth that studer are the best one in world (myth is grounded in abbey road studios becouse the rec. history) , telefunken was/is the mother of all tape maschines and the best in world! The M10 was build years befor the c37 but was better in sound and tapetransport, but also realy big one to the c37. That mean not that studer are not that good!, no ! Studer are the 2th place in taperecorder builder in world, both, telefunken and studer are by far the best one in studio recording. in 80s telefunken was used to build m15 like in the 70s and later (one Type from 1/4" to 2" - mono to 32 tracks on one tape) and become the standard about years! but studer was build more models and get very good tapetransport systems and new models to from 70s to 80s. And both have do the world standard in taperecording!

[@JULIAN8845]

i have the studio sound m10 review it had the lowest wow and flutter of any machine tested.the bbc made all their in house test tapes on m15a they tested a studer a820 and found the belt drive m15a had lower wow and flutter. basf always had telefunken.the a820 first one was a joke it had a solid guide on the tention arm which was great on sticky ampex tapes.they later changed it to roller.ampex had 14inch on first product it took studer 30 years to produce one

[@JULIAN8845]

the m15a has tention arms that control the brakes as did the philips pro 20 unlike studers they dont suffer electroncs caps decay in transport system.