Studer - ReVox
Willi Studer - 1912 to 1996
The company "Willi Studer" founded on January 5th, 1948, develops and builds oscilloscopes for high voltage labs.
One of the first tape recorders imported to Europe from the USA by the Traco Trading Company, Ltd. are not marketable without modifications. So the importer Hans Casper, a dentist, approached Willi Studer to modify the Brush Soundmirror tape recorder by replacing capstan-shafts, friction pulleys and rollers. The Soundmirror just was not built for the Swiss power grid. With 50 Hertz, the device vibrated still so much that it almost fell apart. The idea of developing and constructing a better tape recorder emerges.
500 recorders were built based on the first Studer-designed tape recorder.
Studer offered two different versions. The table top model was in a hinged wooden cabinet, which was produced by Walter Wehrli Carpenter in 
Hedingen. The apparatus, with built-in wire broadcast connection and two hours coils cost 1,275 Swiss francs ($1,430). The second device was designed as a synthetic leather case and was sold for 1,470 Swiss francs($1,646). In technical terms, both versions were identical. In a tape speed of 19 cm / s (7.5 ips) a play time of 60 minutes was possible with the devices. The operation was performed via a central control switch and the meter via a "magic eye". The approximately 18 Kg (40 lbs) heavy equipment possessed via an output power of four watts, a power consumption of 80 watts and were very easy to use.
The Dynavox, or ReVox T26 (which we have in the Museum's collection) had only one speed, 7 1/2 i.p.s.(19cm/sec.), and operated in the full track mode to ensure optimum dynamic range and the lowest possible background noise from the rather poor tape available at that time. Appreciating this need for long, uninterrupted playing times, the machine was designed to accommodate 25 cm.(10") spools from the start.
In 1951 ELA AG was founded by Willi Studer and Hans Winzeler. The Dynavox tape recorder was renamed into Revox T26and the prestigious recording of the "International Music Festival Lucerne" was made with a prototype of the first professional tape recorder Studer 27. Dynavox became Revox and the T26 continued virtually unchanged until cessation of production in 1955.
In 1952 mass production of the Studer 27 begins, Willi Studer has 32 employees.
In 1956 production of the Type 36 series commenced with the A36 machine. It was the aim of the manufacturer to virtually, 
eliminate mechanical wear and at the same time produce a transport mechanism of the highest performance, utterly dependable and a joy to use. Thus the three-motor principle, already acknowledged as the ultimate in the professional field, was employed. So successful was the original system that it remains today, with only minor improvements.
Although the A36 series had separate record and reply amplifiers. it was not until the introduction of the B36 machine in 1957 (ad to right) that separate heads were fitted. The B36 series thereby became the first tape recorder designed for the amateur but with the performance of a professional machine.
The facilities demanded by the buyer continued to grow and in 1958 the C36 was introduced. Several minor changes, improvements and extra facilities were brought about to make the machine as versatile as possible. This was the last of the mono machines with the exception of the CD36 which is a high-speed machine for full track operation in the professional field.
The first Revox Stereo Recorder, the D36, appeared in.1960. The mechanics were retained from the previous series and allied to these were new electronics to permit complete stereo recording and playback to cathode follower level with the additional provision of a monitor amplifier
Tape recording techniques continued to advance rapidly and the E36 was engineered to provide the mixing facilities, echo and multiple recording possibilities that enthusiasts were seeking. This was the first Revox to be introduced to the British Market in any quantity, appearing early in 1962. Since Continental standards differ from those in the U.K., a revised edition of the E36 is now provided to satisfy the requirements, of international use as far as possible.
In the F36 more features are included, making the machine easily the most versatile available. In addition to employing the latest recording characteristic the machine is also the first to use the graduated twin beam magic eye with its incredibly short rise time, giving an accurate register of transients. Production starts in 1962
The famous G36 was a mono/stereo machine with stacked erase heads, separate recording heads separate replay heads, six audio pre-amplifiers. and a push/pull power amplifier. Tape speeds of 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 .i. p. s. are obtained by pole-changing the synchronous Papst capstan motor. Twin-track and four-track models are available, both fully stereo phonic, recording to the latest C.C.I.R. (DIN 45113) characteristic. Tape spools 27 cm.
One of the company's most successful models was the Studer-Revox A77 recorder, which was introduced in 1967. It sold over 400,000 units.
In 1955 Willi Studer introduces the Studer A37 and Studer B37and in '56 the first tape recorder of the famous Revox A36, is released. Several thousand tape recorders are built by Studer and the company set up an international sales network. Introduction of the first portable tape recorder Studer B30. The next version of the A36 series goes into production under the name of B36. This machine has separate heads.
In 1960 the Studer C37 and the Revox D36 became the first Revox stereo tape recorder of the 36 series.
The Studer J37 4-track tape recorder goes into production in 1964 and in '65 Studer introduces the first fully transistorized professional tape recorder Studer A62. A total of 50,000 Revox tape recorders have been build so far.
In 1967 the "Beatles" choose the Studer J37 4-track for their album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Introduction of the famous Revox A77 and its counterparts (amplifier A50 and FM-tuner A76).
By 1968 560 employees work for Studer
In 1973 the B67 was released in various configurations; console, portable or rack-mounting; one or two tracks and low-speed (3.75 – 7.5 – 15 ips) or high-speed (7.5 – 15 – 30 ips) versions. Frequency response was 60Hz – 15kHz (±1dB at 15 ips) and signal to noise ratio was 62dB, NAB weighted
By 1975 1,495 people are employed and Studer bought and built several production and distribution facilities worldwide.
1978 microprocessor controlled multitrack tape recorder Studer A800 is released in 1978. 
1982 Revox PR99
1985 Studer A820 analog multitrack recorder
1986 Studer Revox group employs 1882 people, including all subsidiaries worldwide.
1989 Studer Editech was formed following the buy-out of the American company Integrated Media Systems. Introduction of the 48-track DASH tape recorder D820. Willi Studer wants to retire, several international companies are interested to buy the Studer Revox Group.
1990 Willi Studer sells the Studer Revox Group to Motor-Columbus AG, including all subsidiary companies.
1991 Acquisition of the French audio manufacturer Digitec S.A., the new products (CAB, digital routing) supplement the Studer range. Motor-Columbus splits the Studer Revox Group into Studer (Pro), Revox (HiFi) and a Manufacturing-division. MC sells several subsidiaries and plants.
1993 Introduction of the all new DASH recorder Studer D827. The first digital mixing console Studer D940 is sold to the WDR Cologne.
1994 The extensive reorganization culminates in the sale of the Studer Group to Harman International Inc. It is operationally controlled by its UK-based sister company Soundcraft. The Revox Group was excluded and sold to a financial company, or private group of investors.
1996 Willi Studer passed away on March 1, 1996.
In July 2009, the Soundcraft management announced that the Swiss production facilities were to be moved to Soundcraft's own former production facilities. The decision was challenged by the Swiss workforce and negotiations with the Harman management are ongoing as of October 2009.
A follow-up to the Harmon Studer story seems to indicate the Swiss employees were let go and all the Studer equipment was moved to Soundcraft facilities in the UK. In November 2016 Studer Harmon was acquired by Samsung.
Management, sales, engineering, R&D and customer service were based in Regensdorf, Switzerland, until owners Harman International Industries closed down the Swiss entity in March 2018 transferring the now decentralised operation to China, Hungary, and the US. Manufacturing, marketing, and customer support were part of the Soundcraft facility in Potters Bar, England until Harman closed the Potters Bar facility in June 2016 and moved manufacturing and customer support to Hungary. Studer is currently a subsidiary of Harman International Industries which is owned by Samsung Electronics.
News released January 13, 2021 "Evertz Acquires Studer from Harman" - Canadian broadcast equipment company Evertz Technologies Limited is purchasing the legacy 
recording/broadcast studio gear brand Studer from Harmon Professional Solutions. ProSound News
Evertz Microsystems Limited is a Canadian developer and manufacturer of electronic systems for the broadcast and film industry. Evertz was founded in 1966 as DynaQuip Electron Devices Limited by Dieter and Rose Evertz, specializing in equipment for film timecode and closed captioning.
The Revox C270 was the last Revox produced
Studer A807 in the Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording (below)
Revox
1949: Dynavox - the first tape recorder of William Studer
1951: Revox T26 - the first tape device named Revox
1954: Revox 60 - the first Revox mono record player
1963: Revox G3 - in UK sold as the Revox 736
1967-1977: Revox A77 (MK I to MK IV) - the most successful series of Revox tape recorders with over 186 different versions and hundreds of thousands of copies sold
1969-1977: Revox A76 (MK I to MK III) - the first FM tuner
1977-1982: Revox B790 - first turntable with Tangential
1977-1999: Revox B77 - tape machine
1983: Revox B225 - the first CD Player Revox
1981-1984: Revox B710 - cassette tape recorder; the world's first device with a four-motor drive
1988: The Revox C-series (models C270, C274, C278) - the band recently developed machine series
Studer
1951: Studer A27 - the first developed by Studer tape machine (right)
1955: Studer A27 & B27
1958: Studer 69 - the first mixer
1961-1970: Studer C37 - tube tape machine
1962: Studer E36
1963-1970: Studer J37 - the first multi-channel tape machine with tube technology, on the Beatles in the Abbey Road 
Studios, the album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and produced more plates
1970-1988: Studer A80 - the longest-built, best-selling Studer tape machine with most versions of delivery. Almost all the famous music productions from this period were produced with the A80. Among other things, produced Abba , Pink Floyd ( The Dark Side of the Moon ) and Frank Zappa with this device.
1985: Studer A725 and A725 QC - the first CD of Studer in collaboration with Philips
1986: Studer A807 - still widely held universal tape machine. In addition, the smallest made by Studer tape recorder.
1986 Studer D820X - first digital tape recorder
1989: Studer D820 MCH - DASH multi-channel tape recorder with up to 48 channels. This was the last unit, nor participated in the Studer at the age of 77 years in development.
ReVox C270 reel tape recorder was one of the last recorders produced by ReVox.
Some information on this page is from Christoph Rose and his excellent Studer Revox web site
View Studer ReVox Museum video (unfortunately the actual museum is no longer in existence) • Downloads of Studer/Revox 11 minute video available at this link • Studer at 70 -MixOnLine
The following photos are of professional reel tape recorders provided by William "Bill" Schoenborn - I have attached two other pics that you may be interested in. They were taken in 1974 at WEZO-FM in Rochester, NY, where I also worked."
The picture of two racks of WEZO automation equipment shows three Revox A77s, two carousel-type cartridge playback machines of unknown brand,
and two single-cart playback machines, also of unknown brand. The other picture is the WEZO production studio: two Revox A77s, an Ampex,
a Magnecord PT6-J, and a cartridge recorder of unknown brand.
You’re welcome to you use the attached photo (below) if you have a spot for it. I took it at Abdala Studios in Havana, Cuba a couple years ago.
Abdala is a world-class digital facility, with a 56-channel board. They have the Studer for the folks who still want that analog sound.
I think it’s an A 827. I’d be interested in knowing what the equipment to the left of the rack is.
Regards, Bill
Studer ReVox reel tape recorders in our collection
Studer Dynavox T-26 (1949)
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Willi Studer's first reel to reel tape recorder the Dynavox T-26 (1949)
Studer Dynavox T-26 (1949)
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Studer Dynavox T-26 (1949)
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Studer Dynavox T-26 (1949)
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Studer Dynavox T-26 (1949)
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Studer B67 (1978)
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Revox B77 MK II (1981)
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Studer A807 w/timecode (1981)
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Studer A807 reel to reel tape recorder w/timecode and custom dust cover (1981) |
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Studer - ReVox ads
Third Party Photos
We appreciate all photos sent to our museum. We hope to successfully preserve the sound recording history. If we have not credited a photo, we do not know its origin if it was not taken by the contributor. Please let us know if a photo on our site belongs to you and is not credited. We will be happy to give you credit, or remove it if you so choose.
PLEASE NOTE: NONE OF THE ITEMS PICTURED ON OUR MUSEUM WEB SITE ARE FOR SALE!
Studer information
Face posting by Thüringer Museum für Elektrotechnik
See also Multi-Track recording
