Independent reviews on the ReVox A77

When the full-width head cover is swung down, two more pushbuttons are revealed. One cuts off the signal to external speakers, and the other switches off the power to the reel motors. This "tape dump" facility is for convenience in editing. When the reel motors are turned off, and the recorder placed in a fast speed mode, the reels may be turned by hand with the tape in contact with the playback head. At the desired point, the tape may be lifted from the heads and placed in the tape splicing guide which is molded into the fixed portion of the head cover. The only problem with this arrangement is the possibility that one may spill tape by forgetting to turn on the reel motors before placing the machine back into normal operation.

We stated that the A77 surpassed the older G-36 in performance. This is best illustrated by its phenomenally flat record/playback frequency response, measured with Scotch 203 tape, for which the machine's bias was adjusted. At 7½ ips, the response was within + 0.5, - 2.0 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz. This has never been equalled by any other recorder we have ever tested. Perhaps even more impressive is the response at 3¾ ips, which was + 2.5 - 5.5 dB from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The high end falls off smoothly and is perfectly usable all the way to 20,000 Hz. The NAB playback response, with the Ampex 31321-04 test tape, was+ 1.5, - 0.5 dB from 50 to 15,000 Hz.

The signal-to-noise ratio was very good, 51 dB at 7½ ips and 48.5 dB at 3¾ ips, referred to a 0-VU recoding level. Noting that the distortion at 0 VU was a mere 0.65%, we increased the recording level until a more typical distortion level was achieved, approximately 3%, which occurred at +10 VU for the higher tape speed and +9 VU for the lower speed. At these levels, the signal-to-noise ratio was increased to 59 dB at 7½ ips and 54.5 dB at 3¾ ips, figures that closely approach true professional performance.

The transport worked smoothly and with complete silence. Except for the turning of the reels, one could not tell the machine was operating from a distance greater than about 12 inches. Wow was 0.01% (actually the residual inherent in our instruments) and flutter was 0.09% at 3¾ ips and 0.07% at 7½ ips. In fast speeds 1,800 feet of tape was handled in about 90 seconds, and the machine could be brought to a stop in about 2 seconds.

The Revox A77 is housed in a teak cabinet with a foldaway carrying handle. It is one of the handsomest, as well as best performing, tape recorders we have ever seen. We have never seen a recorder that could match the performance of the Revox A 77 in all respects, and very few that even come close. It sounds as good as it tests, which speaks for itself. The Revox A77 is offered in a variety of configurations. It is available with either half or quarter track heads, in either the teak cabinet or a portable carrying case.

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Stereo Review

Full acknowledgements to the publication Stereo Review and the Hirsch-Houck Laboratories for the above report.