A77- Worth Saving?

[Collectioner]

Good morning from Italy to all the members of the Revox-Forum. First of all, apologies to you all for not being able to understand German too well, so I am not able to help in many topics of the Forum. I hope to help better in the future.

I would like to ask an opinion about an old A77 I have just rescued, a RAI surplus machine. It's a 'fast' (19/38 cm/sec) mono full-track machine with the serial number G149406. Cosmetically it's very bad, the reel motors don't move (why? they worked when I got it....) and the lamps are all shot. I'm trying to make it work, at least to test it, so any suggestion about why the reel motors don't move are welcome.

But above all I ask you, being obviously well prepared about Revox: is this unusual machine worth saving, or is it better to dismantle it and use it for spares of my other A77s( I have three of them, plus the A700, etc)?

Any suggestion is welcome.....

Thanks and have a nice day,

Stefano Pasini

My web page about tape recorders

[Uli]

Hi Stefano,

worth saving? This decision is hard to make. Due to the Full Track Heads in your A77 you will have a monaural Tape Recorder after having fixed up the technical problems. To bring up the Machine to a cosmetically good shape, you need to get a new Case, Front Cover, Panel (with 7 1/2 - 15 Labeling) and Knobs. You may get (some of) these Parts still directly from ReVox- Service, also they are sold in eBay- Auctions. Using eBay, it may take a while getting all the Spare Parts you need. This leads up in a Cost / Use Comparison, wich can only made by yourself.

You already own a Set of Stereo Tape- Recorders, Restoration isn't a Race, there are only a few Spare- Parts you may need for your other Recorders after dismantling and this particular Machine ist quite seldom- so in my Opinion it IS worth saving, definitly worth saving.

Fixing the technical Problems is a simple Matter of Fact: Check the primary Fuse (0,5 A at the Rear next to the primary Voltage Switch) isn't blown (Capstan- Motor running?). Be shure, the Reel Motors Off Button (under the Cover Lid) is depressed. Visually check the small MP- Capacitators C 113, 114 and 115 also Resistors R 121, 122 and 123 on the Tape Drive Control Print if blown. Check the large MP- Capacitators C 152 and 153 (the middle and the righthand one beneath the primary Voltage Selector, viewn from behind). Check the Reel- Motor and Reel Motor Off Switch cableing. Check the Input- Voltage on the Tape Drive Control Print Pins D 11, D 10 and D 9 vs D 12. Be carefull: Voltage is about 100 Volt, so it is highly recommanded using a Separation- Transformer!
The Bulbs are 36 V / 50 mA Socket BA 6 Types for VU- Meter Illumination, Rec Indication and Power Control and 24 V / 30 mA Glass- Socket T5 for the Tape Detect. I got these from an old Friend of mine, who is running a Radio / TV Service. As far as i know, the BA 6 Socket Types where a bit hard to get.

Good Luck!

Uli