B77 arrival and A812/King/Cello incoming

[Rhapsody]

So, I visited Myles about a month ago and heard his tape set up. It ruined me. Since then I found a mint Revox B77 in Florida and waited for a few weeks while we found someone to drive it up vs. shipping it. It arrived today, just plugged it into one of our systems and I really was not expecting much as it's a stock B77II etc., but I was just as floored hearing it as I was when I heard Myles set up. Myles has the King/Cello pre so yes it was another level up, but the stock B77II would be fine for me to live with.....except-

After I bought the B77II I met Charles King and Rich Brown. Charles is now preparing the Studer A812 in the pic below, with his latest King/Cello pre that will be built into the base/stand of the Studer. The A812 will be delivered and set up by Charles within the next 3-4 weeks. Here is a pic of the Studer that Charles is incorporating the pre into the stand.

Until the A812 arrives the B77II is totally fine for me and I'm only listening to 4 track 7 1/2 tapes vs. the 2 track 10" tapes that will be playing on the A812.

I am a newbie to this tape thing, but it seems like it's going to be a fun, wild ride.

Anyone/everyone is always free to come in for a listen...see Rhapsody.audio for contact information. Bob

[MylesBAstor]

Welcome to the fraternity! Great setup can't wait to hear yout new baby! Especially on the S7s. Is Charlie putting the Furutech connectors on?

[Rhapsody]

Yes. will be great on the S7's but it sounds crazy good on the Ubiqs too. And then today I have my S5II's arriving...in about two hours....lot's of toys to play with!!!

[Rhapsody]

Good question, I don't even know about the connectors that Charles is using. I will ask him. As he is building the electronics into the stand I'm not sure exactly what he is doing.

Myles, help with one "learning" newbie issue OR a mis-wired B77.....When I play 7 1/2 tapes they sound wonderful. When I put on a 3 3/4 tape the output from the deck is coming out "out of phase". Very strange as there is no "phase switch" etc. It almost seems that the 3 3/4 output is wired out of phase. Any ideas? Or am I just being naive about something?

I'm sure about the out of phase because if I reverse one of the speaker cables it locks everything into phase.....I guess this is my "phase switch" for playing 3 3/4, which actually is no big deal.

[Tunes]

Congrats on the studer king cello Bob!
That's going to be magic.

[Rhapsody]

Thx!!! It's so funny to me that this B77 is producing "magic" already compared to some fairly good sources that I normally use....can't wait for the King/Cello set up.

[MylesBAstor]

Good question, I don't even know about the connectors that Charles is using. I will ask him. As he is building the electronics into the stand I'm not sure exactly what he is doing.

Myles, help with one "learning" newbie issue OR a mis-wired B77.....When I play 7 1/2 tapes they sound wonderful. When I put on a 3 3/4 tape the output from the deck is coming out "out of phase". Very strange as there is no "phase switch" etc. It almost seems that the 3 3/4 output is wired out of phase. Any ideas? Or am I just being naive about something?

Yes check with Charlie. He may be hard wiring the King-Cello directly into the 812 and if so, you probably won't need the RCA connectors, Even if so, I think you will still need one pair of female RCAs at the output of the Studer. Also, I'd change and use the Furutech IEC inlets so I think you would need two of these; one for the King-Cello and one for the tape machine.

If you do need the connectors and Charlie can't get them, get in contact with Scot Markwell at www.themusic.com. Get the number and call him (if you can't find it, I'll send you his email address). Just tell him to send you the connectors he sent me. Ordinarily you would ill want 2 pair of female RCA jacks and one pair of m They make as much of a difference as the heads.

As far as the second question goes, maybe one tape is a 2 track and the other is a four track tape? Generally the 3-3/4 ips are generally four track, either you need to throw a switch for them or the machine may only play two track tapes. 7-1/2 ips can be either 2 or 4 track and need to check on the box or the ad before buying.

[Rhapsody]

Yes check with Charlie. He may be hard wiring the King-Cello directly into the 812 and if so, you probably won't need the RCA connectors, Even if so, I think you will still need one pair of female RCAs at the output of the Studer. Also, I'd change and use the Furutech IEC inlets so I think you would need two of these; one for the King-Cello and one for the tape machine.

If you do need the connectors and Charlie can't get them, get in contact with Scot Markwell at www.themusic.com. Get the number and call him (if you can't find it, I'll send you his email address). Just tell him to send you the connectors he sent me. Ordinarily you would ill want 2 pair of female RCA jacks and one pair of m They make as much of a difference as the heads.

As far as the second question goes, maybe one tape is a 2 track and the other is a four track tape? Generally the 3-3/4 ips are generally four track, either you need to throw a switch for them or the machine may only play two track tapes. 7-1/2 ips can be either 2 or 4 track and need to check on the box or the ad before buying.

Thx! It's not the 4 track thing as both the 7 1/2 and 3 3/4 tapes that I've tried have all been 4 track. And the 3 3/4 sound great to me once I switch the speaker cables....I will ck with Charlie when I ask him about the connectors. He IS hardwiring the King Cello into the 812. I will ask him about it all.

[MylesBAstor]

Thx! It's not the 4 track thing as both the 7 1/2 and 3 3/4 tapes that I've tried have all been 4 track. And the 3 3/4 sound great to me once I switch the speaker cables....I will ck with Charlie when I ask him about the connectors. He IS hardwiring the King Cello into the 812. I will ask him about it all.

I guess it is possible (just as with speaker drivers) that the heads came wired out of phase. Or someone worked on the deck and messed that up.

[Rhapsody]

I guess it is possible (just as with speaker drivers) that the heads came wired out of phase. Or someone worked on the deck and messed that up.

Yes, but the deck is using the same heads for 3 3/4 and 7 1/2ips, right? On 7 1/2 ips it's fine, just on the 3 3/4.....it's weird. BUT once I get the A812 I doubt if I will ever play and 3 3/4 tapes anyway or for that matter even use the B77, when the A812 with the King Cello electronics is sitting there. Not much of a choice

[JCOConnell]

did you try a number of different 33/4 tapes? maybe you have a bad tape?

[Rhapsody]

Thx and yes that was my first thought, but I tried three total 3 3/4 tapes and they were all out of phase. Really strange.

[MylesBAstor]

Yes, but the deck is using the same heads for 3 3/4 and 7 1/2ips, right? On 7 1/2 ips it's fine, just on the 3 3/4.....it's weird. BUT once I get the A812 I doubt if I will ever play and 3 3/4 tapes anyway or for that matter even use the B77, when the A812 with the King Cello electronics is sitting there. Not much of a choice

You are right. Sorry I was still thinking two and four track.

[JCOConnell]

are the 3 3/4 tapes you are having the phase problem with factory tapes, or are they home made, possibly from the same machine/setup that could be in error?

[Rhapsody]

Hi, and thank you for the help. The three tapes I tried were all factory tapes, old rock tapes....Blood Sweat and Tears, Donovan, Simon and Garfunkel. I think you can ascertain that the tapes are actually in phase. Something in the deck is somehow converting the phase once the 3 3/3 button is pushed.

I'm just going to play the 7 1/2 for now. Charlie King will be coming down in a few weeks to deliver the A812 and I am sure he will be able to figure out what is going on with the B77. Like I said somewhere above once I get the A812 I doubt if I will ever play the B77 again. BUT it will be interesting to find out what is causing the out of phase situation....thx again for the interest in "my situation"

[Rhapsody]

Charles King just finished up my A812 with the King/Cello electronics mounted under the deck per pic below, will be dropping it off this coming Saturday....will make my trip home from Munich tomorrow more enjoyable thinking about it!

[MylesBAstor]

Charles King just finished up my A812 with the King/Cello electronics mounted under the deck per pic below, will be dropping it off this coming Saturday....will make my trip home from Munich tomorrow more enjoyable thinking about it!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n14277[/ATTACH]

She's a beauty Bob!

Congrats and there's another member who's about to join the tape club too! It looks like Charlie is making a special version (including trim pots) of his tape preamplifier that fits nicely under the deck.

[Rhapsody]

She's a beauty Bob!

Congrats and there's another member who's about to join the tape club too! It looks like Charlie is making a special version (including trim pots) of his tape preamplifier that fits nicely under the deck.

Thx Myles, just heard from Charles, it's now Sunday morning for delivery. His daughter is graduating on Saturday, he almost got in real trouble....I think "tape" can do that to you

[MylesBAstor]

Thx Myles, just heard from Charles, it's now Sunday morning for delivery. His daughter is graduating on Saturday, he almost got in real trouble....I think "tape" can do that to you

Cool will certainly be around.