One of my recorders (I also have a Studer B67). This is the Telefunken M15A with (if I remember it) germanium transistors. It is a german radio machine so it runs the tape oxide-out. Massive, weighs in at 46kg (Naims new turntable is feather weight in comparison). It is a stereomachine and still works (except for the lamp in the 15ips button). I used it up to about 10 yers ago which explains the dust (worked nicely plugged into my Naim 52).
I used these machines when I started with electronic music/soundart in the 70’s. We had two mono M5 and a stereo M15 (valves) and used mic stands to buid large tape loops all over the studio. And lots of editing (cutting/splicing tape).
And they all had their own sonic qualities, the reason I got the Studer B67 (almost free when swedish public broadcasting dumped the majority of their analog machines) was the kind of blistering dark quality this machine added to mixes which made it very popular with dark industrial synth music. Today you can send the mix through a properly configured Empirical Labs Fatso to emulate that sound.
That looks very like my ole TC645 (IIRC), which was a good deck. Only problem was that I hade to replace the transport switches periodically - they tended to burn out. And it need fettling periodically.
Generally sorting it out to get the best from it - in this case, mainly adjusting the tensions of various springs and things to make sure that the brakes for the reels worked correctly, etc.
Not the original meaning of fettling - which has something to do with furnaces - but in my yoof it meant fiddling with something to get it to work at its best.
Mine has been rock solid and trouble free. Even the usual Sony grease hardening has not been an issue (admittedly I did some re-greasing as a precaution as soon as I got it). Possibly it’s amazing condition helped. However R2Rs do need regular maintenance. My TC-755 currently awaits a strip down for more grease and refurbishment of the reel brakes. And don’t start me on the nightmare that was my old TEAC X1000M that needed constant fiddling with tensioners. An amazing machine when it worked perfectly, but it didn’t like periods of inactivity…
I have seen these old ferrograph recorders converted into combo guitar amplifiers for home/practice use, the old tube amp apparently works a treat when overdriven by a guitar pickup, tragic perhaps, but if the machine was mechanically beyond economic repair I guess it’s a fair second life!
The two Revox A77s above sound remarkably different. The very early 77A is wonderful with an almost tubey sound, a bit like a G36 but with more grip, drive and lower noise. On the other hand the A77 Mk.II has a more typical transistor sound of the era - it’s drier and much less sweet, even a bit granular in absolute terms. the A77 Mk.II probably would benefit from a re-cap, however, I’m loathe to touch anything on the 77A just in case some of the magic is lost in the process.
I’ve got both a tandberg td-20 (r to r) and tcd-340 (cassette deck). However, I was looking at a not so well know auction site last night and there was not one but two old ampex machines. One or maybe both were suitcase type and one looked like it had speakers. There was also an old Bell and Howell machine, which was the make of my first r to r, this was not the same model I had. The B&H I had was traded for an ampex. The B&H had small “cotton pads” that put pressure on the tape as it crossed the head and the tape used to squeal like crazy, no matter how much I “adjusted” the pressure. Drove me crazy. Just looked - one of the ampex is a 920 tube machine with speakers.And an f4460(?) both before my time
