1/2 inch Studer bliss

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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for almost 3 years I've been without my 1/2 inch Studer A-820 deck. the summer before I got my new MM7 speakers and 458 amps I figured that would be a good time to do some maintenance on the 1/2 inch Studer A-820. due to mostly my innocent incompetence, and some help from pathetic UPS shipping, I made such a mess of this deck that it's taken Ki a couple of years and untold aggravation......but today it's in my room playing beautiful music.....better than ever. Ki has been a man among men, and a great and understanding friend to see this process thru. I suppose if you were to supply the right amount of good cheer and high quality adult beverage to Ki he might share with you all the stuff he went thru with my beast. personally I don't even want to think about it anymore. in any case, many, many, thank you's to Ki.

recently I rediscovered my 1/4" Studer and just how amazing tape is sounding thru the 458's, tweaked by designer MM7's, and the recent addition of the Entreq grounding box.

and now the 1/2 inch Studer is, for the very first time, showing just what the all time best possible audio media can sound like thru the system. there is nothing like 15ips 1/2 inch tape. unless maybe it's 30ips 1/2 inch tape, or 1" 15ips or 30ips tape. however; since 1 inch 2-track is not really real world, and 12" reels are not something I want to deal with, and there are different EQ's for 30ips (the King Cello does not use)........I'm going to crown 1/2 inch 15ips as the bomb. and I'm of the mind that a fully right A-820, A-80 or ATR-102 are the best transports to ever come down the pike (my preference of the three is the A-820). output electronics remain a matter of taste. so 1/2" 15ips, thru the A-820-King Cello is my personal tip top source for reproduced music in my experience.

I do have a couple dozen or so 1/2 tape titles I can play, including 4 tape project titles I can actually post about...which I will in due time. I also have 15-20 unused 1/2 reels of new tape waiting to receive some great content.

I'm listening to 1/2 inch, 15 ips tape right now and it is awesome sounding. superb! I am so happy to have this deck back and sounding so good.

if you want to have a music reproduction reference to chase, this would be that.
 
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rad

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2010
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+1

Mike, I couldn't agree more both on the 1/2" tape & our Man Ki!
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
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Philly
Sounds like heaven.
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Ki has been a man among men, and a great and understanding friend to see this process thru. I suppose if you were to supply the right amount of good cheer and high quality adult beverage to Ki he might share with you all the stuff he went thru with my beast. personally I don't even want to think about it anymore. in any case, many, many, thank you's to Ki.

.I'm going to crown 1/2 inch 15ips as the bomb. and I'm of the mind that a fully right A-820, A-80 or ATR-102 are the best transports to ever come down the pike .


Totally agree on both counts. We should contact the Pope to see me we can get Ki a Sainthood!!
 

earlinarizona

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2010
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Always nice to hear a happy person.
In what ways do you find the 1/2" different from your 1/4" in playback or is it a case of having your 1/2" Studer back? What has been your using the King/Cello or just coming straight out of the deck. Does the Cello make a bigger difference on the 1/2" now compared to 1/4" direct?

Did anyone notice no tape at CES this year? I went through most rooms and not a reel to be found. At RMAF this year I was in the Audionote room when Charlie brought his Stellovox and plugged it in. It was just startling compared to all of the digital at the show. As a matter of fact most all of the digital at RMAF and CES including the Quad Merging Technology system sounded digital after the Stellavox session. He played a Leonard Cohen raw master studio tape and it was only 1/4" and the sound was out of this world.
 
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Asamel

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Jan 22, 2012
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image.jpg
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
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Philly
Tape at CES.
 

Peter Breuninger

[Industry Expert] Member Sponsor
Jul 20, 2010
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Thought this was a 1/2" thread?

Agree Bruce, this accomplishment of Ki is to be applauded, he is a master. 1/2 rules. No better source.
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
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Cool, Mike :)
It's great that Ki is available and so genuine. :cool:

Vertigo Recording Services/Charlie Bolois is completing work on one of my A820-2CH decks.
Then, the other deck will go in for attention.
 

Luiz Felipe

New Member
Jan 30, 2014
67
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0
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Mike, and All. I have a question about A-820. We can see available Some Studers A-820, but some with 1/2" headblocks and another ones with the 24 Tracks. Is possible and/or easy replace the 24tracks by a 1/2" ?
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Mike, and All. I have a question about A-820. We can see available Some Studers A-820, but some with 1/2" headblocks and another ones with the 24 Tracks. Is possible and/or easy replace the 24tracks by a 1/2" ?

the 1/2" 2-track Studer A-820 can be easily converted to 1/4"; it takes about 5 minutes to do it. the only issue is that you should adjust the tape tension for whichever size you are going to as 1/2" tension and 1/4" tension are different. as I have one of each (one 1/4" A-820 and one 1/2" A-820) I have had occasion to switch the guides, head stack and reel hubs. you would be impressed at how elegant the assembly precision is. it makes pretty much any other piece of audio gear look like a toy.

so if you purchase a 1/2" 2-track A-820 the trick will be finding a 1/4" head stack, guides, and reel hubs. it will likely be big bucks if you can even find it.

the 2 inch 24 track Studer A-820/A-827 is not convertible to 1/4" 2 track or 1/2" 2 track as far as I know. I'm sure lots of parts are interchangeable but they have different motors and such since the reels and tape is so much heavier on the 24 track. and all the logistical challenges of the larger tape path and such is more problematic. and then you have the issue of EQ for 24 track verses 2 track which I don't know about.

there are lots of 24 track machines just sitting out there since they don't work for the audiophile market. and most use these days for RTR decks by studios are with purist 2-track recordings.

OTOH if you find a known well cared for 1/4" or 1/2" A-820 it is a solid machine, especially if you know of a Studer tech in the neighborhood. I've now used my 1/4" A-820 for 7 years since Fred Thal went thru it in 2007-2008 without a single issue of any kind.

I'm not expert on all this and the above is just my opinion based on my observations of things over time; I could be wrong.

if you are going to try and work thru and solve problems on a less than pristine Studer A-820, my advice would be to pass. you would be much more likely to end up happy with a Studer A80. it's much less crazy complicated and user friendly to work on. the other 'more safe' alternative in the same ballpark of performance would be an Ampex ATR-102. you are much more likely to be able to find parts and support for either the A80 or the ATR-102 than the A-820.

there are quite a few A80's in very poor 'really hammered' condition so be careful of that unless you are buying one for 'parts only'. and there are a number of versions of the A80 so research on what you are buying.

good luck!
 
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Luiz Felipe

New Member
Jan 30, 2014
67
1
0
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you Very much Mike. You helped A lot ! I have a Revox, but I'm thinking about higher flights.



the 1/2" 2-track Studer A-820 can be easily converted to 1/4"; it takes about 5 minutes to do it. the only issue is that you should adjust the tape tension for whichever size you are going to as 1/2" tension and 1/4" tension are different. as I have one of each (one 1/4" A-820 and one 1/2" A-820) I have had occasion to switch the guides, head stack and reel hubs. you would be impressed at how elegant the assembly precision is. it makes pretty much any other piece of audio gear look like a toy.

so if you purchase a 1/2" 2-track A-820 the trick will be finding a 1/4" head stack, guides, and reel hubs. it will likely be big bucks if you can even find it.

the 2 inch 24 track Studer A-820/A-827 is not convertible to 1/4" 2 track or 1/2" 2 track as far as I know. I'm sure lots of parts are interchangeable but they have different motors and such since the reels and tape is so much heavier on the 24 track. and all the logistical challenges of the larger tape path and such is more problematic. and then you have the issue of EQ for 24 track verses 2 track which I don't know about.

there are lots of 24 track machines just sitting out there since they don't work for the audiophile market. and most use these days for RTR decks by studios are with purist 2-track recordings.

OTOH if you find a known well cared for 1/4" or 1/2" A-820 it is a solid machine, especially if you know of a Studer tech in the neighborhood. I've now used my 1/4" A-820 for 7 years since Fred Thal went thru it in 2007-2008 without a single issue of any kind.

I'm not expert on all this and the above is just my opinion based on my observations of things over time; I could be wrong.

if you are going to try and work thru and solve problems on a less than pristine Studer A-820, my advice would be to pass. you would be much more likely to end up happy with a Studer A80. it's much less crazy complicated and user friendly to work on. the other 'more safe' alternative in the same ballpark of performance would be an Ampex ATR-102. you are much more likely to be able to find parts and support for either the A80 or the ATR-102 than the A-820.

there are quite a few A80's in very poor 'really hammered' condition so be careful of that unless you are buying one for 'parts only'. and there are a number of versions of the A80 so research on what you are buying.

good luck!
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Thank you Very much Mike. You helped A lot ! I have a Revox, but I'm thinking about higher flights.

Just get one of Greg Beron's UHA decks and be done with it!! ;)

You don't need the hassle of trying to keep a 30yo deck running.
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Northern NY
Just get one of Greg Beron's UHA decks and be done with it!! ;)

You don't need the hassle of trying to keep a 30yo deck running.

and they are mechanically (transport) dead quiet and have a perfect tape path. Never sheds a flake of tape oxide from the tape sides during spooling or playback unlike my studer A810's, Otari MTR10 and Technics 1500.
 

Luiz Felipe

New Member
Jan 30, 2014
67
1
0
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you so much for this ! I will make contact with him !
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
12,467
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and they are mechanically (transport) dead quiet and have a perfect tape path. Never sheds a flake of tape oxide from the tape sides during spooling or playback unlike my studer A810's, Otari MTR10 and Technics 1500.

those three decks (A810, MTR10, and 1500) are 'prosumer-broadcast' level decks a level above your Revox but not at the level of the Studer and Ampex master recorders. the Tascam used as the base for the UHA decks is also a 'prosumer' 'broadcast level' deck. I have lots of respect for the UHA upgrades and agree wholeheartedly that it's a great choice for plug and play with minimum hassle.

but for what you pay for the upper but not top level UHA machine you can buy an essentially brand new fully reconditioned ATR-102 from ATR Services (if they have one to sell you).....or a pristine example of a Studer A-820. and these machines are in a whole different league from the UHA level of performance.

none of the 'prosumer-broadcast' level decks were ever configured to use 1/2", or had 1" or 2" 24 track. why? because they were not intended to be master recorders. they are all fine machines built to price points. not cost no object all-in workhorses like the master recorders. and when things are right with the 'big boys' you can hear the difference.

like the difference between a nice turntable with a modest tonearm and the best turntables with the best tonearms.
 
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Luiz Felipe

New Member
Jan 30, 2014
67
1
0
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
Thank you very much Mike, I has understood they could have one A-820. The studer is my only choise at this time. No another option interest me.

Thank you all for all information. I will begin my research for a Studer A820 soon.
 

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