Vinyl cutting Studer A80 with prelisten Head

[Yann Dub]

Does somebody transformed a normal Studer A80 or equivalent recorder to a prelisten reader ?
of couser for vinyl cutting purpose

I d like to do that because I am looking since years for this king of reader and don t find one
Merci
YAnn

[IIIrd]

We have 2 advance head studer A80 1/4" machines and a 1/2" A80. They seem to be getting more and more use these days. We've always done advanced head (totally analogue) cutting, but it seems more popular these days. It's quite fun to do as well. No to mention it sounds better.

I assume thats what you mean?

The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls you could always ask here as well

[Paul Gold]

It would be very expensive to do. You would have to have the plate for the head block assembly machined and find all the rollers or have them made. The A80 preview machines come up with some regularity in the US. I have three. Maybe you should look for a Telefunken or a Lyrec.

[Fat larry]

Originally Posted by Paul Gold

It would be very expensive to do. You would have to have the plate for the head block assembly machined and find all the rollers or have them made. The A80 preview machines come up with some regularity in the US. I have three. Maybe you should look for a Telefunken or a Lyrec.

What is the average price ?

[Paul Gold]

I haven't discerned an average price. They are useless to most and precious to few. The first one I got was in trade for services rendered. About $1500. It came with 1/4"and 1/2" heads and was in good shape. The second two I got at the Sony auction. Only one 1/4" head stack for both machines and one machine wasn't in good shape. $800 for both. At the second Sony auction the 1/2" head stack appeared. I was bidding against John French and payed $900 for it.

I've put a few thousand dollars into mine. Two have been worked on extensively. New brake pads and bands, new dashpots, new pinchrollers, rebuilt capstan motors and fixing any little thing that needed work. The electronics are in good shape but I'll have those gone over too at some point. I also have enough new spare mechanical parts to keep them going for a very long time.

I know someone who sold a 1/4" for $2500. There was one in the Gearslutz classified section last year. I think he wanted $2500 for it. There was one on ebay about a month ago in Florida. I don't think it sold.

[DSD_Mastering]

We bought our A80 out of Bruce Swedien's studio. It certainly has the mojo!


Regards,

[Paul Gold]

Originally Posted by DSD_Mastering

We bought our A80 out of Bruce Swedien's studio. It certainly has the mojo!

Was that the pre listen deck on ebay about a month ago?

[Masterer]

Originally Posted by DSD_Mastering

We bought our A80 out of Bruce Swedien's studio. It certainly has the mojo!


Regards,

Most of the mojo is probably still stuck to Swedien. Hope you didn't pay extra.


I bet that machine is in good shape though... if he took care of it like he takes care of his microphones.

[Cellotron]

Another possible option for preview decks is the Sony/MCI JH110M - basically JH110C electronics with the extra capstans and preview path. The nice thing is it is a 3 speed deck and changing headstacks from 1/4" to 1/2" on it is pretty quick and easy. It's transformerless outputs so doesn't really impart a "mojo" - but sometimes this can be a good thing in my book depending on the source. I picked mine up for all of $375 at the Europadisk auction and then only had to put a few hundred into it to get it back in shape.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[IIIrd]

These few pics maybe of interest. Particularly the two 1/4" machines...see how different the tape paths are

[Paul Gold]

Nice "B" wind deck. I forget what that format is called in German. Can any of the German members help me out with the name?

For a few years I used a Neumann MT66 console with a Telefunken M10 preview tape deck. I never got the deck going because it was B wind, only did 7.5 and 15ips and the heads were shot. I had never seen nor heard of one before that. I was very confused the first time I tried to thread tape.

[Cellotron]

Not that anyone was asking but figured might as well put up a shot of my JH110M preview deck here as well -



Best regards,
Steve Berson

[George Necola]

we have a

1x Headstack for A80 Pre-Listening / Vorabhör Cutting-control Schneidesteuerung 1/4

800 euro or 1400 dollars.

pics available. looks like "new", works 100%.

george@audistro.ch

cheers
G

[George Necola]

By request i will post pics here.. Tomorrow..

[George Necola]

here we go.

[Yann Dub]

If still for sale , I d like to buy it
Yan

[Schaap]

Originally Posted by Yann Dub

If still for sale , I d like to buy it
Yan

PM sent

Henk

[alphadept]

Originally Posted by George Necola

here we go.

did you sell it? i'm looking for one a80 preview headstack.
let me know if you still have it.
thanks.

[bcgood]

Originally Posted by IIIrd

We have 2 advance head studer A80 1/4" machines and a 1/2" A80. They seem to be getting more and more use these days. We've always done advanced head (totally analogue) cutting, but it seems more popular these days. It's quite fun to do as well. No to mention it sounds better.

I assume thats what you mean?

The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls you could always ask here as well

That is great! I wish everyone cut vinyl like you. The old vinyl records I have sound so much better, some of the new stuff sounds pretty flat and lifeless.

I just bought The Killers - Day And Age 180 gram and it sounds so lifeless compared to other older records I got for much less used.. You don't always get what you pay for I guess.

Day And Age = $20 dollars

Tower Of Power = $4 dollars (used)

Guess which one sounds better?

[IIIrd]

Originally Posted by bcgood

That is great! I wish everyone cut vinyl like you. The old vinyl records I have sound so much better, some of the new stuff sounds pretty flat and lifeless.

I just bought The Killers - Day And Age 180 gram and it sounds so lifeless compared to other older records I got for much less used.. You don't always get what you pay for I guess.

Day And Age = $20 dollars

Tower Of Power = $4 dollars (used)

Guess which one sounds better?

There are quite a few globally who can and do this. But, it has to be on tape and to have that full of life sound...it's best not to have it from a brick walled cd master.

Sterling do it, as do Masterdisk, we do...there are loads of others,

[Fabmaster]

Originally Posted by Paul Gold

Nice "B" wind deck. I forget what that format is called in German. Can any of the German members help me out with the name?

For a few years I used a Neumann MT66 console with a Telefunken M10 preview tape deck. I never got the deck going because it was B wind, only did 7.5 and 15ips and the heads were shot. I had never seen nor heard of one before that. I was very confused the first time I tried to thread tape.

What is a "B" wind deck?

[IIIrd]

Restoration Tips & Notes » Tape Winding

[Fabmaster]

Wouldn't the heads be facing the back of the machine on a "B" wind deck?
What advantage could there be to winding oxide out?

............................................Ah, the tape spools off and gets taken up on the inside.

But how did Mr. Gold spot that?

[Paul Gold]

Originally Posted by Fabmaster

Wouldn't the heads be facing the back of the machine on a "B" wind deck?
What advantage could there be to winding oxide out?

............................................Ah, the tape spools off and gets taken up on the inside.

But how did Mr. Gold spot that?

I think the photos have changed. There is no B wind deck in IIIrd's post. The heads do face the rear of the machine. I think the advantage is less print through. I also think typically B wind reels are stored heads out. Also an advantage for quick cueing.

[sat159p1]

Originally Posted by Paul Gold

Nice "B" wind deck. I forget what that format is called in German.

Did you mean a "bobby" ?

[IIIrd]

Same photos. Until this thread I'd never heard the expression "B wind" before. Although EMI stored tapes for a time oxide out. One also expects German tapes to be the same. I had a Violin peice to cut from some radio station copies and they were oxide out...

[Paul Gold]

Originally Posted by IIIrd

Same photos.

Hmm. I guess I was blind or engaged in wishful thinking. I've never seen a B wind Studer A80 preview deck.

[IIIrd]

Me niether, we just put a twist in the tape to cope with odd on tht crops up. Getting a B wind tape can be fun the first time...especially if you've never heard of it...much adjusting of azimuth and scratching of head...

[philbrown]

The real top plate-not the cover-on a Studer is machined for a preview head. You just need the cover, heads, electronics, etc.
Easy.
Phil Brown

[Paul Gold]

Originally Posted by philbrown

The real top plate-not the cover-on a Studer is machined for a preview head. You just need the cover, heads, electronics, etc.
Easy.
Phil Brown

If you have the pieces...Making a head block wouldn't be easy or cheap. The top plate cutout for a standard deck is smaller than the preview head block so you just need to cut the standard one.

I had a 1" stereo preview deck made recently. It wasn't cheap.