Studer A810VU 1990s

ReelTape.eu is excited to offer this absolutely impeccable Studer A810 for sale. Near mint condition, fully operational, exceeds factory specs. Loaded with extras, including Dolby SR noise reduction, printed manuals, etc. 

This unit has the much-coveted original build-in VU meters and the associated controls, making it an all-in-one solution for both studio and live recording.

This model is the largest and most sophisticated of Studer’s “portable” machines. However, portable is a relative concept with the machine weighing in at some 31 kilos.

Unequalled Condition

This A810 has been sparingly used and was owned by an elderly collector in France who barely used it other than to record and play Miles Davis vinyls coupled to a delightful Macintosh 275 valve power amp.

The wear pattern on the heads is barely 1.2mm wide. The heads have been inspected by Summertone in England. It was their opinion that a relap would provide no tangible benefit and the wiser course of action would be to perform a first relap only after many more thousand hours of use.

Cosmetically, the machine is in near-mint condition.

The internal battery of the MP Unit has been replaced. The PCB on which it is mounted presents no signs of leakage – a common concern with this model. As a matter of course, the pinch roller has been replaced as have the motor capacitors.

The notorious Frakos, Rifa, and other capacitors susceptible to deterioration have been replaced. Whilst considered quite unnecessary, a full recap may be performed at cost. The internal voltages are spot-on. The reel tables have been repainted with Nextel by a specialized company in Switzerland.

After careful alignment on the oscilloscope, this A810 performs flawlessly, handsomely beating all manufacturer’s specifications. This is not really a surprise, since Studer always rated its machines conservatively. The Studer A810 has been aligned to RTM SM911 (A) and RTM LPR90 (B) tape. At the touch of a button, the recorder effortlessly switches tape types and from CCIR to NAB recording standards.

The SM911 formula was developed in 1986 by BASF as a master tape and offers a headroom of +6dB. The LPR90 tape formula was likewise developed by BASF with considerable input from Agfa. It is the functional ‘long play’ equivalent of the SM911 and accepts +3dB overloading gracefully. Both formulas, and others, are available from Recording The Masters in Avranches, France.

Then and Now: The Best

First introduced in 1982 and in continuous production for seven years, the Studer A810 was ultimately offered in 24 different versions: with or without VU meters (mounted on a console bridge or, as in this machine, incorporated into the recorder’s body), with a a plethora of speed and sync options, etc.

The A810 was the first professional tape recorders to incorporate programmable digital control functions that allow for self-diagnosis. As such the machine caused quite a furore. The model even features a serial BUS interface that allows for remote alignment. The machine is fully programmable to suit individual needs for operation, tape handling, or audio parameters.

On the A810, alignment parameters and calibration profiles are stored in micro-processor controlled memory banks that replace finicky mechanical trimmers.

At the time of its launch, nothing like the Studer A810 had ever been seen or imagined, let alone in such a compact yet fully modular package. The model soon attained legendary status and further consolidated Studer as the premier manufacturer of studio reel recorders, many times imitated but never equalled.

Now approaching five decades since its launch, the A810 remains one of the absolute best studio master recorders available. Its reliability as workhorse of broadcaster and recording engineers is well-known and continues to be widely celebrated.

Another League

Buyers of Revox tape recorders please beware that the Studer A810 is in another league altogether. Whilst both the B77/PR99 and the C270 are serious machines and eons ahead of the glittering eye candy of prosumer decks from Far Eastern stalwarts, the A810 ups the ante considerably and allows lucky owners to saviour the finest analog recording can offer.

The ReelTape Studer A810 offered for sale comes with two pristine Dolby 361 noise reduction units equipped with the top-end Studer SR cards (and new tone calibration meters*) pushing the noise floor down by an additional 25dB (!) for a stunning dynamic range of close to 95dB – and well over 100dB when using the headroom allowed by SM911 tape. In other words: recordings made on this machine with Dolby SR are dead-quiet, depriving digital from arguably its only advantage.

*) Though solidly built and exceptionally rugged, all Dolby units from the 1970s suffer from a weakness with their (calibration) level meters: the glue holding the gauge needle in place atop the coil comes loose rendering the meter useless. ReelTape has sourced brand-new drop-in replacement meters that ensure continued operation for decades to come.