Studer A80 recap maybe Lundahl Transformer ?
- Thread starter e.oelberg
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Nicholas,
Studer manufactures its own transformers to a high quality grade.
You'll not "improve" a A80 audio electronics by changing transformers to Lundhal. Save your money for another job.
Or buy a A820 :!:
Guy
Studer manufactures its own transformers to a high quality grade.
You'll not "improve" a A80 audio electronics by changing transformers to Lundhal. Save your money for another job.
Or buy a A820 :!:
Guy
Nicholas,
You have the best version of the A80's ( R ). Workhorses.
VU models are less reliable on the audio side.
Be careful about " recapping " this TR.
Except the electrolytics on the audio power supplies circuits, do not touch the caps used on the equalization circuits, they are precision caps. :!:
An improvement would be to change the range of the pots ( level, bass, high, etc...) that is often way too large or too small, and tricky to adjust.
And use 10 turns trimmer.
Is it a 1/4" or a ( modified) 1/2 inch ?
Guy
You have the best version of the A80's ( R ). Workhorses.
VU models are less reliable on the audio side.
Be careful about " recapping " this TR.
Except the electrolytics on the audio power supplies circuits, do not touch the caps used on the equalization circuits, they are precision caps. :!:
An improvement would be to change the range of the pots ( level, bass, high, etc...) that is often way too large or too small, and tricky to adjust.
And use 10 turns trimmer.
Is it a 1/4" or a ( modified) 1/2 inch ?
Guy
Geert Heyrman
Well-known member
I saw a A820 go on ebay for 3400 euro.... :shock: .. but it had all imaginable options... Was drooling over it and hoping it to end in the 2000 euro range.... Anyway I love my A812.... so for the time being.
Is the A80R the A80RC version? you know with the reliable transport of the A80 but the discrete rec and playback boards of the A67?
Geert
Is the A80R the A80RC version? you know with the reliable transport of the A80 but the discrete rec and playback boards of the A67?
Geert
SSLtech
Well-known member
R=Radio
RC=Radio Compact.
Possibly the same machine sold in different markets, I'm not absolutely certain.
Keith
RC=Radio Compact.
Possibly the same machine sold in different markets, I'm not absolutely certain.
Keith
Geert Heyrman
Well-known member
Thanx Keith,
Never new were those letters stood for.
Geert
Never new were those letters stood for.
Geert
Hi Geert,
The A80R (or RC) uses the (very) reliable audio electronics of the B62.
As far as I remember, and per channel : 1 card for playback, one for record, and a common bias/erase card.
Same adjustments and same heads as on the VU version, except fixed NAB or CCIR.
I remember there was a mod to make ( a relay and a few components on a small PCB ) on the bias/erase card, it could happen the oscillator to turn on randomly ( OUPS !) while in playback !
:sad:
Guy
The A80R (or RC) uses the (very) reliable audio electronics of the B62.
As far as I remember, and per channel : 1 card for playback, one for record, and a common bias/erase card.
Same adjustments and same heads as on the VU version, except fixed NAB or CCIR.
I remember there was a mod to make ( a relay and a few components on a small PCB ) on the bias/erase card, it could happen the oscillator to turn on randomly ( OUPS !) while in playback !
:sad:
Guy
Guy !
Thats good to know. I heard recaping makes a big difference with the studer A80. But I keep my fingers off the EQ section (anyway I'll keep the caps I take out) . The studer A820 I had was almost new, 500 hours but the electronics drove me crazy , you need a studer technician sitting beside it 24hours a day and they don't understand the machine themselves. I'm actually pretty happy with the A80R. So R and RC are basically the same ?
nicholas
Thats good to know. I heard recaping makes a big difference with the studer A80. But I keep my fingers off the EQ section (anyway I'll keep the caps I take out) . The studer A820 I had was almost new, 500 hours but the electronics drove me crazy , you need a studer technician sitting beside it 24hours a day and they don't understand the machine themselves. I'm actually pretty happy with the A80R. So R and RC are basically the same ?
nicholas
Geert Heyrman
Well-known member
Hi,
I actually have a studer A820 24 track but I didn't buy the studer tech with it as I had no problems what so ever with it.... The only thing I had to do by a tech was realigning the desk as I didn't have the tools...; and that's it.... I consider those A820 to be the best 2" recorders in existence... Maybe yours was an early one.... they had some problems with the first run's they did.
Anyway would like to see some pics of your A80RC :grin:
Geert
By the way the first DIY'er to DIY their own heads..... will become my new god..... prices for them heads are rediculous.
I actually have a studer A820 24 track but I didn't buy the studer tech with it as I had no problems what so ever with it.... The only thing I had to do by a tech was realigning the desk as I didn't have the tools...; and that's it.... I consider those A820 to be the best 2" recorders in existence... Maybe yours was an early one.... they had some problems with the first run's they did.
Anyway would like to see some pics of your A80RC :grin:
Geert
By the way the first DIY'er to DIY their own heads..... will become my new god..... prices for them heads are rediculous.
Hi Geert,
I agree with you for the A820 as being the best TR ever built.
I heard that the Ampex ATR124 was also a great machine at its time.
Yes, Studer heads are VERY expensive to replace, but before that, did you try to relap them ? It makes sense for a 24T heads block !
I did it for an APR24 a few years ago at JRF Magnetics, they did a great job. Also they have alternative brands of heads.
You also need a competent tech to work on heads replacement and mechanical alignement...otherwise... :evil:
Guy
I agree with you for the A820 as being the best TR ever built.
I heard that the Ampex ATR124 was also a great machine at its time.
Yes, Studer heads are VERY expensive to replace, but before that, did you try to relap them ? It makes sense for a 24T heads block !
I did it for an APR24 a few years ago at JRF Magnetics, they did a great job. Also they have alternative brands of heads.
You also need a competent tech to work on heads replacement and mechanical alignement...otherwise... :evil:
Guy
Geert Heyrman
Well-known member
Hello Guy,
I have the hard heads 318 type and at the moment they have around 3000 hours on them and the tape was always well set up so there is very very litllte wear...; and the wear that is present is set out eavenly. I try to wait as long as I can to relap the heads as these can only be relapped once.
Do you like the sony APR, I hav heard that it resembles a lot to my studer A820, with the autoalignment. I think I have read somewhere that part of the studercrew was involved in designing the APR
by the way.... APR5003 is also on my wish list. I hear a lot of good things about them.
I never tried the ampex ATR124, but I hear they are PITA to service, although I have that from hear say.
Geert
I have the hard heads 318 type and at the moment they have around 3000 hours on them and the tape was always well set up so there is very very litllte wear...; and the wear that is present is set out eavenly. I try to wait as long as I can to relap the heads as these can only be relapped once.
Do you like the sony APR, I hav heard that it resembles a lot to my studer A820, with the autoalignment. I think I have read somewhere that part of the studercrew was involved in designing the APR
by the way.... APR5003 is also on my wish list. I hear a lot of good things about them.
I never tried the ampex ATR124, but I hear they are PITA to service, although I have that from hear say.
Geert
Hi Geert,
Good to read you have the "hard" heads on your A820, you have still a few thousands hours before you :grin:
The APR24 is a good TR but nothing to compare to the A820.
There is no " AutoAlign" as on the A820, it is just a " ManualAlign" ! :sad: and if at the end of the process of audio alignment you forget to press on one button....all your adjustments are lost :sad: :sad: There are 3 presets for each speed, that's fine.
My experience with this APR24 is OK, the electronics is reliable.
Only trouble I had was a few power transistors blown on the record amp of some channels, and I fight a few times with the mechanical adjustment of the tape lifters of the heads.
Guy
Good to read you have the "hard" heads on your A820, you have still a few thousands hours before you :grin:
The APR24 is a good TR but nothing to compare to the A820.
There is no " AutoAlign" as on the A820, it is just a " ManualAlign" ! :sad: and if at the end of the process of audio alignment you forget to press on one button....all your adjustments are lost :sad: :sad: There are 3 presets for each speed, that's fine.
My experience with this APR24 is OK, the electronics is reliable.
Only trouble I had was a few power transistors blown on the record amp of some channels, and I fight a few times with the mechanical adjustment of the tape lifters of the heads.
Guy
pucho812
Well-known member
The A-820 while a good TR never sounded good. It by far is the worst sounding of the studer line. Sorry but it is.
So what made it a good TR? Not the sound but the fact one could auto align the deck which made for easy starts to sessons. It also made it easy for the non expierence engineer. The A-800 by far is the best sounding deck studer ever made however it was a semi pain to align. The meter bridge is ontop and the alignment pots are under the trasport. :sad: The a-80 was great as the big VU meter next to the alignment pots is great for an easy alignment and they sound good as well. The A-827 is a good compromise in terms of sonics and ease of alignment. However too much software control leaves for unexpierenced engineers/tech to throw the alignment way out of wack and sometimes have to realign twice or so to get the deck back into a proper alignment or worse reset to the default alignment. Plus all the software menu's, if your not looking can end up really screwing with the way the deck works. Lastly as most sessions perfer a darker studio for vibe, hard to read that LCD screen in the dark. Why they never put a white LED with an on and off near it I will never know. The APR 24 by sony wasn't a bad deck but too many software controls features that were all in code so you had to look them up in the manual. I forget what it was to turn a track into a TC track VS an audio track or any other deck options. What was cool is the jog wheel which doing audio alignments. Come to think of it I never used an APR-24 that didn't shed a lil tape . Semi Faulty transport design?
But back to the subject at hand there is a Reason a good A-827 will still fetch a decent price used VS an A-820 one could get on the cheap.
So what made it a good TR? Not the sound but the fact one could auto align the deck which made for easy starts to sessons. It also made it easy for the non expierence engineer. The A-800 by far is the best sounding deck studer ever made however it was a semi pain to align. The meter bridge is ontop and the alignment pots are under the trasport. :sad: The a-80 was great as the big VU meter next to the alignment pots is great for an easy alignment and they sound good as well. The A-827 is a good compromise in terms of sonics and ease of alignment. However too much software control leaves for unexpierenced engineers/tech to throw the alignment way out of wack and sometimes have to realign twice or so to get the deck back into a proper alignment or worse reset to the default alignment. Plus all the software menu's, if your not looking can end up really screwing with the way the deck works. Lastly as most sessions perfer a darker studio for vibe, hard to read that LCD screen in the dark. Why they never put a white LED with an on and off near it I will never know. The APR 24 by sony wasn't a bad deck but too many software controls features that were all in code so you had to look them up in the manual. I forget what it was to turn a track into a TC track VS an audio track or any other deck options. What was cool is the jog wheel which doing audio alignments. Come to think of it I never used an APR-24 that didn't shed a lil tape . Semi Faulty transport design?
But back to the subject at hand there is a Reason a good A-827 will still fetch a decent price used VS an A-820 one could get on the cheap.
Geert Heyrman
Well-known member
Hi Pucho,
Do you refer to the sthe transformerless A820 or the one with transformers :grin: . Anyway I like my studer A820 a hell of a lot and that's what counts. Although a perfect A800 is indeed a rock 'n roll dream, I must agree. But I like it neutral.
Kind regards,
geert
Do you refer to the sthe transformerless A820 or the one with transformers :grin: . Anyway I like my studer A820 a hell of a lot and that's what counts. Although a perfect A800 is indeed a rock 'n roll dream, I must agree. But I like it neutral.
Kind regards,
geert
pucho812
Well-known member
hmmmm there was another version? one with and one without trafos :?
Greg
Well-known member
I know this is an old topic, but...
I'm curious about this statement posted by guy_4:
"Be careful about " recapping " this TR.
Except the electrolytics on the audio power supplies circuits, do not touch the caps used on the equalization circuits, they are precision caps."
I've got a 1/2" A80 VU 2-track that was spitting and popping. It hasn't been used in quite some time. I first replaced the PSU caps and this helped dramatically, but it's all still not out. I was planning to move on to the audio cards... but then I read this. Is he referring to the film caps on the equalization cards? I wouldn't touch those anyway. On the audio cards, there are many DC blocking tants and other filtering tants/electrolytics. I don't see any problem replacing these... comments/suggestions?
I'm curious about this statement posted by guy_4:
"Be careful about " recapping " this TR.
Except the electrolytics on the audio power supplies circuits, do not touch the caps used on the equalization circuits, they are precision caps."
I've got a 1/2" A80 VU 2-track that was spitting and popping. It hasn't been used in quite some time. I first replaced the PSU caps and this helped dramatically, but it's all still not out. I was planning to move on to the audio cards... but then I read this. Is he referring to the film caps on the equalization cards? I wouldn't touch those anyway. On the audio cards, there are many DC blocking tants and other filtering tants/electrolytics. I don't see any problem replacing these... comments/suggestions?
You'd never use tant/electrolytics for any precision, so you should be able to change those without worries...
Jakob E.
Jakob E.
Greg
Well-known member
Thanks Jakob, that's what I was thinking... just wanted a little sanity check before I did something foolish.
