[Vintage-Audio] Re Revox Models

[Sheldon Daitch]

I was just looking at a brochure on a B-77 and did not note a four 
track version.  I can't seem to find the binder that had the
booklet.  I guess I'll find it in a few weeks.

I figured it was just a matter of time before we'd digress into the 
discussion on tracks.

I think what we have called four track is probably more correctly
defined as quarter track stereo, which has two channels laid 
down, for one tape direction and the other two channels are the
two channels for the opposite tape direction.  

What is also called two track stereo may also be called half
track stereo.  All of this is based on quarter inch tape, and
using the full width of the tape is full track.  Half track
meant using a tape track of slightly less than half the width
of the tape, and you could have half track mono, one track in
each direction or half track stereo, using both tracks for
the stereo audio.  And the same for quarter track, in theory,
four passes in mono, or two passes in conventional two-
channel stereo.

True four track  I would think, would be four audio channels in
one direction, similar to the 8, 16 and 24 track systems that 
are used in recording studios.

I think four tracks is about the limit for analog recording
on quarter inch tape, 8 tracks usually required half inch
tape, 16 tracks on one inch tape and 24 tracks is usually
two inch tape.

Sheldon
WA4MZZ

"Duane Fischer, W8DBF" wrote:
> 
> 
> Yes, Revox did make a two and a four track version of the B77. I am told, and I
> do not know how true this is, that the two track deck had two vu meters and the
> four track had four VU meters.
> 
> Now I have never had a deck with more than two meters. The Teac A-5500 is a high
> end two track both directions deck, it has two meters. The Revox B77 that my
> cousin has is two tracks both directions and has two meters. My Revox B77 is a
> two track one direction and has two meters.
> 
> Hence, I think we are confusing tracks here. Correct me here, but are there not
> stereo two track machines for quarter inch tape that are one direction and use
> 1/8 inch per track? Then are there not two track stereo decks that are
> bi-directional that use 1/16 inch per track? Then are there not decks that use
> four tracks in one direction only? Then what about the decks that use half inch
> audio tape instead of quarter inch?
> 
> Perhaps somebody can enlighten us as to the proper nomenclature as to each of
> these head variations from half track to two track to four track to ...
> 
> Duane W8DBF
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> ** For Assistance: dfischer@usol.com **