[Vintage-Audio] Revox B77 Two Track Or Four?

[Sheldon Daitch]

See:

http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/b77hs.htm for one version of the B77.

Your description of the track spacing is essentially correct.

I am not sure that you can fully correlate the two track stereo
(half track heads) and four track stereo (quarter track heads)
with the tape speeds, as I think there were several options, tape
head layouts and speed combinations.

I don't have a Revox catalog, but the 1981 Continental Broadcast
transmitter catalog has a page on the B-77 indicating that there were
custom configurations with speeds as low as 15/16 IPS to 15 IPS
and full track (mono, of course) or two or four track stereo
versions.  Maybe the specific model number can be used to
figure out the speed and head combinations.  Also, the heads
can be replaced in the field, so it could easily be converted from
a two track stereo machine to a quarter track stereo machine.

I might be wrong, but I don't think the B077 operated in
reverse.  If you have a quarter track stereo deck with a quarter
track stereo tape, you have to flip the tape over for the second side.
Some consumer machines were bi-directional, but I don't think the
Revox B77 is a bi-directional tape deck.


73
Sheldon

Duane Fischer wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I need some conclusive answers gentlemen. Thanks!
>
> The Revox model B77 stereo reel to reel tape deck came as a two track one
> direction only unit or as the four track, two in each direction, unit. So I am
> told anyhow.
>
> I have been told that the two track version used the space for a single track
> that the four track version used for two tracks, or twice the track width. If the
> tape is 1/4 wide, four tracks = 1/16 per track or on the two track one direction
> version 1/4 is divided by 2 and each track is 1/8 inch wide. Is this correct or
> not?
>
> I am also told that the two track machine has two speeds; 7 1/2 and 15 ips.
> Whereas the four track model has two speeds also; 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips. Right or
> not?
>
> Short of actually having the B77 in front of you and recording to see what
> happens, is there any 'for sure' way to tell if it is the two track one direction
> model or the four track two directions model?
>
> Duane W8DBF
> dfischer at usol.com
>
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