Decca and EMI Modifications to Studer A80R, A80RC (mk. I & II) and A80QUAD

[J.S.]

The Studer models A80R, A80 RC (mk. I & II) and A80 QUAD share the same audio electronics (repro and record) boards.

The A80R of this series to be released, it based its audio electronics on the Studer B62. The Studer B62 was reaching the end of its manufacturing life at the time. The A80RC borrowed the A80Rs audio cards and made the overall case more compact.
The most spoken about of these models seems to be the A80RC; although this question can apply to all these models.

At the time of the A80Rs release it acknowledged that improvements/modifications could be made to the audio electronics. Studios like Decca and EMI took in some boards (from these models) for modification. I would like to know if anyone has more detail about the modifications to these boards?

Jed

[ironbut]

Hi Jed,

Welcome to the forum.
Although I wouldn't be shocked if someone here knew something about those modifications, I think you'd have much more success in tracking down the details if you asked those questions on both of the Studer lists.
The new list is a yahoo group and can be found here;

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/STUDER/

And the original list can be joined here;

http://recordist.com/studer/

If you get really ambitious and need some light reading before bedtime, you can download the archives of the original on the yahoo Studer group.
Both lists require registration.

[J.S.]

I gingerly registered on the new Yahoo Studer list. I posed the question there. But no response yet; I do not know how quick or how frequently the list is contributed to.

Jed

[ironbut]

Yup, saw your post Jed.
Even though the registration process is slower, it's worth getting onto the original Studer list for sure.
One of the moderators there, Fred Thal, will almost certainly chime in on the subject. They've actually been discussing the modifications that Mark Levinson and Cello made to the A80 (ML-5) and A820 (Tom Colangelo at Cello).

[ironbut]

Jed,

One thing you may or may not realize is that it was common practice in many studios to modify the commercial gear that came to live there. I'm sure that some of this was practical in nature but some was certainly to obtain the best sound possible.
Because of all this re-hard wiring that was needed (and still is in many studios today), many large studios had an area where guys did nothing but work on gear.
So, perhaps some of the modifications that Decca/EMI did to their Studers were set in stone, but it's also just as likely that the mods were evolutionary and might still be changing if the same machines were in use today.
Here's a couple of nice YouTubes from Bernie Grundman's studio that will help to drive the point home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C6F3HPgtFk

This one takes you into the workbench area;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-YsNRM6Yj4&feature=relmfu

[Listens2tubes]

COOL videos and point made.