Revox G36 vs Tascam 32

C

Chilljam

transitional phase
I've owned a Tascam 32 for a few years now and I've used it to master all my analog recordings. I've got a friend selling a Revox G36 that I know has been well looked after and serviced. Now the Revox will definitely have better electronics than the Tascam (which are quite mediocre) but I'd imagine the head design, tape handling and general reliability will be much worse than the Tascam.

When was the Revox made? I need this machine to be plug and play (like the Tascam) which I know is OK for the moment as the Revox was recently serviced but is it at that age where it will need to be overhauled? How does the noise floor of the older 7.5ips Revox compare to the more modern 15ips Tascam? I don't use noise reduction on mastering so this could be important.

I'm seriously considering this deck because I imagine the sound will be much more pleasant and have a lot more character than the 32 but I definitely don't want a machine that is going to let me down when I need it.
 
The G36 was in production from 1963 to 1967, I do believe. Aside from the Cadey multitracks (1972), it was one of the last tape decks to use valves.

Tape handling is liable to be a little harsh, and I think you will need to rock the tape on this since unless I'm much mistaken, it wasn't until later models of the A77 that they started to add interlocks to prevent it going straight from fast wind to play or stop, and stretching the tape.

I've often thought it would be a nice deck to have, but I'm a little scared of it needing more maintenance than I could give. (For that matter, my '32 crapped out when I needed it most, so YMMV)

This might be interesting:
Overhauling a Revox G36
 
Hello Guys,
I have worked on many Tascam 32 units. It is not the most robust unit they made and in fact it was the entry level until the 22-2 came around which was really a X-3 with 1/2 track heads. Just chasing the profit Genie.
The 32 can work well as long as it is maintained properly. It does have DC motors in it and will not give you the same performance as a Studer, Otari, or the higher end Tascam decks which are much better in capabilities.
These would be 62, 52, 42 models. I have worked on them all. The 32 one of which I have here in my shop can do a nice job when working correctly. The G36 is a very old design and it is likely to be lacking unless some good maintenance is done to it. If it has tubes in it then I just leave those alone. Move up to a higher
end unit and you will do much better. The only Tascam unit I would not buy of the half track format would be the 22-2. I have several Tascam units in my shop now not only for repair but those I own as well.
 
Chilljam, take this with a grain of salt since I'm not familiar with the Revox unit nor tape machines with valve electronics, but I wouldn't think the Revox to be suitable for a main mastering deck.

Best bet is to take it for a spin. That'll tell you more than any thread anywhere on the internet, but the valve electronics, earlier generation head design and 7.5ips are bound to make this a noisier experience. Is the Revox considered a consumer model? The more crude tape handling of an older transport can be dealt with, but unless you listen to it and go "I love it!!" (which you may), I would just be surprised if it would cut it as your all around deck.

Many folks swear by the older valve-based Ampex 300 series machines, but I believe those are in a different arena than the Revox.

Probably not what you're interested in doing, but there IS always the option of bypassing the 32's electronics and subbing in something with more signature...not necessarily a small project, and not necessarily cheaper or easier than just getting something that has the balance you are seeking, but it is an option. The Tascam machines from the 32 on up handle tape very well, and though the electronics may not be "exciting", they perform well and get the job done and my experience is that they are engineered well.

If you do get some hands-on impressions of the Revox I and others I'm sure would love to hear about it.
 
I would choose the Tascam 32 over any early Revox up to the B77. In fact I would choose the Tascam 22-2 over the Revox A77. I have two of the 22-2 and though it’s probably the least expensive half-track ever made, the 22-2 sounds great, but no bells and whistles whatsoever. The biggest difference between the 32 and higher end Tascam half-tracks like the 42B and 52 are features… bells & whistles. The sound of the 32 when properly setup is excellent. There were many other intro level decks made by Teac/Tascam before the 32 (AKA 33-2) was introduced. It’s well-made based on years of experience, R&D and evolution by Tascam.

That’s why you’d find them everywhere since they were introduced from audio for video production studios, to large and medium recording studios around the world to home/project studios. If you have the skills and the time to restore something like the Revox G36, if I were you I’d spend your time and effort tricking out the 32. It sounds great, but can sound better. First thing to do is replace the NJM4558 and NJM4559 input opamps with NE5532A. There are also several places in the signal path that will benefit from replacing the carbon resistors with metal film resistors. Same story with the 22-2.

If you have a stock Tascam 32 you haven’t even begun to realize all it can do yet. If you just want a fun project then sure why not? Snap up the G36 and have some fun, but don’t expect the sound or performance in any area to come close to what the 32 can do, or even the 22-2 for that matter.

If you’re planning to use the G36 for serious recording you’ll likely be disappointed. The noise of Revox units from that era is pretty bad. If you want more character with the 32, experiment with different tape types and use it at 7.5 ips. You can also experiment with bias settings. Rather than there being one precise point there is really a window for the bias setting and you can go for cleaner or a little grittier sounding with bias alone. You can also do that with increasing the flux level to 320 nWb/m @ 0VU and push the tape into the red. My approach for a half-track mastering deck is to get it as clean as possible for normal use and then use different tapes, speeds and levels to add some character if desired. Even adding noise reduction, dbx Type I or Dolby C will change things up a bit. There’s a lot you can do with that 32 before you can declare it officially boring. ;)
 
sweetbeats said:
The Tascam machines from the 32 on up handle tape very well, and though the electronics may not be "exciting", they perform well and get the job done and my experience is that they are engineered well.
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Beck said:
If you’re planning to use the G36 for serious recording you’ll likely be disappointed. The noise of Revox units from that era is pretty bad. If you want more character with the 32, experiment with different tape types and use it at 7.5 ips. ...My approach for a half-track mastering deck is to get it as clean as possible for normal use and then use different tapes, speeds and levels to add some character if desired. Even adding noise reduction, dbx Type I or Dolby C will change things up a bit. There’s a lot you can do with that 32 before you can declare it officially boring. ;)
Click to expand...

You guys are really hitting the nail on the head with words like 'exciting' and 'boring'. This is exactly how I feel about the 32, it's a great machine in my opinion. I thought that the G36 was a more 'pro' machine and given the era it was made with the valves and stuff, that it would give some nice character to the recordings. It may have some character that the 32 is lacking... but the noise, tape handling and reliability are all very important to my setup and process of working.

I'll be passing on the G36 as I'm not in anyway interested in overhauling or repairing tape recorders. It was a nice thought but you guys have really opened my eyes on this.
 
Beck, will the 5532 work on the 32? A lot of times the 5532 won't work as a sub for the 4558 depending on circuit topology...4558 > 072 > 2134 yes. Have you tried the 5532 there or know of somebody that has?

2134 is a great chip but honestly, since I'm not really into the "transparent" thing I'd take a 5532 over a 2134...i got some TI branded 5532 chips 10 for $10...3 packs just to have around. If the 5532 works there that's a pretty sweet option...and probably taking a look at coupling cap values though Teac did a better job than others in my experience not compromising by sticking rigidly to a "corporate value" cap.

I agree with everything Beck said. You could have your cake and eat it too with the 32. Maybe not the degree of "personality", but you might be surprised and when coupled with the tape handling, reliability and availability of parts and community support? Tough to beat. And YES play around with operating standards and tape formulations. +3 tape at 250nWb/m will avoid pushing the headroom of the electronics and push your tape.
 
The Revox machines were high-end consumer. Some G36s were factory-modded to 15ips, but most are 7.5. Their studio offerings were Studer branded, such as the C37 and were floor-standing machines.

Ithaca's "A Game For All Who Know" was done on Revox machines with bouncing, but it was technically a home recording effort.
Giles, Giles & Fripp did "The Brondesbury Tapes", a collection of demos and practice for what would eventually be King Crimson material on a modified F36 and lots of track bounces.

Most bizarrely of all was the remarkable LP "An Electric Storm" by White Noise, which used six Revox machines (synchronized by starting them simultaneously with a power strip) to construct a remarkable album of tape music. It was recorded around 1968 so they were probably G36s.

So yeah, they have been used in commercial recordings, but they were never the go-to choice for a studio. And since they may be up to 50 years old I wouldn't put bets on their reliability now.
 
sweetbeats said:
Beck, will the 5532 work on the 32? A lot of times the 5532 won't work as a sub for the 4558 depending on circuit topology...4558 > 072 > 2134 yes. Have you tried the 5532 there or know of somebody that has?
Click to expand...

Yes absolutely, Cory and my late model 32 currently has NE5532AN in place of the 4558's and 4559's. The NE5532 is a great replacement for machines like the 32, 80-8, 22-2, etc. Another great choice and even closer with less need for adjustments afterward is the NJM4580. It’s the latest in the 45xx series. Some people don’t care for it and they yank them out of gear that comes stock with the 4580… like some Behringer stuff. But the opamp isn’t the problem with the Behringers. So the 4580 does really well in Tascam gear designed around the 4558 or 4560.

Make sure to buy the NE5532A. The “A” in the suffix is a more select opamp, guaranteed to meet or exceed the specs of the series. Depending on manufacturer you’ll usually see NE5532AN or NE5532AP. As long as there’s an A in there somewhere you’ve got the right one. You could get away with the regular NE5532, but it’s worth the extra dollar or whatever to get one that’s passed a test making it most suitable for audio.

There are plenty of opamps that are basically drop-in replacements like a few of the Burr Brown offerings, but the NE5532 and NJM4580 have become favs for me when upgrading late 70’s through 80’s Tascam/Teac stuff. For comparison the Tascam TSR-8, MSR-16, MSR-24 and BR-20 have NJM4570 amps. Those are great opamps and the 4580 is just a continuation and further tweaking of the 45xx series. I wouldn’t go to the trouble of replacing 4570’s with 4580’s, but definitely yes to replacing the 4558/59 or 4560 with 4580’s.

The way to do it for best results is to calibrate the machine first with what you’ve got in it. Do a full calibration. If things haven’t drifted since your last calibration a lot of it will amount to a check, but make sure everything is just how you want it in stock condition. Then desolder and remove the input opamps on both right and left channels of the 32 and solder in some high quality 8-pin sockets. That way you can try other amps in the future with a lot less trouble.
 
I used my G36 for recording broadcasting and live concerts. If you now the machines handicaps it workes just fine and will due so for years.

A thing to concider is the normalization used. Is it NAB or IEC. These are not interchangeble and effect how the music is recorded and played back. One is not bether then the other. You however can not play back an IEC recording on an NAB machine without changing te frequecy responce!

I sold mine 10 years ago and I am sorry for that now. It was an IEC 9,5/19 cm/sec 2 track machine. I modifided tape transport by adding a special ring at the left side. This ring had a copper strip that made transport more smooth at startup. I also put in new record and playback hads. Te newer hads were better then the first used. They look like the later hads used in A77, B77, PR99
 
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