Revox B 215 (1985)

The Revox B215 is an metaphor for the harmony of sophisticated mechanics and highly intelligent electronics.

The B215 is thus built like a topper from a topping time with an enormous diecast aluminium chassis for the drive and four motors with dual-capstan. The two hardened-steel capstan axles are polished to micron tolerances and the related flywheels are almost big enough to power an ELCASET drive !

The four direct-drive motors provide what is probably the best tape handling of any deck on the market, with amazingly fast tape shuttling in either direction. All this would matter little if the deck could not record and play as well as it handles tape. In tests and subsequent listening sessions, I found the Revox B215 to be unmatched in smooth frequency response, vanishingly low hiss levels and overall clarity of sound. Direct comparisons with a digital tape recorder showed the Revox to have more inherent noise and a slight roughness in some sounds, but few other differences were noted. There was no evidence at all of flutter, a common problem of most cassette decks. The Revox B215 is a symbol for the harmony of matured mechanics and high-intelligent electronics.The drive assembly with the four engines. The heart of the B215 is a drive assembly from substantial pressure pouring with four engines, which propel the two Capstanwellen and the two tape windings directly.

The Sendust ferrite Tonkoepfe proves Revox level by its high quality and is characterised by outstanding long-term Konstanz. The intelligence of the measuring computer in the Revox B215 is singular. The thoroughness and effectiveness of the complex computer program place all past into the shade. In each kind of volume of each manufacturer the equipment measures automatically in. In a complex measuring procedure with eight measurements the parameters for levels bias are determined. For the input of individual cartridge data six storage locations are intended. The entire Revox B215 measuring procedure takes only scarcely 20 seconds. Of course with this procedure the characteristics are considered by Dolby b and C.

SPECIFICATIONS

Transport machanism:

4-motor tape drive.

2 DC spooling motors controled by microcomputer

2 individually controlled direct drive capstan motors

Tape counter: real-time display in min/sec . in consideration of the preselected cassette playing time

Locator functions: 2 arbitrary addresses storable and erasable, possibility for loop mode

Tape speed: 4,76 cm/s (1⅞ ips)

Wow & flutter: 0,1% (with C60 & C90 cassettes)

Useable cassettes: C46 to C120

Winding times (approx): 50 sec for C60; 75 sec for C90

Noise reduction systems: Dolby B/Dolby C processors, switch-selectable, in the recording and reproducing channels

Tape selections:

Type I (FE2 O3 ; A1 & A2 memory);

Type II (CrO2 ; A1, A2 & A3 memory);

Type IV (Metal ; A1 memory)

Playback equalization:

Type I : 3180 + 120µs;

Type II : : 3180 + 70µs or 120µs;

Type IV : 3180 + 70µs

Peak Level meter: 200 nWb/m equals 0 dB

Distortion (HD₃, 315 Hz, 0 dB):

Type I : <0,8%

Type II : <1,5%

Type IV : <1,0%

Frequency response (via tape after automatic alignment):

Type I : 30 Hz to 18 Khz ; +2/-3 dB;

Type II : 30 Hz to 20 Khz ; +2/-3 dB;

Type IV : 30 Hz to 20 Khz ; +2/-3 dB

Signal to noise ratio (referred to 3% distortion, DolbyC On):

Type I : >70 dB;

Type II : >72 dB;

Type IV : >72 dB

Channel separation: > 40 dB (at 1 Khz)

Bias &erase frequency: 105 kHz

Erase efficiency: >70 dB at 1 kHz, Dolby C On

Input sensitivity (for 0 dB level): 50 mV/100 kΩ, level adjustable in 60 steps, max. resol. =1 dB

Max. admissible input voltage: 2,5 V

Outputs (referred to 200 nWb/m):

Line Output : 0,775 V/R͵= 1,5 kΩ

Phones : max. 2,8 V/R͵= 200 Ω, level adjustable in 7 steps

Voltage selection: 100 - 240 V AC 50/60 Hz

Fuse:

100 ... 140 V : T 500 mA SLOW;

200 ... 240 V : T 250 mA SLOW

Dimensions (W x H x D): 450 x 153 x 332 mm (17,7 x 6 x 13,1 inches)

Weight: 9,15 kg ( 20 lbs 3 ozs)