Studer A810 – review of a sound legend

When we talk about a High End R2R tape recorder, we remember the Studer A810. Although new machines from famous brands are gradually appearing on the market, no one can eclipse the glory of the hero. Today, a working device can be found on the second-hand market – and many private craftsmen and restoration companies guarantee decent service for the model. The mechanics themselves are almost indestructible. It is no wonder that it is the Studer A810 that occupies a bright position in High End exhibition installations and a central place in many very expensive audio systems. We carefully studied the device and drew conclusions – to what extent does it make sense to deal with magnetic tape at the end of 2024?

The first show of the Studer A810 took place in 1980, but serial production of the reel-to-reel recorder was debugged only a couple of years later. By 1989, at the turn of several thousand devices, production was stopped (the model was replaced by the Studer A807, assembled on a simplified mechanical platform, but more advanced in terms of electronics - this model is less popular with audiophiles). The Studer A810 was aimed at small recording studios - so it provided a desktop (both horizontal and vertical) format for installation and mounting in a 19” rack. The Studer A810 plays and records on 6.3 mm (1/4") wide magnetic tape in stereo format (two tracks) and supports playback speeds of 9.5, 19 and 38 cm per second.

For the 1980s, the Studer A810 was quite impressive - the transport mechanism uses a servo drive; the capstan is controlled by a microprocessor, and quartz stabilization was also provided. The tape recorder can work with reels up to 10.5" (26.5 cm) in diameter, has symmetrical inputs and outputs (XLR). The modular design allows for very quick replacement of the boards, and the chic transport mechanism with four rollers is a real byword. The device weighs as much as 31 kg, so only two people can carry the Studer A810.

The main thing that will allow you to enjoy listening, of course, will be recordings on magnetic tape. Today, the market offers a sufficient assortment in R2R - only the price can spoil the pleasure, it is extremely expensive. The standard today is about $500 per album. Although the price range can start at $150-300 - reaching several thousand dollars! This is the price for audio nirvana - studio copies from master tapes provide reference quality of reproduction, literally destroying all other formats. Do you think that Hi-Res guarantees level of detail? Enjoy vinyl at parts of the “sound wall” effect? Put the same recording on tape - and your head will spin from the amount of previously unheard sound information. Yes, yes, it will become really strange from the understanding of how much was missed in all the previous listenings of famous compositions.

Once you have checked the reel-to-reel setup (we have already mentioned that it is better to repeat this procedure after transportation, inviting a specialist) and installed it, you will only need to connect the cables. In case your preamplifier has only unbalanced RCA inputs, you will need XLR/RCA adapters (we did not need this, we used CH Precision L1, Gryphon Mephisto, Wilson Audio Sasha DAW). Only one thing - when using the device, you will have to get used to handling NAB adapters and reels.

When listening, the incredible dynamics of the recording on magnetic tape immediately attracts attention. Bill Evans Some Other Time: The Lost Session From The Black Forest Limited Edition Master Quality Reel To Reel (2 Reels) gets incredible volume and texture, relief, forming an absolutely realistic effect of presence. Yes, this album is sold for $ 995, but it is worth it!

Jazz at the Pawnshop: Late Night Limited Edition Master Quality Reel To Reel is another recording that can drive you crazy. And just as expensive. Here, bursts of musical energy allow you to achieve a hypnotic effect. And the seamlessness and "silky" presentation serve as an additional factor of involvement.

Once you listen to a good recording on tape, there is no going back - it becomes clear that other formats are only a fragment of the complete sound picture that is present on the tape.