When a studio needed a workhorse that sounded like a Studer but didn't cost like one, it bought a Revox PR-99. Built in Switzerland on the bones of the legendary B77, the PR-99 is the semi-pro/studio machine that mastering rooms, radio stations and tape-loop obsessives have leaned on for decades. Balanced XLRs in and out, 7.5 and 15 ips speeds for that fat, high-speed warmth, calibration trimmers on the base for dialing in any tape, and build quality that simply refuses to die. Thread up a reel and hear why people still pay a fortune for the sound of magnetic tape.

FEATURES & PROS:

• Studio-Grade Build: Swiss-made on the B77 platform, the affordable Studer. Engineered to run for decades.
• Balanced XLR I/O: Slots straight into a pro console or mastering chain, with mic and line inputs onboard.
• 7.5 and 15 ips: High-speed running for that warm, wide, hi-fi tape sound.
• Self-Calibratable: Base trimmers let a competent user bias and align for any tape stock.
• That Tape Sound: Natural compression and harmonic glue no plugin fully nails.
• Half-Track Stereo: Clean, punchy two-track recording and playback.

THE WORD: Reel-to-reel enthusiasts regard the PR-99 as an affordable Studer, a studio-capable workhorse prized for its sound and longevity. Read more.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Year: early 1980s
• Type: Half-track stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder (semi-pro/studio)
• Speeds: 7.5 and 15 ips
• Tape: 1/4 inch, up to 10.5 inch reels
• Inputs: balanced XLR line, unbalanced 1/4 inch mic
• Outputs: balanced XLR line, headphones
• Metering: VU with LED peak indicators; base calibration trimmers
• Power: mains (multi-voltage versions exist)
• Manual: Revox PR-99 manual (HiFi Engine)