About the Company
Studer is a Swiss audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1948 by Willi Studer in Zürich (Herisau), Switzerland. It became especially renowned for high-end professional reel-to-reel tape recorders used in broadcast studios, recording facilities, and professional audio production worldwide.
Founded: 1948 by Willi Studer in Switzerland
Reel-to-Reel Production: 1949 – mid-1990s
Markets: Professional audio, studios, broadcast; some formats also used in high-end consumer gear (often sold under Revox)
Technology: Transistorized solid-state electronics (later also advanced digital formats)
Track Formats: 2-track (stereo), 4-track, 8-track, 16-track, 24-track multitrack
Tape Speeds: Up to 30 ips or more on some multitrack models
Legacy: Widely considered among the best professional analog recorders ever built
Historical Timeline
Late 1940s – Early Beginnings
1948: Willi Studer founds his company, initially making oscilloscopes and precision lab gear.
1949: Studer begins developing reel-to-reel tape recorders, modifying U.S. imported machines and then building its own.
First Model – Dynavox: The earliest recorder was marketed as Dynavox (e.g., the T26), a full-track mono machine built to accommodate large reels and broadcast needs.
1950s – Professional & Studio Focus
1951: The Dynavox becomes the Revox T26, a more refined recorder that helped establish Studer’s reputation.
1952: Studer formalizes its professional range with the Studer A27, a three-motor studio recorder. The Revox name is created simultaneously for premium consumer products.
1955: Introduction of the A37 and B37, further advancing professional tape recorder design.
1960s – Innovation & Multitrack
1960: The C37 tube-based recorder debuts; it becomes a broadcast favorite.
1962–63: Newer models like the E36 appear.
1964: The legendary Studer J37 is released — a 4-track machine that would be used by The Beatles on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at Abbey Road Studios.
1970s – The A80 Era
1970: The Studer A80 is introduced with a modular design, becoming one of the most successful and long-lived professional tape machines.
The A80 came in multiple configurations — 2-track, 4-track, up to large multitrack versions — and was a studio standard for decades.
Studer also ventured into mixing consoles and other pro audio tech during this era.
1980s–1990s – Transitioning Formats
1978: Introduction of the A800 (early microprocessor-controlled tape machine).
1980s: Studer begins digital integration, including work on PCM and DASH digital recording formats.
Mid-1990s: Analog reel-to-reel production winds down as digital formats dominate.
Notable Studer Reel-to-Reel Tape Machines
Here are some of the most important Studer models that defined analog tape recording:
Dynavox / Revox T26 (1949–1955)
First major Studer recorder, evolving into Revox branding.
Studer A27
Early professional studio tape recorder establishing the Studer name.
Studer C37 (1960s)
Broadcast-grade tube recorder widely used in studios.
Studer J37 (1964)
Four-track machine famous for use by The Beatles and other major artists.
Studer A80 (1970s–1980s)
The iconic industry standard tape machine, modular and versatile.
Later A800 / A820 / A827 (1980s)
Advanced analog and multitrack machines that were among the last analog reel recorders produced.
Technology & Market Position
Professional Quality
Studer was primarily a high-end professional manufacturer, with tape transport precision, modular electronics, and reliability that made its machines staples in broadcast and music studios worldwide.
Revox Partnership
Revox, originally a subsidiary brand created by Studer, offered many consumer-friendly versions of Studer designs (e.g., the long-running Revox A77), with shared core technology but simplified features for home use.
Transition to Digital
With the rise of digital recording, Studer’s analog tape production declined in the 1980s–90s, though the company continued to innovate with digital products and mixing consoles.
Legacy & Influence
Studer tape machines — especially the A80 and J37 — shaped the sound of modern recording and broadcast history, and are still prized by collectors and analog enthusiasts.
Studer’s innovations in transport design, multitrack recording, and mechanical precision set standards that influenced studio engineering worldwide.
Although analog reel production has largely ceased, Studer remains an iconic name in professional audio, now part of Evertz Microsystems (acquired in 2021) and still active in broadcast console and digital technology.