Revox Agora B Interesting find in the used market.


I was browsing the fakebook marketplace locally and came across a chap selling his Revox Agora B active speaker system. I never heard of Revox / Studer speakers before they interested me for the looks at first as I’m into vintage gear as well.

I read up on these speakers and it was a wow moment, these larger stand mount size speakers have so much tech in them for the mid 80’s (1985 vintage). Each speaker has 3 X 100 class A/B amps in them. the two bass drivers in each are asymmetrically aligned and use feedback (i.e.servo control), the bass drivers one facing front one on top firing down into the cabinet with ports on the top and front baffle. The tweeters are titanium and open to radiate to the front, top, sides and back (180deg) like an open baffle, the midrange driver carries almost the whole pianos range.

So, I bought them, after a 30 min listen. I was shocked at how detailed and fast these speakers were. They separate instruments like no other speaker I’ve ever heard, including my Spendor D9.2’s in my main listing room. supper interesting and rare I’ll be setting these up in my office computer space. little over kill maybe. but an interesting find for a vintage speaker. these have been fully restored, recapped etc, yes, all 6 amps were done. no not going to replace the main speakers but such an interesting design i had to buy them, I paid $1000 USD basically maybe the best deal in vintage audio I’ve had in a while.

Revox Agora B on thevintageknob.org

Anyone else had Revox / Studer Speakers?

 

 

128x128glennewdick

Erik,

I don't think this is a active vs passive thing as such. These Speakers are rather rare and special in what they Revox/Studer were trying to do back in the mid 80's. They were trying some interesting tech and configurations. not your typical mid 80's active/or not speaker that's for sure. 

OP:

 

My point was just that they were pretty good, and that was 40 years ago.  It's a shame active speakers haven't been more widely accepted in high end mainstream.

We may use DSP and Class D amplifiers now but 40 years ago we knew everything we know now about delay and phase matching and how to make great active filters.  While DSP can create virtual filters in the sense that we are no longer buying op amps, caps and resistors to create our filters, everything we needed to know about using active filters to build speakers was already there.

 

Best,

 

Erik

Found a shop that will repair my AGORA B.  They estimate $600 - $800 to repair the speaker.

Is the speaker worth investing that much into a repair?

Thanks! 

Welcome to active.  May not be for everyone, but for fans of it, it’s the real deal.  I’ll never leave it for my reference.  ATC 50A.  Good on you.  Enjoy.