Revox Straight Line Turntables

The HK and the Revox were both derivatives of the Rabco idea. The HK in particular was a near copy of the all in one Rabco TT (SL8?), using that rubber wheel to move the pivot. Even when they worked, it wasn’t a good idea to begin with.

The model I remember that we sold in the store did not have a phono stage. It had a moving magnet cartridge. They also broke a lot. I tried not to sell them. We also had the Harmon Cardboard straight line tracker. What a nightmare that thing was. It's mechanism was totally mechanical with a rubber wheel that followed a rotating shaft. It was actually very reliable if noisy. 

"service manual is in German, so I have translated that part. I’m German, but @tablejockey Revox isn’t, they’re Swiss 😉)" 

bertel-

Oops! Obvious I didn't type my thought out clearly, AND proofread before posting! I did  mean Swiss(and German) typically imply precise build quality though.

I own a B795 and it has no preamp.  I can’t recall any ReVox table that did. One thing about mine is it is a rare example of a sprung suspension direct drive.  Another is it’s a bloody pain to swap out the cartridge. 

also, i think studer/revox is swiss

hifi engine is has a fantstic database. dunno if those tables are in there. 

@mohaveblues I think there’s a typo, the H 9 is mostly identical with the B 291 (not 297). My favourite was always the B 795, but couldn’t afford it back then ;-)

My instant reaction was that the B 291 doesn’t have ’a phone preamp’, in the sense of our usual RIAA preamps and such. Just looked up the Service Manual on Vinyl Engine. It confirms that the B 291 doesn’t have a ’typical’ phono preamp, yet there’s a section that talks about a preamplifier. It clarifies that the B 291 base model does have a linear MM amplifier, which works as an impedance converter. It can also been seen in the schematic. The manual explicitly states that the B 291 for this reason has been designed to work with MM cartridges (P Mount systems, the manual also includes a list of tested and recommended alternative cartridges).

In addition, an RIAA module was planned that, according to the manual, could be plugged onto the PCB. The manual also explains how this activity is to be performed, but I’m not sure whether such a module ever was available (the schematic on that page in the manual is hand drawn...)

So in short: yes the B291 does have a preamp section, but not a full one with RIAA EQ, unless the extra module has been added. To disconnect that, you need to locate the components on the PCB and bypass them somehow. A bit of a surgery, I suppose.

(Side remark: the service manual is in German, so I have translated that part. I’m German, but @tablejockey Revox isn’t, they’re Swiss 😉)

The Technics SL10 I had 'when' came with a MC cart that had an onboard pre-amp for it, but also had a MC/MM switch at the back....along with an option of running on 12vdc....

One either likes tangentials...or not.
Given what it did then, for me, armed with a carbon brush and a really good antistat device....

I couldn't have done better at the time, and still dope slap self for letting it get away...

....and couldn't be beaten at making The Ritual easier.

AS Eric said, its very unlikely. Certainly the flagship product that i recall from the period did not.  I'm nto even sure why you ask.  But some model might have.

In any event, it realyl doesn't matter.  Bypassing an internal Phono stage is pretty simple. 4 wires MUST come out of the cartridge. run them wherever you like.

The linear tracking turntable was an interesting effort to eliminate tracking angle distortion. Note that in a normal arm, the angle is correct in only two places mathematically.  LT "fixes" this, but at the cost of a very complex anti-skate problem: "how do you keep equal tracking force on each side of the groove wall?"  As i recall, the answer was "not very well".

Quite a nicely made novelty anyway

Eric- those big ol' EMTs had phono sections-- really meant for broadcast professional. Quite the collector's item today. 

I don't know the answer on the Revox tables, either. I'd suggest The Vintage Knob or just do an open web search for the models- you should see some specs and details. The arm reminded me of the Rabco with the chain drive. 

Looks like a price point 80's product. Most info appears to be in German, guessing it doesn't have a built in phonoamp. Being German, maybe a little "better" or  equal to a Pioneer "rack" unit from the same period.

Specifically, I do not know.  Generally, I don't know of any turntable from this era that had built in phono sections.  Excluding all-in-one units (turntable, pre, speakers in a case) these were always expected outside of the turntable.