Studer
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Audio equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | 1 January 1948 in Zürich, Switzerland |
| Founder | Willi Studer |
| Headquarters | Regensdorf (until March 2018) , Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Professional tape recorders, mixing consoles |
| Owner | Evertz Microsystems (since 2021) |
| Parent | Evertz Microsystems |
Studer is a Swiss company specializing in the design and production of high-end audio equipment tailored for recording studios and broadcasting organizations. Established in 1948 in Zürich, Switzerland, by Willi Studer, the firm became well-known during the 1950s for its professional tape recorders and later broadened its portfolio to include mixing consoles during the 1990s.
Until March 2018, Studer's management, sales, engineering, research and development, along with customer support, were centralized in Regensdorf, Switzerland. Following Harman International Industries' decision to cease Swiss operations, these functions were redistributed among locations in China, Hungary, and the United States. Previously, manufacturing and client services were conducted at Soundcraft’s Potters Bar facility in England until June 2016, after which these responsibilities were transferred to Hungary. Until February 9, 2021, Studer operated as a subsidiary of Harman before being acquired by Evertz Microsystems.
History
Willi Studer initiated production of high-voltage oscilloscopes starting in 1948, continuing this line until 1968. The Revox brand was introduced as a subsidiary in March 1951.
In 1990, Motor-Columbus AG purchased the Studer-Revox group from Studer. The subsequent year saw Motor-Columbus dividing the group into distinct Studer, Revox, and manufacturing sectors while divesting various subsidiaries.
This restructuring concluded in March 1994 with the sale of Studer to Harman International Industries; notably, Revox was excluded from this deal and sold separately. Harman acquired full ownership of Studer-Revox AG shares for a nominal sum of 100 Swiss Francs (approximately US$70), taking on debts around 23 million Swiss Francs (US$16 million). Subsequently, Harman relocated parts of Studer's operations to England, integrating them with its Soundcraft division.
Willi Studer died on March 1, 1996.
In 2006, Harman shut down the original brand headquarters and shifted Studer's manufacturing and support services to Pécs, Hungary to optimize costs.
In February 2021, Canadian broadcast equipment manufacturer Evertz Microsystems purchased the Studer brand along with its intellectual property from Harman. Evertz continues production of the Studer Vista series at its facilities in Burlington, Ontario and actively pursues new product development.
Tape recorders
Studer entered the audio equipment market in 1949 by adapting tape recorders imported from Ampex in the United States. By 1950, they introduced their proprietary Dynavox line. The company manufactured several two-track recorder models primarily intended for stereo sound recording.
Certain versions were marketed under the Revox name with slight modifications aimed at consumer audiences; these often included features such as IR remote controls and simplified input configurations. The Revox A77 model launched in 1967 is a prominent example.
The company also pioneered multitrack recorder technology beginning with the J37 model in 1964, which recorded four tracks on one-inch tape. This model was famously used by The Beatles during the production of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. Subsequent analog models supported up to 8, 16, and 24 tracks using tape widths reaching two inches and became industry benchmarks within premier studios worldwide.
Analog tape sales continued into the early 1990s before digital recording systems became dominant. Studer released digital multitrack recorders such as the D820 and D827 that utilized the Digital Audio Stationary Head technology. However, these digital tape formats declined as recording shifted towards computer-based hard disk drive systems and software platforms like Pro Tools gained prevalence.
Studer's tape recorders remain operational today; notably, an A800 MKIII can be seen in Guns N’ Roses’ 1988 music video for "Patience."
Mixing consoles
Studer initiated the creation of digital mixing consoles during the mid-1990s. The OnAir 2000, featuring the Touch'n Action interface, was launched in 1997, followed by the introduction of the large-frame D950 console in 1998. In 2003, the Vista Series debuted, showcasing the innovative Vistonics knobs-on-glass interface across various models such as Vista 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, V, and X. Although certain models like the Vista 5 have been phased out, production continues for Vista 1, V, and X. The Vista 5BE (Black Edition), which incorporated x86 CPU technology instead of SHARC DSP engines, was discontinued alongside Vista 5 due to overlapping capabilities with the Vista V model—still manufactured by Evertz.
The Studer Vista 9M2, released in September 2013, is designed specifically for television broadcast and live production environments. It integrates patented Vistonics and FaderGlow technologies and is utilized by broadcasters such as the BBC, RAI, France TV, TV Globo, ABC, NRK, and DR. In addition to television consoles, Studer provides radio broadcast solutions with Glacier control surfaces as part of their OnAir series, which includes models like the OnAir 1500.