A historic Studer A80 Audio Recorder, once used by Ringo Starr at the legendary Startling Studios in Tittenhurst Park, is now up for auction on Catawiki
Fully functional machine, preserved by current owner Lex van Coeverden, accompanies a Certificate of Authenticity produced by its designer Eddie Veale, Beatles’ sound engineer
The auction, featuring additional Beatles memorabilia, is live on Catawiki from January 10th to February 2nd
Amsterdam, 10 January 2025 – What if you could create your next masterpiece on the very Studer A80 Audio Recorder that once captured Ringo Starr’s creativity at the emblematic Startling Studios in Tittenhurst Park? Now, just a click away, this legendary piece of music history could be yours, as it comes up for auction on Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for special objects, and awaits its next owner.
This Studer A80, a state-of-the-art two-track mastering machine of its time, was specially modified by Eddie Veale, the sound engineer closely associated with the Fab Four during their most transformative years. The machine was commissioned by Ringo Starr in the early 1970s, following his purchase of Tittenhurst Park in 1973—a property owned by John Lennon, where he built a recording haven known as Ascot Sound Studios. When Ringo acquired the estate, he renamed the studio Startling Studios, and naturally turned to Eddie, the engineer who had originally designed Ascot Sound Studios, to create this next-generation recorder. With his deep knowledge of the studio’s setup and functionality, Veale was uniquely positioned to bring Ringo’s vision to life.
The legendary studio was home to countless creative sessions that shaped the sound of a generation. Time-transcending musical landmarks including Lennon's Imagine, Yoko’s Fly, Judas Priest’s British Steel, and several of Ringo’s own works, have been recorded between those four walls. Though the machine’s primary use occurred under Ringo’s ownership,–such as his Old Wave from 1983–it carries the timeless spirit of Ascot Sound Studios, where gigantic artists once experimented with sound and creativity. This recorder, a silent witness to this golden era, marks the transition from Lennon’s visionary spirit to Ringo’s unique contributions to the studio’s legacy, and is an integral part of the Beatles’ history. The machine counts with Certificate of Authenticity (COA) produced and signed by Eddie himself that includes detailed documentation, serial numbers, and modifications.
The machine throughout the decades
The current owner, Lex van Coeverden, a celebrated Dutch mastering engineer and producer, has preserved the machine in pristine condition at his studio in The Hague, where it remains fully operational. When Ringo sold the estate in 1988, the machine was included in the sale. The recorder is believed to have journeyed through various owners, its glorious past perhaps overlooked, until Lex got his hands on it via a mailing list in the UK a decade ago. Reflecting on the acquisition, Lex recalls, “There’s a strange magnetism to this machine—it’s like it carried its history with it, quietly waiting to tell its story again. When I saw it, I didn’t just find a recorder; I snagged a piece of music’s soul.” With a long career in electronic music and record mastering, Lex’s connection to the machine for an entire decade is a testament to its role as a tool for creativity across generations of artists.
Ariel Cabello, music expert and department lead at Catawiki, commented: “This recorder is a rare piece of musical evolution, a tool that has both witnessed and shaped the creative process of legends. Its analog complexity doesn’t just capture sound, it translates emotion–qualities that digital technology still strives to replicate. We’re beyond excited to be a part of this historic sale!”
The auction, hosted exclusively on Catawiki, will begin this January on the 10th and run until February 2nd, featuring additional Beatles-related memorabilia, while the Studer A80 Audio Recorder alone is estimated at €50,000 by Catawiki’s experts.
ENDS
Editors notes
High resolution images can be downloaded here.
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