I have had my T610 for over a year now and i thought i would try and compare it to the Elmos i have had for 40 years.
To be honest, like all machines, everyone will have there own favourites for one reason or another. Some of you may recall that the first one i bought from Europe was not a good experience at all.
Move on a number of years and another one was offered to me at a very good price and i have to say that this one completely changed my mind. Aside the obvious, i think that to compare the two machines is not really fair on either of them. For me, if i was told i have to give up one or the other it would have to be the Bauer. This is only because i like the sturdy metal build of the Elmo's and i still think the sound reproduction is better and of course it takes the 1200ft reels. However, i do love the T610 in that it has a good modern look to it, the image is excellent and the top of the list is how ridiculously quite it runs. The obvious advantage is full stereo reproduction and the ability to do some great sound recording and mixing for those who wish to do so, that side of it is wasted on me, if only they did another generation to take the 120 reels. Our Bauer has had a good run for its money since i bought from a fellow collector and it is as good today as the day i recieved it. Below is the specs that i could find to compare the two but im sure I've left something out. On the down side of the Bauer is the softer heads, those Elmo heads have lasted me 40 years and with some plastic guides etc still in my spares drawers i think the Elmo's will last longer. Hopefully one day i will find myself a reasonably priced Sankyo 800, dont know why but it's one i would like. . For now both the Elmo's and the Bauer get equal running's and are doing very well.

Bauer, T610 Microcomputer Stereo
marketed in 1978
super 8 mm film
Lenses:- Schneider-Kreuznach Xenovaron f: 1.1 F: 11-30 mm, - Schneider-Kreuznach Xenovaron MC f: 1.2 F: 15,5-28 mm
Lamp: 150 W, 15 V, EFR
Lamp settings: High, Low
Reel capacity: 240 m
Projection speed: 18, 24 fps
Frame counter: digital by LEDs, 1 digit = 1 frame
Film loading: automatic threading
Track selection: 1, 2, 1+2
Track transfer: 1 to 2, 2 to 1
Amplifier: transistorzed
Amplifier output: music power 2 x 20 W
Frequency response: 50-10,000 Hz at 18 fps, 50-12,000 Hz at 24 fps
Public address: yes
Recording: magnetic recording on both sound tracks
Sound-on-sound: and sound fading
Recording level control: auto and manual
VU meter: recording can be monitored with VU meter
Mixing: possible
Input terminal: Microphone (0.3 mV, 2,000 Ohm), Phono (100 mV, 1 mOhm), Line-in (4 mV, 40 kOhm)
Input jack: Phono, Line: 5-pin DIN plug (European type); Mic: 7-pin DIN
Output terminal: Earphones (), Line-out (1.5 V, 10 kOhm), External Speaker (2 x 30 W, 4-5 Ohm)
Output jacks: Ext Sp: 2-pin DIN plug; Line-out: 5-pin DIN plug (European type)
Built-in speaker: 2 x 12 W
Synchronized sound socket: double-system, synchronized sound with a tape recorder
Motor: DC magnetic motor
Power source: 100-120-130-200-220-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 320 W, 2.5 Amp
Weight: 11,000 g
Dimensions: 235 (W) x 287 (H) x 365 (L) mm (with arm folded)
Made in Germany by Robert Bosch


Elmo, Sound ST-1200HD M 2 Track
marketed in 1978
super 8 mm film
lens: Elmo Super Zoom f: 1.4 F: 25-50 mm
lamp: 150 W, 15 V, EFR
brightness lamp: High, Low
reel capacity: 360 m
projection speed: 18, 24 fps
frame counter: 1 digit=18 frames
film loading: automatic threading
manual unloading: possible
sound: magnetic playback on both sound tracks
sound mode: mono, duo
amplifier: transistorized
amplifier output: sinus: 12 W (8 Ohm), music power: 15 W
frequency response: ?
sound control: volume, tone, sound track selector
recording: magnetic recording on both sound tracks
sound-on-sound: yes
recording level control: ALC
VU meter: recording level meter
input terminal: Microphone, Auxiliary
output terminal: Monitor, Auxiliary (600 Ohm), External Speaker (8 Ohm)
built-in speaker: 12,5 cm diameter round speaker
built-in cutter: yes
motor: magnetic motor
power source: 100-115-125-220-230-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 300 W
projection: forward, reverse, still

weight: 12900 g
dimensions: 180 x 320 x 320 mm
made in Japan by Elmo

I'm surprised you took the plunge again Tom with the Bauer considering the trouble you had with the first one. A sophisticated machine with plenty to go wrong. I suspect you bought it much cheaper than the first one with its history known to you and the seller, if you have any problems though I guess Andrew could help you out he has one of these too. they run quiet because a lot of the running gear is plastic, with the exception of the film gate, looks modern next to the elmo, but looks more like the later eumigs but has better electronics due to the Bosch element. Never been a big eumig fan to be honest, I like the piano key controls on the side, who copied who I wonder.

Yes i agree that the first experience did put me off at the time. After having a talk with Andrew on here and privately and also with Bill at that time, i learned quite a bit about the T610. As you say there are an awful lot of plastic components used on the Bauers giving there quite run, but with the disadvantage that they probably wont last as long as an Elmo. Some may disagree. For two thirds of my collecting years i only used one projector while Brother used his Eumigs. Like Paul, i am not a big Eumig fan but do admit they have good sound and good image. It's those awful rubber wheels that cause so many problems i dont like. We now have three 1200HDs, several Eumigs, (Brothers) and of course the T610. With the amount of machines we now have the T610 will get used a lot less than the Elmo's in order not too wear it out too soon. I have been lucky over the years to have had Bill service my machines but as he is now retired i will being using 16mm a lot more than 8mm. I will add that if it wasn't for Bill my main HD would have been a spares machine many moons ago.
I only bought the T610 because i had 100% trust in the fellow collector who sold it to me. He also kindly sent me videos of the machine working as well as demonstrating what he had done to it to service it, and to plus it up, it came with the 1:1 Schneider lens. As it happened, he had visitors with him who live in Plymouth so he arranged for it to be dropped off to me in person. The price was much lower than that of the one i bought from Van Ek so it was an offer i couldn't refuse.