The 40 Pound Cassette Deck (with reel-to-reel compatibility) | Vintage Hifi Revival
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 ноя 2022
- Weird mid 70's piece of kit I've found, a reel to reel that can transfer to and from a built-in cassette deck. Never heard of something like this, but I actually really like it and I especially like that I only paid $20 for it. Fairly straightforward repair and restoration that I hope you also enjoy.
Way back in the '60s, when I was a computer operator (IBM 360) we cleaned the heads - often - of the tape decks, no gloves. We got strange, white fingers - very little health and safety back then, and the fluid had a peculiar smell too. Mind you, it did remove the ink from our fingers which we got from the 1403 impact printer ribbons.
I think you will find that the motor is fixed speed. The switch is only for equalisation. Open reel tapes use a different equalisation for 7 1/2 verse 3 3/4 These Akai's had a physical adaptor that screwed over the capstan of the open reel part to adjust the speed . The speed of a compact cassette is 1.875 inches per second. That's how this system can work. The motor is fixed speed. The speed is adjusted by adding or removing the adaptor on the capstan and then the equalisation is set by the switch. The poor quality of the cassette sounds more like the heads need a good clean or are worn. You may also find the unit could need recapping and possibly other components have drifted, contributing to the poor quality. When new these units actually had quite good sound quality and quite high quality recording ability.
Great job on that Akai. I grew up with these. Robust, and made to last unlike the crap we get today. Real metal, serviceable. These are meant to be kept and enjoyed. Saburo Akai would be proud of you. Akai had a wonderful reputation in cassettes and reel to reel. The GX heads were meant to last forever. Even had one that had 8 track and Cassette and Reel to Reel. But the heavyweights the GX747 and so on are the crem a la crem of Akai reel to reels most know. Though the Pro 1000 reel to reel is to die for.
Wow, that was nice to watch. I bought mine in Japan around 1976 when i was still working as a merchant marine. I have both the GX1900 and the GX1900D. I had them cleaned a few yrs ago and still run like i just bought them. I also have the Akai GX630DB reel to reel recorder (without casette recorder) which i use the most, less mechanics inside.
This was entirely enjoyable for me. I’ve had several reel to reel units back in the 70’s-90’s. Brings back a lot of memories.
in the seventies AKAI came up with a feature they called 'glass-ferrite' heads. These are tapeheads that are covered with a thin layer of hardened glass where the tape is sliding on. They claimed that the magnetic field is focused to the distance defined by the glass coating. These tapeheads are really not wearing out. (due to this they disappeared silently from the market - you can't sell a product that is not dyin at all)
I've never seen a reel to reel with a cassette player, but I used to have a reel to reel with an 8-track player built in.
Good job, you approached the problem better than many other professional mechanics. All my audio equipment (AKAI/Pioneer) is from the early 80's, great, some quality, almost no problems after all these years. As for the residual foam behind the Vu meter, the meters are held in place to absorb shocks from transport. This also makes the meters last longer.
Beyond Mechanical..............Was a good watch, close-up details is what sets this apart from others..
Excellent job! I have actually seen this model before here on RUclips, but I haven’t found too much info about this machine myself, so yes, it really is a rare one indeed… glad you were able to get it working again!!!
Nice job. I've lost count of the number of 'dead' akai machines I see advertised by sellers who clearly don't even try lifting the shutoff lever. I think it's obviously a generations thing. I grew up with these kind of recorders so it's difficult for me to grasp how someone can't understand how to use it. But what's common knowledge to me is alien to most people 30 years my junior, and no doubt vice versa.
I used to have an akai X-1800-SD, it was a reel to reel recorded with a built in 8 track recorder on the side. What was interesting was the fact that the 8 track player’s capstan was the same as the reel to reel’s, so when the speed of the reel to reel was changed it also changed the speed of the 8 track as well.
Akai made one with an 8-track in the side (best-sounding 8-track player I've ever heard, and that's saying something since I work on this gear for a living), and I think there was a version with all three formats - RTR, 8-track, and cassette.
Instead of paper as cushion i like to use the fuzzy side of some velcro. Also for those corners, maybe some small road case corner protectors? Not original but would definitely give it a more industrial look.
You've gotta live in the Tampa Bay area: I saw one for sale recently and dithered as I have a room of broken equipment. Naturally, I regret dithering!
The stuff on your reel to reel tape heads and tape path are a result of Sticky-shed syndrome from someone running a deteriorated tape thru the machine. What many don't know is if the unit is not cleaned after running a bad tape thru it, the bad tape can destroy every tape that is used after as it transfers the deteriorated oxides to the next tape used and so on...
I had an akai reel to reel with glass heads back in the 70's. More than a piece of electronics it was also a beautiful piece of machinery. A girlfriend took it.
I had a similar model but instead of the cassette it had an 8 track player/recorder on the right side and 2 speakers. Great video !
Wish I stillhad my 3in one Akai ,reel ,8 track ,cassette, brought it back from Vietnam 1970
I had the 8-track version of that player. It also had the built-in speakers. The speakers were covered by these hinged metal doors/flaps that you swing out when using the speakers. Those variable resistors can usually be cleaned up by just rotating the control full sweep several times to clear off the crud off the wiper contact, or worse case a shot of Deoxit.