Akai 4000DB
- Thread starter Tony L
- Start date
I have a Brenell direct drive R to R, it came out of the BBC studios in Leeds some years ago and I bought it from a chap with a houseful. I ought to recomission it. I also have an Akai 1721 (?) that's been languishing in a mate's spare room for 10 years, that too I should recover and get running. The only thing is that the Akai is buried behind several tons of his dead hifi gear that will never see the light of day, and it would take days to exhume it.
Tony L
Administrator
I've not heard of this. I thought all one was aiming at when cleaning heads was to remove any nasty brown tape-shed that had stuck there. In the case of my 4000DB, which was pretty caked, it didn't need more than some time and patience with some cotton buds and isopropyl alcohol. That got the heads clean, using a demagnetiser later seemed to get them working properly. I'd have thought using an abrasve cleaner would only escalate head-wear.
337alant
Negatively Biased
After thorough cleaning of the tape heads and tape path with IPA, polishing the tape heads & guides with nu finish or Peak polish does seem to reduce surface resistance in the tape path, I got a lower W&F reading from a test before and after
There was also and audible improvement after polishing so it seems to improve tape contact with the head.
Don't get polish on the pinch roller or capstan though
Alan
There was also and audible improvement after polishing so it seems to improve tape contact with the head.
Don't get polish on the pinch roller or capstan though
Alan
Jonathan Ribee
Unavailable at present
I've had this arrive today - a 40 year old tape deck ruined in a few seconds by shoddy packing by the seller - no bubble wrap or anything and the mains plug was squashed against the corner that got damaged. Nakamichi made decks for Goodmans - I'm not sure this is one of them and there is very little info about it on the web. The transport, components and dolby implementation are dofferent to that of the of the Nakamichi-made Goodmans SCD100, this is an SCD110.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/102ncQmsRLMUHZ9aCVyqHntT7F1sz3snHNA/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/102ncQmsRLMUHZ9aCVyqHntT7F1sz3snHNA/view?usp=sharing
Dowser
Learning to bodge again..
Tony L
Administrator
That scared meDid the Aiwa make it over OK?
Took a ding to the back panel unfortunately (f***ing mains plug again!), I've not seen it myself, but df reckons he's straightened it out and it didn't crack the curcuit board.
Dowser
Learning to bodge again..
Also idler tyre and pinch roller refurb, take up and supply tension check, Azimuth and playback level adjust, bias trap, bias and record level adjustment, W+F check and speed adjust, and a 4 hour soak test, then re-check/set speed
Robert
Tapehead
Also idler tyre and pinch roller refurb, take up and supply tension check, Azimuth and playback level adjust, bias trap, bias and record level adjustment, W+F check and speed adjust, and a 4 hour soak test, then re-check/set speed
Interested to know how you restore idlers and pinch rollers.
If I can't replace them and they look reasonable (just shiny or a little hard) I use very fine grade wet and dry to 'matt' the surface and then apply a liberal amount of Caig rubber rejuvenate.
Radfordman
pfm Member
Small point, I seem to remember that the Perspex cover was an optional extra, not supplied with the machine. I still have a 4000DS mk. 2 and a GX4000 DB. Bought the covers separately for both. Akai were near Heathrow then.
Hi, I do something very similar but I tend not to use wet and dry on pinch rollers, I use Platenclene (for printer rollers) as a rejuvenator.