CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Nashou66]

Ok here is one local to me. What would you guys pay for it?

AKAI Cross Field M-10




Nashou

[Curt Palme]

Hey, we've turned you into a RTR slut. Betcha can't have just one!

I personally don't like the older Akais like that one, or the M8/M9. Too much to go wrong with them at this point. Seemed that anything pre 1975 or so also didn't have the glass heads (I could be off a year or two) and if not, they are as susceptible to wear as other decks. I always have issues getting decent high end frequency response as well, as a bunch of those older decks were designed for the older non back coated tapes.

Just my $.02, curious what Jeremy says...

[Curt Palme]

Hey, we've turned you into a RTR slut. Betcha can't have just one!

I personally don't like the older Akais like that one, or the M8/M9. Too much to go wrong with them at this point. Seemed that anything pre 1975 or so also didn't have the glass heads (I could be off a year or two) and if not, they are as susceptible to wear as other decks. I always have issues getting decent high end frequency response as well, as a bunch of those older decks were designed for the older non back coated tapes.

Just my $.02, curious what Jeremy says...

[Nashou66]

Hmm, he want's 100 bucks. I have read some good things on them but I'll see what the other guys also have to say.

there is a GX-280 for 250.

here is the add, I like what comes with it.

AKAI GX-280D 3-Head 7" Reel To Reel Stereo Tape Recorder. Very good condition, good working. Comes with 7 Maxell 35-90 reels, new, still wrapped and 3 metal reels.

Nashou

[Curt Palme]

Better... still a bit old, but the Akai metal reels (if they are Akai and straight, not bent) are worth $30-40 each on eBay... Keep one, sell the others. That brings the price of the deck in line.

[Curt Palme]

Better... still a bit old, but the Akai metal reels (if they are Akai and straight, not bent) are worth $30-40 each on eBay... Keep one, sell the others. That brings the price of the deck in line.

[Jeremy112]

[Jeremy112]

[Curt Palme]

Yep, that more or less sums it up. Granted, not everything is related to glass heads, but with the Akais, it's the one thing you can count on to be OK in the machine. IN all the Akais I've worked on (probably 200+ at this point), I've had one glass head with an open winding. I've had lots of non glass heads worn to the point where they were throwaway.

So really, RTRs are like CRTs. Each one has a unique characteristic, and for 100% functionality, bet on having to spend time and sometimes money to get them running. Sony is known for their crappy grease, and if a pinch roller engaging mechanism is seized as is common now, it can be a real bitch to free it up.

Teacs are known for belts that turn to a massive sticky mess, taking at least an hour to clean up if the belt has thrown itself all over the chassis. Yuck!

Still, like CRTs, they're a lot of fun, and finding a stash of old tapes on CL or eBay can be interesting, listening to what others thought was worth putting on tape. I've found some interesting stuff on them... including a bunch 60s-80s music. Groovy, man!

[Curt Palme]

Yep, that more or less sums it up. Granted, not everything is related to glass heads, but with the Akais, it's the one thing you can count on to be OK in the machine. IN all the Akais I've worked on (probably 200+ at this point), I've had one glass head with an open winding. I've had lots of non glass heads worn to the point where they were throwaway.

So really, RTRs are like CRTs. Each one has a unique characteristic, and for 100% functionality, bet on having to spend time and sometimes money to get them running. Sony is known for their crappy grease, and if a pinch roller engaging mechanism is seized as is common now, it can be a real bitch to free it up.

Teacs are known for belts that turn to a massive sticky mess, taking at least an hour to clean up if the belt has thrown itself all over the chassis. Yuck!

Still, like CRTs, they're a lot of fun, and finding a stash of old tapes on CL or eBay can be interesting, listening to what others thought was worth putting on tape. I've found some interesting stuff on them... including a bunch 60s-80s music. Groovy, man!

[Nashou66]

So, umm, umm is 100 bucks cheap? Or should I ask 75?

Nashou

[Jeremy112]

[Jeremy112]

[Nashou66]

Since i dont have any reels I just won these for 17 bucks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPEX-AUDIOTAPE-PROFESSIONAL-10-REELS-NICE-/190802100003?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=FqLraXPRRQ7b5A%252BLp%252BRDkQ2BPlk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Nashou

[Curt Palme]

Cheap! Good score, the metal reels are worth more than that empty.

[Curt Palme]

Cheap! Good score, the metal reels are worth more than that empty.

[Nashou66]

Thats why I bid on them. I also got a few pre recorded tapes ove the past few days. I love big band so I got a Benny Goodman Tape All Time Greates hits for 7 bucks, a Nat King Coles best off for 10 and A Rod Stewart Every Picture tells a story for 15.

My Pioneer comes in tomorrow, same time as my Nat King Cole. But I'll have no take yup reel yet.

Athanasios

[Jeremy112]

[Nashou66]

Well the Pioneer 1011L is here and she made the trip in great shape!!! And those 4 Ampex and AudioTape reels got delivered too!!

So now I'll let her warm up to room temp before plugging her in.

Some pics I uploaded. It was well packed I think professionally because the box was stapled shut as well.

PS: any of you guys have a manual on PDF? I can get one for 6 bucks but I'd rather save the money if I can
for more media!1






Looks in great shape huh guys?

Nashou

[Curt Palme]

Nicely done, both on your end for getting a very low hour machine, and for the seller for packing well. NICE NICE NICE!

[Curt Palme]

Nicely done, both on your end for getting a very low hour machine, and for the seller for packing well. NICE NICE NICE!

[Nashou66]

[Curt Palme]

Beware that the glue/binder on the tape will deteriorate even if the tape has never been used. Read up on baking tapes, as I'm sure you'll need it with at least one. I think more than 1 of those tapes is light brown though, right? If so, those may not need baking, but any backcoated ones probably will.

I also read on a forum last week about applying some kind of car wax to tape via a cloth. Sounded wacky to me, but a few audiophiles swore by it to cure tape shedding. At this point, try anything to prevent shedding.

[Curt Palme]

Beware that the glue/binder on the tape will deteriorate even if the tape has never been used. Read up on baking tapes, as I'm sure you'll need it with at least one. I think more than 1 of those tapes is light brown though, right? If so, those may not need baking, but any backcoated ones probably will.

I also read on a forum last week about applying some kind of car wax to tape via a cloth. Sounded wacky to me, but a few audiophiles swore by it to cure tape shedding. At this point, try anything to prevent shedding.

[Nashou66]

Sound like how I use wood glue to clean records.

They all look the same color. The audio tape says red oxide on plastic base. its type 2551. The Ampex is series 400.

Athansios

[zaphod]

NICE DECK!! good score.

I read on tapeheads.net about using NuTone car wax. dunno if i hate my tape heads that much