steenamaroo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2009
- Messages
- 83
Hi all,
I've come here really hoping that someone can help as i can't find anyone to work on my AKAI in the UK.
I don't know a lot about this unit, it only recently came into my possession and in mint boxed new condition with the exception of one fault.
Regardless of where the tape speed switch is set, the tape plays back at one speed.
If i play a tape, it seems to start off at a speed and very gradually reduce speed over a reasonably long period...say 30 seconds?
It doesn't grind to a halt or anything; There's just a notable pitch drop.
The pitch control knob on the unit has no effect either.
Another symptom of what i imagine to be one golbal fault is that if i play a tape back from the start, the capstan will feed tape through faster than the take up can receive it, so it gets chewed.
If i FF a bit and play again, it'll be fine as the diameter of the tape of the take up side is now great enough that take up speed is sufficient.
The physical switch and pot are fine, this problem goes deeper than that.
I've guessed that tape speed and pitch are both voltage controlled and perhaps that something in both their paths has shorted out allowing full voltage to the motor at all times. Does this sound reasonable?
There are markings on some internal connectors that say 9.5 and 4.75. Again, i guess that these are voltage outputs for the two speeds.
If i even knew what the voltages are meant to be i could trace the fault a little farther.
Anything at all is helpful on this guys.
I am in communication with Dave at VST. He is certainly very helpful but the times zones are making comms slow, plus i don't feel right tapping a company for free advice.
Many thanks in advance.
I've come here really hoping that someone can help as i can't find anyone to work on my AKAI in the UK.
I don't know a lot about this unit, it only recently came into my possession and in mint boxed new condition with the exception of one fault.
Regardless of where the tape speed switch is set, the tape plays back at one speed.
If i play a tape, it seems to start off at a speed and very gradually reduce speed over a reasonably long period...say 30 seconds?
It doesn't grind to a halt or anything; There's just a notable pitch drop.
The pitch control knob on the unit has no effect either.
Another symptom of what i imagine to be one golbal fault is that if i play a tape back from the start, the capstan will feed tape through faster than the take up can receive it, so it gets chewed.
If i FF a bit and play again, it'll be fine as the diameter of the tape of the take up side is now great enough that take up speed is sufficient.
The physical switch and pot are fine, this problem goes deeper than that.
I've guessed that tape speed and pitch are both voltage controlled and perhaps that something in both their paths has shorted out allowing full voltage to the motor at all times. Does this sound reasonable?
There are markings on some internal connectors that say 9.5 and 4.75. Again, i guess that these are voltage outputs for the two speeds.
If i even knew what the voltages are meant to be i could trace the fault a little farther.
Anything at all is helpful on this guys.
I am in communication with Dave at VST. He is certainly very helpful but the times zones are making comms slow, plus i don't feel right tapping a company for free advice.
Many thanks in advance.