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Akai GX-210D trouble

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Hi all, my first post in this forum! I´ve been active in the vinyl dept. for a while though. I just got my first reel-to-reel from a thrift store, an Akai GX-210D for 10 euro. The sticker said "hobby-untested". Well it´s (another) hobby for sure but alas the untested bit is true as well.
It won´t record or play back on the left channel. Not on the line inputs. There´s some signal on the tape on the left channel but this could be crosstalk. On the microphone inputs i can get it to record softly with some noise. With the tape/source switch on source i get a level on the left VU meter, so there´s signal coming in.
When i play back the tape with the T/S switch on tape of course, i get noise on both channels with the recording level knobs up, i have to turn them down to get rid of the noise.
Mechanically it seems OK, it runs stable, FF/RW is OK, even autoreverse works.
Even with 1 channel, mono, this 30 year old thing is totally AMAZING. It´s the same "whoah" experience i had 3 years ago when i got my first Thorens TT from the fleamarket. I still have a decent Teac cassette deck and on the digital side DAT (48 Khz), CD recorder, MiniDisc, DCC, and last and least MP3. MAN OH MAN WHY DID WE THROW THIS AWAY! This old Jap consumer device from the mid 70s in questionable shape pisses over all of them. Fat, analog, warm sound, fat bass, shimmering highs without ever being harsh, amazing dynamics, low noise/hiss/rumble. OK it´s a little more work and TLC, just like analog records. But there´s a reward!
Greetings Freek.

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Re: Akai GX-210D trouble - Tandberg TD20A man 14:49:57 02/08/05 (0)
Welcome to this delightfull forum and congratulations with your new deck and all your anologue equipment. I'm a great fan of reel to reel too and support your findings that reel to reel beats cd quality depth warmth etc. Anyway, seeing as you got this deck so cheaply I strongly suggest you get some proffesional to give it a good service and repair that dodgy channel. Sounds like it could be a simple thing to fix for a bod who knows what he's doing electronically. Say you spend another 100 euros on it probably won't cost that much to fix and give it a full service and alignment included and you would have a top notch deck then.
hope you have some success in the near future and look forward to creating a work of art for a library of tapes
good luck
chris.
Re: Akai GX-210D trouble - Munkie_NL 12:33:34 02/08/05 (0)
Weird new findings! I recorded a whole tape both sides in stereo. When playing back in the normal direction, with the tape going to the right, the problem as described remains. But, using the autoreverse button, when playing back with the tape going to the left i get signal on both channels! Both on the VU meter and soundwise. But OTOH there´s audible wow on the piano (Bill Evans). This is not the case whith "normal" playback. What have i gotten myself into!
Greetings Freek.

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