I have the same one given to me by a buddy that bought in Thailand when he was on R&R from Vietnam. Plays GREAT . Hasn't had many hours on it - because cassettes took over when he got stateside. Still looks as good as the day he bought it. Like you say - you can't beat the sound that comes from a tube model . . .
For those that wonder what the "W" means, it is a world wide unit. 100, 110, 120, 220, 240 volts, 50/60 Hz. Has a dual pulley system. Units without the "W" were single market, and were set up for the destined country.
The W actually means wood finish on the cabinet the L denotes a leatherette finish. The roberts variant was only for the us market as it didn’t have a multi voltage transformer and frequency adjustment . That machine is the mk2 1710 which is a hybrid . The pre amp is transistor - 2x (2sc650) & 2x ( 2sc649) Transistors . They are excellent machines I have six of them . Cheers bruce
@@bonusnudges I am repairing my audio board for this machine and the schematic says there is a SC458 and a SC650 on each channel. However, on the board itself I find two SC458 transistors instead of both a SC650 and a SC458. I have to replace the transistors on this board because there is noise on one channel. Would I be safe putting in a SC650 equivalent (since the schematic says it should be there) where one of the SC458's are?
@@Cocedren i would give it a try , I don’t think there’s anything to lose . But what I’d try first is testing the transistors and the valves . The best things I ever bought was a valve tester (EMC 213) and a transistor tester (sencore tf46) . Those are basic testers , but all that’s needed is to know if the components are knackered or not . I’ve got an Akai x-330 that had noise on one channel, I thought it was the power transistors , I located new ones , and while I was waiting for them , I bought a transistor tester . It turns out my guess was wrong , it was another one that was bad . I have quite a number of valve Akai machines and I’ve discovered that just because the heater works in the valve , it doesn’t mean it’s any good . I’ve found quite a number of knackered valves . If you have an Akai 1710 mk 2 , The main power amp valves are 6ar5 and they aren’t that easy to get hold of . The next equivalent is the 6005 but you have to cut of pin 7 of the valve Cheers bruce .
@@bonusnudges Wow, that's a great response! The noise only shows up when I turn the left channel all the way up to maximum volume. The right channel is fine. I just did not understand why I did not find any SC650's. I checked each tube and they all tested "Good" and without shorts on my B&K 606. It could be the valves. I suppose I will see. The left channel noise is the only issue I have left to repair. The transistors will be here in about a week so I have some waiting to do. I really hope that finishes everything for me. The worst case scenario, for me, is having to track down a bad resistor. That's the only thing I don't have experience in. I fear it may be very time consuming to do.
Great stuff! Very interesting in the way there were so many floating caps and resistors etc connected via wires, I guess this was built before they started using PCBs in mass production. Also interesting to know the history behind this particular unit, your dad would be proud =)
Yes this was the constriction of the day. There were PCboards back in the 60's, and I am going to showcase a few of my vintage transistor radios as I have some very old radios. I have an old Sony 6, as in 6 transistor AM radio that was my Grandmothers unit that she listened to every day. It was the first all transistor radio offered by the Sony corporation from way back in the 60's and it uses a PC board. Point to point was popular in tube gear as replacing tubes on PCboard equipment causes big problems. Wiggling the tube to get them in and out of sockets broke many a board, Point to point was more reliable. One of the main reason for overhauling the Akai was because it is a tube unit, and I just love tube gear. I listen to music on a nice tube amp from recent manufacture. Music just sounds better, regardless of the source on tube gear. The even order harmonics adds warmth to the sound. I used to have an old vacuum tube color TV, and I am kicking myself for throwing it out as that would be a real collectors item today. I do have an old Halicrafters shortwave radio I plan to overhaul and film some day as that is also a neat old radio from the 40's I would guess.
Very interesting stuff! Got me interesting in getting some kind of valve based amp myself. The Akai is a very nice piece of kit - looks in great condition with regards to the age etc. Looking forward to any future repair / restoration vids you do =)
Running slow would be the run capacitor on the motor. The burning smell and not not powering up is more concerning. Electrically leaky caps will over bias the tubes which can damage them. If the main filter is bad it will draw way too much current which can over heat the power transformer. If it gets hot enough the insulation on the winding melting it causing a short in the transformer burning it out. All this vintage equipment needs to initially be powered up using an incandescent light bulb in series to allow a soft start and reforming of the power electrolytic caps. If you are lucky it just blew a fuse.
I have the Akai 1721W and it works perfectly, but no problem. I got this from my uncle a long time ago. The inside you see is much of the same as it was in the 1710W, and it’s completely solid state. The 1710W has tubes, but the 1721W does not, it’s solid state.
I left a comment meant for this video, on a much more recent video, sayIing a well made item, great video, and tripped over this video and subscribed. anyway I will be back. Colin UK.
The volume pot in my one has come loose. The right volume pot the shaft is loose pushes in an out and turns on its own axis. Can it be repaired easily ?
You would be disappointed. Tube amp, 200 disc changer, hd radio tuner, dat deck a cassette deck and reel to reel that isn't connected Dito for the thorens. For show only. Oh yes and 2 big speakers. Technics sb7000. That's it.
Quick question, should the phono/radio inputs work through the external or internal speakers or is it purely for recording? I can monitor that input via the headphone jack and it lines-out via the pre-amp outputs, but that's it. I figure it's by design by just unsure. Thanks!
I just got one ... just a 1710 but it has switchable power input , but the power transformer is shorted.... some idiot put a 20 amp fuse in it...now searching for a suitable replacement... wow yours in a wooden case? ... mine is a portable ...
awesome video. I had the pleaure of listening to one and am gonna make the purchase from an old guy i knmow in Singapore. Quick question, can i hook this up to an integrated tube amp. This already has a preamp so wondering if there would be distortion hooking upto an integrated. But my integrated is a 2A3 SET which sounds fantastic with Vinyl. Can't imagine what heavenly hi-fi glory I'l lget with this. But concern is if there would be distortion.
@@skularatna8136 these units. That's the phone that thinks it knows better and changes words. I corrected it right away but i guess you got the notification
@@pablobaldomir9430 For built in not bad. The tube amp helps. You should hear my main music room speakers, I have a set of vintage 1976 Technics SB7000A. These monsters have 14" woofers 4" mid and 1" tweet in a phase linear arrangement (mid and tweet are in their own enclosure mounted offset on top of the boxes so the mid and high sounds arrive at the ear in phase as higher frequencies travel faster then bass frequencies) Now those speakers driven by a full valve amp sound absolutely fantastic. I don't think I have ever demonstrated these, but I tell you the sound off them is incredible. They are so clear.
