Nice machine! It;s in great shape and it sounds wonderful, too. I had a couple of them in the late 80's. Those Akai's were so well built. I used to use Radio Shack Concertape 1800 a lot and those tapes sounded best in 'low noise.' Hoover, I also had some Ampex 456 which worked best in high bias mode. It's just a matter of the grade of tape you're using where you set the switch. :) JC
I bought one of these new in 1974 in Canada. I think it was about $500 and my Mom signed for me at House Hold Finance Company and because of that the interest rate was probably over 20%. It was the start of building my credit when I was 14 years old. I thought I was the shit owning a reel to reel but the small reels became a drag to change out every 20-30 minutes or so if I remember. Certainly not like the bigger 12 inch reels. The sound on sound ability sucked of course because it wasn't synced therefore only good for taping noise or sound rather than laying down a couple of music band tracks. I knew that when I bought it. I sold it in 2005 for $20 bucks with a shit load of recorded music tape. It was mint!
The music comes off a very weird sampler CD called "Sampler 2". It's all music from a very small label called "Meistersinger Musik". I guess the artists are just fantatsy names wich are hiding a team of sound engineers who actually produced all the music. I don't think it's available anymore. I can use it in my videos because that small label isn't able to make RU-vid muting the video. It seems like they don't even have a web site.... The song I played is KARUNESH - Magic Fields.
Hallo, ich habe jetzt auch so eine Akai Bandmaschine. Leider kommt bei der Aufnahme auf dem rechten Kanal kein Ton an, egal wie ich aussteuere. Die VU-Meter schlagen auch nicht aus. Wiedergabe funktioniert aber einwandfrei. Kannst du mir helfen?
Merci vidéo très explicative !! Mais malheureusement j'ai essayé et cela ne fonctionne pas pour ma part.. Lorsque que je réécoute le bande aucun son ne sort .. :(
That's "sticky shed syndrome." It won't damage the machine but you'll have to pick the residue off with a fingernail. Backcoated Ampex tape (back side is black) from 1975-late 80s is the bad stuff, normal tape (back side is shiny brown) never had the problem that I know of.
maybe you will see this maybe not.... I have an Akai 4000D which is slightly different to this model but for some reason my record levels can't turn up or down? is this normal? I don't think so! cheers
I have an Akai 1721W that my uncle gave me, I had a slight problem recording my music from my iPod to my Akai 1721W, I just hit the record button and flipped twice and all I can see is no audio when it's recording. That must be a problem. If anyone needs help, please let me know. Thanks!
I have the same to track real to reel recorder as this but I am missing the knobs that hold the reels onto the take up arm and recording arm knobs do you know where I can get some because I don’t think they manufacture them anymore if I call Akai
The modern Akai has nothing to do with the Akai company that once built this machine. I guess you will have to get creative. I once came across some thick rubber feet that were on the bottom of a breadmaker that probably would have worked as a replacement knob.
hi there..i hope u can help me with my akai 400ds mkii,,why is it that when I'm recording when i reach almost 3/4 of the tape length,always heard something squick,i don't know if its from the head or the capstan or the pinch roller..or its because of the tape itself.?
When I follow the instructions to record the reels don't rotate when I press start. They get triggered when left in f-fwd resulting in the recording being at the tempo of the reels.does the unit need to be controlled externally.many thx alex
hi there dr. cassette,once again i have a questions? how am i gonna make a recording by my own,using my videoke machine so i can make my own recording by my self,just for fun..hope for your response dr cassette..thanks in advance..
you know what whenever im fast forwarding i always notice there is something soft and sticky left on the guide i guess its a residue from the tapes..what do you think about my tapes its AMPEX.?
Are you sure that you had the tape monitor on? There was absolutely no delay or difference at all..I think you must have had the source playing from the receiver
Hello, I have an AKAI 4000 DS recorder. But there is a problem. When the recording level changes to the red mark, the sound disappears for a few moments, coming back soon ... What should be happening?
How do you record/listen in mono? I have the same machine but with the blue Akai badge on the head cover. The right hand side mic/line level control doesn´t pull out for mono as on the MK2 models so perhaps that feature was only included on the later machines. I know my machine is the same as yours because the VU meters have the same white pinstripe and also I have to use the rubber reel retainers. The later models had a retaining flange built into the spool pins.
I never got the monaural playback figured out on this machine. The track is selected with the switch on the head cover, but the pull-out mono switch on my machine didn't seem to do anything.
Thanks for the reply. I think the outer rotary control should at least pull out - mine doesn´t at all - maybe its frozen or the pot was replaced with the same type as the left channel.
Hey there DrCassette - I have recently bought an AKAI 4000DS from eBay. I have on the left Supply Reel a full RTM SM900 1/4" 183m Trident. On the Take-up Reel I have an empty spool of RTM SM900 1/4" 183m Trident. I have followed instructions on threading the tape properly and it is all set up to record. However, when I press the REC button and try and switch the arm from FWD to REC - there is no movement and it feels like a lot of tension. I followed your steps but there has been no success. I was wondering if you could please help me?
In the pinch roller pressing the tape firmly onto the capstan? If not, make sure pause is disengaged. Does the capstan turn? If not, does the motor run? It should be audible. If it does run, you may have a bad capstan belt. There should be some back tension provided by the brake of the supply reel.
@@DrCassette Would I be able to provide you with a RU-vid video which clearly highlights the problems that I am facing? I am new to Reel To Reel Tape Deck's and I think showing you with a video would be the easiest possible solution?
Better don't. Do yourself a favour and try to get a 3 motor machine. The 4000DS has only one motor, and as a consequence fast forward and rewind are extremely slow. I don't have this machine anymore for that reason.
This machine is pretty good for what it is, however there are machines with similar specifications (single motor, three heads) that are much better, while costing about the same when bought used. For example the Uher Royal De Luxe series.
