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Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
Recent Ebay auction results show the CR-83D getting some pretty high
prices...$150+. I own one and never really knew what the allure was about this deck. Not bad sound, but the build quality just wasn't up to the older Akais. Yeah the pre-83s have their issues, but a properly functioning/ working 80-82 blows the 83 away IMHO. The 82s have also been bringing good $$. Maybe it's the 83s cool looking circular tape counter, or the fact that it's not gonna give you track changing/crackling problems. Either way, the cheap DC motor is on borrowed time before it craps out eventually! Lately my CR-80T has been acting up a bit. When first turned on the right channel is weaker than the left, then after about 1 hour it comes back up to the proper level and remains that way until I turn it off for a long period of time. Maybe a cap is going? If the right channel goes out completely I'll have to have it looked at. It's not the amp as I hooked it up to another system and it does the same thing. Any ideas as to what might be causing the problem? |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:37:22 -0800 (PST), still_trackin
wrote: Recent Ebay auction results show the CR-83D getting some pretty high prices...$150+. I own one and never really knew what the allure was about this deck. Not bad sound, but the build quality just wasn't up to the older Akais. snip EBay has a way of distorting reality to the point where auction ending prices aren't congruent with fact. No, NO 8 track deck is worth that much...period...unless someone is suckered into an impulse buy without knowing any facts. Yeah the pre-83s have their issues, but a properly functioning/ working 80-82 blows the 83 away IMHO. snip True, but there were other well-performing recorders back in that era, too. Although, through narrow gapped heads mostly, the earlier Akais had the edge on high frequency performance, they were notoriously weak in bass. You cannot have both unless you increase tape speed or change head geometry...period. Cassettes got away with increasing bandwidth at a slower speed by changing head geometry to a much smaller proximity of the poles to the tape surface while newer manufacturing techniques allowed for much smaller head gaps. You'll remember, that during the introduction of the Philips cassette as a much format in the early '70s, the conventional head configurations and fairly wide head gaps led to telephonic frequency response. Either way, the cheap DC motor is on borrowed time before it craps out eventually! snip Easy fix for anyone with technical skills. I've never had one of those DC motors, especially those with a tachyservo circuit, be outperformed by the supposedly "superior" AC motors, which do not allow for speed adjustment. Lately my CR-80T has been acting up a bit. When first turned on the right channel is weaker than the left, then after about 1 hour it comes back up to the proper level and remains that way until I turn it off for a long period of time. Maybe a cap is going? If the right channel goes out completely I'll have to have it looked at. snip Cap, or a dirty pot, or some cracked solder. All are problems with old Japanese electronics. By this time, film caps were pretty much standard in consumer electronics, so look for a failing electrolytic. Japanese electrolytics from that era were notorious for failure over time, as are any. It's not the amp as I hooked it up to another system and it does the same thing. Any ideas as to what might be causing the problem? snip Are you sure your pressure pads and tape path are OK? Bad pressure pads (or phony ones, like Charlie Nudo's aquarium filter foam fakes he sells on eBay) are the #1 cause of failure of any high frequency performance or channel balance in that format. Do you hear any "crackling" in the faulty channel? If yes to the latter, look for a leaky cap, probably an axial electrolytic. As far as pressure pads go, look no further than: http://www.katestrackshack.com ....and pick up a bag of WinGibs Revitalizers® from them. They're the only ones that work properly and give good tape/head contact. Also, Ampex (and others') "spring pads" can be refurbished using felt had at any fabric store. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Feb 24, 12:24*pm, DeserTBoB wrote:
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:37:22 -0800 (PST), still_trackin wrote: Recent Ebay auction results show the CR-83D *getting some pretty high prices...$150+. I own one and never really knew what the allure was about this deck. Not bad sound, but the build quality just wasn't up to the older Akais. snip EBay has a way of distorting reality to the point where auction ending prices aren't congruent with fact. *No, NO 8 track deck is worth that much...period...unless someone is suckered into an impulse buy without knowing any facts. * *Yeah the pre-83s have their issues, but a properly functioning/ working 80-82 blows the 83 away IMHO. snip True, but there were other well-performing recorders back in that era, too. *Although, through narrow gapped heads mostly, the earlier Akais had the edge on high frequency performance, they were notoriously weak in bass. *You cannot have both unless you *increase tape speed or change head geometry...period. *Cassettes got away with increasing bandwidth at a slower speed by changing head geometry to a much smaller proximity of the poles to the tape surface while newer manufacturing techniques allowed for much smaller head gaps. *You'll remember, that during the introduction of the Philips cassette as a much format in the early '70s, the conventional head configurations and fairly wide head gaps led to telephonic frequency response. Either way, the cheap DC motor is on borrowed time before it craps out eventually! snip Easy fix for anyone with technical skills. *I've never had one of those DC motors, especially those with a tachyservo circuit, be outperformed by the supposedly "superior" AC motors, which do not allow for speed adjustment. * Lately my CR-80T has been acting up a bit. When first turned on the right channel is weaker than the left, then after about 1 hour it comes back up to the proper level and remains that way until I turn it off for a long period of time. Maybe a cap is going? If the right channel goes out completely I'll have to have it looked at. snip Cap, or a dirty pot, or some cracked solder. *All are problems with old Japanese electronics. *By this time, film caps were pretty much standard in consumer electronics, so look for a failing electrolytic. Japanese electrolytics from that era were notorious for failure over time, as are any. * *It's not the amp as I hooked it up to another system and it does the same thing. Any ideas as to what might be causing the problem? snip Are you sure your pressure pads and tape path are OK? *Bad pressure pads (or phony ones, like Charlie Nudo's aquarium filter foam fakes he sells on eBay) are the #1 cause of failure of any high frequency performance or channel balance in that format. *Do you hear any "crackling" in the faulty channel? *If yes to the latter, look for a leaky cap, probably an axial electrolytic. As far as pressure pads go, look no further than: http://www.katestrackshack.com ...and pick up a bag of WinGibs Revitalizers® from them. *They're the only ones that work properly and give good tape/head contact. *Also, Ampex (and others') "spring pads" can be refurbished using felt had at any fabric store. Thanks for all the info again. No it's not the pads as the problem is also apparent when using the tuner. Like you said, might be one of electrolytics. It's been playing fine now for about 3 hours, after an hour warmup. If it gets worse or I lose the right channel entirely, I'll have it checked out. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
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Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:29:09 GMT, "William W Western"
wrote: http://www.katestrackshack.com That guy in the picture looks familiar. But from where? snip Why, it's none other than the guy who made good while Charlie Nudo's many frauds and scams went down the toilet, Dan Gibson! You saw him before when Noodles tried to post a picture (against the charter, of course...no binaries allowed) of Gibson, purporting it to be him, or some such nonsense. It's good to see honest people make a go out of a niche business like 8 tracks, while the fraudsters, like Charlie Noodles, wind up broke and universally denigrated. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Feb 24, 11:37*am, still_trackin wrote:
Recent Ebay auction results show the CR-83D *getting some pretty high prices...$150+. I own one and never really knew what the allure was about this deck. Not bad sound, but the build quality just wasn't up to the older Akais. * * Yeah the pre-83s have their issues, but a properly functioning/ working 80-82 blows the 83 away IMHO. The 82s have also been bringing good $$. Maybe it's the 83s cool looking circular tape counter, or the fact that it's not gonna give you track changing/crackling problems. Either way, the cheap DC motor is on borrowed time before it craps out eventually! * *Lately my CR-80T has been acting up a bit. When first turned on the right channel is weaker than the left, then after about 1 hour it comes back up to the proper level and remains that way until I turn it off for a long period of time. Maybe a cap is going? If the right channel goes out completely I'll have to have it looked at. * * It's not the amp as I hooked it up to another system and it does the same thing. Any ideas as to what might be causing the problem? the 83D only had a 14khz top end, compared to 15-17khz for the 80-81-82 the 83D has a small Matsu. 12 volt motor, and ALL the original motors in those decks are not BAD- I had (2) 83D decks, had to put motors in both- and sold them both. $150 is nothing- a few years ago, the 83D's were bringing $200-400 each. Reason- the tape counter looks space-age high-end high-tech, and they are very QUIET on track switch. The also have a more reliable track switching mechanism, once it's lubed. And front panel is more modern. I'd still take a good running 80-81 anyday, or an 82D with an 80-81 head swap. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
Why, it's none other than the guy who made good while Charlie Nudo's
many frauds and scams went down the toilet, Dan Gibson! Ah, Dan Gibson. Many years ago on this newsgroup his was a refreshingly reasonable voice. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:18:31 GMT, "William W Western"
wrote: Ah, Dan Gibson. Many years ago on this newsgroup his was a refreshingly reasonable voice. snip He, along with all other reasonable people, left this deserted isle long ago and has built his little 8 track biz into an excellent source for all into this arcane hobby. His coup d'ętat in taking the 8 track crown was getting the WinGib® pad items to be sold exclusively at the Track Shack. I've tested quite a few replacements in my time, and only the OEM replacement pads for broadcast carts compared in quality and performance. Everything else is, of course, chaff. I've also left the hobby, as my Honda has left the fold to perform yeoman duties for a youngster down the street, who uses the Panasonic 8 track deck to blow his friends' minds. I just cleaned the heads for him while doing some mechanical work on the car. It seems an auxiliary intake valve seal decided to not stay seated, causing #3 to use prodigious amounts of oil. Simply pushing the valve down manually past its normal travel solved that problem nicely, and now the 32 year old Accord sips a U.S. quart about every 2000 miles, it seems. Next, when the weather clears up some, he wishes to have it painted in its original Portland metallic blue clear coat finish. It's quite nice to see it running around town. He does has a problem, however, dealing with the manual choke. Youngsters these days don't seem to get the concept. Neither do they understand what a carburetor is and does. |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:40:38 -0800 (PST), trippin-2-8-track
wrote: I'd still take a good running 80-81 anyday, or an 82D with an 80-81 head swap. snip Silly, since the 82D had a glass-ferrite head, superior to any of the others. Of course, Charlie Noodles has the market cornered on "silly." |
Is Akai CR-83D Really Worth $150-$200+?
with the manual choke. Youngsters these days don't seem to get the
concept. Neither do they understand what a carburetor is and does. Hard to imagine you would need a rich mixture to get the thing lit in your climate. I do not miss carburetors all. |
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