The TR-801...hmmmm...not bad !

yo Larry,

How do you like that Akai CR81D ?? That's the only Akai machine I
have not not tried yet. I missed the end of 2 ebay auctions, where
those went for under $20, nice examples too. Damn !!

How does it rate against the GXR82D ??

yes, the TR-803 is this huge looking deck, that's half empty, with a
**** plastic head support,watery sound, and a WIMPY DC motor with
plenty of wow/flutter, that you WILL hear expecially on double length
tapes. Those are harder to spool.

ps- I took the cover off this TR-801. I'm seeing what looks to be a
larger DC motor, not an AC motor.

trippin2-8track wrote:

yo Larry,

How do you like that Akai CR81D ?? That's the only Akai machine I
have not not tried yet. I missed the end of 2 ebay auctions, where
those went for under $20, nice examples too. Damn !!

How does it rate against the GXR82D ??

Never had an 82. From what I've read, the benefits of the glass head on
the 82 are outweighed by the increased crosstalk. Evidently the glass
layer lets the tape "float" enough that you get much more potential for
two tracks at once. I'm a big fan of the glass head design - my
reel-to-reel has it - but it may have been a mistake on the 82. As far
as my 81 goes, it's primo. Mine was "massaged" by a technician before I
got it, and it sounds just great. Initially had channel-changing
problems, but those seem to have vanished. Fidelity is incomparable, and
I don't have the crackling problem so many others have run into.I had a
Roberts 808D once, it's the same as a CR-80. I sold it to Malcolm, don't
know how he's doing with it. Sittin' pretty with the CR-81 and the Wolly
8055, that's for sure...

Happy trails,
Larry B.

Got to try an 81 myself soon.

Any crosstalk with the 81 ??

How's it compare in sound to the 8055 ??

So does a chunk of packing insulation cut to size, for free...