trippin2-8track
November 21st 03, 03:08 PM
After several missed auctions in the past, I finally scored an 81D off
ebay. End price after a partial refund $30. Akai trackers heaven- I
now own all (4) of the best Akai decks- 80-81-82-83
Just compared it to my flagship GXR82D. Both sitting on top of a
Pioneer SX-750 receiver (SA buy yesterday, $10, no ****), headphones,
clicking the monitor switch from tape 1 to tape 2, and moving a
Hendrix Monterey tape between decks. The sound is nearly identical.
Through speakers, the 81D is a tad better.
Now the differences. The 81D has noticeably less CROSSTALK. The ghost
tracking is barely audible with headphones. But it IS still there- and
doesn't go away no matter how adjusted. With the bottom cover removed,
and track 4 of the Monterey Hendrix tape (long blank section on that
track), I could hear another track. Turning the track adjustment screw
1/4 turn clockwise (the flat blade bigger one underneath), made the
crosstalk almost disappear completely. Turning another 1/4 turn made
another track start bleeding through. OK, there's the sweet spot.
Azimuth was dead on, adjusting either way got worse.
Switched tapes to Judas Priest Rocka Rolla. OOPS, lots of crosstalk
now. (I knew this tape was off track a bit since new) Went back to
original setting on tracking, crosstalk faded. Went 1/4 turn more
counterclockwise, found the sweet spot for that cart. OK, between the
Hendrix and Priest carts, there's a 1/2 turn adjustment needed to
track the tape "dead on". This is the compromise with the 8-track
format, no matter what player you have. Each cart has the tracks laid
down in a slightly different place. (we need a VHS type of
self-tracking mechanism)
I went back to the original setting on tracking, as that setting is
DEAD CENTER between the 2 carts I tested. The best compromise. This
way, no cart has an intolerable amount of ghost tracking.
Bottom line- 81D much less crosstalk than 82D (like we knew already),
but otherwise sounds IDENTICAL- and is basically the same deck.
What is sacrificed with the 81D ?? FEATURES. The 81D has no mic input
jacks, and no pause button. Being a motor head and tinkerer at heart,
I'm thinking...the tape head mounts on both 81D/82D are IDENTICAL. The
ulimate Akai deck: buy an 81D and 82D, and put the permalloy 81D tape
head, inside the 82D. It's a bolt in. The permalloy has the same
sound, but better masking on the tape head pickup edges. Well ??
OR, replace it with a new NOS permalloy head. Mounts are different
though, and lots of work. (someone here did that and emailed me,
excellent results)
Larry B ?? Dan J ?? Dan 3 ??
ps- deck ranking. 81D/82D are tied up for 1st place. The crosstalk of
one is countered with lack of features on the other. Your choice. Try
taping with no pause button, no fun. No mic inputs is a neg. But
crosstalk at high volume sucks too.
80D ranks a very close second, with a superior spring steel tensioning
spring and no cart side to side or up/down play.
83D, VERY NICE DECK, very good sound, but lousy wimp DC motor, of
which I lost one, and had to oil a second. This deck would be the
winner due to features, if it just had an AC motor ! Could the
ultimate HOT ROD 8-track deck be an 83D with a motor swap ??
Perhaps...note- still nothing from Radio Shack can beat an Akai. The
closest competition is a Pioneer, but they have tape hiss and wimpy DC
motors too. What does the WOLLENSAK camp think ??
later dudes, from Akai 8-track Garden of Eden...
ebay. End price after a partial refund $30. Akai trackers heaven- I
now own all (4) of the best Akai decks- 80-81-82-83
Just compared it to my flagship GXR82D. Both sitting on top of a
Pioneer SX-750 receiver (SA buy yesterday, $10, no ****), headphones,
clicking the monitor switch from tape 1 to tape 2, and moving a
Hendrix Monterey tape between decks. The sound is nearly identical.
Through speakers, the 81D is a tad better.
Now the differences. The 81D has noticeably less CROSSTALK. The ghost
tracking is barely audible with headphones. But it IS still there- and
doesn't go away no matter how adjusted. With the bottom cover removed,
and track 4 of the Monterey Hendrix tape (long blank section on that
track), I could hear another track. Turning the track adjustment screw
1/4 turn clockwise (the flat blade bigger one underneath), made the
crosstalk almost disappear completely. Turning another 1/4 turn made
another track start bleeding through. OK, there's the sweet spot.
Azimuth was dead on, adjusting either way got worse.
Switched tapes to Judas Priest Rocka Rolla. OOPS, lots of crosstalk
now. (I knew this tape was off track a bit since new) Went back to
original setting on tracking, crosstalk faded. Went 1/4 turn more
counterclockwise, found the sweet spot for that cart. OK, between the
Hendrix and Priest carts, there's a 1/2 turn adjustment needed to
track the tape "dead on". This is the compromise with the 8-track
format, no matter what player you have. Each cart has the tracks laid
down in a slightly different place. (we need a VHS type of
self-tracking mechanism)
I went back to the original setting on tracking, as that setting is
DEAD CENTER between the 2 carts I tested. The best compromise. This
way, no cart has an intolerable amount of ghost tracking.
Bottom line- 81D much less crosstalk than 82D (like we knew already),
but otherwise sounds IDENTICAL- and is basically the same deck.
What is sacrificed with the 81D ?? FEATURES. The 81D has no mic input
jacks, and no pause button. Being a motor head and tinkerer at heart,
I'm thinking...the tape head mounts on both 81D/82D are IDENTICAL. The
ulimate Akai deck: buy an 81D and 82D, and put the permalloy 81D tape
head, inside the 82D. It's a bolt in. The permalloy has the same
sound, but better masking on the tape head pickup edges. Well ??
OR, replace it with a new NOS permalloy head. Mounts are different
though, and lots of work. (someone here did that and emailed me,
excellent results)
Larry B ?? Dan J ?? Dan 3 ??
ps- deck ranking. 81D/82D are tied up for 1st place. The crosstalk of
one is countered with lack of features on the other. Your choice. Try
taping with no pause button, no fun. No mic inputs is a neg. But
crosstalk at high volume sucks too.
80D ranks a very close second, with a superior spring steel tensioning
spring and no cart side to side or up/down play.
83D, VERY NICE DECK, very good sound, but lousy wimp DC motor, of
which I lost one, and had to oil a second. This deck would be the
winner due to features, if it just had an AC motor ! Could the
ultimate HOT ROD 8-track deck be an 83D with a motor swap ??
Perhaps...note- still nothing from Radio Shack can beat an Akai. The
closest competition is a Pioneer, but they have tape hiss and wimpy DC
motors too. What does the WOLLENSAK camp think ??
later dudes, from Akai 8-track Garden of Eden...