Akai 4000DS Reel To Reel Repair

[@Hammerman48]

Isopropyl alcohol and cotton buds are all you need to clean the heads and capstan.....we used to do that regularly back in the day. The pinch roller you clean with water on a cotton bud....just let the rubber roll over the bud....when it stops turning brown on the bud it’s clean......ah I grew up with reel to reel and still miss it.

[@swingmanic]

I've just picked up one of these to restore and it works quite well. I did however notice that the mains voltage was set to 220 volts as opposed to 240 volts. Something to check if you have one. That one of yours was/is a nice clean machine. The one I recently purchased had been in a shed and contained mice droppings.

[@Musicradio77Network]

My Akai 1721W has the same mechanism as this and other Akai models. It looks great.

[@GothiicAngels]

Mine just arrived today from Ebay. Already I saw that the capstan tape transport sleeve was missing, so had to order one. Also, I noticed that when I turn the machine on the VU meters dance around a lot. However, if I turn it off and back on it seems to cure it. Not sure if there are any other issues as the reels haven't turned up yet

[@orb505]

Just been given a mk2 version of this so would be interesting to know how you went on.

[@BogoEN]

Mine has rewind issues (slows and goes in fits and starts, then stops). I assume it's the grease. How did you remove the old grease from yours? And did you apply fresh grease? Thanks!

[@richpaul8132]

As an 'ex-audiophile', (from 1980 to '89), I'd like to suggest that you clean your heads and then demagnetize them, (use a wand that has a rubber protection cover). I got out of the hobby years ago, (of course, I wish I hadn't), but I recently looked over my "one of a kind" reels that I spent hours, (hundreds), meticulously recorded using a much higher end deck, mixers, turntables amps/preamps etc. I have about 20 - 71/2" reels fully recorded with my own drums overdubbing some of the music I recorded. My old deck was capapble of 15IPS but many of my 'fellow audiophiles' didn't have 15IPS capability. So I recorded them all at 7.5IPS. I also have some of the 'get-together' mic recordings of me and a bunch of musicians playing as well. Anyway, I made an offer for a pristine Akai 400DS MKII and the guy took it. If you buy a 'fixer-upper' then you may need to search a lot for replacement parts. The deck I got, was so well kept that I only needed to clean and 'demag' the heads, (ALWAYS do that no matter how nice it looks). That said, I haven't tried any of my reels on it yet, (all my reels were always sealed, kept in their respective boxes, and stored upright in a AC controlled environment). I got the service manual on this one and I wanted to get a belt for it. I see that the belt is apparently not accessible from the front of the deck. I'll have to get to the back I guess. I'm pretty sure this isn't a direct-drive deck, (my reel to reel was direct drive), but maybe it is and perhaps the belt that I see on,line, ($20.00), is a 'counter belt'? I doubt it, I'm sure this deck is belt driven. It's a nice deck but far from the 'high-end' decks like Teacs and even the upper-end of the Akais which have 4+ heads, 15"IPS speeds, D-drive, etc. FWIW Rich

[@medmtv3975]

hi please help me mine spin normally on forward and backward but when i hit play the discs won't spin

[@richpaul8132]

There can be several reasons for that but I would say that you need to make sure of your switch positions. It's VERY IMPORTANT that you thread the tape through as directed. Also, the On/Off switch only works when the tape is in position and threaded correctly through the head array. The On/Off switch is really just a "safety" switch meant to stop the tape when it reaches the end. If you don';t have an 'auto-stop' foil strip on the tape, and the On/Off switch is ON, as soon as the tape feeds off of the source reel and the tension bar goes slack , the end of the tape continues and slips through the head array to the take-up reel as it spins up, and will NOT stop until you flip the switch to "Off". Therefore, you should leave the On/Off switch "OFF" and when the end of the tape finally slips through the head array and the tension bar goes slack, the tape will stop. The Tension Bar is an auto "On/Off" switch. If you make sure the On/Off switch is set to Off, and then lift the tension bar just a little bit with your finger, you'll notice that the meter lights will turn on. Check and make sure your switches are correctly set and if you're using the 7 1/2" speed, be sure your "speed adapter sleeve" is in place. Finally, make sure your belt is good. If the belt is slipping, you should be able to hear and/or smell that, (like burning rubber). The motor is old technology and not what I would call "dependable". In fact, as good of a shape my deck is in, when it gets to the end of my 2400' tapes, the motor has trouble rewinding the reel if I don't give it a little help. That's why you should get a get with separate motors for play and rewind. In fact, my previous, high-end deck had at least 3 motors and 4 heads, (maybe more but I can't recall). Again, Check your switch position and the feed on the tape through the head array and onto the reels. Rich

[@medmtv3975]

i'm 24 im new to it found out that the pause record button on the top right was up and it should be down thanks alot for your help i found it today i didn't believe it turned on my father had a recording studio it was off almost 35 years but wen i record it start recording on low volume then the recording volume start raising how i can fix it ?

[@medmtv3975]

and when i turn the volume switch the sound start cutting it stay normal just on the position it was on all the storing time

[@richpaul8132]

I have no doubt, from the description you've given, that the pots and rheostats (and all other switches including the toggles and push button switches) are the problem. Many, if not all, have tarnished and you're getting a weak/strong/weak effect as a result. It's actually pretty easy to fix but the fact is that you will have to disassemble the unit to get to all the switches, (and don't forget to lubricate all the moving parts). I used a product for cleaning all switches, (and even my motherboards), and then another for lubricating them. These two products, (the first is a cleaner and the second is the lubricator): smile.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S-6-DeoxIT-Contact-Cleaner/dp/B00006LVEU/ref=pd_sim_328_10?ie=UTF8&dpID=41ik5xFNG2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR91%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=KEAECQFDSWHWKA8AJA5D AND smile.amazon.com/Max-Professional-4125-Electronics-Lubricant/dp/B0030MPJ8S/ref=pd_sim_328_12?ie=UTF8&dpID=41B%2BIIdkeNL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=KEAECQFDSWHWKA8AJA5D They are expensive but they work. You must use both because the first link is a Cleaner ONLY. After you thoroughly clean the switch contacts and moving parts, you need to follow with the lubricator. I'm pretty sure you're going to need at least two cans of the first, (DeOxit) because the deck has many moving parts. They are both safe for plastics and all electronics. Just follow the directions. ASLO!! You MUST change that drive belt! I bought my belt brand new on eBay. You should change those belts about once per year and even more often if you use the deck for many hours every day. The truth is that even when my deck came to me in such good condition, the switches and moving parts still had to be cleaned, belt replaced, and ABOVE ALL, the heads demagnetized!!! In fact, I demag my heads before every session, (record or play-back), because you can really harm your tapes if you don't do that! Magnetized heads on a tape deck will erase the tape's high frequencies and eventually, even the mid-range. Rich

[@mpmp7609]

hHi and thanks for your vidéo ! Could you help please ....? The light between the Vu-Meters doesn't light on. Is this for that reason that when i rec ( rec light is OK ) nothing print on the tape ? Or is there a electrical link you think ? Thanks you very much by advance 🙏

[@leeriley9782]

Hi - great vid. What did you clean the heads with?

[@brynjarblomvik8284]

Nice video. I have a 4000DB that's been sitting in my basement for some time. It seems the record/take-up reel runs at FFD speed regardless of the position of the two levers. I also have a massive amount of noise on the right channel from time to time, probably some dust in the machine somewhere. It is present regardless of the source/tape switch, so it must be in after the switch in the signal chain? I haven't opened it up yet, but I will get to it this weekend.

[@SDsailor7]

Did you get your rtr working? excellent video!

[@danilorainone406]

had one of these I bought from musicraft in chicago,,1975, taped a beethoven piano piece off a radio broadcast,,even when new had a lot of wow & flutter,,small dropouts on each channel

[@retrorestore]

Nice find. Let's see if you can get it going. I've never seen inside one of those. Thanks for sharing.

[@vinylmanify]

I have one of these. When recording one channel does not work all the time. Playback is OK. Any ideas?

[@DjRickeyRicardo]

Ive got one but it plays slow what you think the problem is bless it up mate🙏

[@canalemreformapeder]

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?

[@shadowshop1]

hi like the akai 4000d and ds they are tanks and go on for years. if you are lucky the life of one maybe 60 year or more. if you can get the parts.

[@leslieparker981]

[@theotherchannel2279]

Need grease on the mechanism, as you can see it is trying to go back. Simple fix.

[@GrandmasDay32]

Mine just randomly quit powering on. It was working perfectly last week.

[@stampysrandomreviews]

Sorry to hear that

[@GrandmasDay32]

@@stampysrandomreviews Might be something simple. As I happened to bump it with my palm on the top of the case and it turned on. Weird.

[@mikemakridis7240]

Ξέρει κανένας εάν μπορώ νά βρώ Ανταλακτικά ράουλα για το Akai 4000Ds καί πού?

[@alexreed6327]

I broke the spindle on my Akai reel to reel. It snapped right off. Any idea how I can fix it?

[@dawidkurdziel8931]

OKey

[@mikegross6107]

Accent too deep for me to understand!