Vintage AKAI AM2450 Amplifier Repair

[@paulb4661]

You, Sir, take the Accolade for the Most Messy Bench, most Inconsiderate Handling of Equipment, most blatant flaunting of Safety Rules and ... most excellent results with this simple down to Earth approach of a truly experienced, great Technician. All the best in 2022 and keep'em coming !

[@noelconway2589]

Couldn't agree more Paul 😂😂

[@rickszabo4312]

Well I agree with the latter parts of your comment ,but check out AVE's bench and vocab.

[@12voltvids]

My bench gets cleaned about once a month and within 1 or 2 jobs looks exactly like it does in this one. I have been waiting for 2 years to move the workshop inside. Just waiting for my son to grow a pair and do like all his friends and his sister, move out and become an adult. I want that nice big room he has taken over as his game room to put in a nice large work bench, some nice lighting and have plenty of room for storage. It will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Unfortunately my son is smart and he knows how good he has it. Pays his rent on time and is in no hurry like his sister and his friends to get his own place because he sees how they struggle to pay their bills every month. So i guess I am stuck in the garage forever.

[@noelconway2589]

@@12voltvids your son is just as smart as you !!!

[@Dutch-linux]

@@12voltvids Dave raise his rent 😂 .. just joking

[@alexispieltin9379]

Another great job! These Akaï amps will certainly gain value in the future: they're really finely engineered and relatively well built with quality components. Remember they were built nearly 50 years ago, and I doubt obsolescence was something in the balance then! Maybe they will never reach Sansui amps prices, or really sought after Sony series like those using VFets (TA4650...), but you can still get a nice sound for relatively low money. I've bought one of these amps for near no money 15 years ago, with the same series tuner (AT2450). Plus the fact they went with rack option with handles, they perfectly match my Akaï reel to reel models in my collection... Anyway, here in Europe their value is constantly soaring, as they combine this retro vintage look with quality sound: few nowadays cheap amp have these meters... These distinctive options can have a great impact on prices, like "blue line" Pioneer amps... No doubt someone will buy this amp even if you don't have the missing two buttons.

[@johnh5896]

I’ve got to say your bench is way cleaner than mine ,but also I learn something on every video ,love how you get down to work and get it fixed in record time.

[@ewoutbuhler5217]

Greetings and happy Newyear from Eindhoven, The Netherlands, birthground and main site for Philips Electronics, incidentally my employer. Did a small refurb on a 1976 Akai AM-2200 recently. I was really pleasantly suprised how neat, smart and serviceable they are on the inside, also very comparable to this one. I do like the VU meters this one has, allways a nice upgrade to a vintage amp. Thanks for that vid, keep 'm coming.

[@Barbarapape]

Akai made some excellent gear many years ago, they made a name for themselves with well made great sounding amps, reel to reel tape decks and then compact cassette decks followed by some great vcr's. I have repaired a number of them over the years, now they can be picked up for low prices and with some tlc will give amny years more service. Far easier to work on with removable base plates unlike recent gear.

[@jtfoto1]

In Australia Akai was always regarded as rubbish. You only bought one if you were on a limited budget.

[@Barbarapape]

@@jtfoto1 😂 I worked as a Hi-Fi repair tech in the 70/80's and from experience know which brands were good or bad. Sony made some good gear until they went to supply the mass market, then the quality went down hill, others brands followed them. The best place to buy quality Hi-Fi was in Germany, they like Australia refuse to buy junk. The UK where i live was treasure island for the Japanese to flood the market with low end mass market overpriced junk.

[@steveoszman8746]

I love those Japan made integrated amps from early 80s. The manufacturers used cheaper external parts but, the guts are usually very nice. I find them cheap the collector crowd ignores them. Akai when I was young and poor provided good value.

[@12voltvids]

My first system was an Akai. AMU02 and ATK02. Still have both. This one could very well replace the piece of junk Pioneer receiver I have over the bench.

[@Dutch-linux]

@@12voltvids some pioneer stuff was good ... just not the budget stuff

[@zulumax1]

@@12voltvids I still have my Sansui AU-7700 that I bought in 1978 from a stereo shop that was a trade in on a new system. Kept it working all these years, repaired, keep the DC offset nulled and check the bias often, that will let you know if your amp is ready for attention before it self destructs. Still has all the original Sanken output devices, which I have replaced the thermal paste.

[@douglashoff95]

Glad to see another quality item rescued. Discrete transistors and quality built in Japan.

[@12voltvids]

Yup these amps were great for eating tweeters. No power reserve they clipped easily and sent really nasty harmonics of pure evil distortion into the tweeters. One of my shop psb speakers has no tweeter thanks to this piece of shit jap amp.

[@godfreydesilva5222]

I cherished having one. Works well and sounds good too.

[@puscasovidiu5060]

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

[@EastAngliaUK]

I got a newer yamaha rx-v679 for only £40 yesterday when I got home and it updated was very happy to come on with a wifi radio too. all channels going.

[@gioscervelo]

My buddy has the same unit. I fixed it for him by replacing the power switch which i sourced from Lee Electronics in Vancouver. Cleaned the controls and done. This unit has very good sound.

[@barryjackson2351]

all the best for the new year dave

[@SeanBZA]

That old orange LED is green because of the low current. You have to get the current over around 10mA to get it to shift to orange. Those old LED's were rather inefficient for sure, but still operate after a 40 year sitting in storage for the most part. Yes they had a high failure rate as well, with the reject parts often going off as grab bag parts, mixed with a few that might still light. That mystery part looks like an old sealed tilt switch, from the age and stainless steel probably mercury filled, as mercury does not stick to nickel easily. Still got a few glass versions around.

[@FoulOwl2112]

Seems like you're posting a lot of vids last couple if days. You must have family in town for the holidays.... I can relate.... Happy New Year man!

[@12voltvids]

No family in town. They all live local. Have too much time on my hands. Weather nasty covid numbers going the wrong way.

[@jamespatterson9535]

Great video. I really enjoy watching them. I work on electronic gear from time to time. I found two bad, DT230H zener diodes. I can't find a replacement or a cross reference. Can you help? Thank you.

[@markmacleod6971]

That switch sells for $4.31 , Mouser electronics, They are located in Texas . Depending on where you are located , it would probably be a few dollars to ship. Although I wouldn't bother replacing it either . should work fine after its cleaned up.

[@12voltvids]

4.31 and 20.00 shipping. Us funds of course. So that's 34.00 Canadian. No thanks. I never turn it off as it is on the power bar on the bench so it is on when i am working and off the rest of the time.

[@CapitolForest]

Ignore the haters! Keep on producing this excellent content.

[@edwardbagu1252]

That Akai AM 2450 is actually worth a lot more than you said. I paid 140 USD for the 2350 an inferior one... My Akai AA-1175 is in the same race just as my Sansui, Toshiba, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, Yamaha, JVC.. Love your work. True it is not worth chasing knobs if you plan to sell it and get your money back.

[@12voltvids]

I have seen 3 of them on Facebook for 50 to 80 over the past few weeks. eBay pricing is a joke. Nobody in their right mind would pay that. The 2450 is now my shop amplifier. I call it the speaker fryer as i fried the Tweeter on one of my bench speakers the first time i cranked it up. It's not a high power unit. Only 40wpc.

[@Silent-Lucidity]

Who needs alligator clamps whilst I solder in a new LED? Not I! My pinky will do thy job famously!! :) Happy New Year!!

[@catman58]

I used to make them out of a wooden dowel, painted the same color as the other knobs and put a little mark on it

[@user-tb5ns7hc5i]

I laugh every time I see the cluttered pile of equipment, tools, and wires on your bench that’s about to topple onto your tiny remaining clear bench space. At least everything’s within reach! Lol.

[@josereinolds7428]

Lovely vintage amp😍

[@billseward4751]

What kind or brand of contact cleaner do you use? it seems to work well for you and I am thinking I may want to try this brand if I can find it here in my town, thank you

[@ro63rto]

Aaaaargh. Why didn't I watch your videos earlier! 10 years ago a binned my Denon PMA920 amp and Aiwa XK009 cassette deck as they were both "faulty" Recently saw the cassette deck selling for £800 and up 😤😤😤

[@razpones]

I got some knobs that look sort of like the ones on the Marantz Model 1060B from Amazon for less than $10 for 4 knobs, they are from China and it took a little time for them to come, they aren't the same size but I got them so it isn't just the bare potentiometer stem, it looks ok, not original, but they are silver very similar to the original ones but smaller, and the owner liked it.

[@THEBURNZINATOR]

Found an AKAI 709D and it sounds like its peaking at very low volume and is staticky. Would that be transistors?

[@paulb4uk]

My kenwood amp receiver i have done a bit of a restore on has the wrong type of volume knob and its the same problem the only genuine ones are way overpriced from someone in the us that dismantles the things for parts so i will just keep looking till something turns up or put up with the wrong knob and at this point in time i have spent more than it is worth to restore it but i am keeping it and i had fun doing it .My 3 head pioneer ct 656 cassette deck i bought as faulty just needed the capstan pinch roller cleaning but it was missing the pioneer badge i bought a cheap badge from poland but its a bit bigger than i would like ,the correct type again to expensive i had a think and looked at pioneer surround speakers that no body would most likely want and were cheap so now i have two badges .

[@realpower9ir]

@12voltvids for the parts that you mentioned in footage 24:08 part number/code: "1A10AH" with this kind of shape, they probably might be "reed relay".

[@12voltvids]

That what i think they are as the 2 outside pins have resistance between them. I just quickly googled the part number and nothing came up.

[@nickchatziandreou4863]

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ATHENS I want to ask the capasitor is shorting when switch is on ?????????? what is the meaning of the capacitor then????????

[@zx8401ztv]

Akai AM-2450 (1979-80) hI-FI ENGINE SITE. I would be supprised if someone didnt want to buy the akai. Known for there quality and good design. Such a nice big air vent in the top and It's not very dirty inside. A simple and open design inside, the outputs look original. Good job on the mains switch. But i thought it odd that there was only one wire switched.

[@12voltvids]

Why switch the neutral?

[@zx8401ztv]

@@12voltvids Two pin mains plug, can it go in both ways or are your outlets one way only?

[@12voltvids]

@@zx8401ztv polarized plugs on most devices these days.

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

Nice - I have a similar AKAI unit in my shop without the big meters. I think it's rated the same .

[@12voltvids]

The analog meters make it look very cool. Forget the FL meters. Analog meters are just cool.

[@hughmc5419]

What cleaner do you use & were do you source it. Hugh Mc, Chicago metro PS, is the blue disc across switch you are repairing, a surge protector, mov ?

[@12voltvids]

I used nutrol. The big disc across the switch is just a ceramic capacitor.

[@trioland2814]

You should check ...i think there is a light bulb, or led on volume control too. Like it's big brother AM 2950.

[@12voltvids]

Not on this one.

[@arnfinnarny7439]

Hi Dave, can i ask you what was the main reesen that at start only your right channel works?

[@12voltvids]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

[@arnfinnarny7439]

@@12voltvids I youst got me an am2400 amplier, not working right at the right speaker channel, after i turn it on the right speaker plays low and after a few minut the sound deseperd from the right speaker. Best regard Arnfinn from Norway😊

[@kernalkorn1514]

That amp looks a lot like the Pioneer SA-608, minus the blue fluoroscan level display! If it had that, it'd be worth a pretty penny!

[@12voltvids]

It is likely going to end up as a bench amp for testing stuff as I really can't sell it unless I find the missing knobs. Where it came from the guy was parting stuff out. So he probably sold the 2 knobs for 20 or 30 each.

[@kernalkorn1514]

@@12voltvids Possibly! I laugh when I see that kind of stuff on eBay. It usually stays there for years!

[@12voltvids]

@@kernalkorn1514 Because they are asking unrealistic prices hoping some dummy will buy it.

[@jasonthejawman5442]

Happy New Year 2022

[@triodehexode]

If you had difficulty sourcing an original lamp, youu could rough up the sides of an Led about place some reflective tape or foil on top and back to maximise side ways emission or put 2 LEDs in with the lens roughed up. Its good the original lamp works it will look nicer and have less flicker.

[@12voltvids]

Incandescent lamps are a dime a dozen.

[@arrowbflight5082]

I have a matching AKAI GXC 2450 stereo. Recently, the vu meters on the amp are wonky. The left ch. is not registering the same pwr level as the right. With the vol. turned up to 0.5 watt on the right ch. the left ch. shows 0.1 watt and a little more ( about in the middle ). Any advice on how to remedy this, if possible ? Thanks in advance

[@12voltvids]

Check the needle pressure on the bearing of the meter coil. The plastic on the meter shrinks and squeezes the coil pack which causes the meter to become less responsive and stick

[@TurntableGuy]

Nothing like 120v to get you going first thing in the morning...

[@hypo7159]

i would really like for you to fix an Old Tr23 i got. got somewhere i can contact you?

[@atomkraft69]

16:19 Well, that's a bargain! Considering that you could get one on E**y for no less than 200 euro😂😂

[@trentmoeller5635]

hi man can i send you a power supply board to fix for me it has bad caps

[@robwhitegalaxy]

Hey Dave, Happy New Year to you! If I make a $10 donation to your channel, would you tell me what I need to adjust, to get my Technics SL 3300 fully automatic turntable to return at the end of a record? If you move the arm further inboard than the run out groove, it works but not otherwise, on both 7" & 12" discs.

[@12voltvids]

I have no idea what to adjust on that one. I don't have a service manual for it.

[@robwhitegalaxy]

@@12voltvids Oh no, I was sure you'd be the one person who would know. The set down adjust is easy, but the return adjust seems like the holy grail! Thanks for answering anyway, you are a true gentleman!

[@KILLorBE]

@@robwhitegalaxy Remove the mat, turn the platter so that a hole is near the tonearm (Where the arm lift is) look through the hole and there should be a screw, turn it counterclockwise to make it return sooner. Good luck!

[@12voltvids]

@@KILLorBE there you go. As I said i don't have a manual. If I had one sitting in front of me I would figure it out quick.

[@robwhitegalaxy]

Many thanks KillorBe, now working perfectly, easy when you know how, through one of the holes in the platter!

[@celaphingary6853]

Very well

[@dequan916]

One of my amps died on me the other day:( I left them on while I was in the basement and when I came back up it had no power. It's like I don't even have it plug into the wall, i'm getting no signs of life from it.

[@TrevorsBench]

Those are reed relays

[@catman58]

yeah why are knobs so expensive?

[@12voltvids]

Because people will pay whatever is asked. If nobody offered more then 2.00 for a knob then they would be cheap. But someone will offer 20.00 and then everyone wants that for them.

[@catman58]

@@12voltvids That's Why every time I junk piece of equipment no matter what it was I always save the knobs.

[@OwlProducer]

I'd bet on that those mystery parts at 25 minutes are old optocouplers. :)

[@12voltvids]

I believe they Are Reed relays. Will do a video on them next week and open up the one with broken leads.

[@alexispieltin9379]

These mystery components could be anything from late Nuvistors to relays or anything like mercury sensors, so be cautious when opening these...

[@stevenmann9769]

45 watts apparently.

[@SDsailor7]

How do you tell a cold solder from a good one? Anyone know? Thank you

[@12voltvids]

Visually looks dull. A good joint is shinny.

[@SDsailor7]

@@12voltvids Oh! I have seen them on some components that I've had and did not know. Now i now what to look for. Thank you!

[@zulumax1]

Akai AM 2450, production years 79-80, 45 wpc, MSRP $225

[@12voltvids]

That sounds about right.

[@technixbul]

The strange part is a reed switch relay

[@12voltvids]

That is what i thought. Reed switch on the end and center pin and the 2 outside are the coil to trip it. No data shows up when i Google the number so that was my guess. I may do a video and tear down the one with the broken lead.

[@alanarmstrong2323]

Built in dim bulb tester

[@claycoates5056]

I have worked on a few AKAI i never thought they were very good made sound and that was about it I would not and do not think of AKAI as more then Junk may be they have improved in the last few years

[@12voltvids]

You are right, junk. And yet people get so defensive on their shitty glass heads.

[@jimsimpson1006]

Those parts at around the 24 minute mark, my money is on a reed relay.

[@12voltvids]

That's what I think they are. Outer pins have resistance.

[@dantealighieri4461]

Hi, couple of questions/suggestions: - Can you please clean the DUST from the products you are working on? - Can you please CLEAN your bench? - Can you please stop using that wooden screwdriver? buy a proper WERA or Wiha set instead - Can you please stop using that black screwdriver? - Can you please stop using that cordless drill? It has an horrible noise. - And of course, can you please use a proper cutting tool instead of those scissors? - Please can you also avoid using that pliers with black tape on the handle? get a proper one instead - Get a better soldering iron Of course i'm trolling here, but you know what's better than a troll? A troll with OCD!

[@12voltvids]

A little dust never hurt anything.

[@Dutch-linux]

not a bad amp for being an akai seen worse from that brand

[@12voltvids]

So have i and they generally contain glass heads.

[@FURDOG1961]

16:35

[@gioscervelo]

I got that switch for less than 10 bucks.

[@12voltvids]

I fixed this one for free.

[@gioscervelo]

@@12voltvidsme too. i attempted the same as you to refurbish the original switch and it worked for a bit but the switch went again. The new one was a relief to find. May i contact you to fix a reciever in the future? I live in the same area as you.

[@12voltvids]

@@gioscervelo sure. I will probably change it out some time. It's my test amp now and I don't turn it on and off, as i kill the power to the bench and shut everything down when i am not working.

[@gioscervelo]

Ill buy that unit for $50 bucks