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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 8th Jul 2017, 5:45 pm   #1
Mach One
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Default Akai1721L Tape Machine

After failing to borrow a reel-to-reel recorder to dub some music tapes which came into my possession, I found and bought an Akai 1721L machine on eBay. When I was looking into what model to go for I was a little put off by reading tales of cams breaking and so on but this machine seems to run really well - surprisingly well, in my opinion.

After a very, very good clean and a de-gauss of the tape running paths the sound quality seems really good. Although the machine looks to me to be in amazing condition for its age, I have the impression that the heads and roller etc. have never been cleaned at all. The pictures tell the before and after story (amazing how fantastically clear and close up you can get with a modern 'phone!).

I have to say that I was expecting it to be a three-head machine, but that was only presumption and as I only expect to use it to play back that is no problem for me at all. I intend to use it for archiving those reels of tape and it all looks very promising but have been surprised to find that the output connections which include line-level phono sockets are not only wired after the volume control potentiometers they are connected to the output of the loudspeaker amplifier. I have had a look at the circuit diagram - rather difficult for me to interpret accurately - and I don't think I will be delving into the unit to re-wire them post pre-amp stage for higher quality, which I would not have hesitated to do all those years ago.

At any rate, the sound quality seems really good, and as the original tapes are not studio quality I doubt if the distortion and frequency response of the audio output amplifier will be an issue. All-in-all a well-built and lasting machine. I hope that it will do me a few more years before it eventually gives up the ghost.
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Old 8th Jul 2017, 6:00 pm   #2
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

These are decent enough domestic machines if working properly. The head appears to have little wear.
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Old 8th Jul 2017, 6:24 pm   #3
Restoration73
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

A slight tweak of the azimuth adjustment screw (left of r/pb head) may enhance the
treble on the tapes replayed - sum the left and right outputs (mono) to check.
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Old 8th Jul 2017, 6:27 pm   #4
alanworland
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

I nearly bought one of these at an audiojumble a couple of years ago (wish I had)! and was quite impressed with it, well done I am sure it will do the job you have in mind.

Alan
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Old 9th Jul 2017, 7:33 am   #5
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

To preserve the cams it's best to strip and grease all the moving /sliding parts on the deck. I understand that this model is slightly less likely to break cams but others know far more than me. I've found it necessary to adjust take up and feed clutch tension to give the tape and heads an easy time. I think these are solid and reliable and work pretty well although very simple and basic. Sound is vastly improved using external speakers
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Old 9th Jul 2017, 12:03 pm   #6
david freeman
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

I had one of these back in the 70's. They give excellent quality into hi fi amplifiers using the line outputs, volume controls at the 3 quarter mark, and tone controls at maximum treble. At 7and a half tape speed, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between tape and original, except for a little hiss in very quiet passages of music.
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Old 9th Jul 2017, 6:34 pm   #7
Mach One
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

Thank you for all your replies. The azimuth was pretty-well perfect as it came - thankfully. I do check azimuth whenever I am dubbing tapes / cassettes. The screw required quite a firm adjustment to turn it, which might explain why it was apparently still so well adjusted.

Yes, I am very impressed with its sound quality. Given that the tapes that I will be dubbing are originally recorded on domestic machines I doubt if anyone would complain about any issues. (Some of them were even recorded in Surbiton, Restoration73!)

Two things I have noticed: There was an awful racket when the machine was in fast wind occasionally - that ended up being the generously-sized pinch roller screeching when the tape was being wound fast past it which was turning the roller fast. When I first tried the machine, the pinch roller went round stiffly and I cleaned its "bearing" thoroughly - now it goes freely round but feels a little loose as if it has worn down a little. There has also occasionally been a screeching coming from the take up spool as the feed reel is emptying on play which seems to be a friction issue with whatever supplies tension on that reel. I have yet to investigate that.

It has the longest mains lead of anything I have ever bought - at least 3m!

All-in-all a fantastic find!
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Old 9th Jul 2017, 7:19 pm   #8
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

As mentioned in #5, it really needs a complete stripdown and relube, but it may be OK for simply playing back a few tapes without this.
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Old 10th Jul 2017, 6:48 am   #9
Mach One
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Default Re: Akai1721L Tape Machine

Thank you, Paul,

That is good advice. I have to admit that I would love to do such a thing - when I have more time... - but would be very nervous about doing it without experienced help. As you say, it will only get an occasional outing so at least for now it is doing its job.
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