Yeeha, just entered the wonderful world of reel to reel (and tubes for that matter), and boy is my wife stoked :no:. Picked up an Akai 1710W, kinda works, kinda dosent, but the price was right, NIX!

Anyhoo, the powers up, go's whhhiiirrrrr, ff and rewind work but play dont. tried plugging in a CPD to the line input, no dice (headphones and speakers). Plugged CDP into preamp out, got very low volume at one channel. Hhhmmm, still price was right. So I had a look around the back and not all the tubes are glowing, so I assume this is bad. I know nothing about thesem, but I have attached a photo from Vintage TX's website to illustrate what was happening.
Valve A was glowing (blue), B & C not lighting up, D (and D's other brother D) were fired up. I know the history of this machine (belonged to a mate of my Dad) and has been in dust free storage for years, used to nwork, but dosent now. Is this machine a basket case, or is it worth having a crack at fixing?
Sorry for the long post, thanks for the pic Vintage TX

Cheers Steve

Crap, the photo was too big. Well, for those who know the model A & B are two smaller ones at the front (6BM8?), D are the two bigger ones at the back (12AT7?) and C is a short fat one? If that helps!

anyone?

Did you take a peek inside or just thru the backpanel ?
No playfunction can be the drive-belt or worse case the cam below the play-lever has crumbled inside.

Just thru the back panel, I'll pop the hood as soon as I get a chance. Do these have the infamous pot metal cams?

Yes they have those poor cam's inside, take the face-plate off first and then unscrew the 4 screws holding the cabinet in place.
Lift out the whole thing and check capstan motor + cam's.

Good Luck:thmbsp:

What about the valves, even if I cant get the RTR toi work, I'd like to hook up a CDP for a cool looking office system

The 1710 can't be used like that, you need to test with a tape but of course get the play function working first.

Do you need instructions how to take it apart ?

Aha, my mistake, I thought that the phono/ radio input on the back was a line input. I'll pull her apart tonite and have a look

Cheers
Steve

Nope, you got a great deck, but this is old school.:D
No source switch and 3 heads on 1710.

Do you need instructions how to take it apart ?


I found instructions you gave in another thread, thanks for being so helpful

Great, I was just looking for that, that was scanned from the service manual.
Let me know what you find:thmbsp:

Bad news, crumbled up cam. I was able to hook up a tape and with the faceplate off push down the right lever to get things rolling, but no sound from the speakers or headphones (VU meters did not move either). I reckon I could carve a new wooden cam, but how do I get sound?

Sorry to hear that about the cam, typical problem., making one of wood I don't think going to work but search for 1700 or 1710 model on that auction site and buy a second deck for parts.
Build one functional of two decks.

I'll look about, but there hard to come across down here (Australia). I dont doubt you're right about trying to make a cam, but it cant hurt hey? With a bit of jiggery pokery I was able to make it play, but no sound was emmitted and the VU meters dis not move, what coulkd be the cause of this?

Sorry, didn't realize you are in Aussie:sigh:
What you desribe can be several things, if the tubes doesn't light up, the fuse can be bad, defect transformer or the actual tube.

Sorry, didn't realize you are in Aussie:sigh:


Thats cool, the accent is a bid hard to pick up over the ole typing tv. I'll see if I can pick up some cheap tubes and poke em in. If I dont get it working its a nice convesation peice and hasn't cost me anything yet. Thanks again for your help

Cheers
Steve