AKAI AT-V04 Very Nice!

Just received shipment from the west coast of a new to me tuner yesterday. An Akai at-v04.

Kept it in the box till this eve to get acclimated from the sunny California to the 5 degree Michigan winters.

Hooked everything up tonight, popped on the headphones and all I have to say is I am very impressed! The sound is clear, excellent separation, warm, not harsh (except for the first minute or two it is a little tinny). Just a very pleasant sounding tuner. I guess you could call it ear candy.

I read about the tuner on TIC, was looking for a nice one that flies below the radar, and found one on the bay for a reasonable price, so I purchased it ($40 total) shipped to my door. Glad I did.

Reception is amazing. I'm getting 100 miles with a j-pole in the attic, and that is in stereo. Yes I get some hiss at that distance, but otherwise anything closer is crystal clear. I am hearing notes and sounds in music that I have never heard before. I never would have believed that broadcast radio would sound this good till I listened to it for myself.

Of course I have considered a filter mod, but with this kind of performance, I may just leave well enough alone. Maybe play around with antenna position and location first.

Initial things I have noticed: local and distance switches for both FM AND AM, it looks like 3 murata blue filters for the fm, and two standard rust colored ones for am. 3 different fm antenna access points (300 ohm, 75 ohm, and a European plug?) Output level tuning screws on the back as well.

What I really like is the unique feature in that it has both digital display and an analog tuning knob. It tunes in 0.05 increments by the turn of a dial. A real nice feature for honing in on distant stations. It also has a search and auto scan feature as well as station presets, or I just turn the knob like my older pioneer.

That being said, I am obviously thrilled with this tuner and the deal. If anyone can provide me with any more info/features about this tuner, it would be greatly appreciated.

Meanwhile, it's time to go back and do a little more listening. YD

i can't provide any additional info, just that I happen to pick one up a few weeks back at a local thrift store and what a very nice little tuner, I don't listen to the radio much but i have recently. i love the fact that it's both digital and analog and the .05 increments. thought about trying the filter mods, not that it needs it (not that i would know if it needed it or not), but i thought i might try it, looks pretty simple.

Need .... :worthless

While not mine, here is a pick borrowed from the TIC:

http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/AT-V04.jpg

might be a little better:

Yankee Dog,
Nice score at a great price. I have two of them and agree with everything that you say about it. Did you download the writeup about it. Very comprehensive it is; http://www.anarc.org/wtfda/akai.pdf.

Vito

I too just picked one of these up. However, the way the manual tuning works seems odd but may in fact be normal.

As soon as I touch the manual tuning knob the display and channel go back to where I previously was with the manual tuning dial. I expected it to pick up where the display and channel are currently at.

Normal or not?

I went to see one lately, was looking forward to bringing it home and giving it a try. The ad said it worked perfectly. Until I touched the manual dial and it went to some random point on the scale that is. I walked...

Still looking.

Ray

I've got a lower model tuner from this same series and have been pretty impressed by it's performance considering it's low price.

Raynald and rustnrot -- the tuners are working just the way that they are supposed to. If you touch the tuner knob when it is on a preset station, it will return to the last position on the dial that it was in before. A little odd, but you get used to it.

Vitopanch, I'm glad that I'm not the only person around odd enough to have two of these! I like the black model that you have -- didn't know they made one. These tuners really are spectacular, and have great build quality -- they are quite heavy for their size. A great sleeper of a tuner; if you happen to see one, buy it.

From the TIC: The 4-gang AT-V04 is an unknown/unappreciated FM/AM digital tuner that was close to state-of-the-art for FM DXers in the early 1980s (if one excludes the Mac MR 78). The AT-V04 tunes in 0.05 MHz increments for FM and 1 kHz increments for AM (highly unusual and great for AM DXers) and has 7 presets for each band. Not like the analog knob digitals - it is truly full analog tuning, like a Magnum. It goes into analog mode to tune off-channel.

Pretty sure that I have a manual kicking around somewhere... Oh, and Ray, go back and get that puppy!

Thanks for the answer, titanstats. Mine works correct then as I suspected. If you so much as touch the manual tuning knob it exactly goes back to the channel you previously had it tuned to.

It is basically another preset, a "variable" one if you will, which makes sense as the manual knob is turning a pot that, I would assume adjusts the voltage on a varactor.

It would take some logic circuits to make it work like you would expect in todays world but back then logic circuits were expensive.....

Yes a VERY nice tuner.

Thanks,
Ron-C

I was kind of startled the first time I used the tuning knob as well. But then I got to thinking "it has to do that as there is a string and a flywheel". So then it made sense to me that it had to go back to it's previously tuned position.

I am still playing with this thing. I keep finding new stations and am really enjoying it! Not to mention the quality of the sound. I am hearing "new notes" and "new sounds" in the same old music. Hard to describe, but just plain old enjoyable to hear.

I really like the black as well. Probably pretty rare. Anybody have a copy of a manual for this thing? Thanks, YD

Wish I had thought of that before. I think the tuner is long gone, but I will hunt around for the guy's number, thanks.

Ray

I'll hunt around for a manual (certain I have one somewhere!), but here is a pretty comprehensive explanation of how this fine tuner works -- it really is an odd duck! There are some specs for it as well.

AT-V04 PDF

Made me chuckle -- the fellow that wrote this sounds like one of us when he suggests hoarding gear:

The dual-mode non-PLL tuning feature, while ideal for the FM DXer, may not necessarily be appreciated for what it is by the average consumer or even audiophile, and hence may not set a trend in tuner technology. It would be in the best interests of any serious FM DXers, therefore, to seek out all available AT-V04’s, lest they should soon become much sought—after but discontinued models

Yes, I read that (and saved it). He pretty much nailed it didn't he?

As far as the manual, don't go out of your way, but if you are able to find it, a copy would be nice. I would even be willing to put it on a pdf for others as well.

I've been running mine with the cover off (I like looking at all that circuitry), and have noticed that:

Like the pics above, the inside is extremely clean due to the fact there are no vents or grill holes.

The other thing I noticed is the power transistor near the transformer (the TO-220 that has the 4 black finned heat sink towards the rear left of the unit when looking at from the front, or towards the right in the first nude pic above) gets pretty warm. Not super hot, but hotter than what my finger can tolerate. I wonder if adding a little more heat sink would help to keep the temp down?

I have read in a few other posts during a search of this model that some one else was concerned about this heat. There is not much room for a larger heat sink as there are caps all around it, but, I wonder if a few of those clip on TO-220 heat sink that you can get from rat shack might help. Like one on each side near the top?

Just kind of thinking out loud. This is really the only thing that generates any heat in entire board that I have noticed so far. I figure a couple clips can't hurt anything, but then again, is it even a concern?

For a filter mod, there is a bottom plate for easy access to the underside of the circuit board, so board removal is not needed. I believe the numbers on the blue Murata filters are E10.7P (then there is a letter "F" below that). They have the red stripe accross the top of the filter edge (like in the above pic by vitopanch). If I am reading them and the filter chart correctly, then these are 250 khz filters (but don't quote me, need to check a few other references to be sure).

Just an FYI, I noticed when my unit first arrived that I had some light oxidization on the coax connector clips (the one for a stripped piece of 75ohm coax lead). The under side of the band for the shielding and the surface area for the coax center conductor (the screw pad). I did have to clean that with a brass bristle brush. So others may want to take a look at their unit to see if you have any oxidization that may interefere or reduce reception.

A stripped coax is what I am currently using for my antenna connection. I need to pick up the European adapter and give that a try. Anyone else use the european adapter and if so any advantage? I considered adding a coax surface mount terminal, but it looks like the european connector bypasses the balun? I am only guessing (by the looks of things) as I do not have a schematic.

Anyways, enough ramblings for now. YD

I just picked up one of these at my local Goodwill today for $9.99. I wasn't familiar with this model, but I've had really good luck with tuners from Goodwill. My previous scores include a Sansui TU-919, and Magnum Dynalab FT-101A and a Yamaha CT-810II.

After recently acquiring a Yamaha A-1000 from 1983-85, I've been digging the 1980's style. The silver face plates were still relatively common, but lots of knobs, analog meters and wooden cabinets were replaced with lots of buttons, red and green rectangular LEDs, and metal cases. I know this style isn't for everyone. In fact, most people don't care for it and prefer either the older 1970's silver face with wood cabinets and lots of knobs, or the more modern all-black look. Since picking up the Yamaha amp, it's grown on me to the point where I've been trying to assemble what I call That 80's System for my living room. I've been using the Yamaha CT-810II as it's the only silver face tuner I have, but have been checking the local Goodwill stores for something a little newer. The CT-810II still has the more classic 1970s styling. The Akai faceplate with all it's buttons, rectangular LEDs and single knob on the right caught my attention. This thing says "1980 and proud of it!". Stylistically, it's period appropriate for the Yamaha A-1000, and that was what first caught my eye. Then when I picked it up, I immediately noticed that for a relatively slim tuner (compared to the Sansui TU-919 and Yamaha CT-810II), it was surprisingly heavy - always a good sign. I plugged it in, and although it didn't have an FM antenna hooked up, I was able to verify that all the functions, LEDs and display worked. A quick Google search led me to this thread. That convinced me it was well worth the $9.99 sticker price.

When I got it home, I immediately hooked it up to the Yamaha A-1000 integrated amp , in place of the Yamaha CT-810II. Wow, I'm really loving this tuner. I love the look, I love the features and I love the sound. I'll be putting the CT-810II up for sale. It's a fine tuner and will make someone more into the 1970s aesthetic very happy. Me, I'm now officially an 80s kind of guy.

Functionally, everything worked, and with a simple dipole wire antenna, I pulled in all my favorite local stations with ease and they sounded great. I set the 7 FM presets - this is my only tuner with presets. So, I love that feature. I also love how the automatic and manual tuning work.

Cosmetically, it was a little challenged, but not hideous. I removed the face plate and all the buttons and LEDs and gave it a thorough cleaning. Things were looking pretty good, then I tried to buff some scratches out of the acrylic bezel. That was my downfall. I just made things worse and now I'm running it without a bezel. I have some left over 2.5mm thick Lexan (polycarbonate) and will make a flat bezel for it tomorrow as a temporary substitute until I can find a proper replacement. I already posted a WTB ad in the Barter Town parts section, but if anyone here has an AT-V04 or AT-K03 they are parting out, with a decent bezel, shoot me a PM.

In the meantime, even without the bezel, I'm really enjoying this tuner. It's exactly what I was looking for for That 80's System.

I find it odd that this should come up here, as I scored (scroed?) the same model of tuner at a thrift store in Wyoming last week (five bucks, btw). I got it back here to Missouri in the boot of the Jaguar, plugged it in, and yes, it's a great tuner! I had been using a Proton 300 table radio as a tuner, but the Akai will displace it very soon. I am growing a good opinion of non-R2R Akai gear.

I wonder if you could clean up the bezel with a headlight restoration kit. May be a lot easier than you think.

amptramp said:

I wonder if you could clean up the bezel with a headlight restoration kit. May be a lot easier than you think.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I made sure that's not possible. I read some online tutorials and watched some YouTube videos on polishing acrylic. The two recommended methods were the Novus compounds commonly used for polishing headlights for shallow scratches and a buffing wheel for deeper scratches. Since it was late last night and the auto parts stores were closed and the scratches were fairly deep, I figured the buffing wheel was the way to go.

All I had on hand was a Dremel tool and it's assortment of buffing accessories big mistake? The Dremel tool, even at it's slowest speed, is just too fast, and the diameter of the accessories too small for this type of job - at least in my incompetent hands. I ALMOST had the final scratch buffed out when the acrylic got too hot and started to melt and the Dremel tool took a deep "bite" out of the bezel. End of story. Lesson learned.

At least it was on an inexpensive item I bought at the local Goodwill and is not a catastrophic screw up. For future reference, when attempting to buff deep scratches out of acrylic, use a bench grinder at it slowest speed with a full size buffing wheel. For shallow scratches, us the Novus compouds.

But, it's all good. I cut a flat replacement bezel from some polycarbonate i had on hand. It actually looks fine, and unless you're comparing it side-by-side with a stock unit, most folks probably would't notice anything amiss. Certainly good enough for my 10 dollar tuner. If I eventually find a genuine replacement, great. If not, no big deal.