Thoughts about Akai turntables

[Nat]

Remove the platter and the headshell and counterweight, and you can turn the table upside down resting on its dustcover, or on books stacked up so that no delicate part of the mechanism touches the table. Remove the bottom and inspect away.
If you are worried about electrocution (and who isn't), unplug the table.
Obviously to see the whole mechanism in action you'll have to have it upright with platter on, but many malfunctions can be figured out just by inspection.

 

[thilaseen]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've done all that and no obvious fault leaps out at me. I took it to my previous tech to sort out a speed variation issue which he was unable to fix but changed every possible setting in the attempt. Now apart from this final problem it runs as good as new. Just give me time and I'll find it. :thmbsp:
Back to Keessie's thread....sorry, didn't mean to hijack.

 

[QX-747]

My direct drive AP-007 is the best TT i have.The only problem with it is the power switches don't last long.

Nick

 

[Rotoplooker]

They are mostly home entertainment type of turntables.
Here is an example, Akai AP-Q70.

Love that table, Balifly! I had one of those for 10 years. A Direct drive suspended table! Those crazy sob's! I did find the auto-return was microphonic but that's just nit-picking. It has a very nice tonearm and I even had an extra Akai magnesium headshell that I mounted a M97HE to back up my V15 Type V. As you know, it even has a port on the deck to store it!

I think I can say, having sold the brand for 10 years, that the AP-Q70 & 80 were a couple of the best tables they ever made.

 

[Balifly]

Love that table, Balifly! I had one of those for 10 years. A Direct drive suspended table! Those crazy sob's! I did find the auto-return was microphonic but that's just nit-picking. It has a very nice tonearm and I even had an extra Akai magnesium headshell that I mounted a M97HE to back up my V15 Type V. As you know, it even has a port on the deck to store it!

I think I can say, having sold the brand for 10 years, that the AP-Q70 & 80 were a couple of the best tables they ever made.

Great idea about the Shure M 97HE.

I will try that out next !!!:thmbsp:

 

[wapfunz]

I have two Akai turntables. AP-D33 which will have to have its viscous arm recharged and a AP-D30. Both work and turn nicely. Question I have is about the droop in the counter weight. How common is it and can it be easily resolved?

 

[Balifly]

I have two Akai turntables. AP-D33 which will have to have its viscous arm recharged and a AP-D30. Both work and turn nicely. Question I have is about the droop in the counter weight. How common is it and can it be easily resolved?

Not going there!!!

 

[wapfunz]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
One of those questions I have asked then?
Like we don't talk about your aunt Etna or uncle fred.
A black sheep of the family question i have asked.
oh darn.

 

[Balifly]

The Akai AP-D33 in this picture has the same drooping counter weight.

No detectable ill effects on the tonearm operation though.

Maybe a different connecting material between the tonearm and the counter weight can be use to remedy the situation.:scratch2:

 

[Keessie]

I have bought the AP-002 and have to say with a simple tweek (the needle was'nt straight) it sounds very good to me.
The seller allready put a new belt in it.
I only have to put some records on it and enjoy

 

[wapfunz]

Cheers for that Balifly - whew - so the weight then looks like a typical occurance over time.
Does the AP-D33 have an easily done recharge the viscous arm lift? Figure that my AP-D33 lowers a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit too fast and if it is viscous then the viscous has run out.
Other than that happy:tresbon:

 

[Balifly]

Cheers for that Balifly - whew - so the weight then looks like a typical occurance over time.
Does the AP-D33 have an easily done recharge the viscous arm lift? Figure that my AP-D33 lowers a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit too fast and if it is viscous then the viscous has run out.
Other than that happy:tresbon:

If your tonearm lift needs a bit of recharging, try some heavy silicone oil.
Take some photos when you do.
I have not seen that part of the Akai AP-D33 turntable yet.:scratch2:

500,000 wt.
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...osho-Silicone-Differential-Oil-500000wt--40cc

300,000 wt.
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...osho-Silicone-Differential-Oil-300000wt--40cc

Or a blend of the two types.

 

[Van_Isle]

AFAIK, you have to be carefull with "wt" - i.e. weight, when it comes to silicone oil. While wt may be a standard grading scheme for engine oils (as developed by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and is related to the viscosity as tested at specific termperatures - when it comes to wt in terms of diff oil for RC cars obtained from hobby shops, this is not really a standard - it is somewhat variable from manufacturer to manufacturer and the conversion between the 2 may not be linear.

What is a standard (and harder to find) is silicone oil rated in kinematic viscosity units of centistokes (cst) or the SI Metric unit square metres per second (m^2/s), or the dynamic viscosity units of centipoise (cP) or the metric unit pascal-second (Pa·s). Centistoke is the most common. If you do some searches here you should find that 300,000 cst is generally used for cueing, but the 300,000 wt is not necessarilly 300,000 cst.

Check this out: http://www.twf8.ws/new/tech/shocks/shock.htm

 

[Van_Isle]

The Akai AP-D33 in this picture has the same drooping counter weight.

No detectable ill effects on the tonearm operation though.

Maybe a different connecting material between the tonearm and the counter weight can be use to remedy the situation.

I just ran across a AP-D33 where the "droop" had essentially become a "break". Table was stripped down for salvagable parts ... but it mght have been fixable - if I recall correctly there is a rubber gasket between the arm at the pivot and the end piece that the conterweight attaches to, that I figured would be a complicating factor in a repair.

My AP-Q41, which I have owned since new, has started dropping the stylus like a rock .... and last I used it didn't lift either when I hit the cut button (that's a terrible sound to hear .... stylus dragging across vinyl!). So ... another thing to fix! But I think it is somehow solenoid controlled ... not silicone damped. I've ordered a service manual.

 

[Balifly]

I just ran across a AP-D33 where the "droop" had essentially become a "break". Table was stripped down for salvagable parts ... but it mght have been fixable - if I recall correctly there is a rubber gasket between the arm at the pivot and the end piece that the conterweight attaches to, that I figured would be a complicating factor in a repair.

My AP-Q41, which I have owned since new, has started dropping the stylus like a rock .... and last I used it didn't lift either when I hit the cut button (that's a terrible sound to hear .... stylus dragging across vinyl!). So ... another thing to fix! But I think it is somehow solenoid controlled ... not silicone damped. I've ordered a service manual.

Thanks for the information about the silicone oil.

I was not aware of those facts, still learning. :yes:

A few days ago there was an ad on Vancouver's Craigslist ( Steveston) for an Akai AP-Q41.

 

[Van_Isle]

I have bought a Akai AP-002 today and i can't find much about any of the Akai turntables.

Are they that bad or unknown?

The 002 looks like a good turntable with a Audio-Technika PC-100 element.

Back to the topic at hand .... I just have to get this off my chest:

:worthless

... but if the AP-002 has the wood plinth, from the limited pics on the net, it looks to me to be somewhat CEC sourced? Probably mid-70's? I can just see that being sold alongside the 1974 Akai R2R that my father-in-law has. But Geartech mentioned that his AP-004 has some Sansui internals - I'm not sure if Sansui would be getting CEC to build turntables for them around that time.

It doesn't really apply to 70's Akai gear, and my AP-Q41 has not seen anywhere near constant use since I bought it in 1983 but I would say it has held up very well, considering the complexity of it. I think in terms of early-80's turntables, it certainly strikes me as better made than a large number of tables from that era that I have seen.

The later 70's Akai tables that I have seen strike me as also quite well made - maybe not quite in the same league as some of the large producers of the time, but close.

Of course there are some real stinker Akai tables as well! - flimsy, plastic, light, DC-powered from rack systems, etc.

 

[melofelo]

here's my 206c.. really decent little direct drive :thmbsp: apart from a scruffy lid and a missing front badge..for £22 it was a steal !

 

[Rotoplooker]

I have two Akai turntables. AP-D33 which will have to have its viscous arm recharged and a AP-D30. Both work and turn nicely. Question I have is about the droop in the counter weight. How common is it and can it be easily resolved?

I've seen that before and even recall taking units back under warranty back in the 80's with this affliction. It might be as a result of a design weakness but was pretty much always a result of user error/accidental damage. IIRC, the counterweight "stub" was a black plastic insert that attached itself to the tonearm and could get loose or "droop" if it was mishandled. Akai always let us do the warranty claim but it was more of a goodwill gesture. You should be able to repair it as it does look unsightly but I'm sure it has little to no effect on performance. A lower centre of gravity is not a bad thing, just ask the folks at Groovetracer, they charge Rega owners big bucks for that droopy counterweight upgrade!!

 

[ETI_5000]

The drooping weight is certainly a common occurrence with the AP-D33 – I have two (one for parts that I got for nothing), and one of mine has slight drooping, but the other one has it quite badly. I seem to recall someone mentioning how to fix it about 5 years ago (or more) on a forum somewhere, but I can’t find it in a search, so the forum may have disappeared. I think the fix involved pulling it to bits and gluing it back together.

 

[Jonas]

Cartridge

I have an Akai AP-206 direct drive turntable, I have no complaints and it is a better than average performer, not quite up to my Rega but no slouch either. Ive had it from new and still have the AM-2850 amp and AT-2650 tuner that came with it, still use it as a bedroom system along with a pair of Mission 770 speakers.

Hi I´m totally new here!

I´ve a new Denon DL-103 cartridge an is looking on a AKAI AP-206 on Tradera ( like E-bay ).

Do u think they will match?