Akai X2000SD

dpontillo

New Around These Parts
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
8
#1
I have got a serviced unit about two years ago and I played it very rarely.
I noticed an irregular tape speed by ear (nothing dramatic). Capstan and pinch cleaned.
Any suggestions?
Thank you very much
Daniele
 

J!m

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
10,954
Location
Connecticut
Tagline
BOT
#2
If it’s been used rarely it probably need exercise.

FF and REW a tape a few times to get things warmed up and lubricants flowing.

Cleaning is always a good idea too but if services so soon ago it should be okay (assuming proper service).
 

mr_rye89

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
2,671
Location
Land of Entrapment
Tagline
Lost in the Ozone Again
#3
Confirmed as an Akai two lever single motor machine, make sure the idler wheels are clean and the motor bearings are oiled good
 

dpontillo

New Around These Parts
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
8
#5
As I said, the machine will be serviced again. In the impossibility of getting the motor fixed, is there any chance to get a good one on eBay or any other place in the world? Thank you so much.
 

MarkWComer

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
3,513
Location
Gaston, SC
Tagline
Victim of the record bug since age five
#6
As I said, the machine will be serviced again. In the impossibility of getting the motor fixed, is there any chance to get a good one on eBay or any other place in the world? Thank you so much.
Ebay is a crap shoot- it’s either a good unit or a bad one. Most things are listed by people who don’t know what they’re selling or even know how to determine whether it’s functioning correctly or not.
 

George S.

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Feb 18, 2020
Messages
5,036
#7
I just pulled up a photo as I was wondering what the unit is. Looks like a reel to reel that also plays cassettes and 8 tracks! Wow!
They probably used the same motor in many different units, so you'll have to do some research if the motor is found to be bad.
But, in a complicated electromechanical machine like this, there's a greater chance the motor is good and the fault is a belt, rubber drive tire, micro switch, capacitor, etc.
Even old dried up grease on mechanical linkages or a broken or worn plastic part will cause issues.
 

mr_rye89

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
2,671
Location
Land of Entrapment
Tagline
Lost in the Ozone Again
#8
Yeah I forgot about the motor run capacitor, that can cause the speed to be off. My Roberts 808 8 track probably has the same motor lol

Being an Akai it might be a multi voltage/frequency unit. That means there's grooves on the motor/capstan flywheel/pulley for 50hz and 60hz power. Make sure your on 60hz for North America/South Japan or 50hz for everywhere else
 
Last edited:

62vauxhall

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
2,324
Location
Southwest Kootenays BC
Tagline
No such things as bad days, just bad moments
#9
I had to look that model up myself.

In the 1970's I was in a band that rehearsed/jammed in my basement. The drummer worked for a company with a connection to Roberts. He brought one of those things (branded Roberts) over one night so we could record ourselves. With two cheap mics hanging from the ceiling, it sounded like shit.

It was left at my place for a couple of weeks. Even though I had no cassette recorder at the time, I ignored that feature in the Roberts. What I did do was make a mixed artist 8 track cartridge recording for my wife to play in the Roberts deck I installed in her 1973 Pinto.

It's been a long time but I have the recollection that the same capstan shaft that drove the open reel tape was elongated and became the capstan for the cassette portion.
 

mr_rye89

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
2,671
Location
Land of Entrapment
Tagline
Lost in the Ozone Again
#11
Yep and the Akai/Roberts CR-80/81/808 have the same 8 track transport as the Reel to Reel combo decks. I inspected my Roberts 808D last night and determined it's missing a washer under the capstan flywheel, I put a copper crush washer in there but it still has more friction than I like, gonna hit up my True Value and see if I can find something
 

J!m

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
10,954
Location
Connecticut
Tagline
BOT
#12
Oil impregnated plastic. That’s the way to go.

I have one I found to replace the oiled felt if the D5 and it performs better than spec.
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
194
#13
I have an Akai GX 1900D that is a reel to reel with the cassette deck combo. IIRC, there are at least 2 belts between the cassette mechanism and the motor. Have yet to get the cassette part to sound nice. Sounds ok, but not nice.
 

dpontillo

New Around These Parts
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
8
#16
When I said almost, that was more than optimistic. Does anyone know what kind of motor may replace the original one, or could please provide some specs?
 

mr_rye89

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
2,671
Location
Land of Entrapment
Tagline
Lost in the Ozone Again
#19
Off the top of my head? Akai 1710, 1725, m-8. No models with the built in 8 track deck, that has spindles on both sides of the motor. Try "Akai motor" on eBay, you might find it
 

dpontillo

New Around These Parts
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
8
#20
Update: I went for an additional service since the cassette played lousy enough ever since, and the technician who did the first service did not change the belts assuming they were new - after 40 years, let’s forget about this. I chose a different technician who tried guessing why the belts where not replaced in the first instance, and he told me that it is very time consuming to take apart the cassette section. I’ll let you know once I get the machine back.
 
Top