Akai gxc730d fwd play/rew play different volumes

lazol

New Member
As for title, i got this great deck and replaced belts, lubed and clean everything.
The deck is an autoreverse one (plays/records fwd and rew) and it has two head regulating screw for each direction (4 screws total): one for the head height and the other for the azimuth adjustment.
I've adjusted both playing directions for best sound (clearer highs) and it sounds great in both fwd and rew play. However, there's a noticeable difference in sound volume (again, not in quality) between the two different play directions.
I'm a newbe in tape decks, i was just wondering if this is somehow normal or if there's something i should try to do better.
Thanks!!
 
Confused... if yer a "newbe in tape decks" what are you doing messing with the head adjustment screws? Sounds like trouble.
 
Confused... if yer a "newbe in tape decks" what are you doing messing with the head adjustment screws? Sounds like trouble.
I'm a newbe, but i know that turning a screw clockwise and then counter-clockwise brings you back to the start point.

Other thoughts?
 
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Confused... if yer a "newbe in tape decks" what are you doing messing with the head adjustment screws? Sounds like trouble.
Really, i don't know how and why someone should just trow this kind of (non)answer to my question, having no clue about what's going on.

I got my deck off Kijiji for $20 completely inoperative, downloaded the manual, ordered belts online, figured out myself how to replace them (not that easy, no youtube videos for this model, no instruction in the service manual), cleaned, lubed, "revived" the pinch roller.

Brought the deck back to life.
Then, hearing the suond a little dull, i started working the azimuth screws to the point of getting a very good sound.
Then it comes the question of my post.
The first answer i got? How to not scew up my deck!!
LOL

If someone is willing to read my question and actually answer it, that would me much appreciated, otherwise it's ok too: people answer forums like this for free, just for the sake of helping others.

But i'd rather getting zero replies then one like yours.
Thanks.
 
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Look dude - I can do without the attitude but you move forward as feel inclined. You said you were a newbe. Most newb's don't go jacking around with that type of thing unless they arm themselves with some knowledge, grab a manual, they are available by the way, have the proper tools and test tapes. But if your happy and you only dumped $20 into it.... more power to ya. Glad to hear your pleased with the sound. Differences in output could be a number of things. Transistors are notorious in this vintage era Akai. I am done with this... move forward with your repairs and again, Good Luck!
 
Ok, sorry for my possible over reaction.
Lets forget my story and just stick to your words:
what are you doing messing with the head adjustment screws? Sounds like trouble.
What's the trouble i could cause adjusting the azimuth screws?
I didn't think there was any worth mentioning, other then the possibility of failing to nail the optimal setting, without the proper testing gear. But, as i said, i'm a newbe so i may be wrong.

Regarding your on topic answer, are there different transistors for each playing direction?

Thanks.
 
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What's the trouble i could cause adjusting the azimuth screws?

You can cause wear, put a tape guide or head edge into the edge of your tape and generally make things worse.

Unless you have a professional reference test tape you are 'aligning' it to nothing. A commercial cassette or a domestically prerecorded cassette is useless to 'align' heads. The deck uses a 'sandwich' head so adjusting azimuth will always be a compromise. Forward and reverse playback will always be slighty different in HF extension.

Often the back tension on these ancient decks can be OK in one direction and non-existant in the other. That means the tape isn't pressed against the head as well in one direction and the level will be lower and duller. This is not to do with azimuth.

Take some closeup pictures of the tape heads from above and post them. Also show us the pinch rollers- that will tell me a lot. If they are not perfectly flat cross sectional, the tape will wander.

Whatever you do, do not touch any adjustment pots inside the deck. Not even one. No turning them to see what they do ok?

Here is what I am talking about:

akai.JPG

I found this pic of the head block for your deck. The erase heads are adjustable and have the tape guides. The R/P head also has adjustments for azimuth and position. The pinch rollers on this deck are a wreck. They need to be removed and sanded flat or replaced.
The REV direction Erase head is rusty. etc.

What have you adjusted? If you've adjusted the erase heads and the R/P head, you are out of luck.
 
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Here:
20181011_212743.jpg
Obviously the pinch rollers have seen better days...
I thought about replacing them, but they seems not that easy to find and also challenging to take apart.
Everything else looks pretty good to me, i cleaned the head with 99% isopropyl alcohol.

I only tried to adjust the output level variable resistor, wich adjust the output level on both directions, so no help.

Thanks for your reply.
 
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