Akai 1800 SS Quad Reel

[dr8track]

I've had one of these for several years and only recently got a copy of the owner's manual. This unit is one with a built in quad 8 recorder in the side. It has a feature where you can play back a reel tape and simultaneously record it onto a quad cart. Now, I would probably never have occasion to do this, but I've always been curious how it would work since the good quad reels are recorded at 7 1/2 ips and the cart speed is 3 3/4 ips. Well, according to the owner's manual, it sounds like there was an additional capstan sleeve you placed on the reel to reel capstan. I'm assuming this would be twice as big as the regular capstan? Sounds like a pretty rare item. Just wondering if anyone might have one of these lying around?
Also, just curious if anyone has used this feature to clarify how it works. If you put a different capstan on the reel to reel, does it play at the proper speed? Can't quite figure out the math of it all.

 

[lazaraga]

hey doc
without the capstan, you should be getting 1 3/8 and 3 3/4 ips, right? the capstan sleeve usually sits on a little post above the headblock. with this sleeve you can get 3 3/4 speed and 7 1/2 high speed.
you might want to ask rolf at http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/vintagetx/ to see if he has any of the capstan sleeves available.

good luck!
jeremy

ps the yahoo reel to reel grou pis a great source for reel info

I've had one of these for several years and only recently got a copy of the owner's manual. This unit is one with a built in quad 8 recorder in the side. It has a feature where you can play back a reel tape and simultaneously record it onto a quad cart. Now, I would probably never have occasion to do this, but I've always been curious how it would work since the good quad reels are recorded at 7 1/2 ips and the cart speed is 3 3/4 ips. Well, according to the owner's manual, it sounds like there was an additional capstan sleeve you placed on the reel to reel capstan. I'm assuming this would be twice as big as the regular capstan? Sounds like a pretty rare item. Just wondering if anyone might have one of these lying around?
Also, just curious if anyone has used this feature to clarify how it works. If you put a different capstan on the reel to reel, does it play at the proper speed? Can't quite figure out the math of it all.

 

[dr8track]

hey doc
without the capstan, you should be getting 1 3/8 and 3 3/4 ips, right? the capstan sleeve usually sits on a little post above the headblock. with this sleeve you can get 3 3/4 speed and 7 1/2 high speed.
you might want to ask rolf at http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/vintagetx/ to see if he has any of the capstan sleeves available.

good luck!
jeremy

ps the yahoo reel to reel grou pis a great source for reel info

Jeremy,
I do have the capstan sleeve that allows me to play 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips tapes. I don't think that's the capstan that's used for the reel to tape transfers. I think there must have been a second capstan sleeve that came with the 1800. I haven't visited the reel forum. I may post the inquiry there.
Thanks

 

[JonUrban]

I used to have an old Panasonic reel when I was a kid (circa 1965), and it had this little cylinder thing called a capstan sleeve that would screw in over the regular 1 7/8ips capstan and increased its diameter to play and record at 3 1/4 ips. It was cool, but I lost it!

As for the AKAI, I would guess there was some sort of gear or belt that downconverted the ips via mechanics for the Q8 part.

 

[lazaraga]

Jeremy,
I do have the capstan sleeve that allows me to play 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips tapes. I don't think that's the capstan that's used for the reel to tape transfers. I think there must have been a second capstan sleeve that came with the 1800. I haven't visited the reel forum. I may post the inquiry there.
Thanks

that should be the only sleeve you need. i think what matters more is what motor speed you are using, high or low.
to record from a 3 3/4 ips reel to a 3 /3/4 ips 8 track cart, use no slleeve but use the higher motor setting. to dub 7 1/2 ips tapes, use the sleeve and the high motor setting. see the motor speed is constant, which should be the only factor in play ffor the 8 track side of thingss. either way, give it a try. i highly doubt you need any other capstan sleeve.
peace
jeremy

 

[vitfalk]

HELLO TO EVERYBODY,IìM A NEW MEMBER
I NEEDS TO KNOW WHERE CAN I FIND A FREE LINK ABOUT THE SERVICE MANUAL OF AKAI 100 SS I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SWITCH IPS SPEED AND WHERE CAN I FOUND A NEW BELT
PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
BYE FOR NOW

AL-

 

[mtgc]

Try here: http://www.hifiengine.com/manuals/akai/x-1800sd.shtml

MTGC
Michael

 

[medkill]

Regarding the ability of an Akai 1800SS to transfer 7.5 i.p.s. reel tape to 8 track, I believe this would work the same as the X-1800SD. Mechanically, they are very similar (I own one of each). The capstan of the reel and the 8-track are on the same shaft, so the tape speed switch must be set to Low(Cartridge) setting. To record a 7.5 i.p.s. reel tape requires the 15 i.p.s. adapter kit, which consists of a larger, 0.475" (vs. 0.114" o.d. of the capstan and 0.242" o.d. of the standard capstan adapter bushing) capstan adapter bushing and a smaller, 1.216"o.d. (vs. 1.457"o.d. of the standard pinch wheel) capstan pinch wheel. As I experienced, which can be an issue with finding these used, my 1800SS was missing the capstan adapters, but the X-1800SD had the standard piece. I had also found the Akai X-1800SD accessory kit on eBay, which includes the 15 i.p.s. adapter pieces. Since the 1800SS and the X-1800SD are mechanically similar, I borrow the pieces from the X-1800SD to use on the 1800SS as needed.
Actually, I bought the X-1800SD at a thrift store for 35 dollars just for the capstan sleeve, with the intent to scrap the rest of the tape player. But, thanks to a boring weekend, I disassembled and service it, reassembled it and tested it and it worked great. So then I spent another $100 on eBay getting the operator manual, service manual and accessory kit for it as well.