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Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: AKAI GX-630DB Tapedeck by Teresa

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REVIEW: AKAI GX-630DB Tapedeck

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Model: GX-630DB
Category: Tapedeck
Suggested Retail Price: $999.95
Description: 10 1/2 Inch Reel to Reel Stereo Tape Deck with Dolby B Noise Reduction
Manufacturer URL: AKAI
Model Picture: View

Review by Teresa ( A ) on November 09, 2003 at 03:53:38
IP Address: 65.178.73.218
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for the GX-630DB


First off, who in their right mind would buy a Reel to Reel tape deck in 2003 and start a collection of pre-recorded 4 Track 7 1/2 ips tapes. Well I've never been accused of being in my right mind; after all I'm here in the asylum after all!

This is a wonderful reel to reel deck. A two speed, three motor, three head deck which takes 10.5" reels and has full motion sensing with solenoid controls. Built in Dolby B noise reduction. Uses Akai's glass and ferrite "GX" series heads. Aluminum face/wood side styling which is visually beautiful.

The pride of the fleet, Reel to Reel Forever's web site says, "This is, quite simply, the finest consumer open reel I've ever seen. The only deck I can think of that could top it would be the Revox B-77, which I've never had a chance to try. Everything works so smoothly and quietly, one can think of it as the Lexus of tape decks. The transport controls are round soft-touch buttons, which only move about 3/32". The tape lifters and mute circuits work very effectively during fast wind modes, keeping everything nice and quiet. I've never had the slightest hint of a mechanical problem with it, and I've used this one a lot. If you find one in any sort of decent shape, snag it!” I would have to agree this is the quietest and smoothest operating Reel to Reel deck I've ever owned, my previous Teac's were very noisy in comparison. I love this deck!

As many of you know I rediscovered LPs when my SACD/DVD player broke and was in and out of the shop for 3 months. And because of that experience I know I cannot live without music! Even one day is hard! I rediscovered LPs (this time with tubes) and I just didn't enjoy my SACDs as much but still needed a second format so it case something requires repair I am not without music. So not only is it my back up format, but it has a HEADPHONE JACK so when my pre-amp goes in for retubing it can be my music system through headphones. The tubes in my pre-amp are soldered in as my model does not have tube sockets, but they can be installed during the retubing.

Believe it or not some of my best sounding Reel to Reel tapes are from the 1950's and 1960's duplicated in Real Time (1:1). Many of these babies are 50 years old and I was afraid of print through and deteriorated sound. This has not been the case; some of these are so real it is unbelievable. The tapes from the 70's and 80's sound good but nothing like the tapes from the 50's and 60's. This was really the golden age of only music and of sound

The best golden age pre-recorded Reels are from Bel Canto, Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo. The Ampex and Stereotapes are excellent and the Barclay-Crocker Dolby B tapes are superb.

Here are 10 of the best Reel to Reel tapes I've found so far:

1. BEETHOVEN: Wellington's Victory; Leonore; Prometheus - Mercury Living / Ampex MEC 9000

2. DeLUCA: African Safari / Alster (Real Time Duplication) Bel Canto ST-34
Recording Title Recording Label

3. DUKES OF DIXIELAND: Marching Along with the phenomenal - Audio Fidelity AFST 1851

4. FATS AND THE CHESSMEN: Let's Twist - Bel Canto ST-172

5. BENNY GOODMAN QUARTET: Together Again - RCA Victor FTP 1200

6. GOULD: Latin American GOTTSCHALK: Tropics (Dolby) - Vanguard / Barclay-Crocker VAN 0275

7. GREAT MUSIC BY RUSSIAN COMPOSERS - Mercury / Bel Canto ST-90346

8. BERNARD HERRMANN: Battle of Neretva (Dolby) Entr'acte / Barclay-Crocker ERS D 6501

9. PERSPECTIVES IN PERCUSSION (Real Time Duplication) - Bel Canto ST-109

10. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Tsar Saltan; May Night; Russian Easter - London ffst / Ampex LCL 80004

Oh yes the Akai GX-630DB makes excellent recordings both with and without Dolby. I haven't recorded my Guitar yet, as I am still looking for good microphones cheap!

If you to follow me into the insanity of threading tape in 2003, this is an excellent player to be committed to.


Product Weakness: Threading tape, adding leaders to pre-recorded tape and splicing the "rare" broken tape.
Product Strengths: Sound Quality, whisper quiet operation and easy to use.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: ADCOM GFA-555II High Current Power Amplifier - 200 watts per channel (350 Watts into my 4 ohm Infinity speakers)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): AMC CVT 1030 Vacuum Tube Pre-Amplififer (Class A valve)
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Music Hall mmf-1 Turntable with LP Gear upgrade
Speakers: INFINITY Reference Standard 7 Kappa Floor Standing Speakers (Pair)
Cables/Interconnects: Monster Cable Powerline 2 Plus (looks like garden hose) Interconnects: Monster Cable & AudioQuest Turquoise
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Symphonic Classical, Classic Jazz, Classic Rock both Audiophile and non-Audiophile selections
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 Months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Adcom ACE-515 Enhancer Power Conditioner
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: AKAI GX-630DB Tapedeck - Teresa 03:53:38 11/9/03 ( 7)