Technical Details
Brand: Akai
Model:GX-77
Category:Mid High Fidelity
Application:Consumer
Electronic:Solid State
Country of Manufacture:Japan
Release dates:1981 - 1985
Original Price: $800
Tracks:1/4 Rec/PB
Speeds: 3 3/4, 7 1/2
Max Reel Size("): 7"
Number of heads: 6
Dimension: 9.6 x 17.3 x 8.9" (244 x 440 x 227mm)
Head Composition: Permalloy, Ferrite/Glass
Head Configuration: Stereo
# Motors: 3
Auto Reverse?:Yes
Voltage(s): 110-120v, 220-240v
Outputs: RCA
Frequency Response:7½ ips: 25Hz to 25kHz (0 VU) ( 3dB)
Wow and Flutter: 0.03% at 7½ ips 0.04% at 3¾ ips
Signal-to-Noise Ratio:63 dB at 7½ ips
Sound quality rating:7 / 10
Long-term reliability rating: 7/ 10
Weight: 37.5 lbs (17 kg)
Additional Details
Description
In an attempt to bolster flagging sales in the by now declining reel to reel marketplace, Akai came up with this striking, small and easy to use machine that would, with its seven inch reel capacity, fit into almost any hi-fi console, much like a cassette deck.
Three DC motors were incorporated but the reel tables were still belt driven, probably the worst design fault Akai made on this deck.
Two capstans were used, but not in a dual capstan drive capacity. The capstans turned in opposite directions to each other with only one engaged at a time, depending on tape direction. This did, however enable a very quick reversing turnaround capability (auto-reverse took only 0.4 seconds).
The tape threading system (left) was quite unique. The tape was taken up between the reels by means of a loading roller. The six heads were positioned in between the reels with the three forward direction heads facing the three reverse direction ones.
The loading roller made tape threading extremely easy. All one had to do was to place the tape under the tension arms and the roller lifted it into the tape path. At the finish of the tape both tension arms dropped, the right arm activated a micro switch which dropped the loading roller.
It had two separate left and right ‘line in’ level knobs plus one master record level. Oddly enough, no microphone jacks were provided, Akai preferring instead to offer the MM-77 microphone mixer as an optional extra.
The GX-77 had a cueing switch, a three-mode timer-start switch, a reverse selector switch, a bias adjust and two speeds: 3¾ and 7½ ips. Head cleaning was extremely easy since one only had to raise the hinged cover to expose the heads. Like the GX-747, the GX-77 had a digital counter reading up to 99.59 minutes.
Price when new (in 1982) was $800.00, dropping to $755.00 by 1984. Also available in black.
Here’s a great review of the GX-77
Additional Info
Track System Quarter-track stereo
Heads Erase E4-245 (x2) Recording R4-241 GX head(x2) Playback P4-500 GX head (x2)
Motors One servo DC motor for capstan drive – Two DC motors for reel drive
Maximum Reel size 7″
Tape Speeds 7½ and 3¾ ips
Frequency Response (3dB)
7½ ips: 25Hz to 25kHz (0 VU)
3¾ ips: 25Hz to 15kHz (0 VU)
Wow & Flutter
Less than 0.03% WRMS. 0.07% DIN 45500 at 7½ ips
Less than 0.04% WRMS. 0.10% DIN 45500 at 3¾ ips
Signal to noise ratio better than 63 dB at 7½ ips
Distortion less than 0.5% at 7½ ips
Rewind Speed 80 seconds using a 1,200 ft tape
Inputs
Microphone impedance – 600 ohms;
line: 70mV (Input impedance 47K ohms
Outputs
line: 0.775V at 0 VU, required load impedance: more than 20K ohms
headphones: 1.3mV/8 ohms at 0 VU
Dimensions
9.6 x 17.3 x 8.9″ (244 x 440 x 227mm)
Weight
37.5 lbs (17 kg)