Rare Akai Hi-Fi VCR
 

I picked up this Akai VCR at a goodwill for $5 after talking them down from $12.99 when after trying it, and the tape would not go in.. I saw a picture of this recently and never would think I would come across one, but I did.. I got it home and it was the roof of the loading compartment, someone must have set something heavy on top of the VCR. I out a little force of bending the roof back up and the tape loaded and plays and does all the functions perfect..


One thing I've noticed even on other VCRS including the Sony Betamax VCRS SL-HF500, the two that I own eventually started this. The VU meters have a blank part in them when the LED lights go past a certain point. On this Akai the right side stays blank and seems to go hotter than the left side..

Here's a video to see.. I wonder what causes this? anyone knows? I think the right hotter side maybe a issue of it's own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh2KxxfhuQ0

I quite like the older Akai units. Your one looks like the HiFi version of one I have, the VS-303. It has similar looks with the loading on the right hand side. The front panel layout is mostly the same. It has a great mechanism with no belts at all. Very quiet deck.
I also have a VS-515 which is completely different to your 616. The 515 is quite conventional in appearance, it is also HiFi, but has full display on the unit, rather than relying on on-screen stuff like the 303.
With regards to your LEDs I would be looking at solder joints in the general vicinity of them.
I have rarely seen most VUs track the same left and right, they are usually different to some degree.
Cheers
Tony

I also would look for a cold solder joint. Those leds are probably in groups, and you might have a bad common connection to that group.

Thanks for the replies, I took it apart and wiggled the wires and disconnected the wires that lead to the LED indicators while playing, and didn't make any difference, I even tapped on the circuit boards, usually if it's something loose by doing that you would think to see a difference.. I think it's a issue electronically.. I've seen other totally different manufactured VCR do the same thing.. I don't think one channel is hotter than the other, I just didn't notice the hotter LEDs don't light up on that channel..

Nice score. I always liked how Akai perversely called it "Function" instead of "Power".

Hey! I don't see a rare red VCR!!?? What gives? It looks black to me....:3
All kidding aside, that's a cool Akai!

I had an Akai Hi-Fi machine back in the day. It had a built-in stereo amplifier and speaker connections. I used them for some high frequency enhancements with a pair of tiny horn tweeters. Sounded nice.

The machine ate idler wheels for lunch. I replaced it 4 times over the years.

It took a lightning strike nearby to kill it. :tears:

それはすごいね！That ad is great, I want that version of the VCR, I like that the buttons are labeled in German.

Many Akai products were sold under the name Roberts in the US[citation needed], as well as A&D in Japan and Tensai in Western Europehttp://retronom.hu/files/node_images...bbc0186063.jpghttp://imgfrm.index.hu/imgfrm/2/1/6/...0007392164.jpg

:thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp::drool::dr ool::drool::drool::drool::drool:http://wegavision.pytalhost.com/akai86/akai08.jpghttp://wegavision.pytalhost.com/akai86/akai09.jpg

http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/img353.auc...iuyb797973.jpghttp://auctions.c.yimg.jp/img353.auc...whdmb97973.jpg:thmbsp:

HERE A BEAST AKAI
http://www.adsausage.com/library/ima...11_elec_15.jpgAkai VS-A77http://www.audioidiots.com/Akai/cata...oot/p024i1.jpghttp://www.videoinfo.nl/akai/akai.html

What an oddity, and here I thought the existence of a Technics (yes, Technics) VCR was weird. What's next, a Marantz VCR?

There were Marantz VCRs. I used to own an SVHS Marantz...Traded it to a friend who got sick of constant tape thread gear failure on his Sony SVHS decks...One day I gotta make a good deck out of that pile of sony parts.