Akai GX-635D

High-time for Akai - the last.

Launched a year before Akai's last open-reel development (the GX-625, 1979), the GX-635 and GX-635D were the base for the few later high-end open-reel recorders.
The GX-636, GX-646 and GX-747 all drew on the same design, the same GX heads, the same SCM-200 and XO-24TD motors and the same features.
And all were very successful : in that price range and timeframe perhaps only the Teac X-1000 series sold as well.


If evolving from the "small" GX-266II (layout, motors, features), the GX-635 has a completely different system for the tension tape guides which are activated by a micro-switch and are enclosed in a Star Wars-ish cover alongwith the 6 heads and pinch roller.

The capstan is a frequency-controlled AC servo DD motor ; the reels are spun by AC eddy current outer rotor DD motors.

The GX-635D is the normal version with two-position timer switch but without built-in Dolby ; the GX-635DB is the very rare version sans timer switch, with Dolby and mainly a smart matte black finish which also graced the normal GX-635D but in limited quantity.

If the GX-646 and GX-747 added one layer of super-duper looks, they were essentially a revamped GX-635D, the latter having equivalent performance but more coherent looks.



All about the GX-635, 635D and GX-636 versions at Frank Oomen's and lots of nudies here.