Akai PRO 1000

October   1 9 7 6 october 1976
1 9 8 0 1980

Ah - the other rare one.

Launched at the very peak of open-reel worldwide use, the PRO 1000 however got squeezed by two contemporary bestsellers :
the Technics RS-1500U on one side and, to a lesser extent, the Sony TC-766-2 on the other.

Yet, the Akai battled in the upper field, that of the Teac A-7400RX or the Japan-only Denon DH series (built on a Teac base) : the "pro" or pro-sumer field.

Like the earlier but even more expensive Sony TC-880-2, the Akai didn't fit either parts of the field and didn't sell too well - in fact it sold very poorly. And like Sony for the 880-2, Akai really did not advertise for it but kept it available until 1980, when the GX-635D was flooding the market...
Therefore, the PRO 1000 is a magnificent two-box... rarity.

You can see nudies and very impressive frequency & speed accuracy tests at the indispensable amp8.com.
The complete march 1978 USA catalog is visible here.

Akai PRO 1000, image 1 Akai PRO 1000, image 2 Akai PRO 1000, image 3
Akai PRO 1000 specifications
Title Value
Heads : 1x 2-track GX recording
1x 2-track GX playback
1x 4-track GX playback
1x full-track Ferrite erasing
Motors : 1x oil-circulating, center-pole generator AC servo for capstan
2x 6-pole eddy current for reels spooling
Recording system : 2-track / 2-channel
Playback system : 2-track / 2-channel
4-track / 2-channel
Tape speeds : 38 / 19 / 9,5cm/s
Speed deviation : ± 0,5%
Wow & flutter : 0,025% (38cm/s, WRMS)
0,04% (19cm/s, WRMS)
0,08% (9,5cm/s, WRMS)
Full speed ahead : 0,8s
FF/Rew time : 120s (1800ft tape)
Frequency response : 50Hz...20Khz (38cm/s, ±1dB, 0VU recording)
40Hz...24Khz (19cm/s, ±3dB, 0VU recording)
60Hz...12Khz (9,5cm/s, ±3dB, 0VU recording)
THD : 1% (1Khz, all speeds, 0VU recording)
S/N ratio : 60dB
Erasure ratio : 70dB
Playback compensation curve : NAB
Bias frequency : 150Khz
Inputs : 0,3mV / -69dB ; 600 Ohm...10kOhm (MIC)
70mV / -21dB ; 100kOhm (line)
Outputs : 100 Ohm (load > 10kOhm) / 0,775V (line)
< 1kOhm (load > 20kOhm) / 300mV (mixer)
50mV / 8 Ohm
Meters peak : DIN spec.
meters VU : BTS spec.
Meters response time : 0,01s
Meters return time : 0,8s
Semiconductors : 130 transistors
94 diodes
6 FETs
2 ICs
PC : 116W
Dimensions : 48,6 x 41,2 x 28,4cm (drive)
48,6 x 23,1 x 30,9cm (amps)
Weight : 28,3kg (drive)
10,2kg (amps)
List price : 398,000¥ (1976...1980)
page online since : february 2012
page updated : not yet
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 288.17 Kb / 0 b
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