Introduced in 1978, the Akai GXC-735D was an automatic-reverse stereo cassette deck designed to continue recording or playing when the end of one side of the tape was reached. Marketed as the deluxe model in Akai’s Quick Reverse range, it combined Akai’s GX head technology with rapid directional change, Dolby noise reduction, memory rewind, feather-touch transport controls and recessed illuminated VU meters. The Akai GXC-735D offered the convenience of uninterrupted bidirectional operation without abandoning the recording facilities expected from a serious component cassette deck.
Automatic reverse was particularly useful when recording or playing longer programmes. With a conventional single-direction machine, the cassette had to be removed and turned over when the first side ended. The Akai GXC-735D performed this change automatically, allowing the programme to continue with little interruption. Akai described its reversing system as Quick Reverse. The change in tape direction was designed to occur almost instantaneously, minimising the gap between the end of one side and the beginning of the other. This made the deck suitable for uninterrupted background playback as well as recordings that extended beyond a single cassette side.
The Akai GXC-735D supported both automatic-reverse recording and playback. Its directional system was therefore not limited to reproducing previously recorded tapes. A recording could continue onto the second side automatically, reducing the likelihood of losing part of a programme while the operator manually reversed the cassette. A front-panel reverse selector allowed the operating pattern to be chosen according to the programme. The deck could be configured for forward-only operation, automatic reversal through a complete cassette or continued bidirectional playback.
The cassette compartment was positioned on the left side of the brushed-metal front panel, with the tape visible through a broad window. Direction indicators above the metering section showed whether the transport was operating forwards or in reverse. The Akai GXC-735D used Akai’s GX head technology, constructed from glass and crystal ferrite. Akai promoted the GX head for its resistance to wear and provided a limited warranty covering 150,000 operating hours, described as equivalent to playing continuously for 24 hours a day for more than 17 years.
The long-life GX head was central to the deck’s design because automatic reverse operation required consistent recording and playback performance in both tape directions. Stable head characteristics helped the deck retain its performance without the progressive wear associated with softer conventional head materials. The transport was operated through feather-touch controls arranged along the lower-left section of the front panel. Separate controls were provided for pause, record, reverse winding, reverse playback, stop, forward playback and fast forward.
The combination of dedicated forward and reverse controls made the transport direction immediately accessible. Illuminated inserts within the buttons helped identify the selected operating state. A memory-rewind system worked with the mechanical tape counter to assist with returning to a selected location. Once a reference point had been established, the memory function could be used during rewind to stop the transport at that position.
Dolby noise reduction was incorporated for recording and playback. The system reduced audible tape hiss when used with recordings made and reproduced with Dolby engaged. Akai specified an improvement of up to 10dB above 5kHz. The tape selector allowed the recording electronics to be matched to the cassette formulation. Settings were provided for low-noise, chromium dioxide and ferrichrome tape, covering the principal formulations used for higher-quality cassette recording during the period.
A Record Mute control allowed a silent section to be inserted without stopping the transport. These spaces could be used to separate selections or remove unwanted programme material while maintaining continuous tape movement. The front panel also included a timer-start selector. Connected to a suitable external timer, the Akai GXC-735D could be prepared for automatic recording or playback when mains power was applied.
Two large illuminated VU meters displayed the left and right recording and playback levels. Their scales used green, yellow and red illumination, while the deeply recessed housing helped shield the displays from ambient light. A peak-level indicator supplemented the VU meters. This helped identify brief signals that might overload the recording tape even when their duration was too short to be represented fully by the slower meter movements.
Separate recording-level controls were provided for line and microphone sources. Each control adjusted the left and right channels, allowing stereo recording balance and overall level to be established for the selected input. Separate left and right microphone sockets were positioned on the lower-right side of the fascia. A headphone connection allowed direct monitoring, while a dedicated output control adjusted the signal level delivered during playback.
The Akai GXC-735D was specified with wow and flutter below 0.045% weighted RMS. Its signal-to-noise ratio was rated at better than 56dB using ferrichrome tape, measured with a peak recording level corresponding to 3% total harmonic distortion. Frequency response with ferrichrome tape extended from 35Hz to 16kHz within ±3dB. These figures positioned the Akai GXC-735D as the higher-performance model when compared with the less expensive Akai CS-732D advertised alongside it.
The Akai GXC-735D combined the convenience of automatic bidirectional operation with a presentation suited to a full-sized component system. Its silver front panel, timber-finished cabinet, illuminated controls and colourful meters reflected Akai’s late-1970s styling while clearly separating the transport, monitoring and recording sections.
Although automatic-reverse cassette decks were often chosen principally for convenience, the Akai GXC-735D was presented as more than a continuous-play machine. Its GX head, ferrichrome tape compatibility, Dolby processing, peak indication, memory rewind and independent recording controls gave it the facilities required for regular stereo recording as well as uninterrupted playback.
The Akai GXC-735D represented a period when manufacturers were attempting to make cassette recording both easier and more capable. By automating the change of direction while retaining direct control over levels, tape formulation and transport operation, Akai created a deck that combined practical convenience with the company’s established GX recording technology.
Features
- Quick Reverse automatic recording and playback
- GX glass and crystal ferrite head
- Forward-only, single-cycle and continuous reverse operation
- Feather-touch transport controls
- Dolby noise reduction
- Low-noise, chromium dioxide and ferrichrome tape selection
- Memory rewind with mechanical tape counter
- Record Mute function
- Timer-controlled recording and playback
- Recessed illuminated VU meters
- Peak-level indicator
- Separate microphone and line recording controls