Nakamichi 1000 Tri-Tracer - 0005 - EN
NAKAMICHI 1000 Tri-Tracer: The Legend starts with this device.
YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXNzG465_50
I-INTRODUCTION:
If everybody interested by the Vintage cassette decks knows the legendary NAKAMICHI 1000ZXL : 1000ZXL Limited, they are only a few to have had the 1000 Tri-Tracer in hands.
Here is what it looks like:
If the 1000ZXL and 1000ZXL Limited are rare, the 1000 Tri-Tracer is even rarer on the market.
We haven't seen one for sale over the last years, and consequently we consider that we are very lucky to have found this one !
As usual, we are engaged in a complete restoration of this beauty, using the state of the art parts, and we have asked the best professionnals to work on this restoration.
This restoration has been far more difficult than the 1000ZXL: it has been a true nightmare !
The reason is simple: it is extremely difficult to extract the various boards (except the 6 daughter boards) in order to access to the solder side of the electronic parts.
in addition, restoring the Mother board required the total disassembling of the entire device !
I suggest to one to start such a restoration without having a solid expertise, and... an even more robust patience !
As usual, all the boards have been completely restored: all the electrolytic caps have been changed, some Polypropylene (PP) have been placed at some strategic locations, the old and dry solder point have been renewed, etc...
In order to give you an idea of the work, 179 electronic parts have been changed (!): this NAKAMICHI 1000 Tri-Tracer is like a new one, when it got our of the factory !
II-A FEW PHOTOS OF THE RESTORATION.
Before showing you a few photos, I should explain why the title of this article is "The Legend starts with this device" ?
This is because the mecanism of this beauty is even more robust than the one included in the 1000ZXL.
In this 1000 Tri-Tracer, all the parts are metallic: this mecanism is just impossible to destroy !
Nowdays, we just cannot imagine that a so robust mecanism has been included in a consumer grade product: even the modern professionnal devices do not have this kind of "all metal" mecanism. We wil never see this again...
I can't resist to the pleasure of showing you the montruous MATSUSHITA motor: when the Tri-Tracer was manufactured, the Chinese crappy products were not the rule, and the financial directors had nthong to say in the design of the products:
I suppose that this Tri-Tracer model has been a training course for designing the World Legend that will follow a few years later: the NAKAMICHI 1000ZXL, which has introduced some oustanding technologies, such as: 2 computer boards, the RAMM logic, etc....
II-1.The Power Supply.
The Power Supply Board is an exception because it is simple to extract from the chassis: we just have to carfully note the location of each cable going to and from this board.
Here it is with the SHOEI capcitors, that are very common in the Nakamichi cassette decks.
A photo before it is restored:
ans after it has been restored with the best electronic parts available on the market:
Is does not seem necessary to remind you that on a so old device (40 years), it is mandatory to change the electrolytic capacitors: this will secure the device and avoid a lot of future possible problems due to a faulty power supply.
II-2.The 6 daugther boards.
The 6 daughter boards are the only ones easy to extract: they take place on the Motherboard via 6 sockets; consequently you just have to lift them up to extract them.
Here they are before their restoration:
To see them entirely restored, just watch the YouTube video.
Here is the D.N.L. (Dolby Noise Limiter, #3590) board, when it has been restored:
II-3.LOGIC Board, #BA3688.
Here it is after its complete restoration:
II-4.Mother board, #BA3644.
This board is by far the most difficult to restore ! it is a total nightmare to extract and to restore.
Here it is before restoration, still fixed in the chassis:
and here it is after restoration, and...after a lot of working hours:
A few difficult points are visible: for example, the capacitors located between the daughter boards' connectors, you must pay attention to their physical size.
But believe us: the biggest difficulties are elsewhere ! Replacing the small caps is very difficult becuase it is very difficult to access the solder points.
You must be a skilled person and you must have a lot of patience !
II-5.Mic-Amp board, #BA3593.
This is a beautiful board, even more beautiful when it is restored:
Amogst the small capacitors, a few of them were totally dead ! They have been replaced by the best available on the market.
II-6.Playback Dolby board, #BA3588.
Here it is entirely restored.
The 2 big capacitors in the center have not been changed because they don't have to be changed: they are not electrolytic caps:
II-7.Record Dolby board, #BA3589.
Here it is entirely restored:
III-Other boards and parts.
The other "small" boards, such as the "Motor Governor board, #BA3662", have of course been completely restored.
Some "details", like the connectors or old cables have also been checked and changed if necessary.
We are sure that you cannot find another copy with this level of restoration: state of the art or nothing !
Contact us to know its availability for sale !
