Akai MG614/1212/1214 Multitrack Recorders

Just copped my very first four track, its a mint Akai MG614, which I always thought would be a good partner for an MPC60/S950. Looks like its spent the last 25 years in a box, one previous owner. Anyway I know a few of you have one of these luxury analogue machines so are there any tips and tricks I should know about?

How are you using this piece with your MPC/S950? What about the channel inserts and send FX? Recording methods for the four track? Busses A+B? Using it as a sub-mixer or master recorder? I'm trying to figure out where/ how to use this beast, I already have Mackie Onyx 1640 with firewire on hand. Any pics of the machine in situ would be welcome...






Not my pics, just for reference.

that looks real nice, the leather trim looks dope

Yes the armrest is plush with more cushioning and better quality grained 'leather'. Makes the MPC60 armrest look like a cheap knock off. The MG armrest is thinner and longer, so it won't fit on an MPC60.

Are the plastic side plates exactly the same as those on the MPC60?

It is such a similar case design, makes me wonder if they were developed together, side by side at the same time, or if Akai already had the case design with the MG614, and once they signed up Roger, stuck the Linn MIDI Studio sequencer and pads, along with an S900 sampling engine instead of the Linn sampler/mixer, into the pre-existing case design, to come up with the MPC60.

Another nice score Clint!

The side panels are exactly the same size as on the MPC60, but the MG614 casing is wider by about 5cms and 2-3cms higher off a desk, front to back depth is pretty similar.

The MG614 is just a beautiful piece, it predates the MPC60 by a year or so. Some places say its from 86 others say 87. Mine is from 87. I believe the earlier MG1212 & MG1214 also share the side panel design. I wouldn't touch those 12 track machine due to the odd tapes that they use. MG614 uses regular (chrome-type II) audio cassettes which are cheap and easy to find.

Never used a four track in my life, but this thing does much more. Analogue mixer, analogue sweepable parametric EQ, two FX sends, channel inserts, AUX input, two busses, electric cassette compartment, cool led output meters...

Edit: Add per track low-pass filters, two speed and pitch control to that list.

Clint wrote:...
The MG614 is just a beautiful piece, it predates the MPC60 by a year or so. Some places say its from 86 others say 87. Mine is from 87. I believe the earlier MG1212 & MG1214 also share the side panel design. I wouldn't touch those 12 track machine due to the odd tapes that they use. MG614 uses regular (chrome-type II) audio cassettes which are cheap and easy to find.
...

I don't think type II cassette are cheap and easy to find. (Type I, maybe.) No one makes chrome or metal cassette tapes anymore, and those high- bias tapes have become highly sought-after items.

JVC wrote:I don't think type II cassette are cheap and easy to find. (Type I, maybe.) No one makes chrome or metal cassette tapes anymore, and those high- bias tapes have become highly sought-after items.

Type II chrome are still cheap and can be found, just do a Google search.

Type IV metal probably not as easy to find.

What Simon said.

eBay.co.uk has plenty of new, sealed Chrome cassette tapes (or used), but plenty of people are bidding for them, make no mistake. The Type IV Metal tapes are not so plentiful which is reflected in their prices.

So anyone got an MG614, I've seen a few in the 'pics of your cribs' thread...

SimonInAustralia wrote:

JVC wrote:I don't think type II cassette are cheap and easy to find. (Type I, maybe.) No one makes chrome or metal cassette tapes anymore, and those high- bias tapes have become highly sought-after items.

Type II chrome are still cheap and can be found, just do a Google search.

Type IV metal probably not as easy to find.

Umm, I am located in U.S, and on amazon.com, the prices of Type II tapes are around U.S. $10, which I would not call it cheap. Yes, they are still around (so I shouldn't have said "highly sought-after") but it is not cheap.

you can use cobalt tapes for four tracks as well (check gearslutz for the reason, they claim they're the best choice) i haven't found any in europe though..

use the mixer and/or the recorder to do a mono 'brauerize the mix' knock off

(with 'and/or', i mean that you can clip going into the mixer a bit (gain up), and not record hot (fader down); or have a clean mix, but a hot recording; or other gain staging.. playback levels come into play as well.. and you can do this independently per channel)

Damn Clint that thing is clean. I've been looking for one of those beasts for a while. Hope you love it... And if you don't... well then hit me up.. Ha

Congrats

Those pics are not my one, mine is even cleaner if that is even possible. When I say mint, I mean box fresh minty woo hoo, even came with original sales brochure and a magazine cover (Home and Studio Recording, March 1987). Dude said he will send me the original reciept when he finds it...I will post a pic soon.

are you gonna record some beats into that thing clint? I bet it sounds pretty nice.

I'll have to make some 'beats' before I can record them. If I can remember how to lol...Truth is I'm putting a studio together for a side project I'm working on. Some of you will be aware of it from the MPC60 forum.

Am I the only dude here with one of these "Rolls Royce of analogue four tracks"?? Where have these rare beasts ended up??