Akai AP-007 Direct Drive Turntable

I’m not sure if the 007 was tongue in cheek at the time, but one thing I can say is that if 'Q' was to make a turntable for James Bond, it would be this one.
 
Made when ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ was released – 1977 to be precise – the Akai AP-007 represents the absolute pinnacle of Akai’s turntable days. They never made a better one afterwards, and didn’t make a better one before it either. And yes, it beats my Akai AP-006 too
 
Some say it’s because Micro Seiki, or Luxman, had a hand in their design at the time. The Acos Lustre based tonearm, the skeleton headshell, the superb non-resonant base and the sheer genius under the hood certainly point towards a knowledgeable guiding hand behind the design.
 
It is fully automatic – I’m pretty sure there’s a setting somewhere for it to make you coffee in the morning but don’t hold me to that :) It works 100% in every respect – I’ve given it a thorough once over It comes with a new stylus and is fully setup so all you need to do is take it home and let it wrap the music around you
 
Because that’s what I really want to talk about. What this machine sounds like! It starts when then needle drops….the muting circuit eliminates the lead in groove pop and crackle – and then comes the music. The black background. The sense of purpose. The knowledge that what you're listening to is a really really good turntable - special even!
 
I’ve got a fair number of turntables in my collection – and I’ve listened to a whole lot more….and this deck beats them all. It plays with authority…it’s the boss! You would have to fork out many thousands of dollars to buy a modern turntable with better specs - and among vintage turntables, there aren't many that beat it.
 
I could wax lyrical about this turntable for days but off to a lucky new owner she goes.
 
Specifications
Type: Fully automatic record player
Drive method: direct drive
Motor: 6-pole outer rotor, AC servo controlled
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm
Wow and flutter: 0.03% wrms
Signal to noise ratio: 73dB
Speed adjustment range: +-5%
Tonearm: S-shaped, statically balanced, stainless steel tubular arm
Effective length: 220mm
Overhang: 15mm
Offset angle: 22 degrees
Cartridge weight range: 4.5 to 14.5g (with sub-weight)
Dimensions: 460 x 135 x 380mm
Weight: 9.5kg