Akai F-90 (early 1980s)

Not much information survives on the Akai F-90. What does exist calls it by the fuller name GX-F90, a three-head cassette deck from the early 1980s (Audio, August 1981, p.51). The available documentation doesn't say whether "F-90" was a shortened model name in some markets or a different unit altogether.

The review published manufacturer specs. Frequency response was 25 Hz to 17 kHz with standard tape, extending to 21 kHz with metal tape. Harmonic distortion was rated at 0.6 percent, and flutter at 0.03 percent weighted rms (Audio, August 1981, p.48). The line output was specified at 410 mV. The reviewer found the deck had "many useful features and very good to excellent performance in every area" (Audio, August 1981, p.50), with easy access for maintenance once the front door/cover was removed.

Beyond that single review, almost nothing else is documented. No original price, production years, dimensions, weight, or service literature have been traced in period sources. The model appears in a 1982 High Fidelity new-products listing (March 1982, p.12) and a HiFI/Stereo new-products roundup (March 1982, p.18), but neither adds technical detail beyond the deck's existence.