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I've had a sl1200 m3d for several years now and its been sitting for the last two, last time I hooked it up the sound quality was very poor. Could the cartridge have collected crud or something, any higher frequency sound seems muffled and not very clear. Is there a recommended cartridge people around here are using on these tables?
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Sep 20, 2015 15:48
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| # ? May 14, 2024 23:46 |
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Yes, the cartridge is probably the culprit here. Not because of gunk, but rather because the tiny rubber suspension parts holding the cantilever have dried up and/or crumbled away to dust. So you probably need a new cartridge, or at least a new stylus, if your current cartridge has user-replaceable styluses. I'm using an Ortofon OM-5E on my SL1210 MK2, and I'm very happy with it. It needs the optional 3g weight/spacer for the standard Technics headshell to balance correctly. The 2M Red is supposed to be an upgraded replacement to it (and doesn't need the spacer), I'd say they're equally good sound-wise. The Audio Technica AT95E (IIRC) is also a highly regarded inexpensive cartridge. I don't know much about Shure's lineup, but they make some comparable models, as well. The most important part is that you get an elliptical stylus, don't get one that is spherical, those are generally for DJ use and scratching. And don't bother with MC (moving coil) cartridges, get one that is MM (moving magnet). If your SL has been out of comission for years, I highly recommend giving the platter bearing a couple of drops of oil. Either the specific Technics-branded oil if you have it, otherwise any ISO 68 oil for air compressors is the closest equivalent. People have used all kinds of oil, from sewing machine oil, to Marvel 3-in-1 to motor oil, it's not really that critical. ISO 68 oil just happens to be inexpensive in addition to being the correct grade according to Technics' spec sheet.
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Sep 20, 2015 16:31
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I use a shure m97xe with a JICO SAS stylus on my m3d. I am pretty happy with it.
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Sep 20, 2015 16:54
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KozmoNaut posted:Yes, the cartridge is probably the culprit here. Not because of gunk, but rather because the tiny rubber suspension parts holding the cantilever have dried up and/or crumbled away to dust. In two years? No. e: Unless you live in a climate that is prone to cause that sort of thing I guess? Otherwise simply not going to happen in two years.
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Sep 20, 2015 17:11
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SpeedFreek posted:I've had a sl1200 m3d for several years now and its been sitting for the last two, last time I hooked it up the sound quality was very poor. Could the cartridge have collected crud or something, any higher frequency sound seems muffled and not very clear. Is there a recommended cartridge people around here are using on these tables? Has your amplifier also been sitting without use? Clean all contacts starting with the cartridge leads, and also all potentiometers. My Denon developed muffled sounditis after having not seen much use in some years and I finally spotted wiggling the loudness knob caused it to work right intermittently, and cleaning that removed the problem. (Even though I'd never actually used the loudness knob  )
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Sep 20, 2015 17:17
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Jerry Cotton posted:In two years? No. I missed the "two years" part. But it could have been happening already before it went into storage and simply deteriorated further. Depends on how old the cartridge is.
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Sep 20, 2015 17:40
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Thanksfor the cartridge suggestions, that gives me a good place to start. My G9000 and 8900zdb get used often enough that theyare not the culprit, I had this table connected to my 2325 and stopped using it when I got the G and a linear tracking table. I'm sure the cartridge is close to ten years old so I'll start there.
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Sep 21, 2015 15:18
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I picked up a Kenwood GE-32 graphic equalizer today for $7 at my local thrift store. I have no idea what it does or if I can use it with anything but my tapedeck, but it powered on in the store so I bought it. Hooray!
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Sep 21, 2015 23:46
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Hey all, sorry to take so long to get back to you. I attempted to clean the stylus using one of those magic erasors, which did no good, and proceeded to purchase another. I have it. Does the old one just pop off of the cart, or what?
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Sep 23, 2015 18:01
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SnakePlissken posted:Hey all, sorry to take so long to get back to you. I attempted to clean the stylus using one of those magic erasors, which did no good, and proceeded to purchase another. I have it. Does the old one just pop off of the cart, or what? For the most part, yeah. Did any instructions come with the new one?
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Sep 23, 2015 18:41
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Was out at my in-laws farm this afternoon, and they asked me to take a look at some old stereo equipment they had in the basement. There was some junk, but they had a Marantz 5220 tape deck in perfect looking condition. I have a matching Marantz 2230 receiver, so I had to bring the 5220 home. Played a few tapes and it seems to work fine, so I hop on ebay to see what it might be worth. Freaking $300 for an as-is unit, up to the $500ish range! I'd love to keep it for myself, but that is crazy money.
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Sep 23, 2015 23:56
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That's the exact setup I have in my basement. It's a good combo. You should check out what the actual "sold as" prices are on ebay before you get your hopes up.
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Sep 24, 2015 00:02
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Found a bit of an odd thing at Goodwill the other day. Its a Plexus Audio System box. There is nothing I've been able to find online about this company. Its possibly a phono preamp of some sort. Its the same as http://www.tmraudio.com/product/undefined-373 Anyone here have any info on it?
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Sep 25, 2015 22:26
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I picked up a pair of Kenwood JL 1090AV speakers at a yard sale today for $20 (dude actually gave me three other mismatched speakers plus a Kenwood VR-205) . Anyway, the speakers look and perform fine except for both of the midrange speakers are dead. I checked and confirmed it was the speakers, and not wiring. The speakers are 'T06-0257-05' . The only thing I see on Ebay is one for $45. Anyone have any suggestions on an alternate midrange I could use in there place?
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Sep 26, 2015 23:20
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I bought a used Akai AP-Q50 last month which is mostly working a treat, having replaced the stylus. However, I am having some issues with some 180g vinyl records. The needle seems to jump a groove a lot within the first few minutes of a side. After that, it plays flawlessly. There are no visible issues with the discs. The first few records I had with this issue seem to have stabilised and they now play fine. However, I have just bought the new Queen box set, and they seem particularly prone to the issue. I have tried modifying the antiskate settings and arm weight, but no success so far. I have been doing some research, and there are suggestions that the VTA may need adjusting- though I am not seeing a way to do it on this table. Maybe that is not possible with this model? Are there any other suggestions of things I can try?
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Sep 27, 2015 11:03
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Even with the VTA way off, the stylus should absolutely not jump between grooves. The only way that can happen due to VTA would be because the bottom of the cartridge is hitting the record, and for that to happen the VTA has to be off by several centimeters on any turntable I've ever seen. Some force must be acting on the arm from somewhere other than the stylus. What are the recommended settings for your cartridge, and how is it currently set up?
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Sep 27, 2015 11:10
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Hey all, thank you for your input. The new stylus is definitely working. I'm not convinced that the old stylus was actually damaged. It may be still just dirty. Another question for you all. Do 78 rpm records work with conventional needles? I don't think that they do, but I don't know any of the basic facts in this matter. And are there other types of records that do not play on my turntable? I ask mainly because I shop at antique stores, thrift stores, and curio shops for records, & I run across all kinds of really old stuff. And I also made the mistake of purchasing a set of 78s without realizing what they were.
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Sep 27, 2015 16:31
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78s require a special type of cartridge/stylus, you can't play them with a regular pickup. Other than that, there shouldn't really be anything commonly available you can't play with a normal cartridge. If it says 33 or 45 rpm, you can play it 
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Sep 27, 2015 16:35
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Some cartridges actually will accept a stylus change to support 78s, like the Numark Groovetool, but that's pretty uncommon. At least until you get into really old ceramic cartridges, a lot of them had a flip-over stylus that handled microgrooves on one side and 78s on the other.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:06
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KozmoNaut posted:78s require a special type of cartridge/stylus, you can't play them with a regular pickup. Cools. Yes, I have run across a number of old, old records that say you have to use a special turntable or needle for them, but I figured it was mostly promoting their favorite brand name. I have recently come into a much larger collection of vintage records than I care to rip. Many having dust and mildew or mold on them, but very little wear. Any general suggestions for working with these? I did get some really great stuff, and if I had the time I'd probably be trying to sell more of this. I'm going to have to cut back on my record shopping until I catch up on my backlog somewhat. I am still wanting to find a home for my old Marantz PMD 510 that needs some TLC -- all moving parts appear to be working, FWIW -- and I'm curious if you all may know who could recap/repair old amps for me. I'm particularly looking at a piece of gear that's not proper in this thread, an old Shure mic mixer, and something completely unrelated, a Shuttle flat-screen monitor that I think only requires a minor repair, but not sure. Anybody wants to throw out any offers, PM me. Barter may be acceptable.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:10
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SnakePlissken posted:I have recently come into a much larger collection of vintage records than I care to rip. Many having dust and mildew or mold on them, but very little wear. Any general suggestions for working with these? I did get some really great stuff, and if I had the time I'd probably be trying to sell more of this. I'm going to have to cut back on my record shopping until I catch up on my backlog somewhat. For cleaning records, I prefer to use luke warm water, ordinary dishwashing liquid and a (new) paintbrush. Follow the grooves when using the brush, and take care not to get the labels too wet. For drying, a microfiber towel is ideal, again just follow the grooves when drying. You can get special label protectors that screw on to the records and let you dunk them completely without destroying the labels. There are multiple different types available on Ebay.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:14
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KozmoNaut posted:For cleaning records, I prefer to use luke warm water, ordinary dishwashing liquid and a (new) paintbrush. Follow the grooves when using the brush, and take care not to get the labels too wet. For drying, a microfiber towel is ideal, again just follow the grooves when drying. Sounds like pretty good advice. Thanks again!
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Sep 27, 2015 17:17
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SnakePlissken posted:Hey all, thank you for your input. The new stylus is definitely working. I'm not convinced that the old stylus was actually damaged. It may be still just dirty. They do not. You're gonna need a 78-specific stylus (possibly requiring a new cartridge). There are "flip" cartridges out there that have two styli to handle both shellac and vinyl. http://www.esotericsound.com/CartStyli.htm (Obviously, you're also gonna want to make sure that your turntable can play at that speed) E; fb.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:24
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Electric Bugaloo posted:They do not. You're gonna need a 78-specific stylus (possibly requiring a new cartridge). There are "flip" cartridges out there that have two styli to handle both shellac and vinyl. Thanks to you too. Where might I look for a 78 stylus anyway for my AT turntable? Although I imagine most 78s sound like rear end by today's standards because how undeveloped recording tech was back them. I imagine most 78s were recorded with a single mic and mixing was turning the mic more in the direction of the lead/soloist at the time.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:35
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SnakePlissken posted:Thanks to you too. Where might I look for a 78 stylus anyway for my AT turntable? Although I imagine most 78s sound like rear end by today's standards because how undeveloped recording tech was back them. I imagine most 78s were recorded with a single mic and mixing was turning the mic more in the direction of the lead/soloist at the time. I'm like 99,9% sure your Akai will only play at 33 and 45 RPM, so you're out of luck for the 78s unless you find a turntable that can play at that speed.
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Sep 27, 2015 17:38
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KozmoNaut posted:I'm like 99,9% sure your Akai will only play at 33 and 45 RPM, so you're out of luck for the 78s unless you find a turntable that can play at that speed. Oh, well I meant Audio Technica by AT. But yes, you're right. Though I'm thinking that either REAPER or Audition may be able to speed up the recording in post well enough to get a listenable mp3 if I record to a high enough resolution. I've done something like this once or twice with spoken word records that play at like 16 rpm or something -- actually the exact opposite but you know what I mean.
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Sep 27, 2015 18:01
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Yep. In any case, new 78 carts are readily available online for 'reasonable cartridge prices' (between $35-$100). As far as compatible TTs are concerned, your best bet might be something old on craigslist that can play at that setting. They also sell special 78 adaptor wheels for lots of belt-drive stuff.
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Sep 27, 2015 18:20
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I think I have discovered the source of my jumping. I tried lightening the weight in order to get a proper balance on the tone arm. For the first few centimetres over a record, it has a pronounced pull towards the centre- even if the stylus is not placed on a record. After this, the stylus stays in place. I looks like the auto-return is misaligned, which explains why I have to move the stylus a good bit over the record before it starts to turn (which was annoying). It also explains why the auto-return never actually worked, it only triggers when the stylus is further inward than the record actually goes! I guess there must be something about some newer records which makes this more noticeable? Now I just need to work out what to do to fix this!
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Sep 28, 2015 18:19
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My Technics SL-23 with auto-return has a little screw near the tone arm pivot. It was a pain to adjust, as even small adjustments made a big difference. Hopefully yours is just out of tune, and doesn't need repair to get fixed.
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Sep 28, 2015 23:34
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I found that last night and tried tweaking it, as per the service guide I found. It seemed to make a slight difference to where the auto return triggered, but none to where the autostart triggers and the pull inward at the beginning. I guess something has gone out of alignment? I am getting in touch with some local repair shops today.
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Sep 29, 2015 09:20
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I fixed my broken Technics dust cover hinge without cracking the plastic.  
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Sep 30, 2015 02:18
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Nice! I have like 3 dust covers I need to get fixed like that for the shop. I refuse to sell a turntable without a dustcover.
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Sep 30, 2015 03:33
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wa27 posted:I fixed my broken Technics dust cover hinge without cracking the plastic. I have one I need to fix like that. Did you buy the hardware?
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Sep 30, 2015 09:37
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Got a new belt, but now the needle doesn't go all the way down. I suspect the autoreturn mechanism is stuck somehow.
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Sep 30, 2015 11:27
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TooLShack posted:I refuse to sell a turntable without a dustcover. You da real MVP
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Sep 30, 2015 22:06
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BigFactory posted:I have one I need to fix like that. Did you buy the hardware? I found a bag of miscellaneous brackets at a thrift store, and a few of these were in it:  Maybe someone could tell me what they're called. The only marking on them is "R". Anyway, I bent the weird piece on the end off with pliers (it's only attached on one side), then folded the long piece back on itself. It's too long and too thin normally, but doubling it up made it perfect. Here's a good tutorial if you want to do it "right". I didn't have the ability to cut a piece of aluminum but this ended up being much easier, cheaper, and it looks fine when it's in the slot. Plus I didn't have to drill or cut any metal. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=337557 http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=656267 edit: Looks like they're window shade brackets. I can't find any similar ones that would work, though. wa27 fucked around with this message at 14:55 on Oct 1, 2015 |
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Oct 1, 2015 00:05
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Kabusa finally has the hinge kits for the 1200 back in stock! Thanks for reminding me to look.
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Oct 1, 2015 13:36
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I needed some kind of stereo for my kitchen after the iPod dock I bought turned out to have a horribly noisy transformer, so I picked up this JVC RX-150 for $7. It was missing a foot and the volume control was a bit scratchy, easy fixes. No specs seem to be available anywhere, but total power consumption is 80W, so I assume it's around 15 watts/channel. It certainly plays loud enough in my kitchen through my el-cheapo Yamaha NX-GX50 bookshelf speakers. The FM reception is great, although I mostly just use my Chromecast.
KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 10:33 on Oct 14, 2015 |
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Oct 14, 2015 10:29
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Any companies make semi-automatic turntables these days? Want to buy a record player (have re-discovered several boxes of albums in the loft) and, yes, I could just buy a manual Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, but would like the convenience of the drat thing switching itself off. Or does the extra parts that make up the return system impact on sound quality and just bump up the price?
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Oct 20, 2015 08:24
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| # ? May 14, 2024 23:46 |
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I have a Pro-Ject RPM 5.1 SE and I have a Sony PS-LX300USB USB. When I'm feeling lazy or listening to scratched up old records I prefer to use the Sony. Nothing wrong with it, and it's about $700 cheaper.
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Oct 20, 2015 14:31
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