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Im Ignant...Technics help please...

The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
edited June 2006 in Strut Central
Just scored a pair of Technics SL-1210MK2...for $90! I was hoping dude didnt know what he had, and when I said, "well, these dont have any needles", and since he didnt give me a "bitch please" look, I figured I could get them for a pittance)Also of note about these turntables, when I took them out of the cases, there were old-ass, small pieces of fried chicken and bullets under the turntables! I guess these tables have seen some action. Anyway, they work fine, but I am confused as why there is a height adjustment under the tonearm mechanism in the back(not the cue lift) but a dial that raises the entire mechanism...is this for setting up to scratch, or what?...never noticed this on 1200s. Thanks.

  Comments

  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    It must be a Vertical Tracking Angle adjuster. Set it so that the cart runs parallel to the record and you should be OK.
  • unlasciviousunlascivious 220 Posts
    height adjustment.

    i keep mine at 0 and gage anti-skating with a record that has no grooves on it. any other way and you're just guessing.
  • catalistcatalist 1,373 Posts
    that price deserves a avatar

    nice score , did I read correctly that you tried to talk him down from $90? or did he give you that price after you said 'these don't have any needles'. cuz talking him down from $90 is def , but I can't picture anybody doing that.
  • kidinquisitivekidinquisitive 1,627 Posts
    height adjustment.

    i keep mine at 0 and gage anti-skating with a record that has no grooves on it. any other way and you're just guessing.

    What exactly does anti-skating mean, anyway? Very basic, I realize, but I never paid much attention to it.
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    height adjustment.

    i keep mine at 0 and gage anti-skating with a record that has no grooves on it. any other way and you're just guessing.

    What exactly does anti-skating mean, anyway? Very basic, I realize, but I never paid much attention to it.
    The side to side tracking of the needle, it's all related to the friction of needle & the displacement of it's force as the record spins.
  • djbrigidopedjbrigidope 166 Posts
    anti skate is supposed to act against skating forces (inward yes?)

    when the record is travelling in it's normal direction, clockwise, the needle is drawn inward. if, for some reason, you have a problem with the needle skipping inward
    while the record is playing normally, you can increase the anti skate (it pushes the needle outward, i dont know how exactly, my guess would be magical gremlins...not graemlins)

    however if you intend to dj with your techs, (the reason why you got two?)
    when you scratch or even just spinning the record back, you are applying force to the needle outwards. an increase in anti skate would magnify these forces and increase the chances of skippage on a backspin... this is within the context of djing.

    so if you dont dj you can set the anti skate how you please.

    if you dj, most would suggest you leave it at 0. i have however seen djs increase anti skate on a skippy setup and the problem is remedied. i dont know... maybe they know how to appease the magical gremlins of needle skipping.

    but generally djs leave the anti skate at 0

    height adjustment at the base of the tonearm will affect how parallel your tonearm/cart assembly is to the record.

    alot of people say to balance out your tone arm, set the mfg suggested weight and adjust the height so your tonearm is pretty much parallel to the record.

    i guess for the least amt of preassure and wear and tear on your rec, this would be best.

    and if you arent djing that would be good.

    if you are a dj and have elephant hands like me... i usually raise the tonearms to about 4 (for shure m447s)

    usually helps on especially skippy setups.

    it shows those magical gremlins of skipping who is boss... tycoonin.


    um yeah and i have been up for longer than 24 hours...

    shitty gig last night. fuck a beat2006.com gig.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    that price deserves a avatar

    nice score , did I read correctly that you tried to talk him down from $90? or did he give you that price after you said 'these don't have any needles'. cuz talking him down from $90 is def , but I can't picture anybody doing that.

    nah, I didnt try and talk him down from $90...he told me to make an offer and thats when I made the needle comment, and since he didnt look at me like I was out of my mind, I offered him $90 and he took it.
  • djbrigidopedjbrigidope 166 Posts
    ps.. all that only applies to s curved tonearms.. straight arm tonearms like on a vestax ptd or numark ttx experience way less (zero?) side to side trackign forces on a needle. forces on a needle are straight in a line in both forward and backward record movements.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    thanks for the help y'all...they be playin' rill nice. I put some Stanton 890's on them, crisp and clean ( I dont scratch, but they make cueing and back cueing less painful to my raers, I use elipticals for recording). Now I just need some good cases(I bought 'em with those fuzzy grey fuggers on them...I hate those).
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    anti skate is supposed to act against skating forces (inward yes?)
    when the record is travelling in it's normal direction, clockwise, the needle is drawn inward. if, for some reason, you have a problem with the needle skipping inward
    while the record is playing normally, you can increase the anti skate (it pushes the needle outward, i dont know how exactly, my guess would be magical gremlins...not graemlins)
    however if you intend to dj with your techs, (the reason why you got two?)
    when you scratch or even just spinning the record back, you are applying force to the needle outwards. an increase in anti skate would magnify these forces and increase the chances of skippage on a backspin... this is within the context of djing.
    so if you dont dj you can set the anti skate how you please.
    if you dj, most would suggest you leave it at 0. i have however seen djs increase anti skate on a skippy setup and the problem is remedied. i dont know... maybe they know how to appease the magical gremlins of needle skipping.
    but generally djs leave the anti skate at 0
    height adjustment at the base of the tonearm will affect how parallel your tonearm/cart assembly is to the record.
    alot of people say to balance out your tone arm, set the mfg suggested weight and adjust the height so your tonearm is pretty much parallel to the record.
    i guess for the least amt of preassure and wear and tear on your rec, this would be best.
    and if you arent djing that would be good.
    if you are a dj and have elephant hands like me... i usually raise the tonearms to about 4 (for shure m447s)
    usually helps on especially skippy setups.
    it shows those magical gremlins of skipping who is boss... tycoonin.

    I wish there was an Instructional DVD for Technics.
  • DrJoelDrJoel 932 Posts
    At the height of my: 'i want to be a turntablist phase', i was trying to figure out how to set the platter to spin slowly down rather than stop on a dime with on/off button on 1200s. i read up on it back then and if i remember correctly you go in through the bottom of the whole turntable...i think or something under the platter...i forget. No practical use for it now, but has anyone made this modification to their 12s?
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    At the height of my: 'i want to be a turntablist phase', i was trying to figure out how to set the platter to spin slowly down rather than stop on a dime with on/off button on 1200s. i read up on it back then and if i remember correctly you go in through the bottom of the whole turntable...i think or something under the platter...i forget. No practical use for it now, but has anyone made this modification to their 12s?


    This is really easy to do. Just look under the platter for a little blue screw thing. If you turn it a little it will make it stop slowly if you go the other way it will spin back. I have mine set so they spin back about half a rotation when you hit stop. It sounds nice when you do drops with 45s and stuff where you arn't going to mix.
  • KinoKino 17 Posts
    Awright y'all, here's a question. How important is that extra screw-in counterweight that connects to the back of the tonearm behind the larger adjustable counterweight? I just noticed my turntables are missing that weight.

    And another thing.. how heavy to set the counterwieght for just playing records? And for scratching?
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts

    And another thing.. how heavy to set the counterwieght for just playing records? And for scratching?

    BAN
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts

    And another thing.. how heavy to set the counterwieght for just playing records? And for scratching?

    BAN

    Hey J Lo report to my needle help thread.
  • KinoKino 17 Posts

    And another thing.. how heavy to set the counterwieght for just playing records? And for scratching?

    BAN

    Yeah, I can search or RTFM. I won't find an answer though. It's a valid question considering the lack of extra counterwieght.
  • DrJoelDrJoel 932 Posts
    At the height of my: 'i want to be a turntablist phase', i was trying to figure out how to set the platter to spin slowly down rather than stop on a dime with on/off button on 1200s. i read up on it back then and if i remember correctly you go in through the bottom of the whole turntable...i think or something under the platter...i forget. No practical use for it now, but has anyone made this modification to their 12s?


    This is really easy to do. Just look under the platter for a little blue screw thing. If you turn it a little it will make it stop slowly if you go the other way it will spin back. I have mine set so they spin back about half a rotation when you hit stop. It sounds nice when you do drops with 45s and stuff where you arn't going to mix.

    Good look. i always loved the sound of dropouts and stuff. i remember thinking i was going about it all wrong when i tried before.
  • ZachDZachD 318 Posts
    anti skate is supposed to act against skating forces (inward yes?)
    when the record is travelling in it's normal direction, clockwise, the needle is about 4 (for shure m447s)
    usually helps on especially skippy setups.
    it shows those magical gremlins of skipping who is boss... tycoonin.

    I wish there was an Instructional DVD for Technics.


    There is this:

    http://tinyurl.com/l2cl6

    ALso there is a very good demo on setting up m447 needles on the turntable mechanics DVD with some knowledge dropped like 447's do not require heavy weight to stay in the groove they work better with less weight.

    I think I'm going to learn to fix common issues on 1200's.. I have 3 that have problems like the arm rest has broken off.. ground wire is shitty... channels out.. etc.

    related: I had an OG DJ tell me if you raise the entire arm apparatus to the top you would get more bass (!). I've never really tried to verify that but I know a lot of the stuff he told me / showed me were ingenious so I have not doubted it.
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