How much does tuning your tables do??

R

Rhythm Addict

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Whats up...I bought my beautiful used 1210MkII's about a year ago, and since I have owned them they've never been tuned....DJ store up here charges about $50/deck to tune them up....I'm assuming they're going to re-calibrate the pitch, tune the brake if it needs it, and the start time....Do any of you have experience with this? Were they much better after you got 'em tuned? Thanks in advance..
-Sanjay:cool:
 
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I do a complete tune up of my SL's once a year at least (myself, it's free :D)...
 
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how noticeable is the difference? (keep in mind my decks haven't ever been tuned, to my knowledge)
 
Well for one thing, I'm sure my SL's run fine, without any problems, unlike some other units I have seen (irregular pitch, wacky controls, burned out lights, chopped off power switches, wrecked spindles, ...).

How do I inspect my SL's?
- general inspection at first : tonearm ok?, cables ok? pitch ok?

- I open up the table completely, first the top. Recalibrate the brake so it stops dead each time. Then recalibrate the pitch so the +6% strobe dots stand dead still at +6% (I like my tables default 8%). Complete cleaning out, and checking the main electronics continuity (with multimeter).
Checking if the screws are still tight at the tonearm.

- Then the bottom. Check if the cables are still fixed thight, cleaning out electronics, checking bulbs and leds, recalibrating the pitch zero point si it falls at 0% exactly (no double 0%). If this setting had an influence on the pitch range (not 8% anymore), I readjust the pitch range at the top.

- Cleaning the TT.

Voila that's my yearly tuning :)
 
do you know??????

I too do touch up repairs and checks on my tables, but I don't know the freq for the top pitch pot. I haven't been able to find it listed anywhere........

If anyone can help...... I'd really appreciate it

thanks

If anyone ever comes to seoul Korea, Look me up.......
 
Hey Thy, I was checking out my tables to see if they need tuning. One was great but the other was off. Is it normal for it to be fine at -3.3 and zero, but then as you speed up it goes farther off. The dots at +6 stay still at +7 and the +3.3 is also off.
 
I was also looking for the thread were you explained how to calibrate them, but I couldn't find it. Could you direct me to it? Thanks :victory:
 
Ok, here we go!
You'll need to open up the base of your table for this. First secure all loose parts from your TT (lock the arm, remove the 45RPM adaptor and the headshell). Put the dustcover on (or top of the flightcase, anything that allows you to put the TT upside down without breaking the arm). It's best you put it upside down on a large pillow when you use the dustcover (for more stability because the pillow "absorbs" the little extrusion from the dustcover).
Once upside down, it's screwdriver time. First unscrew the four feet by hand. After that look at the black rubber base of the Technics. You should see 21 (not more) screws ordered in two circles. You'll have to unscrew them all. The only screws you shouldn't touch are those that hold the cable cache.
Once you unscrewed it all, remove the black rubber base (it can take some wiggling and pulling before it comes off). Watch out you don't rip off the cables.
You should see the bottom side of the circuit board now. Look where the pitch slider is (well the circuit board of it). There you should see a little hole (THAT's the one), it can make it easier if you unscrew the pitch slider, to improve accesibility.
Now the question is, do you have a multimeter??? If yes, it's easier. Measure the impedance/resistance of the little potentiometer (center pin - and, most outer pin +).
Factory default is 2.7 kOhm, but I've had several SL's where 3.25 kOhm gave a better result.
If you don't have a multimeter, no problem, just adjust it (be careful it's VERY precise, a slight turn is already a huge change in resistance).
Multimeter or not, it's always to try the setting and correct if necessary. Just temporarlily put the remaining part of the TT (no need to replace the black botton each time) normally on the pillow, and try the pitch slider. Just do it like this. Start at 0% and move to negative pitch. Watch very carefully. The dots should progressively start moving backwards (if they move forward at first, even slightly, you need to adjust more). Then do the same the other side (positive = dots should begin moving forward directly, not backwards at first...). Adjust again if necessary.
Ok if your SL wanted to cooperate (like I said before some are totally broken in that matter), you should only have one 0% left. Now wait. If you want, we'll calibrate the pitch range so it is factory default (+/-8%). Remove the platter, then the black plastic cache (4 or 5 screws holding it). You should see the TOP of the circuit board, and somewhere on it a blue potentiometer with PITCH written next to it. This is to adjust your pitch RANGE. Normally to be very precise, you'll use a frequency counter and set it to 262.08 kHz, but here it's better to do it by hand, always testing. The best way to calibrate is to set your pitch at +6%. Adjust until the +6% strobe dots stand still (the little ones, of course you need to put your platter back while testing). Once done that, set your pitch at approximatively 3.3% and the respective dots should (almost) stand still too. Same for -3.3%. Voila, calibrated.
PS : there's also another pot (older SL's : metal, newer : blue) with brake written next to it. This is for adjusting the brake. Adjust it like you want (normally when set right, the platter should could to a FULL stop (this means full, not even going backwards again) in a angle from 90-120°.
Once you are happy, just put everything back as it was (plastic cache, platter, pitch slider if you removed it, rubber base and all its screws, the four feet). Voila, if everything went fine, you should have a good working Technics now!!!


Oh by the way filatlarge, the default frequency of the top pitch pot should be 262.08 kHz (with a 0.05 kHz error margin)
 
filatlarge

hey thanks a lot for the pitch pot specs

One thing we should add to this message.......

If your not confident with electronics, DON"T TRY THIS AT HOME.

I was lucky, cos I had a busted up 1200 to try things on,
but remember that SL's are really expensive, so it's probably better to take it to a tech , than having to buy as new table....................

It's pretty easy though, once you get your head around it.

:monkey:
 
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