Speakerplans.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > General > Electro Frying Forum
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Technics 1210 channels not giving the same level..
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Technics 1210 channels not giving the same level..

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
monkeypuzzle View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc


Joined: 25 January 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 923
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote monkeypuzzle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Technics 1210 channels not giving the same level..
    Posted: 04 April 2020 at 6:26pm
So I was just about to record a lockdown mix for some mates and it seems one channel of one of my decks is about 3db lower than the other.

Things I've done to check:

Swap deck to another input channel - problem follows deck

Cleaned the contacts in the headshell - no change

Swap cartridge - problem stays on the deck

Swapped L+R channels around - problem follows channel

Shortened and re soldered the RCA lead cutting out the bit that goes through the clamp below the tone arm just in case its breaking inside the cable - no change

I've only got a cheap RCA lead that I can butcher to see if it's the connectors at the end or elsewhere on the cable. I also checked where the thin wires from the tone arm solder to the PCB and all seems fine.

I'll swap the RCA next but does anyone have any ideas?

Cheers.

blah blah blah blah blah......
Back to Top
monkeypuzzle View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc


Joined: 25 January 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 923
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote monkeypuzzle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 April 2020 at 7:15pm
Okay, just changed the RCA for a decent one I found and still no joy. Somewhere between the spring terminals in the tone arm and the solder pads on the PCB at the base of it one channel is loosing 3db...

Argh... this is really starting to bug me...
blah blah blah blah blah......
Back to Top
jacethebase View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 23 September 2009
Location: Somerset
Status: Offline
Points: 5697
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jacethebase Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 April 2020 at 7:59pm
Clean the 4 brass pins inside the tone arm. Nail polish remover will do the job or some IPA.

Next step after that is to take the deck apart and follow it back from phono socket to the tone arm.

A 1210 has a fairly simple signal path. How ever they are mostly fairly old now.
www.wedding-production.co.uk

www.stage2sound.com
Back to Top
jacethebase View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 23 September 2009
Location: Somerset
Status: Offline
Points: 5697
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jacethebase Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 April 2020 at 8:02pm
You can take the connection out of the tone arm fairly easily. Just beware the cables inside the tone arm are EXTREMELY lightweight and fragile. 
99% of issues with 1210’s loosing signal in my experience is that connection between headshell and tone arm.
www.wedding-production.co.uk

www.stage2sound.com
Back to Top
monkeypuzzle View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc


Joined: 25 January 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 923
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote monkeypuzzle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 April 2020 at 8:31pm
Cheers, I've replaced the phono cables with a new one, cleaned the brass pins in both headshell and the tone arm but forgot to mention, will look inside tone arm at the tip. I'm beginning to feel this is a combination of quite a few things and its a PITA every time I take the deck back downstairs, half reassembled just to test it. I'll keep at it...... not got loads of other work on these days...
Smile
blah blah blah blah blah......
Back to Top
bob4 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 29 February 2004
Location: Finland/Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 1842
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bob4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 April 2020 at 8:25am
What kind of carts are you using? If you are using headshells, that could be another potential source of grief. I recently replaced one of my old headshells and was delighted to find a great improvement. I bought a brand new audio technica hs10bk. Not cheap at 35€, but very solid, and comes with a nice set of fresh cables and screws and nuts.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.