Petition launched to reintroduce Technics turntables (Update: The SL-1200 is Back!)*

do they still hum?

 

Got to spend a lot of time this weekend listening to my 1200GAE, the gift (to myself) that keeps on giving!

My only complaint - the dust cover has a really weak hinge and it is finicky to stay open while I'm swapping out records. Is there any means to tighten this up, or an aftermarket acrylic cover that stays up better? No Viagra jokes, please.

 

This surprises me, my GR stays opened easily.

 

Mine stays open easily too.

 

Ditto for my GR. No issue either the dust cover staying open

 

It may act like this if not opened to the max but half the way up.

 

I can get it to open about 6" high, but even that is tenuous. Doesn't wanna stay up.

 

Do you have it inside a cabinet or something, that prevents maximum opening? That would be the reason.

 

My Technics SL 1210 MK5 came with its Dustcover separate and I've actually never assembled it. I just place it on top when required. If I actually connected it to the turntable via the flimsy hinge it wouldn't open all the way because it would hit the wall behind it. Still.. a great turntable.

 

No. It takes a bit of effort to get it to stay in this position.

 

Contact your dealer. The springs in the hinges should keep it open without trouble.

 

Why do you want to change records in that position? Answer is used outside the design parameters. BTW turntables sound better with lid off when playing.

 

I don’t understand. How else would I change a record?

Probably a discussion for another thread

 

With lid fully open then it won't drop down! Don't recall hinged lids typically staying up in that position.

 

My lid doesn’t open much higher than that. It won’t go to a 90 degree angle.

 

It’s hard to tell from the pic, but it should open at roughly a 45° angle. The picture angle makes it look more like 30° to me.

 

It shouldn't. Does it drop when it's max opened, some 45 degrees?

 

Yes, when I open (carefully) to about 45˚, it will drop down to about 30˚ as seen in my picture above.

Right, it only stays open at the angle in the pic. It can go higher (45˚), but it won't stay up.

 

Than it's damaged.

 

I was hoping there was some way to tighten or adjust it. I reached out to Technics yesterday, but no response yet.

 

Maybe there is a way, I don't know.

 

Then there's something wrong with the hinges. Maybe it's the photo but that looks between 30 and 45 degrees. I would expect it to go to at least 70 degrees.

 

I'm not home but from memory, my 1200G cover opens about 60-65º & stays firmly up (I put a 45º angle against the open lid when new & it was a fair way beyond this. It's never changed)

 

My G stays fully open and I regularly leave it on when playing and changing records. Perhaps there’s a way to tighten the hinges. You may want to ask Kevin at KAB. He’s the expert on all things Technics.

 

Same issue with my G. I added plastic shims behind the hinge and it is now stiff enough to stay up in the half open position, or lower. Getting the shims in wasn't easy as I had to fight the spring tension. I used pieces cut out of a plastic container top.

BTW, my Mk2 hinge was stiff and the cover stayed put in many positions, that's why I made the mods to my G hinge.