SL-1500C tonearm shape defective?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by woodpigeon, Feb 27, 2021.

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  1. Ripblade

    Ripblade Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Six
    Ok, that's a recipe for failure lol.
     
  2. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    So, is there a consensus that the tonearm pipe was not jigged properly, that's to say the screw holes are not aligned correctly?
     
  3. Ripblade

    Ripblade Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Six
    Works for me. The question remains as to how it happened. There are a number of ways but the self tapping screws don't inspire confidence. The pipe could have deformed somehow after it was bent just prior to final assembly to a nominal spec. Dull drill bit, inaccurate hole locations...

    I guess like anything, it's built to a price point.
     
  4. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    From this thread and others concerning warped platters and anti-skate locking lever not indexing to locking point before reaching a hard stop, I am loosing confidence in the Technics brand. My SL-1210GR has had a squeaky tonearm lift since day one, as well as the anti-skate lever issue. These are not big deals for me but I am glad I've retained my 46 year old Sony PS-4750, which has no issues and still operates flawlessly.
     
  5. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Not sure how the squeaky lift can be considered an issue. You're sliding the lift point along new rubber, lift it to clear it and no squeak!

    Looked at my 40+ year old SL1700 and it looks to be made the same. Rubber has aged enough that it does not squeak.....so rubber will harden with age.
     
  6. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    So either the are is rotated where it mates with pivot collar or it is bent/damaged in the middle. If I was there I could confirm!

    Either way, time for new arm or new table, it is defective and should not be used.
     
    woodpigeon and Sterling1 like this.
  7. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Malaysian manufacturing maybe is not being managed as well as we would expect from a company like Technics????.....
     
    Joel S likes this.
  8. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    There are 40 year decks still in service with largely the same design.
     
    The FRiNgE likes this.
  9. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    And my GR has zero issues. So that negates your issues. People are strange with the things they choose to believe.
     
  10. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Or even those which until now have been made in Japan.
     
  11. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    It's not strange at all to get an impression about the quality control of a product when those who have the product present evidence for what's problematic with their example of the product. And, since my Technics SL-1210GR from day one has not had smooth up or down tonearm lift lever action, which makes a very irritating noise, I am somewhat disappointed with the Technics. It's as I said in my earlier post, no big deal; yet, I would prefer the action to be silent as it is on my 46 year old Sony.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2021
  12. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    Again the squeaky lift?
    In less than 46 years, the new will also be silent. That is some serious OCD!
     
    patient_ot likes this.
  13. Ripblade

    Ripblade Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Six
    I don't doubt it. My comment was not intended to address longevity but rather the accuracy of placement. These self-tapping sheet metal screws are just not as accurate as a properly tapped hole with machine screws. I can't say definitively that these are what is responsible for the poor setting of the pipe but it does suggest one possibility.
     
    patient_ot, Oelewapper and Sterling1 like this.
  14. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    The point is, thousands of them have been produced with no issues. A few, apparently, had an issue/s which you haven't addressed under warranty.
     
  15. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I did address it. Technics advised the problem would clear up, I'm waiting. If it does not clear up I will fix it myself when I have time to get around to it.
     
  16. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Technics chose a lightweight silicone damping fluid for the cue mechanism on these new decks, from what I can tell. Lighter weight than many new and older turntables. My new 1200 cue lifter is smooth, when operated properly, and has never made a squeak. It's possible too much or too little fluid was put in yours, or something happened with the fluid during worldwide shipping, warehousing, or shipping to you. It would be an easy fix for a service center, or an owner that is mechanically inclined and has a service manual.
     
    Sterling1 likes this.
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    In manufacturing, any time a new production line is set up for a new product, there are going to be issues.

    We saw that when the G and GR were first introduced, as there were units with warped platters going out, which seemed to go away. Then there were a few reports of occasional issues with the other models, like the MK7 and the 1500C. Those seemed to be largely taken care of over time, but evidently OP got a lemon that really needs to be returned and exchanged for a different one.

    It's worth remembering that the old 1200s were in production for a LONG time and there was ample opportunity to smooth out issues. It's not like a warped platter never happened on an old 1200 either. If you dig enough, you'll find it was an occasional issue back then too.

    For a product like this, I always tell people to work with a good dealer that will take care of the customer and do a no questions asked return or exchange.
     
    Sterling1 likes this.
  18. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Also in the heyday of the old 1200's there was little social media for owners to publicly comment on.
     
    Ripblade and patient_ot like this.
  19. Ripblade

    Ripblade Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Six
    Also in the heyday there were plenty of other tables below the 1200 in the Technics lineup. Today, it's the 1500 at the bottom. Mind you, the 1500 isn't exactly a cheap table, nor is it a terribly expensive one, all things relative.
     
  20. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    I have seen precisely two videos on YT claiming a warped platter from someone in France IIRC. It didn't look warped to me but...
     
  21. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    If still unresolved... The arm tube is twisted clockwise looking head on. To confirm this take a look at the stylus that is isn't tilted to the right. The stylus will be non-perpendicular (bad azimuth) if the arm tube is twisted or defective. The headshell may also appear twisted to the right -or- non-parallel to the record, looking head on.
     
    woodpigeon likes this.
  22. woodpigeon

    woodpigeon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Zealand
    I agree about it seeming like the arm is twisted clockwise, except, the azimuth seems fine, I’ve managed to verify it (visually, using a gauge) at a few different arm heights.

    I’ve just spent a morning putting a 2M cartridge and Technics headshell on and photographing it at different arm heights so that their technicians can better see what is happening.

    The manual says to level the tonearm but it’s not actually possible to get there. You can drop the arm height down as low as it goes, the rear portion of the arm still slopes downwards, and then the front bends up toward the headshell.

    The manual also says the 2M Blue in the Technics headshell should run at an arm height of 4mm, but that’s way too low.

    It’s never been dropped or subjected to force so whatever it is, it seems to be a fault with the geometry or adjustment of the arm. I’m hoping with the latest round of photos they’ll concede something is out of whack, or at least confirm there’s nothing wrong with it and correct my understanding of how to set the arm up.
     
  23. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    IIRC, @snorker had an actual warped platter on his 1200G... but most of those YT videos only show wobbly strobe dots - something that was also common on the classic 1200s.
    Back then no one gave a crap about wobbly strobe dots, so you didn’t hear people complaining about it... but since those decks acquired a legendary status, people think they were immaculate in every way.
     
  24. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    My SL-D-205 has wobbly dots, but the platter runs steadily. I do find this an annoyance, but not really a problem. This turntable has been a workhorse, and still sounds great.
     
    patient_ot likes this.
  25. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    Technics took back my G and measured it and claimed it was was within spec. I then bought a radial run out gauge to measure myself. Though it wasn’t perfect, it was within a reasonable tolerance according to KAB. My subsequent SL-1210GAE is just about perfect though.
     
    patient_ot and Oelewapper like this.
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