I aquired an older Technics SL-1400 MK2 turntable. I suspect it is better quality than my current older Technics SL D212 turntable as it weighs about 3 times that of the SL D212. I had a dealer peruse it and he informed me the suspension springs were gone. He and myself tried to get replacements but Technics do not stock them ( 1979 vintage). I have tried all the web turntable repair places and no , no one has them used or new.
I was wondering if those tweak ideas such as golf balls cut in half may improve the situation?
Any opinions?
I was wondering if those tweak ideas such as golf balls cut in half may improve the situation?
Any opinions?
When I used to take things apart in my youth, I remember chopping a golf ball in half once, and the inside was packed with tiny strands of compressed rubber. They expanded out as soon as taken out of compression, and I don't see how this would work for a suspension system.
I would either try the half squash balls as has been suggested, or remove the springs and lock down the suspension to make it a solid plinth TT, then use a sandbox or innertube for solid or suspended floors respectively.
The SL1200 isn't a bad TT if you replace the arm, but I'm unsure of the 1400. Also, get a bottle of bearing lube for the SL1200 ($4), which is a current part or available from www.kabusa.com and lube the bearing good. Needs to be done ever 12 months or so, and no one ever does it. I nearly binned an SP10 before I lubed it, now it's quiet like a mouse. Not a pink one.
The SL1200 isn't a bad TT if you replace the arm, but I'm unsure of the 1400. Also, get a bottle of bearing lube for the SL1200 ($4), which is a current part or available from www.kabusa.com and lube the bearing good. Needs to be done ever 12 months or so, and no one ever does it. I nearly binned an SP10 before I lubed it, now it's quiet like a mouse. Not a pink one.
I assume he meant squash or tennis balls. Golf balls would be a chore to cut in half, not to mention the lack of suspension they would offer.
I'm curious as to how a turntable spring expires, and how a dealer would diagnose such a fault. Not to put too fine a point on it, I don't see any way in which a turntable spring could fail. We're not talking about tank suspension springs that are hammered by being driven at full tilt across a field with shell holes, we're talking about a suspension that is treated with reverence and prayed to each day (oh God, please don't let me scrunge the stylus).
You could get a set of tuned (i.e. matched frequency) springs from another TT manufacturer, as suggested above.
They'd have to fit, of course, so check the diametres, screws etc on the subassembly.
A parts shop may stock this stuff too; bet you it would be cheaper than the branded equivalent
They'd have to fit, of course, so check the diametres, screws etc on the subassembly.
A parts shop may stock this stuff too; bet you it would be cheaper than the branded equivalent
springs
greetings audio addict
chuck the springs and invest in a decent isolation platform.
If I remember right the springs work similar to the SP10 MKII/Obsidian base combo in that their function is to filter out low frequency feedback (supposdly tuned to 16hzs) but nevertheless detract from an otherwise perfect TT.
A diy platform is easy and you can use the balls there. I used 6 "super bounce" plastic foam balls cut in half with 3 sheets of 16mm mdf 4 AT605 feet (can use 4 halves instead if feet not available)and for fun a sheet of glass and 4 self made alu spikes . Will eventually take pic (if anyone interested) and the best part was it won instant WAP when finished in black.
End result no feedback/vibration of any kind at all and believe me with a Micro BL 77 you will hear it if it is there.
All other attempts never got to first base. (mind you if I added some flashing leds to the bottom it could be miscontrued for an UFO)😉
regards
greetings audio addict
chuck the springs and invest in a decent isolation platform.
If I remember right the springs work similar to the SP10 MKII/Obsidian base combo in that their function is to filter out low frequency feedback (supposdly tuned to 16hzs) but nevertheless detract from an otherwise perfect TT.
A diy platform is easy and you can use the balls there. I used 6 "super bounce" plastic foam balls cut in half with 3 sheets of 16mm mdf 4 AT605 feet (can use 4 halves instead if feet not available)and for fun a sheet of glass and 4 self made alu spikes . Will eventually take pic (if anyone interested) and the best part was it won instant WAP when finished in black.
End result no feedback/vibration of any kind at all and believe me with a Micro BL 77 you will hear it if it is there.
All other attempts never got to first base. (mind you if I added some flashing leds to the bottom it could be miscontrued for an UFO)😉
regards
I believe to specify a specific spring to a spring manufacturer you need the following information:-
Spring type e.g. torsion, compression etc.
Type & section of wire e.g. music wire round section
Wire diameter e.g. 16g, 20g
Assuming compression spring:-
Approx free length
Approx height fully compressed
Load being carried & number of springs sharing load
This is not a complete list but if you can answer the above many of the larger spring manufacturers may have what you are looking for as an off the shelf item from their vast range of stock.
In the U.K. a company called Lee Springs are pretty helpful.
Spring type e.g. torsion, compression etc.
Type & section of wire e.g. music wire round section
Wire diameter e.g. 16g, 20g
Assuming compression spring:-
Approx free length
Approx height fully compressed
Load being carried & number of springs sharing load
This is not a complete list but if you can answer the above many of the larger spring manufacturers may have what you are looking for as an off the shelf item from their vast range of stock.
In the U.K. a company called Lee Springs are pretty helpful.
Audio Addict
This is large spring mnfr. in Canada:-
Associated Spring
The Wallace Barnes Company Ltd.
Ontario L7N 1A3
Phone (1) 416 335 6688
These details are a bit out of date but Company is still going in UK so hopefully you should be able to find them without too much trouble.
Tim F
This is large spring mnfr. in Canada:-
Associated Spring
The Wallace Barnes Company Ltd.
Ontario L7N 1A3
Phone (1) 416 335 6688
These details are a bit out of date but Company is still going in UK so hopefully you should be able to find them without too much trouble.
Tim F
I have a SL 1500 and with what I find from the net, there isn't much difference between the SL 1400 - 1500.
I just purchased this SL 1500, cleaned and tweaked it but I didn't saw any springs
The only suspension I got (SL 1500) are these rubber feet. Wich I'm gonna replace with the ones from a SL 1200 you can find on http://www.htfr.com/technics/
I just purchased this SL 1500, cleaned and tweaked it but I didn't saw any springs
The only suspension I got (SL 1500) are these rubber feet. Wich I'm gonna replace with the ones from a SL 1200 you can find on http://www.htfr.com/technics/
Many thanks for all the replies.
Yes Squash balls seem more a more likely solution than golf balls...very hard.
I have not hooked up the turntable as yet. The SL-1400 MK 2 weighs more twice of my current Technics SL-D212.
I appreciate all the replies. Very informative group.
I sorta got into lawn sales through some friends last year and I have been pilferaging many for deals on vinyl. So nice to find people who treasured their vinyl over the years and to purchase these excellent condition Lp's for a song.
The majority of my audio equipment has been through lawn sale aquisitions.
Yes it is the turntable rumble I hope to improve upon to really increase bass.
I also did some net searching since the post and I have posted some of these
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html
http://community.webtv.net/roncla/MAGNETICISOLATION
http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/p...1& product_name=VW1 Wall Mount Turntable Shel<br%20/>f
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html
Yes Squash balls seem more a more likely solution than golf balls...very hard.
I have not hooked up the turntable as yet. The SL-1400 MK 2 weighs more twice of my current Technics SL-D212.
I appreciate all the replies. Very informative group.
I sorta got into lawn sales through some friends last year and I have been pilferaging many for deals on vinyl. So nice to find people who treasured their vinyl over the years and to purchase these excellent condition Lp's for a song.
The majority of my audio equipment has been through lawn sale aquisitions.
Yes it is the turntable rumble I hope to improve upon to really increase bass.
I also did some net searching since the post and I have posted some of these
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/sandblaster_e.html
http://community.webtv.net/roncla/MAGNETICISOLATION
http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/p...1& product_name=VW1 Wall Mount Turntable Shel<br%20/>f
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html
Interesting reply from another web site. Any comments on this product?
Hello...
I am aquainted with the old Technics DD turntables, having wasted my youth in hi-fi shops.
Audioquest makes a large solid Sorbothane foot that is supposed to be used under the existing feet of a turntable. Perhaps your hi-fi guy could use them to dampen the platter mechanism. Also there is sheet sorbothane that can be cut to make a damper of infinate height.
Sorbothane is the most absorbant material made by man. My guess is also once you get the turntable running again, a sorbothane platter mat can help dampen out the vibs from your DD motor
Hope these ideas help.
...an old dried up hi-end guy
Note the recommended grade for low frequency audio applicationson the PDF file
http://www.sorbothane.com/PDF/StandardProduct.pdf
Hello...
I am aquainted with the old Technics DD turntables, having wasted my youth in hi-fi shops.
Audioquest makes a large solid Sorbothane foot that is supposed to be used under the existing feet of a turntable. Perhaps your hi-fi guy could use them to dampen the platter mechanism. Also there is sheet sorbothane that can be cut to make a damper of infinate height.
Sorbothane is the most absorbant material made by man. My guess is also once you get the turntable running again, a sorbothane platter mat can help dampen out the vibs from your DD motor
Hope these ideas help.
...an old dried up hi-end guy
Note the recommended grade for low frequency audio applicationson the PDF file
http://www.sorbothane.com/PDF/StandardProduct.pdf
Audio Addict said:
I have the SL-1700 MK2 with the original suspension. However, with low bass, I was still getting rumble back in the system. So what I did was get four tennis balls and put them under the rubber feet of the TT. I have no problems playing the stereo at high volumes now without any rumble what so ever.
(The interconnects that you can see behind the TT are from the Nakamichi DR-2 deck above it. The grey and purple interconnects in the foreground are going to the two Carver amps and Audiocontrol crossover on the JBL L112 center channel speakers. The thin blue wire is a fiber optic wire going to a Sony PS2 on the coffee table and the 12awg Monster Cable is for the center channel.)
Here's a picture to show how it is set up. I am using a Sumiko Blue Point cartridge on the stock tonearm that has been rewired with Kible Kable along with DIY Kible Kable interconnects hard-wired into the TT.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I get my springs from McMaster-Carr and Small Parts Inc. You need to know the mass that you are trying to filter out, i.e. 17.5Kg. So maybe you need 4 springs that are rted at 6lbs/imch.
Then the physical dimensions that you are bound by, i.e. Spring OAL= 50mm, Compressed height= 30 mm, Spring O.D.= 25.4mm, then you have to find one will make the TT oscillate no higher than 3Hz. I think thats the frequency Linn aims for.
I am toying with the idea of torsion bar or leaf spring suspension on my DIY TT. That would be the Porsche 911 or the C6 Corvette mod 🙂
Then the physical dimensions that you are bound by, i.e. Spring OAL= 50mm, Compressed height= 30 mm, Spring O.D.= 25.4mm, then you have to find one will make the TT oscillate no higher than 3Hz. I think thats the frequency Linn aims for.
I am toying with the idea of torsion bar or leaf spring suspension on my DIY TT. That would be the Porsche 911 or the C6 Corvette mod 🙂
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