How to set the arm of a technics sl1200

[MrShagnasty18]

I Can not get the Assembly to Move up or Down , I Have Unlocked it but it Still Won't Budge , Is There Something I am Missing or Might it Just be Stuck? This is on Both Decks

[CarlitosDJmx]

great explanation dude...thank you much!!

[djpaulalan2009]

good shit dude

[scrotze]

My counterweight seems to be loose I could move it up and down the back of the tonearm w/out having to twist it, should there be something sticking out on the back of the tonearm that grabs the grooves/threads of the counterweight?

[sneskid]

Oh, and make sure your turntable is PERFECTLY LEVEL before you set this! Otherwise, you'll never get it right.

[slytown]

Hell yea. Romanthony.

[turntablewiz]

my tonearm slides over the record very slowly.(using SERATO) album. then it will not slide at all, it will move back in the opposite direction. what are my options as to correct this problem.

[salviakingproduction]

Thanks, cleared a few things up?

[jeromebamley]

What type of cartridge is that? It looks like a Stanton.

[TypicalJoe1900]

Also:By any chance, is there also a video anywhere where somebody explains how to determine what to set the anti-skate option to? I'm not a DJ or anything, I'm just a guy who likes vinyl and likes to play it. All the turntables I've owned before this one (except an ION one I have) had all this stuff pre-set, and even when I set up the ION, I don't know if I had the settings right. I still don't know if I do, and alot of records I have could be in danger.

[liangdar]

normally the anti-skate-weight is the same as the force pointing down

[bifaybump]

take off the headshell so that the tone arm is up in the air, it will swing to one side, keep adjusting and placing the arm back in the middle untill it doesnt swing either way

[sneskid]

That's not how you *properly* adjust anti-skate. Trying to adjust anti-skate while letting the arm float in the air will do nothing. Think about it - if that were the case, then there would be no point to having this adjustment at all.

[MakaShino]

how do you properly adjust anti-skate?

thanks!

[sneskid]

The quick way is to set it to whatever you have your vertical tracking force (weight) set to.

A much more precise method, is to use a blank vinyl or a test record with a grooveless track.

This is just fine for DJing.

For serious listening, anti-skate is usually set by ear, using a track with a woman's voice, or a test record with tones that are recorded so loud, that you immidiately hear the effects of any mistracking that results from the stylus not being perfectly centered in the groove.

[baj993]

You need to get a blank vinal, place the needle on to the middle (while playing) turn the anti skate until the needle stops skating.

[TypicalJoe1900]

I have an Audio Technica AT-PL120,and I need somebody to make a video of how to set that sucker up.

[producerben]

Message me mate, I'll tell you

[juli0v]

i need help! haha im using technics SL-1210M5G

[juli0v]

my tone arms keeps dropping on the record even if the weight is already all the way the other of the edge...what could be wrong?

[coasttocoast7]

shouldnt the cue be down?

[producerben]

The arm lift lever should be down yes

[Dunlaoire]

Good stuff Ellaskins. Hey you should give us a visual demo of how the white piece of plastic works. I wondered to myself what the hell that was for. :-)

[12inchRules]

The white piece of plastic is for calibrating the stylus... For if you need to mount an element instead of using ortofons...

[KEEGAN3000]

what do you mean...instead of using ortofons?

[12inchRules]

Check my video response, some pics of the manual. I think you will get it..

[producerben]

The white "thing" is to adjust whats called the "over hang" of the stylus. I think 12inch means that things like Ortofon Nightclub just "screw in to the arm, job done. Things like Shure, Stanton and that look like the type in this vid are a "half inch mount). These type need to be aligned properly. If you message me, I will do my best to explain how to use the Over hang gauge (the white plastic thing) I am about to run out of characto

[djlitonl]

some usefull info!! thanks

[danenhod]

pookie, there's an indirect relationship bt the weight and the odds of your record skipping. the more weight you put on your needle, the less likely your record will skip. If you do a lot of scratching, you should put a good amount of weight on the stylus.

[DjStinkles]

some skip alot less with LESS weight like the shure m44gs

[battlestarvfx]

Flipping the counterweight backwards is stupid dumb and silly. It's not a good solution to improving tracking and all it does is kill fidelity and the tracing of the groove by the stylus itself while contributing to unwarranted wear on bot the needle and the records. I cringe anytime I see a DJ do this.

[producerben]

Although not a DJ, Yes I agree with you Battlestarvfx, but also if they have a poor kept copy of a track they wanna use or maybe a dubplate on it's last legs, Its often required. Appart from that, people have not been educated as to how to properly set up their deck, so rather than "Cringe" or poke fun and be all "Audiophile" about it, why not nicely show them how to set up their Deck. That's why people like Ellaskins after all

[battlestarvfx]

Well the problem is I see him offering a lot of advice that is simply WRONG or technically incorrect.

[producerben]

What's correct in home audio, does not neccesarily make it correct when playing out live

[56dlp]

@battlestarvfx Yes. Adjusting the height to make the tone arm level is not correct. The height adjustment depends upon the type of stylus. The manufacturer of the stylus provides the height adjustment in their specs. Jonathan did make a good point here though about how the thickness of the slip mat could make a difference. Slight adjustments may be necessary depending upon this.

[fish1234567890]

goddamn lifesaver. I wasn't doing much wrong, but a few things did help. thanks! :D

[fishfan67]

great video mate. i have two questions for you i hope you can help. i have to change the rca wires on my sl 1200s how do i do it. is there alot involved? also if i use gold tiped rca wires would the sound be much different then the original 1200 rca wires?

[djboomchick]

Gold may not make an audible difference, but it is a better conductor, especially if the jack you are plugging into is gold plated.

you should check out the video by dj shortee called turntable tune up. you can get it through how2dj dot com, I think. If you know how to do basic solder removal and soldering, it should be easy for you.

[72twist]

Gold is a good conductor but its oxidation is not. Like most gold plated surfaces, they oxidize. This is why most hi-end audio outfits use silver, which is just as good a conductor and its oxidation is actually MORE conductive than the pure silver.

[Pookie250]

why do u have your weight at closest point to your needle, u will wear down your records as it now has more presure on it.

[shinri1]

I think the word you were looking for is parallel. To get the arm tube parallel with the record, I stand a business card on end right on the record surface just behind the arm tube, first near the headshell, then near the edge of the record, and adjust the arm height until the upper edge of the arm tube reveals the same printed letters on the card at both positions.

[r12echo]

can u do one on changing the whole tone arm?

[ellaskins]

will do one day, but for that i need a knackerd sl1200. johnathan

[DjRadiRKJ]

Great tips! :)

[DudasMiska]

Thank you very much.

[awoodvine]

Cheers for the video. I've read on a few websites how to do it but actually watching your video has made it much clearer.

[kermithefrogg]

miawoo!!

[djcjay89]

i have some vinyls that are thicker than others tho :S and where are you going to find a plain vinyl from? would the shiny side of a cd work or would that bugger the styllus?

[SecretAgent2006]

with white labels you can use a level :) Thats why I like them so much.

[Disten27]

@nickyslaw

If you can use a plane vinyl set the tone arm on the plane vinyl and press start use the antiskating and see what happens the best anti skating level is when the tonearm is no longer moving out of the middle of the vinyl

hmpf i hope you understand that with my bad english ;)

[ellaskins]

Thanks for that !!!

[DudasMiska]

Hello Johnathan

I would like to buy my first Dj setup which consists of ...Technics RP-F550 Stereo digital monitor dj headphones $65...2 Stanton T60 direct drive turntables $223...and one DjX700 Behringer 5 channel Dj mixer $289..Can you please tell me if this is a good deal or not? Im a beginner and I would like to mess around and apply everything I learned from you. Thank you very much. Mike

[ellaskins]

to be honest most shops/stoors will have the same price so you can't realy go wrong, but good to go for direrct drive turntables! johnathan

[DudasMiska]

thank you so much, this weekend Ill get my hands on my first turntable! I will practise everything you have taught me. Although I still cant send you an e-mail, since my outlook express is down and through msn I cant send you one either. Thank you!

[ellaskins]

Hi, to be honest because there is so much gear out there now the cost will be about the same where ever you go. Just make shure you buy direct drive turntables. johnathan

[nickyslaw]

I have technics 1200mk5's by the way.. so your videos are extremely helpful :) One more question,... what is anti skating? I adjust it and notice nothing. Perhaps im not very observant, haha

[nickyslaw]

Thanks a lot ellaskins, that was quick!