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Technics SL Q2 freshen up


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I watched this SL Q2 on Gumtree for three weeks and in the end the urge to try a TT that had auto return was too much.

It was advertised without head shell and cart, platter mat and the hinge tabs for the lid were broken off. Previous owner fitted his head shell / cart and gave a demo and everything appeared to be ok.

On getting it home I gave it a bit of a clean up and the lid a bit of a polish.

Cleaned all the old grease off all the moving parts and applied fresh, lubricated the spindle as per the manual and put it back together.

One of the broken tabs for the lid was still in the hinge so I only had to fabricate one from an old TT lid. Glued on with super glue, after curing for a few hours, the new tab was secure enough to saw and file in to shape.

 

Time to try it out.

With the aid of a test record with a blank groove section the anti skate proved impossible to set and the arm would move towards the middle, no matter how much tension was applied. I overcame this by   bending the leaver backwards, so giving more tension on the spring. Took three attempts as I did not want to go too far. See last photos.

The only problem after that is that the stop button does not stop the platter and make the arm return. As all other aspects of the auto return work I am assuming it must be the stop switch, micro switch and I think I can probably live with this.

Moving the head shell with a AT440mLb fitted, from my Rega, I was now ready to give it a test and was really happy with the sound and not having to get up quick when the stylus started hitting the label at the end of the side.

 

So I can say I am very happy with the SL Q2. It is similar to the pair of Technic SL 1200 mk2’s I have, aluminium top and thick resin base, just a bit less heavy duty and missing some of the DJ features, such as pitch control plus no height adjustment for the arm.

 

Some people on the net recommend filling the TT base with modelling clay and damping under the platter but taking in to account the significant resin base and the effect of a decent rubber mat, that is likely to stop any ringing from the heavy platter, I do not intend to go down that road.

 

Considering is was about an 1/8 of the cost of a SL 1200 Mk2 ,in similar condition and probably a better TT than the servo controlled SL 1200 Mk1,  I would say the SL Q2’s are a bargain for what they sell for and the quality of sound they produce.

 

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Anti skate re tension. Leaver is highlighted in second photo.Not my anti skate photos as I could not be bothered to take mine apart again.

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Edited by EV Cali
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Please to hear you have brought a fine TT back into the land of the living, I hope you enjoy it.

 

Have you got a service manual for the tt?  This should give you info on how to set the auto return.  It is probably available for free download at vinylengine if you don't have it (free registration required, no concerns doing so with this site; I assume you are familiar with this site but others may not be). 

 

Why aren't you interested in trying a heavy mat and dampening the plinth? 

You might be able to borrow a mat to try.  The plinth can be dampened using plasticine, or adhesive dampening material like Dynamat (I've used a cheaper equivalent).  Both of these tweaks are relatively cheap, and can provide a significant improvement in the sound.  However, they can be over-applied, resulting in the "life" being removed from the music.  Fortunately, if you don't like a mat you can put the original back on, and if you apply too much dampening material it can be removed to get the optimal improvement with out damaging the sound.  Experimentation is the key, and if you don't like it the tt can be restored to it's previous (un-dampened) state.

 

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1 hour ago, audiofeline said:

Please to hear you have brought a fine TT back into the land of the living, I hope you enjoy it.

 

Have you got a service manual for the tt?  This should give you info on how to set the auto return.  It is probably available for free download at vinylengine if you don't have it (free registration required, no concerns doing so with this site; I assume you are familiar with this site but others may not be). 

 

Why aren't you interested in trying a heavy mat and dampening the plinth? 

You might be able to borrow a mat to try.  The plinth can be dampened using plasticine, or adhesive dampening material like Dynamat (I've used a cheaper equivalent).  Both of these tweaks are relatively cheap, and can provide a significant improvement in the sound.  However, they can be over-applied, resulting in the "life" being removed from the music.  Fortunately, if you don't like a mat you can put the original back on, and if you apply too much dampening material it can be removed to get the optimal improvement with out damaging the sound.  Experimentation is the key, and if you don't like it the tt can be restored to it's previous (un-dampened) state.

 

Thanks for comments @audiofeline

I have the manual from Vinyl Engine and it was useful for adjusting the point that the arm lifts from the record, so I have no problem with the auto lift and return.

The problem is the Stop switch, platter should stop and arm return to the rest, at any point in the record, if  stop switch is pressed and unfortunately  it has no affect. Coming from a Rega planner 2 ,that I even have to alter the speed manually, I think I can live with this presently, especially as all other aspects of the auto return / stop, work.

With regard to dampened the plinth using plasticine, the TT already has a thick ,heavy resin plastic base, so I do not think it needs any more dampening but may give it a go one day.

There is a video on U tube showing the guy holding  the platter with the tips of his fingers and hitting it like a gong and yes it does ring but the platter is thick and heavy and when it is sitting on the spindle ,with a rubber mat on it, I don't think he would get the same result or that there is really a problem to be solved.

The urge to tinker can some times be hard to resist though.

 

 

 

Edited by EV Cali
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I agree that sometimes a thick rubber mat will dampen the platter appropriately.  I've heard many platters ring more than in the one in the above video, and I thought it interesting that when he pings the platter with his fingers touching it at 3.36 it didn't ring much, and then he did a quick removing of the fingers to demonstrate the ringing.  This suggests that the untreated platter isn't bad, and the rubber mat would probably suffice for adequate dampening. 

 

I missed your description that it had a thick resin base, and assumed it had a thinner plastic base from a glance at your photo.  Agreed, it might not benefit from more dampening.  How much confidence do you have in the online reports of dampening improving the plinth? It won't take much to experiment, when you have the time and inclination to do so (and who has enough time these days?). 

 

Is your problem with the stop switch itself?  Maybe test it with a continuity tester to see if it's working, or give it a good spray clean, a quick and easy check when you have the time to investigate.  At least it's enjoyable as is, Technics did a good job in their day.  What cart did you install?

 

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Cart is a Audio Technica AY440MLb  that is normally on my Rega Planner 2. I  have a Luster GST 1 arm fitted to that so it has a detachable head shell.

Turntable is presently  put through an old DJ mixer so I will not really know how good it sounds is until my Night Hawk phono comes back from America ,after it's repair.

 

TT weighs nearly 7kg so I am not confident that damping to plinth would be an improvement, as it may be with a much lighter weight TT. 

I have taken a couple of Chinese SL 1200 copies apart just to find they have a big slab of steel in side them!!! Presumably to make them feel more solid and make up for the light weight motor and components.  

 

I am assuming the stop switch not working must be a problem with the switch ,as solenoid and return mechanism are working.

The problem is that the switch is mounted under the circuit board and to get to it I would have to remove all of the auto return mechanism first, so my inclination is to quite while I am ahead  and before I end up with a bag full of parts I cant get back together ?   

 

Edited by EV Cali
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