Technics SL-B300 possible needle cartridge issue?

[steigede]

My parents were moving and wanted to get rid of their old turntable. It's a Technics SL-B300. I replaced the belt and got some sound out of it but it seems like the needle is skipping ahead of the record or repeating the same grove, not advancing through the song properly. I think it could be the cartridge I have in there. Either old or incorrect. It's an audio-technica AT112EP. Does this sound like a problem with the cartridge? or is it something more major? I dont want to put in any more money into this if I need to replace more stuff.

Thanks

[steigede]

Help

[paul401]

Help

impossible to resist such a plaintive cry.... I shall try to help.

The 300 uses a T4P or P-mount type cartridge, this was a system partially adopted by some companies to standardise the size/fitting and weight of the cartridge to make replacing/changing easier, at first used on linear tracking decks.

First check that the arm is free to move and has no resistance, it's possible the auto mechanism grease may have thickened over time, or it could be catching somewhere, but if it seems ok and the auto return operates ok then the following will apply.

It's most likely only the stylus that is worn/damaged and causing the issues you describe, as you get sound and there is only minimal (if any) adjustment for tracking force. The only way to proceed really is to buy a new stylus, still available I suspect, but may be almost as cheap to buy a new cartridge and stylus assembly (the stylus accounts for most of the cost). New AT's should start from about £30/$30. A quick search for T4P will bring up options/suppliers/

Thers a user manual in the library, http://www.vinylengine.com/library/tech ... b300.shtml
But it's in German! Sprechen sie Deutsch? Still the pictures may help!

Paul

[paul401]

Hi,
a ps to previous post, check that the arm doesn't catch/drag on the small bar of the cueing mechanism, the piece that sits under and supports the arm when cueing.

Also found this, http://www.vinylengine.com/library/tech ... b200.shtml
In English and similar model to yours.

Paul

[steigede]

Haha, thanks for the reply! Thanks for the input. Everything looks like it's in great working condition, all the cueing mechanisms and arm movements. I'll order a new cartridge. I found this AT P-mount cartridge on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-AT3482P- ... +cartridge
Do you think that will work? I'm not looking for super quality here, I only have a few records and I just want to make sure this was the problem before spending more money on a better needle.

Thanks for your time!

Edit: I also found this as a recommendation from another forum:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-technica-AT ... s=AT-92ECD

[lini]

steigede: The AT92E(CD) isn't bad - escpecially not for its very modest price over in the US (it typically can be found for ~ 25 bucks, whereas its replacement needle (ATN3472SE) alone most usually costs more than the complete cartridge including a T4P to halfinch-mount adaptor. However, the AT112EP actually was a higher class model body-wise (while its ATN112EP needle is only about on level with the ATN3472SE) - so if you'd like better quality, it would make sense to upgrade the AT112EP with one of the better needles for the AT102P family, starting with the ATN122EP. For an SL-B300 I wouldn't really suggest to go much higher than the ATN132EP, though.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

[steigede]

Thanks for the response! I did notice that the price of needles compatible with my current cartridge were more expensive than some of the new complete cartridges. I ended up going with the AT92E(CD). Also, I don't know what kind of condition the rest of the cartridge is in. I'd rather spend $22 on a new cartridge instead of $30 on a needle and come to find that it wasn't the needle that was the problem, but the cartridge.

Glad I got confirmation that the AT92E(CD) will work with my turntable. Thanks again! I'll report back when it comes in the mail tomorrow (gotta love amazon prime 2 day shipping!)

[paul401]

Hi,
sounds like you should be good to go, just as soon as the cartridge arrives.
Let us know how it goes.

Paul

[lini]

steigede: Not a bad first step. But keep that AT112EP - and when you have the opportunity, use a modern multimeter to check the resistance of the coils/coilsets via the output pins. If you'd get a good, steady reading of a couple of hundred Ohms for both channels, you could be pretty sure that the body is still ok - so that you could always invest in an upgrade needle later on. Better not too much later on, though - 'cause most of the interesting versions already become somewhat rare and increasingly expensive. The AT112EP body also takes all AT120 family needles and several types of Signet needles, so it never harms to keep that...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

[steigede]

Yup! I was planning on keeping it in case I want to upgrade it. I do have a multimeter at home. The body has 4 pins on it, which two do I test? any two? or is there a pinout scheme?

[lini]

Should be both columns for T4P, iirc (i.e. upper and lower pin on each side). But it doesn't harm to check the other combinations, too - ideally you'd get a reading of endless/max. resistance there.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

[steigede]

The cartridge came in the mail yesterday. I looked at the packaging and saw it was from 1987! The year I was born! Pretty crazy... Anyhow, I popped the new cartridge in and it works! That was the issue! To make sure, I put the old one back in and the same issues were happening, looping and low volume with distortion. I put the new one back in and it works! The only thing I'm a bit concerned with is that there is a lot of crackling added. I know you'll get a bit of that with records but it's pretty prevalent. I'm playing almost new records, I had some Radiohead albums I bought a few years ago. Is that just the nature of the record player? Just cheaper needles/cartridges and records? The records I play on my dad's record player don't have as much crackling as this. Any ideas? Either way, I'm pretty happy. $12 new belt and $22 need and it works good enough. If there is a way to reduce the crackling, it would be nice, but I'm fine with it.

[Alec124c41]

Clean your records.

Cheers,
Alec

[steigede]

Theyre brand new. Played only once or twice before. Been in their sleeves since.