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Mitsubishi LT-30 Tracking

MRL_Audio

MRL_Audio

RIP 2022
Picked up a second LT-30 to add to my growing linear tracking tables. One issue I am having is that the tracking center light never lights up. The left and right arrows light up individually if the tracking is wrong. When it appears to be correct they both light up at the same time? I've player with the tracking adjustment screw till I am blue in the face. Makes no difference. Any thoughts?
 
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It's full-up with incandescents instead of LEDs and they all should be replaced along with the secondary system belts during a refurb.
Manual at The Vinyl Engine, you'll need it.
 
Thanks. I have the manual, both service and users. Excuse my ignorance but I do not understand what you're telling me about the "full-up with incandescents instead of LEDs"? Are you telling me:

1) the lights need to be replaced? If so reco on what and from where.
2) the center tracking light is burnt so both are lighting up? again need a reco on replacement and where to get em.
3) something I yet don't understand.

As I heard in a movie, "talk to me like I am a 3 year old". Thanks again.
 
Thanks again. Are you saying the center light is burnt out and that's why both arrow lights are coming on together when it is aligned properly? Again, just looking for some clarity.
 
Dunno, mine never showed up so no personal hands-on. See if it's in the owner/user's manual. If the center light never comes on then it's likely it's a dud.
 
The other thing I noticed is that when I manually lift the arm and move it to the left the entire arm assembly moves to the left as I believe it's designed to do. However when I do the same to the right it does not move at all. Makes me think the right track sensing light or sensor are bad. If this is the case I suppose I'll have to do what I really don't want to do... Open her up and work on the tone arm. Not fun.
 
I think it's tracking is bilateral so you probably have a bad lamp in the arm base. May as well get them all and bone up on what needs to be done to put it in 1st class cdx.
These are uniquely interesting LTs, heavy diecast base, all incandescent lamps and only one trimpot on the circuit board IIRC, all the other adjustments are mechanical and mostly associated with the arm. Simple beast really and reportedly a good sounding fine performer.
 
MRL_Audio said:
The other thing I noticed is that when I manually lift the arm and move it to the left the entire arm assembly moves to the left as I believe it's designed to do. However when I do the same to the right it does not move at all. Makes me think the right track sensing light or sensor are bad. If this is the case I suppose I'll have to do what I really don't want to do... Open her up and work on the tone arm. Not fun.
Click to expand...

MRL
I'm not sure that it is supposed to move manually. On mine, if I manually lift the arm or lift it using the cue up/down button, it will not move right or left unless I use the Start (left arrow)/Stop (right arrow) buttons.
 
The bulbs are available at any Radio Shack, except for the 5v prism bulbs, which aren't necessary to use the table for 12" records. It's a bit of work, but you really need to replace the belts and tracking bulbs, and any panel bulbs that are out. Once you replace the tracking center light on the panel you can troubleshoot from there.
 
kmulkey said:
MRL
I'm not sure that it is supposed to move manually. On mine, if I manually lift the arm or lift it using the cue up/down button, it will not move right or left unless I use the Start (left arrow)/Stop (right arrow) buttons.
Click to expand...

When I indicated that I manually lift and move the arm that's with the tone arm being in the middle of a playing lp. Not from the resting location.
 
Some Visuals

Attached are some pictures of the lights on the display. You can see when tracking seems correct both arrows light up and not the center bulb. As I mentioned above if I lift the arm when playing an lp and swivel it to the left the entire arm assembly moves to the left, when I do the same to the right nothing happens.
 

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This table has bi-lateral tracking, and if the arm won't track in one direction or the other, the tracking lamp for that direction is burnt out. They are inside the tonearm base, and are not the most fun to get to. Might as well replace the lift belt at the same time. If the strange tracking indicator behavior is not rectified by this, it will have to be sussed out then. The LSI 'brain' may rely on receiving voltage from both tracking photodiodes for the tracking indicators to work properly. Could this be some self-diagnostic feature?
 
Where in this picture are the bulbs located? Below the motor?

koseltri said:
This table has bi-lateral tracking, and if the arm won't track in one direction or the other, the tracking lamp for that direction is burnt out. They are inside the tonearm base, and are not the most fun to get to. Might as well replace the lift belt at the same time. If the strange tracking indicator behavior is not rectified by this, it will have to be sussed out then. The LSI 'brain' may rely on receiving voltage from both tracking photodiodes for the tracking indicators to work properly. Could this be some self-diagnostic feature?
Click to expand...
 

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Have you gone through the service manual? There are also threads by Koseltri and me that detail the whole process.
 
I just saw the the picture of the LT-30 headshell in MRL_Audio's picture.

What is the approximate weight of the headshell.

One of the headshell I have looks very similar and has " Diatone " printed on it.

I wonder if it was made for the Mitsubishi LT-30 JDM version?:scratch2:
 
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