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Purchase of Technics SL-7 with problem

diceman

diceman

Technics SL-7
I am looking to purchase a Technics SL-7 turrntable tomorrow from an older couple who are the original owners. It reportedly has a problem with the movement of the tonearm to the record. It likely has the original cartridge and stylus as well but they have not used it for years. Does anyone know how serious this problem is and whether it can be fixed? I live in the Houston area so if anyone knows of a Vintage turntable repair person or store in this area I would much prefer to deal locally if possible rather then dealing with shipping and possible damage to the table.:confused::confused:

Thank you for any insights.

Dan
 
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The SL-7 has a linear-tracking tonearm. In this design, the entire arm moves across the record, much like the dial pointer on a vintage receiver.

The most common failure of the arm is that it will no longer move laterally. Either it will stick or hang up -- or will not move at all. Typically, the causes of this in order of significance are --

(1) the lateral motion control belt is worn out;
(2) the grease on the sliderails has hardened (gone gummy);
(3) the control gears between the motor and the wire that pulls the arm across the record are gummed up.

Curiously, in nearly 30 years of servicing linear-tracking turntables, I have never encountered a lateral motion control motor which is bad. I've replaced many hundreds of belts though.

Usually, the major challenge as far as fixing these is taking them apart to gain access to the belt, sliderails and gearing.

Best,

Fred
 
Thank you for the info. I found a local shop, The Sound Exchange, that determined that the control belt was worn out. They replaced it for a grand total of $35 plus tax. I paid $50 for a table in excellent shape and so far sounds great.
 
I had one of these a year ago with a Grado Black on it- I think it was a bad combo because it sounded thin and tinny. I 'bayed it. I've since read that SL-7's are the better of the Technics linear trackers.

So the question is, what cartridge do you have on it?
 
I believe it has the original made for Technics Ortofon TM14 cartridge. It sounds quite good and is still in good condition. Llpgear.com has a replacement for it when the time comes.

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=TSTSL0007

If you are interested in getting one again there is one on ebay now at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...em=360035957249&_trksid=p3984.cTODAY.m238.lVI

I felt very lucky to get mine for $50 from the original owners that had taken very good care of it. It just needed a new tonearm belt.
 
It came with that Ortofon in the US? Oh my... Over here it came with the EPC-202, which is pretty good (boron cantilever - yummy... ;)).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Diceman- not sure if yours came with a manual, but somewhere in here is a link to a site with scans of the manual and some other literature related to the SL-7. $50 is quite a deal! I have an SL-6 and an SL-7 in my secondary systems and love them both.
 
I am a rookie at this so would not know what to reccommend on a replacement P-Mount. I can only suggest the one from lpgear.com that I linked to above. There are likely others here on audiokarma.org that can recommend something better.

Regarding the manual, if you sign up at www.vinylengine.com you can get the operating manual and service manual in a pdf file for free. If you have any problems just send me an email and I can email it to you.
 
If you're on a budget, Keep your eyes open for a Shure RXT6. they are a good performer, and you can get hyperelliptical styli for them very reasonably. Since I'm always on a budget, that is my recommendation. No, you can't have mine. :D
 
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Scott,
Thanks for the additional info. on a good replacement cartridge. Forgive my ignorance, but is the Shure RXT6 a P type cartridge or would I need to get an adaptor for the P mount on the SL-7 to use it?
Dan
 
Lots of options for P mount carts. There's the Ortofon X1-MCP for $150 if you want an MC, and there's all the P mount Grado and Ortofon MMs. Not just cheapies like the Stanton L720
 
I'd suggest the Ortofon 320(U) as long as it's still available. Quite a neat sounding cart, and to my knowledge the cheapest one with a nude FineLine needle one can buy new today. Original replacement needles are also still available new - and they're also very fairly priced compared to other Ortofon FineLines like the needles 30, 530II, 2M Bronze...

Another nice option for not much money: Shure M92E (~ US$ 30 new) plus hyperelliptical replacement needle for Shure M110HE from Jico (~ US$ 20).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Sorry, corrective addendum: Inspired by a recent thread on the Analog-Forum over here, I just checked my own Ortofon 320 as well as the two original replacement needles I have for it: And indeed, contrary to the specs on Ortofon's web-site ("Stylus type Nude Fine Line"), it seems that the 320 does not have a nude diamond, just a tipped/bonded one.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
I recently picked up a Shure R1000XT (the same body as the RXT6 in a standard mount) for $10 that can use the N110HE. It pays to look around. Maybe I'm cheap, but $150 is a *lot* to me. Hell, I cringe when I think of getting another stylus for the OM 30 ($150) that came on my PS-X555ES. As much as I paid for the bloody table! :yuck:

ps. The RXT6 is p-mount.
 
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