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Waiting for Audio Technica's Response, RE Weak Anti-Skate Spring

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beat_truck

Addicted Member
I have a Stanton T90 USB 'table. It has the infamous Hanpin weak / useless anti-skate, just like the AT LP120s had.

I found someone on vinylengine that ordered the stronger upgraded anti-skate spring directly from AT for his LP120. He provided the part number and even a picture of the springs he ordered and the invoice.

I sent AT an email saying that I have an AT LP120 (little white lie) and wanted to order the spring, and I sent the part number and the picture from vinylengine.

I wonder if they will actually sell the spring to me or do like they did with another vinylengine member, and tell me that I have to send the 'table to an authorized repair center for them to fix it.:idea:

If they do the latter, I will just do like a lot of other people and pull the spring out, cut about a third of it off, bend a new hook on the end, and put it back in.
 
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Oh, and by the way, that tonearm on the Stanton is actually NOS, and it came with the A/S being useless like it is.:rolleyes:
 
I've read that AS is useless at over 3 grams tracking. So if you have a DJ cart...The dial goes up to 7 on my atlp120. It only goes to 3 on my other table.
 
oldman54 said:
I've read that AS is useless at over 3 grams tracking. So if you have a DJ cart...The dial goes up to 7 on my atlp120. It only goes to 3 on my other table.
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Mine is useless at 2 grams. Probably even less. Even with the dial up to 7.

AT responded, and they said they would sell me the spring. Although the shipping is a little ridiculous for an item that could be thrown in a standard envelope. I ordered two of them, just in case one goes flying and I lose it when trying to install it.

For anyone interested, the AT part # from VE for the spring is: 102481156.

This was the Part # in the email from AT: AT-LP120 #603-PLX500-415 SPRING ANTI SKATE AT-LP120-USB

And that's the photo from VE.

atspring.jpg
 
It is taking someone from AT to walk over to those springs and pick your purchase, make up the paperwork and get the unit boxed up in a nice padded envelop and by now it is time for a break and then label the package and get it mailed. That time alone costs more than the part, packing and shipping fees.

But we are glad to see you are able to get the spring.
 
Blue Shadow said:
It is taking someone from AT to walk over to those springs and pick your purchase, make up the paperwork and get the unit boxed up in a nice padded envelop and by now it is time for a break and then label the package and get it mailed. That time alone costs more than the part, packing and shipping fees.

But we are glad to see you are able to get the spring.
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Yes, I'm sure it really isn't worth their time to sell them for a buck a piece. Maybe they are trying to make good for selling 'tables that have weak / non-working A/S for years.
 
DJs usually don't use any anti-skating, and the AT-LP120 was originally designed as a DJ turntable, so it wasn't considered a problem at first. But due to most buyers using it for hi-fi listening rather than DJ use, in late 2011 they replaced the AT-XP2 DJ cartridge with the AT95E cartridge, and since the beginning of 2017, all new LP120 and LP120X turntables have properly functioning anti-skating. Now they have the separate AT-LP140XP model which is more oriented to DJ use.
 
vwestlife said:
DJs usually don't use any anti-skating, and the AT-LP120 was originally designed as a DJ turntable, so it wasn't considered a problem at first.
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Having a feature that is pretty much just a decoration that doesn't actually do **** should be considered a problem, no matter who the product was supposedly designed for.:rolleyes:
 
Well, that was a big FAIL for AT.

I asked and paid for TWO springs, and they only sent me ONE, and kept the difference in price. I filed a dispute through Paypal. I said in the message I left that I know that it is only a buck difference, but it is still wrong on their part.
 
Success!
I got the new spring in, and the AS works. It works a little too well, actually. With the VTF at 3 grams, the AS only needs set at 2 to keep the tonearm from drifting towards the spindle on a blank disc. Pretty much exactly how I read the new AT 120s and 140s are. With the old spring, and the VTF set at just shy of 2.5, the tonearm shot straight to the spindle with the AS set at 7.

It only took me 15-20 minutes total, and I got lucky and didn't even have to desolder the tonearm wires from the circuit board. I just took the board loose, and I had enough slack to get the tonearm out where I could work on it. Manipulating those tiny parts was tedious.

The room I was working in isn't the brightest in the house, but I know I am beginning to get old because I had to get someone to hold the flashlight on it so I could see it well enough while working with those tiny parts.:rolleyes:
 
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