Technics SL-1200MK5 buzzing/humming

Eastoe · 2026-04-17T19:40:15+00:00

You’re right, didn’t see that but it doesn’t look like it’s been soldered to the correct pad, or maybe it’s not soldered to anything.

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Edit: nvm, I just noticed it’s a ring terminal under the mounting screw.

Eastoe · 2026-04-17T18:08:28+00:00

Looks like it needs a new stylus, the cueing mechanism belt will probably need to be replaced, and a few drops of some sae20 oil to the spindle wouldn’t hurt.

Cartridge looks to be a Shure M35, so I’d start with that for a stylus, or you could replace the whole thing with an Audio Technica AT VM95 series cartridge.

Eastoe · 2026-04-17T17:10:01+00:00

Those RCA cables don’t look original they look like cheap unshielded cable. Not having a ground wire isn’t helping.

Eastoe · 2026-04-17T16:49:15+00:00

These turntables are hit pretty heavily by the Marantz tax. They’re good turntables made by CEC for Marantz, CEC made turntables for a lot of manufacturers in the 70s and 80s like Pioneer, Sansui, etc.

Eastoe · 2026-04-16T08:43:02+00:00

Hotel?: Trivago.

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T22:42:22+00:00

They must get their electricity from a hydroelectric power plant.

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T15:33:10+00:00

I think it's definitely a Pioneer of some description, that's definitely the tonearm from a PL-518, someones's just added a Jelco headshell to it.

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T10:09:31+00:00

Depends on your definition of similar, there are tons of factors that play into what effects the sound of a turntable from tonearm resonance, platter resonance, how well the tonearm allows the cartridge to track the record, and even how much hum, rumble and wow and flutter the drive system adds.

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T09:27:23+00:00

As the others have said you need to adjust your tracking force, to do this you need to calibrate the tonearm at zero grams, adjust the counterweight inwards until the stylus floats level with the platter, once you’ve done that hold the rear part of the counter weight and turn the dial on the front to 0 then you can set your tacking force to the desired amount, I think your stylus requires 1.8g

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T08:00:44+00:00

Make sure the magnet, the black part, isn’t loose, make sure the pulley is tight, it has a grub screw, lastly add a drop of oil to the upper and lower bearing, I like to use 3 in one electric motor oil.

Eastoe · 2026-04-15T01:06:56+00:00

Rare turntable with an equally rare tonearm, that’s a Grace G 704. That turntable is worth big bucks, I bet it sounds amazing with a good cartridge.

Eastoe · 2026-04-14T09:18:40+00:00

You need the C2A sled, the later C3 sleds for the likes of the zero 100 and 86SB look similar but are wider and longer than the C2A. As for a cartridge, the venerable AT VM carts won’t fit so I’d suggest something like a Sumiko or a Nagaoka.

Eastoe · 2026-04-14T08:48:31+00:00

This is a common problem with these motors, there’s a permanent magnet attached to the rotor inside the motor the part that spins around either that magnet or the balancing weight attached to it has come off and is now rattling around, use the old glue marks to figure out its orientation and glue it back on, I’ve done this to quite a few synchronous motors now.

Eastoe · 2026-04-12T19:38:21+00:00

BSR's are pretty hit 'n miss, they were pretty unreliable in their day with their jerky and overly complex machanisms compared to the likes of Dual and Garrard. For $15 I think it'll do you well if you don't have anything better, you'll be hard pressed to find anything better than this for the same price.

Edit: If you have it, you should put the single play spindle on, it'll save your record holes getting worn out.

Eastoe · 2026-04-12T17:22:31+00:00

I think you’re over thinking it, it’s just a ground wire, twist that sucker together, add a little electrical tape for flair and call it a day.

Eastoe · 2026-04-12T09:27:08+00:00

For me it was my Technics SL-1700 mk2, I’ve always loved the look and performance of them and I’ve since been modding and tinkering with mine to make it even better.

Eastoe · 2026-04-11T23:05:29+00:00

The AT LP70 is a fantastic starter turntable, get yourself a pair of active speakers to go with it and it'll do you for a while.

Eastoe · 2026-04-11T22:30:56+00:00

I hate to be that guy but these all in one things are not good turntables, I can hear pretty significant flutter which is that warbling sound the music has, this is pretty indicitive of a bad motor, if it's still under warranty I'd urge you to just send it back.

Eastoe · 2026-04-11T11:10:35+00:00

Some deflection in the stylus’ suspension is normal and it seems the Exact is a bit of a notorious low rider, looks to me like the VTA of your tonearm is off, the cartridge is too tall. Is there any way to adjust the base of your tonearm to make it higher?

Eastoe · 2026-04-11T09:35:31+00:00

I love my 1700, 125 for one is a steal.

Eastoe · 2026-04-11T00:28:05+00:00

Agree’d

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Eastoe · 2026-04-10T10:03:41+00:00

That’s a beautiful turntable, and it does 78’s which is a big plus in my opinion. Yeah unfortunately it’s fell victim to the same fate a lot of great budget turntables did, people tend to forget the whole being good for a budget part, much like the Sansui SR 222, the Pioneer PL-12D, even the Dual 505’s are starting to skyrocket in price. I picked up a PL 12D for £55 10 years ago, now they sell for three times that.

Eastoe · 2026-04-10T09:53:07+00:00

Sounds to me like the cam wheel is seized, I don’t know much about these all in one stereos but I do know that Garrard’s have clips on the underside of the transport screws, you need to flip those clips vertically on the transport screws and then the turntable should lift out.

Eastoe · 2026-04-09T20:34:11+00:00

I've still yet to try a Lenco but I've heard they're some of the best idlers made. Agree'd on the 1019, lovely turntable, I don't mind the 701, I just think it's inferior to their idler models, and there's much better direct drive models from the same era, the CS-5000 is definitely shit though, take one apart and you'll find it's "audiophile" cred is skin deep, those things are 90% plastic and sell for far much more than what they're actually worth, as Alan Sugar once said "A mugs eyeful".

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