Bought a old technics deck recently and am enjoying playing through the few lp's i have hanging around. That was until i got my hands on a first pressing of Joy Divisions - Unkown Pleasures. It sounds like rubbish! Major disapointment! On the first couple of plays through alot of dust was picked up by the needle, cleaned this off and now the record seems clean(?) and seems to be in good condition. The problem is the left channel has alot of steady crackle/hiss, the right is fine. Now i paid a decent amount of brass for the record could it be its just really worn (doesnt look it, anyway too tell?) or a new stylus do the job (ordered one anyway) Finally could the record just be dirty? Whats the best way to clean them? ANy advice to a newb would be great, cheers.
Vinyl Issues
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John Duncan
Well-known member
OK. The fact that most of the crackling is only on one side, that suggests to me that your anti-bias is a bit off - which model technics is it, so I can check how to set it up properly?
Secondly, I am a cleaning evangelist (when it comes to records, anyway), and recommend *at least* a Knosti Disco Antistat wet cleaner (big sighs from the other forum users here, I expect, having heard me bang on about this ad infinitum) to all turntable owners. All records have gunk on them, even new ones, though this does not of course preclude it actually being damaged - the one-sided nature of it might also point to this, it may have been played to death on a badly setup deck.
If you're a Londoner, I'd be happy to clean it for you to demonstrate the benefits if you don't want to splash out 45 quid.
Secondly, I am a cleaning evangelist (when it comes to records, anyway), and recommend *at least* a Knosti Disco Antistat wet cleaner (big sighs from the other forum users here, I expect, having heard me bang on about this ad infinitum) to all turntable owners. All records have gunk on them, even new ones, though this does not of course preclude it actually being damaged - the one-sided nature of it might also point to this, it may have been played to death on a badly setup deck.
If you're a Londoner, I'd be happy to clean it for you to demonstrate the benefits if you don't want to splash out 45 quid.
It's a old SL-B210 I'e been really impressed with the sound from my other records so i am a little bit confused why this record is giving me so much hiss, though it doesnt look as its been played to death it is nearly 30 years old so it could well have been.
I would be all for that cleaner it looks superb but am currently tight for money so it will have to wait, and im also sadly in Wolverhampton so cannot take you up on your offer
Just want to make sure it isnt the deck set up before i ask for a refund on the LP.
I would be all for that cleaner it looks superb but am currently tight for money so it will have to wait, and im also sadly in Wolverhampton so cannot take you up on your offer
Just want to make sure it isnt the deck set up before i ask for a refund on the LP.
John Duncan
Well-known member
hi, my dad hast he same deck which is sitting to my left as i speak. It is prety good and the majority of record sound impressive considering it's age. I would try cleaning the Lp's like John suggested with some anti-static spray, carbon brush, cloth etc. then pop it on to platter and see if there is a difference.
I accuired the deck off a mate so I am afraid I don't have the correct settings for the cartride, stylus etc either so i would be interested to know if you can get hold of these and if they make a big difference, also HOW you can actually do it? as it doesn't look like the deck has as too much settings to play with as with some others I have seen.
I accuired the deck off a mate so I am afraid I don't have the correct settings for the cartride, stylus etc either so i would be interested to know if you can get hold of these and if they make a big difference, also HOW you can actually do it? as it doesn't look like the deck has as too much settings to play with as with some others I have seen.
Well i just picked up a new stylus for £5.50 delivered
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150234645008&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=005
EPS24CS
Will certainly get some form of cleaner on it as im sure the dirt is playing a huge part in my problems, it poured off the record when i first played it.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150234645008&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=005
EPS24CS
Will certainly get some form of cleaner on it as im sure the dirt is playing a huge part in my problems, it poured off the record when i first played it.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Quite possibly - dust is the least of your worries, it's 30 years of accumulated grease, together with the fact that records generally are covered in mould release agent when they're pressed, which can only be removed by wet cleaning (IMO).
John Duncan
Well-known member
From what I can gather (google is your friend), there's a label on it saying "Precisely set up at the factory - tracking weight/anti-skating", and no visble means of changing these, sadly, so if it's that, you're a bit stuck. I'd get a new stylus first, and repeat your experiment, then follow up with a professional clean. Do you have any mates who have a different t'table you can try it on?
Well next weekend im gettin another older technics deck and speakers from the inlaws as they have just updated their system to somthing small and rubbish sounding.
Will try that then i guess i will have to stump up the cash for the cleaner
Nobody said vinyl would be so troublesome!
Seriously appreciate the input tho.
Will try that then i guess i will have to stump up the cash for the cleaner
Nobody said vinyl would be so troublesome!
Seriously appreciate the input tho.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Sorry - vinyl is troublesome, and only worth it on balance (IMO) if you have a serious vinyl colection that you don't want to replace. And this from a not-inexpensive-turntable owner. I wouldn't buy a new record on vinyl over CD, for example.
I have a few LPs like this. They look perfectly clean, shiny and unplayed but crackle all the way through. One I was particularly annoyed about was a Japanese import of Dave Gilmour's first solo album, as Japanese pressings are generally of a high quality like UK pressings. I can only assume these albums have been played many times with an old and worn stylus, which has permanently damaged the vinyl's grooves. Cleaning on a good machine does help but some background noise will still remain.
I think it's pretty safe to say that if the Joy Division record is the only one giving you problems, it's not your turntable.
I think you'll need to return it (if the cleaning hasn't worked). I've been collecting vinyl for 18 years & have seen way too many people try and charge full price for an LP even if it was subjected to party abuse one too many times.
I think you'll also need to change your stylus, too. No offense, but I'm not too confident that I'd like the sound coming from a 5 quid needle. You should save up for something better.
I think you'll need to return it (if the cleaning hasn't worked). I've been collecting vinyl for 18 years & have seen way too many people try and charge full price for an LP even if it was subjected to party abuse one too many times.
I think you'll also need to change your stylus, too. No offense, but I'm not too confident that I'd like the sound coming from a 5 quid needle. You should save up for something better.
I have the Technics SL-BD22, I think its slightly newer than the model you mention but essentially the same. My dad has had the SL-BD20 from new, so may have details on making adjustments hidden away somewhere.
There are 2 possible causes here I think, either the pressing was faulty to begin with or you have been sold a damaged record - meaning that the previous owner(s) have played the record with a misaligned and/or damaged/worn stylus. A dirty record, whatever state it is in, should be noisy to some extent in both channels, not just one. I think wet cleaning this record will reveal one of the 2 problems I mentioned, although I hope I am wrong because there little more frustrating in the LP world than dropping cash on a record which turns out to be rubbish.
The word rubbish was actually the word C. R. A. P. but there is obviously some pathetic censorship on this forum which assumes we are all children.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Nah, I just think it presumes there may be children watching. It is before the watershed after all.
Congrats on your musical taste, many an hour in the eighties spent with JD / NO. I have to agree that if after trying the lp on a friends deck you know is good if it is still sounding pants then it'll likely be a duffer!
Kel.
Kel.
[quote user="brock_boogie"]
I think it's pretty safe to say that if the Joy Division record is the only one giving you problems, it's not your turntable.
I think you'll need to return it (if the cleaning hasn't worked). I've been collecting vinyl for 18 years & have seen way too many people try and charge full price for an LP even if it was subjected to party abuse one too many times.
I think you'll also need to change your stylus, too. No offense, but I'm not too confident that I'd like the sound coming from a 5 quid needle. You should save up for something better.
[/quote]
Its the stock needle for the deck.
Its my first deck im not going to spunk a huge amount of money on a stylus for a 30 year old budget deck, hence the straight replacement.
But yes i agree i have a feeling the record is shafted
I think it's pretty safe to say that if the Joy Division record is the only one giving you problems, it's not your turntable.
I think you'll need to return it (if the cleaning hasn't worked). I've been collecting vinyl for 18 years & have seen way too many people try and charge full price for an LP even if it was subjected to party abuse one too many times.
I think you'll also need to change your stylus, too. No offense, but I'm not too confident that I'd like the sound coming from a 5 quid needle. You should save up for something better.
[/quote]
Its the stock needle for the deck.
Its my first deck im not going to spunk a huge amount of money on a stylus for a 30 year old budget deck, hence the straight replacement.
But yes i agree i have a feeling the record is shafted
Cheap upgrade: Nagaoka MP11 - it's about £15 and will cane the £5 effort in all likelihood. After that, try the AT95E or Goldring's Elektra. The LP sounds like it's a duffer, shop around and pick up a 2nd hand copy in a used store and you should be fine (assuming it's in good nick). My copy is Italian and for once, no disrespect to Italians here, it's actually a good one. Likewise Closer.
[quote user="brock_boogie"]
Just because your deck is old, doesn't mean you can't put a better quality stylus on.
[/quote] Agreed, a busted old deck can often compete with 200 pound contemporary ones. Give it a 30 quid needle, should be a drastic change. Incidentally, what model technics is it? If it's an SL1200 then you're set for life. I sometimes ponder making the switch to the 1200, it's got a name as a dj machine but does hifi with the best of them.
Just because your deck is old, doesn't mean you can't put a better quality stylus on.
[/quote] Agreed, a busted old deck can often compete with 200 pound contemporary ones. Give it a 30 quid needle, should be a drastic change. Incidentally, what model technics is it? If it's an SL1200 then you're set for life. I sometimes ponder making the switch to the 1200, it's got a name as a dj machine but does hifi with the best of them.
I love my three 1200's!
Only have two of them hooked up to my Rane mixer though...gotta keep the wife happy! She's been kind enough to let me keep most of my vinyl (5000 approx) & my set-up in the living room!
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