Technics SP-10 mkII speed adjustment question


Hi,

I'm on my way to complete my Technics SP-10 mkII project. Actually, a friend of mine, a professionnal audio technician, is working to upgrade the PSU, which is done but a small adjustment on the speed must be done and he need some cue on this issue.

We already asked Bill Thalmann, Artisan Fidelity and Oswald Mill audio. Plus, I'll post on DIY Audio today. We'd like to get the answer as quickly as possible to finalized this for the week-end. Hope someone on Audiogon can help.

Here's the message from my technician:

"Hello,

I'm an electronic technician and I do repair for audio equipments, vintage, hifi pro and more. I have a client here that brought me his turntable Technics Sp-10 MKII to fixed. I have a little question about it and he gave me your email because he pretended that you have some experience with this kind of materiel. So, hope that you can response my technical question.

I replaced all capacitors in the power supply and a big solder job. I checked for defect solders or capacitors on the circuit boards inside the turntable and I tied to do the adjustments . Everything seem good right now, the turntable work fine. I tried do do the period adjustment with the VR101 and VR102 potentiometers like in the service manual ( see attachment, Period adjustment method). When I looked the stroboscope at the front of the turntable, It's pretty stable but I can see a tiny rumble at 33 1/2 and 78 speed. 45 is the more stable speed for the stroboscope. So, I fixed the phase reference with T1 at 18us of period and I try to do the period adjustment at the point test T and S on the board with the O point for reference. When I put my scope probe on the T point, I can observe the stroboscope running. It is not stable at all. If I pull off my probe, the stroboscope is stable again. So When I have the 2 probes at point S an T at the same time to do the adjustment, it's impossible to fixed the wave T because it going right to the left on my scope. When I turned the VR101, the T wave going faster or slower but never stable. I tried to ground lift my scope, plug it into the same power bar and try to pull off the reference at the O point. I can't have a setup that I can see a stable T wave in my scope with the one that I can do the right adjustment. Why? Is there a problem with the turntable or maybe it's a incorrect probe or ground setup? Please let me know what you think.

Best regards"

Thanks for help,

Sébastien
128x128sebastienl
Lewm,

Nope, not a dunce at all, these threads get so convoluted it becomes difficult to follow.

I hope the MK2 mod is wonderful if for no other reason than it's an affordable upgrade on a turntable that's reasonably easy to find.

The days of clean Technics MK2s for $800.00 are long gone, but even at current prices they're cheap. Especially compared to something like your Kenwood or MK3.
I also think the Mk2 "needs" it more; the Mk3 is wonderful in stock form. I hear some albeit faint coloration with the Mk2 of a kind that could well be ameliorated by the Krebs mods.
I am "Ken" referred to above. I finally have my Krebs-modified Technics SP10 MK2A up and running and have posted comments over on Albert Porter's system thread about this table generally and also in comparison to the Technics SP10 MK3. Apologies for taking so long to post these comments, but water leak repairs in the stereo room caused the delays.
Ken, Can you describe the remainder of your audio system? Albert mentioned above that you own a very high quality set-up, from front to back. Thx.
Hi Lewm - My system is: Focal speakers and subwoofers; Boulder electronics, Tara cables throughout (for phono cables, in addition to Tara, Graham IC70 and Huffman). For turntables, Technics SP 10 MK3 and MK2a and Denon DP 80 direct drives, several restored Thorens TD 124s (with aftermarket platters and bearings for idlers), and Basis Debut Signature for belt drive. I use many different arms from current to vintage SMEs (9" through 12"), Graham Phantoms, Vector, vintage Technics EPA 250, and many different MC and MM cartridges. Although I really enjoy the equipment, music is my passion and that primarily classical. My reference for sound quality is live music, after spending many, many evenings in concert/opera halls mostly in my younger days.