I have a technics 1200 mk2 turntable. It turns on properly, and appears to work, but when I place the needle on the record, I get nothing through the speakers. I don't know if the connection is being made where the cartridge/head shell plugs into the tone arm. It appears the RCA cables were changed before I bought it. I can't SEE anything that would lead me to say what the potential issue is. I know nothing of the technical aspects of the turtable, so I am at a loss...

There is a capacator in you pre amplifier who is not working properly , replace this and it will work again. they use most this type 100uF/35V

Hi, could just be platter not fitted hard down on spindle. I suggest you remove the platter and place it upon a dead flat surface to check to see that the platter is flat. If it is flat refit to turntable ensuring it is hard down on the spindle. If bent discard and replace with new platter.Platters can be ordered for all model 1200/1210 from [email protected]

Try plugging it into a different power point. The problem is with the power supply fluctuating. You can eliminate that with a UPS, here is a link to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply

[email protected]

Ensure that the turntable is sitting as flat as possible and does not allow any external vibration to penetrate.
Also try operating it without a record on it make sure that the plate is turning smoothly without interruption and also does not have any vibration.

Usually just the knob, look here :-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TECHNICS-POWER-KNOB-SL1200-SL1210-MK2-GENUINE-NEW-PART-/300442767389?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables&hash=item45f3c8d01d

Regarding the poor sound quality (and possibly the skipping):
check the needle condition, see if exchanging it with a needle (or the entire pickup head) from a working turntable does any good.

Check the pickup connection pins (contacts on the pickup head and on the end of the wires coming through the arm from the unit), see if there is any dirt or oxydation and clean the contacts if necessary, also check for any damage to the wires.

As for the skipping - a heavily worn needle may affect the sound quality and cause skipping as well - if cahnging the needle (or the pickup head) doesn't make a change, try to realign the weight on the tone arm so that the pickup head will become a bit heavier, this could help somewhat (before you actually try to realign the weight, try to put a small coin or a small weight of some kind on the pickup head while it is playing a record, if the skipping goes away, you need to realign the tone arm weight).

This could also be a problem with the tone arm lifting mechanism (may be obstructed by something or damaged so it won't let the tone arm sit properly onto the record and "grab" the groove).

I just mentioned a few things you might want to check, but don't take anything for granted, the problem may as well be elsewhere in the unit.

regards

Triarcuate

On the 1200MK2 the pitch control slider is for just that purpose. Disregard the 0 setting and use the illuminated strobe marks on the platter to adjust to nominal speed. When they appear to be motionless you are there. The control on the 1210 may be a knob but the same principles apply.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technics_SL-1200

Hi,

It sounds like the rca (phono) leads also check your cartridge.

Regards.

http://www.audiovisualservices.info/

You have a bad tone arm. I have the same tables. You need to get it repaired if under warrenty. Or there is a service manaul online you can get from ebay. Service center for our tables is Panasonic.

I had the same problem on mine. But while it is in the shop they recalibarte it

need to know if it powers up. Does it try to spin, do you hear it trying to spin? More than likely the on/off switch went bad. No, I am not referring to the ON/OFF knob. THere is a switch this engages when turned. The part is S601. You might also want to replace the Start/Stop switch as well. If neither work, then the issue is on the main PC board, and probably IC101, or IC201 with the problem. At this stage, you will have to have a service tech look at your unit.