Technics SL-1200MK2 w/Super Track Plus Shure & Dynakit PAS 2 Produces No Sound

[ejbrooks13]

Hello,

I am relatively new to the hi-fi world and I am trying to finish setting up my turntable. I currently have a Technics Quartz SL-1200MK2 with a Super Track Plus Shure cartridge hooked up to a Dynakit PAS 2 preamp and I am not getting any sound through the speakers.

I have the preamp hooked up to two-monoblock Dynakit MK III amps and a pair of Klipsch speakers. I get great sound from my system using the Tape In hooked up to my phone to play music but get no sound with the turntable hooked up to Phono ports on the preamp. I was sure to select the correct positions on the front of my preamp to allow signal from the turntable but no matter what I try I cannot get anything more than a faint signal. I have a set a RCA-Aux that I use to hook up my phone and with this inserted into the Phono input I have to crank up the volume to even get a slight sound from the speakers. This leads me to believe that my phono is not working properly (correct me if I am wrong).

I am trying to figure out if my cartridge is bad/incorrect or if my phono is not working on my preamp, or if I have something hooked up incorrectly.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Eric

 

[icenine]

Make sure the headshell is completely screwed on. Make sure the headshell cables on the cartridge are correctly connected to the headshell terminals.
Make sure you don't have a tape monitor button pushed in or on if your preamp has one.
Disconnect your phone from the system. Put the cables from the 1200 into the phono preamp inputs on your preamp. If you have your monoblocks correctly connected to the PAS 2 you should hear some sound.

 

[BobbyBluz]

There's a very rare chance the RCA leads on the turntable are defective (I got my 1200 M3D for $50 because of that). Try another turntable and make sure everything is properly connected.

 

[Decibel_116]

You may indeed have an issue with your phono preamp. Do you have access to an external phono preamp you could try? BTW, I would not send your phone (line level) output into the phono preamp. You will overload it.

 

[ejbrooks13]

I was sure to double check the headshell terminals, correct cartridge connection, and tape monitor switch. I have nothing connected except the RCAs from the turntable into the phono preamp inputs and I am not getting any sounds. I will have to test another turntable when I get a chance to try another one!

In the mean time, I took the covers off of my PAS 2 and noticed that I cannot see any visible glow out of either of the left-most tubes - where the selector switch for phono/tape head/special/etc is.

 

[Dandy]

This kind of issue needs to be tackled systematically. (Not saying you aren't already!)

Check that the table and cart are working on another known working amp with phono stage. I keep an old solid state one around for this kind of sanity check.

If the table is good, then move onto the PAS. It would be worth downloading a PAS2 user's manual from the AK database, or similar, just to make sure you're hooking the table up correctly.

Once the above tests are passed, it's time to check the PAS2 phono stage internally. I don't have one, but others here do. You don't say if you've used the phono stuff before or if it's been serviced. Try cleaning the tube sockets and switches with Deoxit.

And, BTW, welcome to AK. And here's the link to the PAS manual and assy guide. http://akdatabase.com/AKview/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=0

 

[BinaryMike]

In the mean time, I took the covers off of my PAS 2 and noticed that I cannot see any visible glow out of either of the left-most tubes - where the selector switch for phono/tape head/special/etc is.

That's an indication that one of the tubes has an open heater. You can check 'em with an ohmmeter. Other possibilities include bad contact in the tube socket and a bad solder connection, especially if it was built from a kit.

 

[icenine]

I was sure to double check the headshell terminals, correct cartridge connection, and tape monitor switch. I have nothing connected except the RCAs from the turntable into the phono preamp inputs and I am not getting any sounds. I will have to test another turntable when I get a chance to try another one!

In the mean time, I took the covers off of my PAS 2 and noticed that I cannot see any visible glow out of either of the left-most tubes - where the selector switch for phono/tape head/special/etc is.

If there is no heat coming from the tubes then you have some sort of problem in that section of the amp.
With the unit unplugged (be careful) do a visual inspection of the amp. There could be a cut wire or a broken lead on a capacitor or resistor.
If you have no electronic experience take it to an audio repairman. Hopefully it is an easy fix.
It is most likely not the tubes....probably lol.

 

[peterh]

I was sure to double check the headshell terminals, correct cartridge connection, and tape monitor switch. I have nothing connected except the RCAs from the turntable into the phono preamp inputs and I am not getting any sounds. I will have to test another turntable when I get a chance to try another one!

In the mean time, I took the covers off of my PAS 2 and noticed that I cannot see any visible glow out of either of the left-most tubes - where the selector switch for phono/tape head/special/etc is.

If there is no filemant glow you won't have any phono sound !
It could be a broken filament on any of the tubes in the left section, as they are connected in series both tubes
will go out if one is defective.
Luckely all 4 tubes are of the same type. With power off, remove the 2 tubes in the left section. Then grab
the 2 tubes in the right section, move both to the socket at left. Turn power on and see if the filaments
will light up. If so, the 2 tubes that was in the left section should be replaced with another pair of 12ax7
( only one tube might be broken, but changing both will keep channel balance)
Put the new tubes in the right section.

 

[ejbrooks13]

Thank you for all the help! It ended up being my tubes, swapped them out for some new 12AX7 and everything works great!