BSR XL- 1200 Linear Turntable

jayzjayz

New Member
BSR XL- 1200 Linear Turntable
A few years ago I purchased BSR XL-1200 Linear Tracking Turntable. It was working fine at that time. I packed it away along with some other old stereo equipment,also in good working condition. Now to my problem?
The turntable turns on and both speeds work but when you hit the play button the arm does not work and does not track at all.
Does anyone know what this problem could be. Can this problem be fixed by me or do I need to get it repaired professionally.
I would be grateful for any ideas or help.
Jayz

my email jayzjayz@verizon.net
 
Old thread, but was looking at this exact table found at the dump in its box with manual. This is a pretty low end linear arm table, so probably not worth spending money on, but it seems pretty simple to repair, or at least to check out.
First, look at the bottom (either hold it above you, or remove the platter and turn it over) and see if you put the transit screws in before you put it away -- that might be the problem. They are usually red painted, and the two that lock the arm mechanism are in the back left hand side. If they are there, take them out.
If that doesn't solve it, with the platter off and the stylus removed, unscrew the screw near the spindle with the electric bolt sticker pointing at it. Pop out the section of plastic that the screw holds down, and use the fast forward button to position the arm over that gap. Unplug the table so that the arm stays there.
Flip the table on it's dustcover (rest it on a piece of cloth), and remove the feet and the screws around the periphery of the metal plate and remove it. Now remove the screws at the back of the remaining plastic bottom plate, and lift it out carefully, making sure you don't whack the arm against the plinth. The arm mechanism is on the plastic bottom plate and you'll have to maneuver a little to get it to flip over so you can look at it.
There are two potential easy to fix problems - the grease on the slides may have dried up (not a problem on mine, so probably not on yours either) or the belt that drives the arm mechanism may be loose or broken. There is a motor on the plate that drives a chopper (a disc with slots in it for a photodiode and detector to sense motion) which in turn drives the arm motion. If that belt is loose or broken, it needs to be replaced. To do that you have to take the chopper/worm screw out of its pivots, but it appears to be held in them simply by the tension of the belt. And if its fallen out, that suggests the belt is broken or loose.
You can also see a cam on the arm carriage that obviously adjusts how much deflection the arm has before it moves, but I wouldn't touch that.
Hope this helps someone.
 
A BSR linear tracker? Considering some of the BSR tables I've seen, this seems like a potentially bad idea...
 
Well, I wouldn't recommend anyone run out and get one, but if you have one or are curious how they work (or how it was possible to make them so cheaply), its an easy one to get apart. Sometimes the appeal of things is working on them, not using them -- and this is a lot cheaper than a boat.
 
a linear tracking BSR? hm... I want one lol, as a novelty if anything.

It would probabally be the only BSR turntable that ever tracked properly.
 
It would seem to me that if BSR had a linear tracker, it would have been in the mid to late 80's, and it was probably badged BSR and made by someone else. I wouldn't expect it to be a great performer but I am darn curious as to what it is. Pics?
 
a linear tracking BSR? hm... I want one lol, as a novelty if anything.

It would probabally be the only BSR turntable that ever tracked properly.

I'm not so sure about that...LTs have a reputation (possibly undeserved) for not living up to their concept. A BSR seems like a good way of really screwing up the tracking.

That said, my parents have owned a ceramic-cartridge BSR cheapie since the early 70s (if not earlier). It's always done its thing without issue. Certainly not an audiophile piece, but it doesn't eat records alive either.
 
Hi all...

I hesitate to say I'm the proud owner of one of these since new. It is indeed a budget turntable, I don't think I paid $100 for it back around 91. I purchased it from DAK if you remember them. I had already spent all my cash on a high end Technics receiver, so I couldn't get a Technics turntable at the time, and I know all the material I find says they were only about $40 more than I paid for the BSR, but I sure don't remember that.
Anyhow, this thing is surprisingly not bad! It's has great sound, perfect tracking with my $40 test record, and according to the manual it tracks at 2 grams, which I have no trouble believing. I have no way to check, because if you yank the the plug to measure it it jerks the tonearm up for safety, and as you know linear trackers are spring balances, so you cant check it raised. I know it's a BSR but it's surprisingly not bad. My speed is slow according to the RPM app, but he's also 30 years old and on his original belt.
I know it's no Technics, but if mine broke I would put the time into fixing it. Don't pay over $40, because people sell them too cheap now days on flEbay to get too much into it. I don't know why all the hate for it, I cant find a fault with it for what it cost. It's also a moving magnet cartridge, and I think it's an AudioTechnica from my research, specifically an AT3830.
I know this is an old thread, but I wouldn't be scared of it. But I wouldn't rush out to find one either. And no, it wont destroy your records.
 
I had one of these also for DAK. Pretty good sounding table, but unfortunately made from brittle styrene plastic which didn't age well. A lot of the bolt posts fell apart when trying to replace the belt on the tonearm. Hinges broke as well.
 
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