MCS 6502=Technics SL-23?

WilliamK1974

New Member
Hey all,

Awhile back, I picked an MCS 6502 tt up out of a roadside trashpile. Having done my time in retail years ago, I recognized it as JCPenney's house brand, but didn't know much else about it.

I took the platter off and it's stamped Technics on the bottom. A little online research showed that there is some speculation that this tt might be a lower-end cousin to the SL-23, which was a belt-drive Technics product.

It looks like it might have been a decent, though inexpensive tt. It's two speeds, with anti-skate and stroboscopic pitch control. The cueing lever is well-damped.

The belt is broken and the cart would need to be replaced in order for it to be useable, but there's another problem. When I switch it on, nothing happens. Neither the motor spins, nor does the strobe light up. It must have either a bad switch or burned up motor.

I guess my question is should I go to any great lengths to get it running? I've got a good Pioneer PL-A35, but it looks like most folks here have more than one working tt. I'm just curious if it's worth the effort.

Thanks,
-Bill
 
I had one of those back in the early 80s. I always thought it was a POS, lol. How are the tonearm bearings? They were often prone to quite a bit of slop.
But as a second 'table? Why not? I just wouldn't put any money into it, other than a cheap cartridge.

I may be thinking of another turntable I had, but I remember one that the platter didn't start spinning until the tonearm was moved from the rest, towards the platter.

The PL-A35 (I've got one too) is obviously the better of the two (although not exactly a 'sonic wonder' either). Just my opinion.:D

Jeff
 
I had one of those back in the early 80s. I always thought it was a POS, lol. How are the tonearm bearings? They were often prone to quite a bit of slop.
But as a second 'table? Why not? I just wouldn't put any money into it, other than a cheap cartridge.

I may be thinking of another turntable I had, but I remember one that the platter didn't start spinning until the tonearm was moved from the rest, towards the platter.

The PL-A35 (I've got one too) is obviously the better of the two (although not exactly a 'sonic wonder' either). Just my opinion.:D

Jeff

The MCS 6502 starts up by turning on the speed switch and moving the tone arm over to the platter. Now, way back in the day, my parents bought me one of those one-piece integrated stereo systems at Sears with tt, tuner, and tape deck. I was quite proud of it at the time, and it had one of the best analog tuners on it that I've ever had. It had a tt on it like what you're describing where you started the platter by moving the tone arm toward the record. No telling how heavy it tracked, nor is there any way of knowing just how much groove damage it might have done to my records.

Now, the PL-A35 might not have been top of the heap, but I've really enjoyed it. I got it for $50 back in 1994 from one of my former high school teachers. After cleaning the nicotine residue off, replacing the belt, and changing out the cart, it worked well enough. I'd replaced its old cart with an inexpensive Stanton from Radio Shack. That cart was good but not great. A few years ago, my brother got me a Shure N97xe, which was like night and day compared to the Stanton. There may be better carts out there, but for the money, that one's hard to top.
 
SL-23 is a nice little belt drive TT, adjustable pitch, strobe, decent arm. Had one way back, in fact it was my first table.

If some one wanted to start off with a low investment, it would be one to consider if in good shape.
 
Actually, thanks to your post, I've discovered there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the tt. Just a broken belt and bad cartridge.

Glad to hear the 'table is fine.:thmbsp: Also good to know my memory isn't faulty.:D

RE: PL-A35. It is a solidly built turntable, and an adequate performer, just nothing special. I'm sure the M97xE makes a major difference.:D One of my favorite cost-effective carts.:thmbsp:

Jeff
 
SL-23 is a nice little belt drive TT, adjustable pitch, strobe, decent arm. Had one way back, in fact it was my first table.

If some one wanted to start off with a low investment, it would be one to consider if in good shape.

Which puts it a step or two above the MCS 6502, IMO.

Jeff
 
Nice table IF - the tone arm bearings are OK? Gently try to rock it all motion directions with two fingers? If no play, you are golden :) I like that little table. You can upgrade by putting a piece of tile backer board in the base to get a bit more mass (cut and glue in). How's the headshell? The cart wires? Any hum when plugged into the receiver?
 
I had one of those back in the early 80s. I always thought it was a POS, lol. How are the tonearm bearings? They were often prone to quite a bit of slop.
But as a second 'table? Why not? I just wouldn't put any money into it, other than a cheap cartridge.

I may be thinking of another turntable I had, but I remember one that the platter didn't start spinning until the tonearm was moved from the rest, towards the platter.

The PL-A35 (I've got one too) is obviously the better of the two (although not exactly a 'sonic wonder' either). Just my opinion.:D

Jeff
With a proper cartridge this turntable will run circles around other "HIGH END" turntables.
 
I would put MCS 6502 closer to the Panasonic cheaper relative than the Technics SL-23. Lacks the interchangeable SME type headshell. Very decent for a budget turntable then. Still very decent now. But the Pioneer you own is extremely superior, you have here a decent second turntable.
 
resurrecting an old thread yes, but someone may find one and need to fix it....picked this up with a 3222 and a set of MC1000 speakers to restore/sell and even tho I closed/retired Im still getting to them.

Done a number of these over the years, the 6502 seems to have been a popular JcP model. This one is not 100% cosmetic due to the dust cover tabs, BUT electrically this was the worst. And of course the belt was dust.PXL_20240229_205223054.jpg

Anyways...no SM on VE, but the SL23 on VE will get you close. The cap values found vs SL23 manual are different, so replace what you found. Power filter plus the servo board is 5 caps. the Belt is normal technics FBM23.6 (the platter fits 4000 technics models, so much so, it sez technics on the bottom.)

Needledaddy1 on ebay has a pfanstihl .4x.7 that tracks 1.5-2 which is good cuz the factory conical .6 today is 2-3gm and the somewhat fixed tonearm is factory 1.75gm +/- .25gm so you get to use your handy dandy ortofon gauge to set it. 1.75 is a nice number.

But but it wont run or only spurts once...there is a chip in there UPC-1003C that is the servo and it is so unobtanium the chinese are not even counterfeiting it. But alas, on VE or somewhere, someone wrote to recap the board and 9 outta 10 that fixes it...but that MIGHT not be your problem.

The dual combo switch gets ugly inside. it has 2 parts - lower section simply turns on the 12v side of the transformer which powers motor and the servo. the upper side connects the servo sense to either the 45 or 33 resistor and VR. its maddenly small #2 screws and inside the switch platter are 2 contacts that are simply tiny pieces of copper, folded into a Z and makes contact. But with schmootz, it wont. If you dont want to take apart, liberal dispensing of F5 might do it, perhaps D5 to start and F5 to finish. its copper on copper contact so a teeny bit of lube aint a bad idea. And of course F5 the fine tune.

A pre-set on this is to "middle of the road" the pitch knob and between 45 and 33 settings, adjust both speeds via the VRs so the platter is the same.

Doing the obligatory broken technics plastic lid hinges now with the aluminum angle bar fix published by others and modified by myself.
 
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