Technics 1200 / 1210 MK2 Pitch Control History / Calibration

So you're having an issue with calibrating your MK2 pitch control? Don't feel so bad as it is very common. Given the changes Technics did in the 80's to the MK2 pitch control and failure to update the service manual EVER many customers replacing their pitch control are running into calibration issues lining up the +/- 33.3 and +6 after following the service manual calibration.

Please note: The following advice is not official and is coming from a Exclusive Technics 12xx Technician as well as an Authorized Panasonic / Technics Dealer.

First let's talk about the original Technics MK2 Pitch control. Part # EVBJ05C19ABE

SFDZ122N11 & SFDZ122N11-1 & later SFDZ122N11-2. (The difference in the SFDZ models is slight). Our SFDZ122N11-2 is the same as Panasonic's design with improvements to the Zero point being tighter and the cycle life increasing from 10k to 15k.

Originally Technics produced the MK2 with a 6 pin 20K OHM pitch control Part # EVBJ05C19ABE. This pitch control had a rubber dust cover inside the pitch control (to prevent dust and other objects from getting into the pitch) which often over time (when worn) the rubber would come apart and bunch up on one side and when using the pitch control would be very stiff on the extreme ends +/-8.

In the 80's Technics changed the design of the MK2 Pitch Control where the rubber dust cover was removed in replacement of a felt dust cover outside the pitch control attached to the bottom of the cabinet / plinth at the pitch controls section.

They also changed the pitch control to a 8 pin 22K OHM. Note the difference in OHM. This forced anyone with a previous version to change the Pitch PCB along with the pitch control if a replacement was needed.

So with the change in OHM's from 20k OHM to 22K OHM it matched the M3D / MK5 pitch control with the exception of the center point LED lighting up as it does on the MK2. So are the two pitch controls the same? Yes in OHM's but not in design as the MK2 lights up at the center where the M3D / MK5 does not. (M3D / MK% only lights up when the reset button is activated).

Now considering the M3D / MK5 22K OHM pitch control (now the same OHM as the new MK2 Pitch Control) which is calibrated to 2.875 OHMs (as opposed to the 2.70 OHM the MK2 Service Manual says to calibrate the old 20K OHM Pitch) it would only make sense to now set the MK2 calibration at 2.875 (or close to it within reason) given the MK2 22K pitch control is the same as the M3D / MK5 pitch.

Now having said this, the other thing we need to point out is that Technics also changed the scale on the cabinet plinth in the following years to match the M3D / MK5 also. They changed it to +/- 33.3 and +6.4 (Notice the change from +6 to +6.4). More the reason to use the 2.875 as a guide to MK2 Calibration.

We have been using this method for decades and it works.

Now when I say it works I mean it gets them close. There is no perfect calibration whereas all line up +/-33.3 & +6.4 (the dots on the side of the platter) and there never ever was. Even with the official Technics MK2 pitch over the decades thus the reason we started changing the calibration from 2.70 to 2.875 OHMs a long time ago.

Needless to say the main board calibration portion has not changed with the setting being 262.08khz using a frequency counter each time you adjust the Pot OHMs on the pitch control PCB.

We hope this helps you and don't stress if it's not perfect. In the analog world nothing is perfect or dead on. Just do your best to get it close and enjoy your vinyl.

With Respect,

The 1200s.com Team