Technics SL-3300 User manual

Technics
Direct Drive
Automatic Turntable System
SL-3300
Operating instructions
The mode l number of thi s product may be found on the back
of the unit , and the seria l number , on the bottom of the unit.
Please note the model and serial numbers of this unit in the
space provided and retain . this booklet as a permanent record
of your purchase to aid identificati on in the event of theft.
MOD EL NUM BER
SERIAL
NUMBER
Before ope rating this set, please read these ins tru ct ions comp lete ly

We want to thank you for selecting the SL-3300.
For
opt imum performance , we recommend that you read these instruct i ons carefully .
Parts identification
45-rpm adaptor
Turntable base
Center spindle
Headshell stand
Hinge
Balance weight
Stylus-pressure ring
Anti-skating control knob
Arm clamp
Arm rest
Turntable platter
Turntable mat
Locking nut
Headshell
Strobe dots
Pitch control knobs
~- Start /st o p knob
Strobe-illuminator / pilot lamp
-
Speed select knob
"Warning: To prevent fire or shock hazard,
do not expose this appliance
to rain or moisture."
-1-

Before use
Caution:
• Never connect the AC power plug before assembly has been
completed.
• Attach the
dust cover last, so that assembly and adjustments
can be made most conveniently.
• Checklist of parts
Turntable unit . . .. . .............. .
Turntable platter ........ ......... .
Turntable mat .. ..... . ...... . .... .
Dust
cover . . .................... .
45-rpm
adaptor . . ........ .. . . .. .. .
Balance
weight ............ . ..... .
Headshell
............ . .. .. ...... .
Shell
weight . ........... . ........ .
Overhang
gauge ..... . .... ....... .
Assembly and set-up
1 Installation of turntable platter
Place the turntable platter on the center spindle.
Note:
The rotor is connected to the underside of the turntable
pl atter . (The magnet of the motor is attached to the turntable
platter.) To maintain optimum perfo rmance, extra care should
be taken to prevent adhesion of dust or iron filings to the
magnet and not to damage the magnet by dropping it.
• Do
not remove or loosen the screws. Should the position
of the fix ed magn et be altered by loosening the securing
screw s, th e rated performance of th e unit cannot be guarante-
ed . (See Fig. 2.)
2 Place the turntabl e mat on the platter .
Note:
• After having placed the turntable mat manually rotate the
turntable platter clock wi se about 10 times .
This will disengage the automatic mechanism from the
tonearm gear. which in rare cases may have moved out of
its normal position during transportation .
f} Installation of cartridge
When you install a car tridge , refer to the operation instructions
of that cartridge .
During installation, a tta ch the stylus protector to guard the stylus
tip from damage .
Connect the lead wir es to the cartridge termina l s.
The terminals of most cart rid ges are co lor coded. Co nn ect each
lead
wir e to the terminal of the s ame color .
White (L + ) .. . .. . ... . . . Left channel +
Blue (L- ) . ........ . ... Left channel -
Red
(R +) ......... .. Right channel +
Green (R- ) .. .. . . . .. Right channel -
2 Install a cartridge to the headshell, and ti ghten it with scre ws
pr ovided with the c artridg e. (See Fig. 3.)
Screw
Washer __________
Headshell
Lead wire
Terminal
Cartridge
Nut
Note:
Use the shell weight only for a light weight cartridge. (Less
than 6.0 g) (See Fig. 4.)
3 Adjustment of overhang (See Fig . 5.)
Insert the headshell int o the gauge.
2 Loos en the mounting screws and move the cartridge forward
or backward until th e stylus tip lines up with the edge of the
gauge .
3 Tighten the screws without moving th e cartridge
Note:
- 2 -
Your cartridge is now adjusted for low est tr acki ng error and
minimum distortion.
This gauge is exc lusively designed for this tonearm.
Sc rew
Overh ang
ga ug e
tip
mm (2 ·3/ 64 ")

4 lnstallation of headshell (See Fig. 6.)
Insert the headshell into the front end of the tubular arm , and
turn the locking nut clockwise (in the direction shown by th e
arrow " A" ). with the headshell firmly held horizontally .
Headshell
Plug
Locking nut
5 Installation of balance weight (See Fig. 7.)
Place the balance weight on the rear shaft of the tonearm .
6 Adjustments of horizontal zero (0) balance and
stylus pressure
Before a dju s ting horizontal zero (0) balance, check th e follow -
ing :
Make sure that the speed select knob is in the "•" (neutral)
position .
Mak e sure that the cueing knob is in th e "I " position .
Make sure that the anti -s kating control knob is at "0" position.
Make sure that the "memo-repeat" knob is in th e "0" position.
2 Remove th e sty lu s protector, if your cartridge has a detachable
one.
Be careful not to touch your fingers to the stylus tip .
3 Release
the arm clamp and lift the ton earm from the arm rest
to free it.
Turn the entire balance w eight clock wise (indicated by th e arrow
"A") or count erc lockwise (indicated by the arrow "B") until the
tonearm is approximate ly balanc ed horizont a lly
(See 8 and 9.)
Horizontally balanced state
Note:
• Durin g the adjustment of the horizontal zero (0) balance ,
be care ful that the stylus tip of the cartridge does not contact
the turntable mat or turntable base.
4
Aft er the tonearm is horizontally zero (0) balanced , temporarily
refasten the t onearm with the a~m c l amp.
5 Ho ld the balance w eight stat ionary with one hand as sho wn
in th e p ict ur e, and rotate only the stylus-pressure ring to bring
the numeral "0" of the ring into alignment with the center line
on the tonearm rear shaft .
- 3 -
Th e adjustment of the horizontal zero (0) balance is now comp let-
ed . (See Fig. 10.)
-

6 After adjusting the horizontal zero (0) balance, turn the balance
weight clockwise in the direction of the arrow and align to the
correct stylus pressure. (See Fig. 11.)
(Follow the cartridge manufacturer's recommendation.)
As the stylus-pressure ring moves in step with the balance w eight,
proper stylus pressure can be selected by directly reading the
graduated ring .
-
Note:
• Set the stylus pressure to the maximum recommended val ue
for your cartridge in cases where the record has an extremely
high recording level, or where the unit is operated in a room
at lo w temperature, or in places in which the unit is subjected
to vibrations.
7 Adjustment of anti-skating control
Set the anti-skating control knob to the same value as the st yl us
pressure. (See Fig. 12.)
Not
e:
• When a cartridge with integral dust brush is used. follow
the cartridge manufacturer's recommendation for adjus t ing
both stylus pressure and anti-skating force .
-
8 Installation of dust cover
Place the dust cover into position from directly above, holding
it at both sides . For detaching the dust cover , be certain first
to raise it as illustrated befor e removal. (See Fig. 13.)
Note:
Opening or closing of the dust cover during play should be
avoided . This may not only cause undesired vibrations, but
also result in skipping of the stylus .
• If
you must open the dust cover during play, do so as gently
as possible .
Dust cover
-
Placement
Place the unit in a stable and horizontal position, where there
is little or no vibration.
Locate the unit as far away from the speakers as possible and
isolate the unit from sound radiation from them.
Do not place the unit where it is exposed to direct sun, dust,
moisture or heat.
Keep it in a well ventilated place.
Connections
• Connect the AC power plug. (See Fig. 14.)
Connec t the AC po w er pl ug to an A C wall socket (120 V, AC) .
• Connect the output terminal s. (See Fig. 14.)
- 4 -
Output terminals
L (W hite) - -----
R(Red)
GND (Spade lug) -
Not e:
or Receiver
L Cha nn el
R Cha nnel
GND
• Be sure to connect the ground terminal firmly to the amp l ifier
or receiver . this connec t ion is not made or is loose , a po w er
source " HUM " w ill resu lt .
AC
socket
po w er plug
Ground Wire GND
termina ls
Fig. 14

How to operate
Manual play of a record-----------
1 Place a record on the t urntable mat.
2 Set
the speed select knob to the desired record speed.
(See Fig. 15.)
Speed select knob
3 Remove the stylus protector . if your cartridge has a detachable
one .
4 Release
the arm clamp .
5 Set
the cueing knob to the "" position . (See Fig. 16.)
6 Move the tonearm over the record and set the cueing knob to
the "I" position. (See Fig. 17.)
The tonearm will descend slowly onto the record and play will
begin .
Cueing knob
!
7 When play is finished. the tonearm will automatically return to
the arm rest (a uto-return). and the turntable platter will stop
rotation .
The turntable platter will continue to rotate briefly due to its
own inertia .
Note:
• If the "memo-repeat" knob is in a position other than "0", play
will be repeated by the number of times set; therefore, be sure
to keep the "memo-repeat" knob in the "0" position .
• After play is completed. fasten the tonearm with the arm clamp
and set the speed select knob to the "•" position .
• Attach the stylus protector again, if you have one. to protect
the stylus tip from damage .
• Automatic play--------------
Set the speed select knob in the same manner as in manual pla y
and release the arm clamp .
2 Set the record size select knob to the diameter of the record (7"
(17 em). 10" (25 em) or 12" (30 em) ) you wish to play (See Fig.
18.)
-5-
Note:
• Care should be taken not to move the record size select knob
when the tonearm is moving in the automatic start or auto-
matic return cycle .
-..: J- _ ._._: _ .-- = = =_
~
3 Set the start/stop knob to the "start" position. (See Fig. 19.)
The tonearm will move automatically over the lead-in groove and
descend slowly to the record (auto-start) . Play will begin .
Note:
• In this case, the "start/stop" knob will automatically return to
the neutral position after play has begun .
4 When
play has finished , the tonearm will automatically return to
the arm rest (auto-return) and the turntable platter will stop rota-
tion .
The turntable platter will continue to rotate briefly due to its own
inertia.
Note:
• If the "memo-repeat" knob is in a position other than "0 ". play
will be repeated by the number of times set; therefore , be sure
to keep the "memo-repeat" knob in the " 0" position .
• After play is completed , fasten the tonearm with th e arm clamp
and set the speed select knob to the "•" position.
• Attach the stylus protector again, if you have one . to protect
the stylus tip from damage .
• Records having size other than 17 em . 25 em and 30 em (7",
10" and 12" ) should be played manually. Your turntable is
designed for automatic handling of records that adhere to
accepted industry dimensions . Therefore . use the unit
manually for records other than standard size s.

• Repeat play---------------
Set the speed select knob and record size select knob in the same
manner as in automatic play.
2 Set the "memo-repeat" knob to the desired number of times you
wish to play. (See Fig. 20.)
"R" position enables you to repeat play continuously.
Subsequently, follow the same procedures as for the automatic
(auto-start) play.
Note:
• The "memo-repeat" knob may be moved either left or right
without any inconvenience , but care should be taken not to
move it when the tonearm is moving in the automatic start or
automatic return cycle.
• How to stop play ____________ _
Set the start/stop knob to the "stop" position. (See Fig. 21.)
The tonearm will automatically return to the arm rest and the
turntable will stop rotating.
Note:
• If the "memo-repeat" knob is in a position other than "0", play
will be repeated by the number of times set; therefore, be sure
to keep the "memo-repeat" knob in the "0" position.
-
• How to suspend play------------
Set the cueing knob to the " !. "position.
The stylus tip of the cartridge will be lifted from the record .
• If the unit is not to be used for some time----
Secure the tonearm with the arm clamp.
Attach the stylus protector , if your cartridge has one, to guard
the stylus from damage.
Close the dust cover.
-6-
Notes and maintenance
0Never move the "start/stop" knob, record size select knob and
"memo-repeat" knob during automatic cycle (auto-start and
auto-stop).
@Records having sizes other than 17 em, 25 em and 30 em (7",
10" and 12") should be played manually.
Your turntable is designed for automatic handling of records that
adhere to accepted industry dimensions.
Therefore, use the unit manually for records other than standard
sizes.
@)Care should be exercised in handling the turntable platter.
The turntable platter has the rotor (the magnet of the motor)
directly connected to it. Therefore , the turntable platter shou ld
not be removed from the center spindle unnecessarily.
Should it become necessary to re;move the turntable platter , be
sure first to pull the AC power plug out of the socket.
0 When using other headshells, make sure that the headshell
configuration is compatible. (See Fig. 22.)
When other types of headshells are employed , the handle por-
tion of the headshell may strike against the inner upper surface
of the dust cover during automatic motion of the tonearm . In
such a case, we recommend that the dust cover be left ·open
during play.
0
-
0 Before detaching or attaching the headshell, be sure to turn
the power of the amplifier or receiver off.
Detaching or attaching of the headshell with the volume control
turned up may cause damage to the speakers.
0 Wipe the headshell terminals from time to time. (See Fig. 23.)
Dust and dirt at the headshell terminals may result in increased
" HUM" noise or intermittent sound . Use soft dry cloth to clean
the headshell terminals.
Headshell
termina
-

7 Dust and dirt should be carefully removed from stylus tip
or records.
Dust and dirt on the stylus tip or record may not only result
in deterioration of to ne quality , but also cause undue wear of
the record and the stylus tip itself .
Special
stylus ti p brushes and record cleaners ca n be purchased
in most ele ctr onic supply houses.
8 Wipe th e dust cover and turntable base with a soft, dry cloth.
Never use
any cleaners containing alcohol, benzine or thinner .
Use of a
chemical dust cloth should also be avoided. Be sure
that the dust cover is not exposed to insecticide spray.
To remove stubborn finger prints or grease spots, detach the
dust cover and disconnect the AC power plug .
Use a soft cloth slightly moistened with a mild soap and water
solution.
Do not wipe the dust cover during play, or the tonearm may
be attracted toward the dust cover due to the generation of static
.elec tricity .
9 Lubrication
Apply 2 or 3 drops of oil once after every 2000 hours of opera-
tion . (See Fig. 24.)
The
t1me 1nterval is much longer than that for conventional t ype
motors (2 00 - 500 hours) .
Please use
only the special oil for this turntable (part number
SFWO 01 0) which you can purchase from any Authorized
Panasonic Parts Distributor .
oil
Adjustments
0 Adjustment of arm-lift height (See Figs. 25 and 26.)
- 7 -
The arm-lift height (distance between the stylus tip and record
surface when cueing knob is at the ".!_"position) has been adjust-
ed at the factory before shipment to approximately 5 to 10 mm.
5-10 mm
For using different cartridges available on the market or when
further adjustments are particularly necessary , make adjustment
as foll ows:
Turn the adjustment screw clockwise or counterclockwise, while
pushing the arm lift down.
Clockwise rotation
-
distance between the record and stylus tip is reduced.
Counterclockwise rotation
-
distance between the r ecord and stylus tip is increased .
Note:
•
As the adjus tin g screw has a hexagonal head, be sure to
mak e the adjustment wh ile depressing th e arm li ft , or th e
screw will not move fr ee ly .
Also be s ure th at th e hexagonal head re tr acts correc tly int o
th e arm lift when the latter is released .

2 Adjustment for automatic start and return positions
(See Fig. 27.)
Should the tonearm not function correctly, make adjustments
according to the following procedures.
Adjustment for automatic start position
(Remove
the rubber cap.)
In cases
where the stylus tip descends outside of the record
-Rotate clockwise .
In cases
where the stylus tip descends onto halfway of a recorded
piece
-Rotate counterclokwise.
Adjustment for automatic return position
(Remove
the turntable mat.)
In cases
where the tonearm tends to return before the playing has
finished
-Rotate clockwise .
In cases
where the tonearm fails to return after the last groove of
the record
-Rotate counterclockwise.
3 Speed adjustment (with pitch-control knobs)
(See Fig. 28.)
Strobe dots are set on the rim of the turntable platter accord-
ing to the power-line frequency and the speed of the records.
Make adjustment , referring to the strobe-dot indication.
1 Set the speed select knob to the speed to be adjusted.
2 Release the arm clamp and move the tonearm toward the record .
The
strobe-illuminator / pilot lamp will light up and the turntable
platter will rotate.
3 While
turning the pitch-control knobs either to the "+" side or
"-" side, adjust so that the strobe dots of the turntabl e platter
look as if they were stationary. This represents the correct speed.
-8-
50Hz
60Hz
Strobe-illuminator
Strobe dots
"+" direction
The speed of the turntable platter will incr ease. Turn the knob
in this direction if the strobe dots seem to be "falling back"
i.e. seem
to be moving counterclockwise . When the dots appear
to be stationary, turntable speed is accurate .
"-" direction
The speed of the turntable platter will decrease. Turn the knob
in this direction if the dots seem to be "running ahead" ; i.e.
seem
to be moving clockwise , until they appear stationary.
Note:
Strobe dot pattern
• The
strobe-illuminator / pilot lamp of this unit employs the
standard commercial power source . The frequency of such
power source , when actually measured , has a fluctuation of
about 0. 2% .
As
such a fluctuation of the power source af fe cts the strobe
illuminator , the strobe dot pattern also seems to fluctuate
to a certain extent. But the unit is not affected by these fluctua-
tions of the power source, since a DC motor is employed.
In other words , rotation of the platter will be constant. and
slight shifts in the movement of the dots simply reflect normal
drift in the power-source frequency.

Features
TNRC Base Material Stops Acoustic Feedback
If you have ever experienced howling-caused by acoustic
feedback-you know it is the last thing you want your turntable
to do. But with ou r original TNRc· base material, it is the last
thing you 'll have to worry about, even at high volume levels.
This unique anti-re sonant material is high-molecular compound
made by mixi ng inorganic compounds and special materials.
Compared with ordinary plastic resins or particle board, TNRC
exhibits strikingly superior resonance attenuation characteristics
and lo w amplitude of the vibration as well as excellent attenuation
to t he vibration of the base.
*TNRC .... Technics Non-Resonance Compound .
Ultra-Low-Speed Direct Drive Motor
The direct-drive of this unit eliminates the belts, wheels, and
other drive elements required by conventional systems. These
same belts and so
on are notorious sources of vibration ,
resonance, and
cyclical variations in speed . With only one mov-
ing part, the D.D. system does away with these sources of dis-
turbance , to provide superbly smooth, constant platter rotation .
Integral Rotor-Platter Structure
To further simplify the turntable design, the platter and rotor
are formed into a single, continuous unit. By eliminating a linkage
point , this prevents the potentially disturbing effects of looseness
or maladjustment between platter and rotor.
All Front-Panel Controls
The advancement to complete front-panel control marks a big
step
forward in turntable operation, not only because of the
greater convenience, but also because of the greater protection
from dust, as the dust cover can stay closed.
Tonearm Cueing Controlled from Front Panel
The tonearm is raised and lowered softly by a viscous-damped
cueing lifter. Even with the dust cover closed, a cueing can be
easily
performed as the control is located on the front panel.
Fully-Automatic Operation
All operations in the SL-3300 are completely automatic, yet
mechanical movements are accurate and silent. Full protection to
records and stylus tip is assured. With the memo-repeat feature,
favorite
records may be repeated up to six times , or indefinitely.
• Highly Sensitive Gimbal Suspension System
With the high-precision pivot bearings employed for the
horizontal and vertical journals of the tonearm, in concert with
the adoption of the gimbal suspension system, a high-sensitivity
arm of less than 7 mg friction has been attained, thus making it
possible
to fully realize the performance of high-compliance
cartridges.
• Independent Pitch Controls
Permits record speed (at both 33-1/3 and 45 rpm) to be varied
by up
to 10%.
• Precision Strobe Illuminator/Pilot Lamp
With the built-in strobe illuminator/pilot lamp, accurate speed
adjustments can be made rapidly and easily.
• Anti-Skating Force Mechanism
The well-designed anti-skating force mechanism ensures
minimum side thrust with different cartridges and guarantees
accurate center-of-the-groove tracking.
Light, Aluminum Diecast Headshell
• Detachable Dust Cover
-9-
Specifications
General ----------------------------------
Power supply:
Power consumption:
Dimensions:
(W X H X D)
Weight:
120V, 50 or 60 Hz
4W
43.0 x 13.0 x 37.5 em
(16-59/64 x
5-7/64 x 14-49/64 inches)
7.1 kg (15.7 lb)
Turntable section-------------------------
Type:
Drive method:
Motor:
Turntable platter:
Turntable speeds:
Pitch controls:
Wow and flutter:
Rumble:
Tonearm section
Type:
Effective length:
Overhang:
Friction:
Effective
mass:
Tracking error angle:
Offset angle:
Adjustable stylus
pressure range:
Cartridge weight range:
(with shellweight):
Headshell weight:
Direct Drive
Automatic Turntable System
(Auto-start, Auto-return, Auto-stop
Repeat play and Manual play)
Direct drive
Brushless DC motor
Aluminum die-cast, 30.4 em (12")
33-1/3 and 45
rpm
Individual adjustment controls,
10% adjustment range
0.03% WRMS (JIS C5521)
±0.042% peak (IEC 98A
Weighted)
-53 dB (IEC 98A Unweighted)
-75 dB (IEC 98A Weighted)
Universal tubular arm, static-
balanced type
230 mm (9-1/16")
15 mm (19/32")
Within 7 mg (horizontally and
vertically)
12 g (without cartridge)
Within 2° 32' (at the outer groove of
30 em (12") record)
Within 0° 32' (at the inner groove of
30 em (12") record)
22°
0
to 2.5 g (stylus pressure direct
reading type)
6 to 9.5 g
13.5
to 17 g (including headshell)
3 to 6.5 g
10.5 to 14 g
(including headshell)
7.5 g
Specifications subject to change without notice.

For longer and safer use
of this unit
In order to receive the best service from this unit, and for the
safest operation,
carefully read the following information.
Power source
It
is very dangerous to use this unit at a voltage which is different
from the rated voltage.
There is
danger of combustion if the unit is connected to a
power source which is different from the rated voltage.
Be very careful
concerning this point .
Direct current cannot
be used.
There are some places, such
as ships, where direct current is
used
as the power source . Before connecting the unit , confirm
the power source .
• Connection of power cord
Wet hands are dangerous.
Be sure to never
touch the power cord with wet hands because
the
re is danger of shock . This is true, of course, of all
electric
equipment.
Do not pull the power cord.
Never pull the
power cord to disconnect it. Always pull the plug
of the cord only .
Location of unit
Choose a place
which is not in direct sunlight.
Select a place which will assure good ventilation.
• Never place heating equipment nearby.
Be sure to keep stoves and other sources of heat away from
this
unit , because heat radiated by such equipment may cause
deformation of plastic parts or damage the cabinet, or , at worst ,
cause a fire.
• Especially for families with children
Take care that no small items, such
as metal objects, are put
inside this unit.
In addition , children should be especially warned not to put
anything into the ventilation holes, such as toys or a screwdriver ,
because these
things may cause an electric shock or result in
a
malfunction of the uni t.
• If water spills on the unit
If water
should happen to spill on the unit, from an overturned
vase
for example, there is danger of fire or electric shock. Dis-
connect the power plug from the electric outlet immediately, and
contact the store from which the unit was purchased.
• Reconstruction can cause accidents
Absolutely never try to remodel , reconstruct or repair this unit
yourself . Do not attempt to touch any internal parts because
to do so may result in an electric shock or other accident.
•
Be sure the power is off.
After you have finished using this unit, check once more to be
sure that the
power is off . If the unit is left with the power on
for a long period of time, it may not only be damaged , thus
shortening its useful life, but may also lead to a dangerous
accident .
-10-

Panasonic Company
Division of Matsushita Electric
Corporation of America
One Panasonic Way, Secaucus,
New
Jersey 07094
Printed in Japan
Pansonic Hawaii, Inc.
320 Waiakamilo Road ,
Honolulu ,
Hawaii 96817
SFNU330M01
S0778M1