Sound problem on GS1200

[Clive Casey]

Good afternoon fellow Forum members. I have got a problem with the sound on my Elmo GS1200. As soon as I turn the projector on I get a very load crackle through the speakers. I have tried taking all the plugs out of the circuit board and spraying them with contact cleaner, I have pressed the record buttons dozens of times and turned the volume controls up and down lots of times. One thing I have noticed is that the crackle seems to be on the right channel. I can't have the sound coming through the speakers because it is too loud, so I use a pair of headphones and it is only crackling through the right channel.
I hope someone on here has experienced this and have found an easy fix for it, but I guess that is expecting too much.
You can leave me a message on here or my email is clivecasey1@gmail.com
Failing an easy fix, does anyone know of some one that repairs Elmos.
Many thanks in advance, stay safe and best wishes,

Clive

[Burton Sundquist]

I Remember reading that this problem can be eliminated via the record buttons using the proper method: Have the machine running in forward WITHOUT film, slide the spot record button toward the front of the machine, then push the button in with your left hand then depress the two record buttons with your right hand. after a few seconds slide the spot record backward, then repeat the process. I hope this helps.

[Joseph Banfield]

Sounds like a capacitor or resistor failing to me. But I could be wrong. Capacitors are notorious for making crackling sounds in the audio before failing or shorting entirely.

[Clive Casey]

Thank you Burton, I have tried what you suggested to no avail, looks if I am going to have to get someone to repair it.
Thank you as well Joseph for taking the trouble to leave a message.

Regards to both of you.

Clive

[Patrick Steemers]

Hi have you been able to solve your problem? Is this crackle 'ongoing'? Or is it once when you turn the projector on? Or when you turn a specific knob?
Let me know and will try to help.

[Patrick Steemers]

Take a look at my video on this topic. I had a lot of issues with the sound of my firstly acquired GS1200 (ain't she a beauty??). Issues I had and solved:

- Loud crack during power up
- crackles when turning any of the knobs (volume, bass, treble, aux input etc)
- crackles when moving switches, notably double record/normal record and ALC/PA switches
- loud cracks when pushing down the red record arm buttons with the spot recording switch engaged. And then loud hums when pushing play thereafter. Even this led to loud oscillations and ringing sometimes.
- Recorded sound sounded very high pitched, very poor and with changing (bad) quality, no bass and scratchy
- occasional random humming during play back.

I did mainly 2 procedures: one was to thoroughly clean the amplifier board and use contact spray on all switches and potmeters. Then switching the switches and rotating the pots many many times. The other very important procedure was to replace the recording capacitor. This made a huge difference and fully restored the stereo recording quality.
Watch my video's: https://youtu.be/avkWCAERTDw and https://youtu.be/ezS5yf2tRdE