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TECHNICS SL1200 MKII.......THE REAL FACTS

I have been a very active participant in this hobby for many years (going on 30). I have owned amplifiers by B&K, Marantz, Forte, VanAlstine, Accuphase, GAS, Onkyo Grand Integra, Musical Fidelity.....Speakers by Thiel, Energy, Genesis, Vandersteen, PSB, Definitive Tech, KEF, Mission, B&W....Turntables by Sota, Rega, Linn, AR, Thorens, Dual, and yes; Technics. I have a Technics SL1200 MKII which I have had for a few years now. It has been modified in the following ways (all mods based on trial and error and final listening results):
-TT Weights 454 record weight
-XPM1 Acrylic mat with 1/4" heavy Technics rubber mat underneath
-Steel plinth cover (chrome finish). I cannot explain why, but the background is more quiet and micro dynamics are better with this in place.
-Armtube stuffed loosely with cotton.
-Heat shrink tubing on outside of arm tube.
-Stock headshell replaced with Sumiko with Sumiko headshell wires (do NOT underestimate what headshell quality can do with these things).
-Plugs on the stock cables replaced with better plugs: Vampire OFC RCA plugs.
-Bearings adjusted for minimal play with minimal friction.
-KAB Power Supply added

Now, this is the scoop. I do not want a Technics turntable. I am an audio snob. I want only salon approved brands; period. That is why this situation sucks dog. Out of all the turntables I have owned. This Technics with this combination of mods has the blackest background, the best dynamics, the most detail, the clearest stage, the most pace and timing and overall just simply plays the song in the least-confused manner of ANY turntable I have ever owned. In many ways it makes every other turntable I have ever owned sound like Amateur Night in sonic comparisons. Facts are facts. The Technics SL1200 MKII, when properly tweeked, is one serious LP playback unit. At least the chrome plated steel plinth cover covers up the name.
audiomaster1967
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
I bought a 1210M5G a couple years ago in order to play my vintage moving magnet cartridges. The interchangeable headshell feature is terrific; it allows quick cartridge changes which is super for comparisons.

However, the stock tonearm is the major drawback of this table. You can change the bearing, isolate the table with fancy devices, re-wire the arm but a lipsticked pig is still a pig.

If you fancy using this arm with any serious cartridge, you're already bottlenecked by the arm.

At the end of the day, the 1200 series is legendary and one of the best bargains ever but let's not get carried away.

IMO
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
compared top of the line mods on 1200 vs. used stock vintage oracle alexandria and most of praises after side by side went to vintage oracle. speaking of around $1100 for new 1200 vs. $400 used vintage oracle. math rules!
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 

10-13-11: Audiofeil
I bought a 1210M5G a couple years ago...

However, the stock tonearm is the major drawback of this table. You can change the bearing, isolate the table with fancy devices, re-wire the arm but a lipsticked pig is still a pig.

If you fancy using this arm with any serious cartridge, you're already bottlenecked by the arm.
I'm not saying the Technics arm is better than an RB500 or 700, but when the drive mechanism and tonearm resonances are controlled and the noise drained out via a platform or plinth, the overall package is surprisingly satisfying.

And when you hit that tonearm performance bottleneck, there are armboards available for mounting a Rega-compatible, a Jelco, or SME tonearm on an SL12x0 series. As much as I like my current rig, my next step would probably be to mount a Jelco or SME arm and still be ahead of the price/performance curve.

The SL1200 was always meant to be a mid-level enthusiast's turntable. It was also available as the SL120, which had an SME armboard instead of a tonearm. I suspect that that's more the way the engineers intended it.
audiomaster1967 OP
4 posts
 
I am certainly not stating "Throw away your Goldmund and get a Technics!"; what I AM saying is that all of the tables I mentioned were entry levelish in nature. The modded Technics holds it's own pretty damn well, it has surpassed all of them I mentioned in one or more areas and the overall versatility and "set it up and forget it" nature of the Technics is pretty damn nice.
johnjc
63 posts
 
The 1210 suitably mod is a great TT So far the best example of this i heard has the following upgrades
The Paul Hynes SP5 power supply It seems the power supply is really important to getting the best out of the 1210
The Mike New bearing and platter
The Olyide matt
as well as the usual feet upgrades
This takes the TT in a very similar performance level to the Trio LD07
Its not cheap to do this lol
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