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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
dklk
38 posts
 

I understand your situation. I owned a SL1200 for awhile and liked it alot sound wise. It just didn.t look audiophile to me. So I sold it and went throu several TT,s and landed on a Rega P25...
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 

11-07-11: Dklk

I owned a SL1200 for awhile and liked it alot sound wise. It just didn.t look audiophile to me.So I sold it and went throu several TT,s and landed on a Rega P25...
I'm one of those geeks who gets a perverse pleasure in getting killer sound out of unconventional sources. By the time I tweaked and platformed my SL1210 M5G, it no longer looks particularly DJ either.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
I agree with Audiofeil w/regards to the arm of the 1200. Nice table, especially with some of the mods mentioned, and the arm will be better too with the mods mentioned.

But- regardless up updates, the arm of that table is the bottleneck. I've had a few of them apart and they are built for the expedience of semi-pro DJ work, which is the market to which the product is aimed.

Its cool that there are after-market armboards for the 1200 platform, after the initial surprise at what a reasonably well-engineered unit like this can do I think you will find that an upgraded arm will yield even more delight.

At some point, with the new power supplies, motor mods, modified or replaced plinths, etc, one wonders where the mod is and why not just build a new machine from scratch? I used to go through that a lot when I would update/modify Dynaco PAS-3 preamps. These days I like to make all the mods fit in the original box so the preamp retains its original looks and is thus a 'sleeper'.

If you are thinking of building up a 'table from a stock unit like this, you might look at the 'Vintage DD turntables- are we living dangerously?' thread
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1317949815&openflup&65&4#65

From the sounds of it, that Dual DD motor is the one to start a new build with... of course, $80 is a nice price of admission :)
timlub
1,649 posts
 
Hi Audiomaster1967,
Today, I am listening to computer audio only, but I miss vinyl and have no doubt, I will re enter. As you, I have had an old Kenwood KD600, a Linn, Walker, Oracle and Micro Seiki. The Oracle and the Micro Seiki with nice arms Grado & Saec competed quite well with the Technics and in some ways were better. As you did, I dampened inside the unit, added tampening tape(putty) to the platter, heat shrinked the arm(no cotton), changed the headshell and used different tonearm cables. If you want a beautiful table some of the micro seiki are georgeous, they cost alot of money and I can tell you for me, I'm going to pick up a used SL1200 from around town and be happy. Tim
hiho
451 posts
 
Atmosphere: "From the sounds of it, that Dual DD motor is the one to start a new build with... of course, $80 is a nice price of admission :) "

I can recommend getting a JVC QL-7 and start modding with that because it's a manual table and the motor unit is TT-71 and the arm can be replaced with something better. Not to mention a new plinth.... A lot of potential. The Dual requires more gutting and hassles. The JVC is the one that started me the alternative path away from the Technics. It's fun and it's cheap.

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