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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
johnnyb53
3,490 posts
 

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?
True enough. At some point you have to know when to quit, or plan ahead as to where the cost of mods hits the point of diminishing returns.

However, when it was easy to get an SL1200 for $399 (from Musicians Friend), for another $1500 you could add a lightly used or demo SME 309 tonearm, and you would have a $2K turntable that had the tracking *and* the speed consistency and low noise of a more expensive 'table. Rather than put $5K into an SL12x0, however, your money would probably be better spent elsewhere.
hiho
451 posts
 

If you really want a Technics and to improve on the SL-1200Mk2, then get an SL150Mk2. It's an armless table with the same electronics and similar motor from the SP-15, heavier platter that's dynamically balanced. The SP-25 is identical electronically and same motor to SL1200Mk2. After messing around enough with the SL-1200, you can just get a better turntable. Also don't forget the SL-M2 is also same motor and electronics in a wood plinth and much better heavier platter and comes with a decent integrated tonearm. Unfortunately most come with a P-mount headshell. Rare version comes with detachable headshell though. There are so many ways to NOT use the SL1200 and still get similar or better result and for even less money, in my experience.

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zenkai1950
34 posts
 
I have a technics SL-1210 with KAB fluid damper,Cardas arm rewire,strobe disabler,and power supply.Funk Achromat 5mm,sumiko headshell and a Denon 103R running thru a Harman Kardon Citation 1 pre feeding a Mccormack DNA 500 feeding a pair of JMlabs Diva Utopia Be's and the sound is absolutely "Stunning".
BTW,for something that will better what I am hearing presently take a look at:
http://www.audiocognoscenti.com/index.html
Pitch Perfect Audio has the Shindo/Garrad 301 system
zenkai1950
34 posts
 
One thing I left out from my previous post was my Allnic AUT-2000 Step-Up-Transformer which feeds the Harman Kardon Citation 1 Preamp.
tonywinsc
583 posts
 
It is clear that the Technics tt is best in class for speed control. And that should be an indictment for all of the high end hifi turntable makers out there that seem to come in at a distant second for speed control with motors and/or drive systems at 5 or even 10 times the cost. But while we can give kudos' to the Technics engineers for their motor design, they failed to follow up on optimizing the other design parameters of a turntable. It is a valid question to ask: Why can't someone build a commercially viable turntable with a drive system like the Technics, but with the isolation and support structure for a decent tonearm that doesn't cost upwards of $12k?
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