Technics 1210/RB-250 vs. stock arm + fluid damper

I found it interesting that the Artisan Audio Capricio tonearm offered on Galibier turntables...very fine tables...has a removable headshell with azimuth adjustment ala the Sumiko headshell for the Technics.

Alright Tvad, you got me. The fact that I'm going against the audiophile tide to a direct-drive Technics table should be enough of an example to go against the tide of audiophile noise on the tonearm as well. Touché.

I feel like most audiophiles would still tell you to go with the stock arm on the Technics - the RB250 is very good tonearm, but the Technics arm was, well, made for the Technics tables. And with the KAB upgrades available for it, I really see no need to switch out the stock tonearm.

Nowadays you'd be hard pressed to find that many audiophiles who don't consider the Technics 1200 series to be solid turntables, especially now that KAB has addressed some of the issues that kept it out of the audiophile realm. If I personally am prejudiced against the 1200 (and similar tables) it's just because they have a lot of features I don't need/don't care for, and my experiences in the past with turntables with bells & whistles has lead me to follow the KISS philosophy. The build quality is legendary, and some people really like that "fast," punchy sound the direct drive gives music.

03-18-08: Les_creative_edge
Having owned a Rega RB-250 arm and now owning a SL-1200MKII with Cardas rewire done by KAB I will say I find little to no quality difference in overall performance between an SL-12xxMKII arm and the RB-250 in fact with the Cardas rewire I suggest my SL-120MKII arm performs better.

Since I've had an SL1210 M5G (which comes from the factory with upgraded wire) first without, and then with the KAB fluid damper, I'd have to say that based on your comparisons with the RB250, once the fluid damper is added, I'd conclude that the Technics arm is better than the RB250. Honestly, I don't see how it *couldn't* be--it's so smooth and detailed, yet dynamic (provided you get the fluid level just right). Plus, with the Sumiko shell, you can correct for azimuth, and the tonearm's double gimbal pivot will keep it there.

3-18-08: Tvad
I found it interesting that the Artisan Audio Capricio tonearm offered on Galibier turntables...very fine tables...has a removable headshell with azimuth adjustment ala the Sumiko headshell for the Technics.

for the price of that arm rewired you could buy a used SME309 and put that on the Technics.. this is an excellent combo and you can add the SME V fluid dampener to that arm also, plus they make SME mounts for the SL1200, similar to the origin live armboard. That was my other thought about the an arm option for the SL1200's.

That's an interesting option Cytocycle.

My reference to the Artisan tonearm was intended to highlight the fact that a high end tonearm offered as an option by a high end table builder (Galibier) has a removable headshell very similar to (if not exactly the same as) the Sumiko or ZuPreme headshells offered for Technics tonearms.

The rigid unibody armtube vs. a removable headshell has sometimes been an argument made for the superiority of Rega tonearms versus Technics arms. I don't know which side of the debate is more correct.

When it comes to my Technics table, I am inclined to leave the Technics tonearm on it. My instinct is that another tonearm would sound different, but perhaps not better. Just a different "flavor".