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Technics 1200 Sent for KAB Mods - w/Audio Samples

Hi All -
Like many Audio-goners, I've been curious about the KAB technics 1200 mods. I've just sent the 'table to KAB for a rewire but recorded three samples of the un-KAB-modded table for future comparison. You can download them from Rapidshare if you are curious! (you get one download every 30 minutes for free, or just change computers and download from there if you can't wait).

I made 3 selections that I am very familiar with. I'm already a little sick of them since I had to record them, edit the recordings, and bounce them to AIFF (44.1Khz, 16-Bit). Using these as a baseline, I hope to be able to readily identify the changes any upgrades will bring.

Current system consists of: Technics SL1210MK2, Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, and the phonostage of an old NAD 7100 receiver. This was fed to my Pro-Tools MBOX and recorded at 48KHZ, 24 Bits. These have been bounced to AIFF files so that they can be burned onto a standard CD for comaprison.

The tracks are:
Paul McCartney, "Too Many People" from the original US Apple pressing of RAM:
http://rapidshare.com/files/120396900/TooMany1200NoMods.aiff.html

Miles Davis, "Seven Steps To Heaven" from a 90s Columbia standard-issue "Seven Steps..." LP.
http://rapidshare.com/files/120381110/7Steps1200nomods.aiff.html

Holst, "Venus" from The Planets conducted by Adrian Boult, Angel 1967 LP.
http://rapidshare.com/files/120368827/Venus1200NoMods.aiff.html

Now, the name "No Mods" is a slight misnomer, as the table has brass cones instead of the original feet. Despite this "mod", the stock 'table sounds kind of ordinary.

Note that I used "real world" used records for this instead of audiophile pressings - this was done on purpose. I am interested in upgrading my turntable in order to enjoy my current record collection, which includes all-analog British vinyl Beatles as well as some other great-sounding goodies, but also some not-so-well-cared-for finds.

I hope others will find this useful and fun!

Take care,

-Joel
128x128joelv
joelv's avatar
joelv OP
102 posts
 
I got the KAB Fluid Tonearm Damper yesterday, didn't sleep much last night :)

The fluid damper does everything I had hoped for - namely to help my cartridge track sibilants better, deeper bass, everything.

For me, the fluid damper made the biggest and most obvious change in the system, though I have to be up front: I also swapped out the cables to proper, low-capacitance (the $22 mogami "Blues" that Kevin sells) cables before testing the damper, so I may have made two significant upgrades at once.

In any case I am so happy with my setup right now. Cymbals no longer spit, they shimmer. Bass lines dig deep but don't ring/resonate/overwhelm so much, they just... ROCK! Hard to track vocals sound *right*, with none of the irritating edge from mistracking.

Strangely, I'm more drawn into the music even with mediocre recordings - and I was excited listening to my three stand-by testing tracks which I assure you I was quite bored by in the recent past. It is this ability to keep my interest, to stir the passion that has made me so immediately happy.

I am once again having trouble uploading to rapidshare, but I'll get the needle-drops posted shortly. Viva KAB usa!

-Joel
joelv's avatar
joelv OP
102 posts
 
Here it is, the first recording of my Technics 1210 with cardas tonearm re-wired, fluid damped tonearm, and low capacitance phono cable connected via RCA jacks:

Miles Davis, "Seven Steps To Heaven" from a 90s Columbia standard-issue "Seven Steps..." LP.
http://rapidshare.com/files/130059669/7StepsFinal.aif.html

I think you'll be able to hear the difference in this one.
joelv's avatar
joelv OP
102 posts
 
Fluid-damped!

Paul McCartney, "Too Many People" from the original US Apple pressing of RAM:
http://rapidshare.com/files/130169278/TooManyPeopleFinal.aif.html

Venus will be along soon I hope.
jmoog08
17 posts
 
Joelv, I brought this up in another post, but i'll ask you directly. Based on your experience with the fluid damper would you make the purchase if you had a 1210 MKII, and were not going to get the rewire? My setup consists of the 1210 sitting on three inches of maple, a denon 110 in a sumiko headshell, mapleshade brass footers, and an isoplat mat. Let me know what you think--Cheers
joelv's avatar
joelv OP
102 posts
 
Yes, if I were to limit myself to only one upgrade, it would be the KAB fluid damper. I will qualify this by my preferences:

I really hate mistracking, and I was considering selling my 2m Blue cart for that reason, but the damper seems to have alleviated that issue. Vocals are pleasant and present, not overly edgy and irritating as they were before.

I have my 1210 sitting on a nice rack, but I haven't done much to further isolate it. The damper improves mechanical isolation which contributes to the increased bass response I'm so happy with. You have lots of isolation going on, so I'm not sure the damper will yield as big an improvement in your system.

I do agree with another Audiogoner who once posted that with the damper engaged, each musical event seems to have much less of an impact on the others, eg a tympani hit seems quite separate from the delicate vocal on the Beatles' "Mother Nature's Son".

With my previous phono stage, the cardas re-wire didn't make a giant improvement, which was disappointing. At least my upgrade-curiosity is assuaged and I can just listen to music again :)

I hope this helps!

-Joel
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