KAB 1200 vs. everything else.

Well, I love my 1210M5GSE with KAB fluid damper. I could (and probably will) do a few more upgrades but I think I am getting the best sound for the dollar now. I bet it is better than some that are higher-priced, and you will not find another better in the 1200/1210 price range.

Not one component in my system cost over $1000 (most under $500) and I think of myself as a more of a music fan (if my house was on fire I would rescue my vinyl first, gear second). Most musicians and music fans I know have systems worth less than mine. In fact most "audiophiles" I have met are really just wealthy individuals looking for something to spend money on. It is amazing to me that some think they only way you can enjoy music is if you are insanely wealthy. Oh well, just my two cents...

Tvad, I agree with your comments as to what constitutes an analogue front end – table, arm, cart, phono cable etc. etc. Many folks ‘conveniently’ leave out items such as cabling and phono stages in their costing.

I mentioned earlier that you have to spend more an analogue than digital for analogue to start matching, never mind outperforming, digital. However, I found that the 5K mark is a threshold where a carefully assembled analogue front end will match digital and start beating it sonically. Disclaimer is that I do build my own amplifiers (pre, phono & power) and often purchase used, so the $5K number is relative.

I own two Technics TTs and like them, but I am somewhat surprised to hear that you use an SL1200 as basis for a $4500 analogue setup. Long story short, a cart will only perform as well as the arm that supports it will allows it to. An arm can only support a cart as well as the turntable which it resides on supports it. IMHO you have over-carted both your TT/arm and your phono stage.

I am not surprised you prefer your digital setup – I am sure I would also. However, you may think differently if you were exposed to a more evenly constructed analogue setup.

That said, the appreciation of sound is as subjective as anything out there. I’m always sorry to see somebody turning away from analogue, but what’s good for the goose is not always good for the gander.

Regards
Paul

Pauly, I mentioned twice before in this thread that I have used an
AT150Mlx in my analog rig. You wouldn't consider the $250 AT150Mlx
"over carting" the Technics, would you? The Dynavector XX sounds
better than the AT150Mlx, so I use the Dynavector (I paid less that half the retail
cost for it, so the cost ratio isn't as out-of-whack as the retail price would
indicate).

Now, perhaps I haven't found precisely the correct cart to use with the
Technics. Thus far, I have used a Benz Micro Ace, AT150Mlx and Dynavector
XX II. Frankly, they all had strengths. I'm not going to continue the search,
though. I don't have the patience or continued interest for it.

I should add that the carts were set-up using the MintLP Best Tractor (an
outstanding device that yields excellent results). I highly recommend the
MintLP.

1200 is a great table itself, and what Kevin does to it brings even more lifelike presentation to this already great table. In my opinion Kevin is actually playing it safe.
For the record - I had 1200s for quite some time, with various modifications and I was never able to find a table in $4-6k range that wound better it.
However, one has t understand that when directly comparing two tables all parameters have to be taken into account. Only then comparison can be fair.

12-26-08: Tvad ‘Pauly, I mentioned twice before in this thread that I have used an AT150Mlx in my analog rig. You wouldn't consider the $250 AT150Mlx "over carting" the Technics, would you?’

No I wouldn’t. The Dyna XXII on a SL is over carting and that’s what I was referring to. I think the 150 is a very good match for the SL.

12-26-08: Thus far, I have used a Benz Micro Ace, AT150Mlx and Dynavector XX II. Frankly, they all had strengths.

You cannot hear the XXIIs strengths on the Technics. A good hint of its strengths maybe, an improvement over the others, yes, but certainly not what XXII is really capable of. The XXII is too delicate an instrument for an SL to get the best out of it.

BTW, I did the same – I ran a Koetsu Rosewood on a Rega at one stage. My jaw dropped once I used the same cart on a better table. I simply couldn’t believe it was the same cart.

Regards
Paul