Vintage HiFi Audio Forum
Audio Discussion => List your system => Topic started by: OldiesButGoodies on December 01, 2013, 01:53:58 PM
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Eli and I bought a pair of semii-dead Technics 1200 mkII for cheap. This once required 20 q tips, a new set of RCAs, some of my home made gentle version of windex and Brasso to revive. A new dust cover and shell are on their way to complete before selling on to some lucky vinyl lover on fleabay.
>:D
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/IMG_6843_zpsce14f627.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/IMG_6843_zpsce14f627.jpg.html)
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/IMG_6848_zps955af745.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/IMG_6848_zps955af745.jpg.html)
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/IMG_6846_zpsd7ee5dbd.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/IMG_6846_zpsd7ee5dbd.jpg.html)
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/IMG_6844_zpsd9d1c82e.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/IMG_6844_zpsd9d1c82e.jpg.html)
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/IMG_6845_zps419fa4d0.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/IMG_6845_zps419fa4d0.jpg.html)
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Very nice tables! Why not offer them up here for somebody who may be in the market for a nice table? If you get no takers, them by all means put them on the 'Bay.
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(http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/37613251.jpg)
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Depending on how well mine cleans up, I may actually throw a tonearm on it, grab an external power supply, and keep it.
Then again, it'd be good trade bait. :)
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Carl
May offer it here, will see how it goes after the shell arrives (need to test it to see how pretty it sounds - the shell you see on the photo looks good enough but does not have the channels to mount a cart - it has a screw that fits into some sort of Dual-like cartridge super-chassis). If I knew someone was planning to really use it it would be easier, but I would hate to sell it here at a discount and then see it on fleabay the week after selling for more (has happened before, unfortunately).
Either way I had a blast cleaning this table up. Never owned a Technics 1200 before: very heavy and clearly well made. These things were made to take a beating and keep on licking.
The Mexican
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Shipping tables is a PITA. I would sell it local.
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Mark:
I enjoy figuring out a way to ship a TT safely. kind of a eng challenge. generally I try to ship the dust cover separately along with the platter - otherwise the dustcover arrives in tatters. sometimes i fabricate a brace to hold the table within a range of position within the box (can't lock it or it absorbs all the impacts directly ^-^). I buy the bubble wrap in bulk to soften the packing material expense. O0
I shipped a couple of Spica TC-60s sandwiched to form a cube inside a box, separated by carton and some bubble wrap. What an idiotic packing decision. They never had a chance. >:( I find speakers with heavy magnets to be more of a challenge!
Pepe
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I just shipped an old reel to reel to WVa. I found it a challenge but not an enjoyable one.
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Capt. I think I have a headshell that will fit
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Do you have two of them PBJ? :)
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The 1200 is a really good table that gets too little respect from the audio community. I preferred it to my Music-Hall MMF 5 and Rega RP 1. Granted, it was modded when I compared it to the RP1, but it was stock when I compared it to the MMF5. SD, why replace the arm? The stock one is actually pretty good.
I picked up my 1200 for $50 a couple years ago, and contemplated doing all kinds of mods, but the more I looked into it, the less sense it made. There are 2 major flaws in the table.... tonearm wires and rca jacks/wires, and it's looks. I had Tom rewire the tonearm and put rca jacks on the back of mine to take care of the former, and I plan to build a wood case for it to take care of the latter.
I really encourage both of you to give these tables a shot in your systems before flipping them on the bay.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/technics_sl1200_e.html (http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/technics_sl1200_e.html)
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I had the same thought. Pepe, you might want to throw your Grado on the 1200, i think you'd be surprised at the sound/playability compared to your current table. You're planning on litz-ing the arm on your rega but with that arm you can't change/update the arm weight or back section of the arm which is a major issue/improvement point. It's kind of like putting a supercharger on a Cavalier.
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oouch - Rev that hurt.
Tom: Please stop work on the Rega RP-1 (ha ha - you have not started to do anything yet I know). Will test the Grado on the 1200 first. Maybe then rewire the arm if it kicks the rega's ass...
PBJ - thank you! May drop by tonight and borrow that from ya...
Regards,
Pepe
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Pepe,
I dug it out and it's waiting for you. I also have a Shure M97AH ERA IV which is an interesting concept. It is a Shure M97 ERA IV built into a headshell. Unfortunately it needs a stylus. I used to use it on a Yamaha PX-3. Let me know when you're going to stop by. After about 7 would be good.
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8w I only have the one headshell and the one Shure cartridge headshell combo
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:( :(
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Sorry I could not make it tonight PBJ. I removed three EMIMs to fix wrinkles and add damping material. Rewarding stuff at the end but sure takes time. To repeat a previous rant: the Hakko de-soldering gun kicks ass! When you need it, it is a Godsend.
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Did some quick testing with the Grado Reference Sonata. Sounds good. A bit disappointed that this table does not do auto return (I know you are going to spit on that in an audiophile forum, but I am a fan of the arm coming back home by itself at the end of the show).
The sound is good - I do not believe I have the setup optimized (arm height, azi, antiskate etc) because that pesky work thing is getting in the way of my hobby, but will report on that later. I also want to recheck the ground connection inside the unit before I start cursing the Grado gods for any ground hummmmm.
I am probably borrowing/buying a VPI table from Esteban tomorrow so will be able to report if those fancy exotic tables make any difference. So you know, due to poor inventory management on my part I now have more turntable than tape decks in the basement. Not acceptable for Capitan Tale Deek. Wil work on that.
CTD
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If you are going to check the ground wire at the tonearm, you might as well rewire the sucker while you are in there.
I've been watching many DIY vids on how to restore / mod the 1200. IMHO it seems like one of those "do it once and do it right" type of situations due to the complexity of the task.
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A bit disappointed that this table does not do auto return (I know you are going to spit on that in an audiophile forum, but I am a fan of the arm coming back home by itself at the end of the show).
You should get yourself an SL-1700 or 1700 mkII. It is essentially the same drive motor as the 1200 and a very comparable arm, but with semi auto features. Plus, they sell for a lot less than 1200s when they come up.
The thing you have to remember about the 1200 is that it was originally designed by Technics with the goal of making an affordable, mass produced audiophile turntable. It became a DJ unit because of the neutral speed setting and the advent of scratching. That is when demand went up and the 1200 gained cache. The 1700 is very comparable, but without the neutral speed it has little value to DJs, so it isn't as sought after.
Once you find a cheap 1700 and love it, you can flip the 1200 and cover costs on both of them.
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I did rewire the leads Tuesday. I did not look carefully at the ground connection but looking at the pics it looks ok. Rewiring the leads is not difficult, there is an access point for that, just 4 screws.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l538/namikis/photo_zps3ca259d1.jpg) (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/namikis/media/photo_zps3ca259d1.jpg.html)
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BTW, I also agree that the Grado probably isn't the best match for the 1200. At AK everyone is going nuts about a store called "Comet Supply" selling a high output moving coil cart, the Denon DL110, for $87. That is about 40% less than they go for elsewhere. If they aren't sold out by tax refund time, I plan to get one for myself.
That cart would be a great match to the 1200.
http://www.cometsupply.com/mp/DENON/pm/DNNDL110/ (http://www.cometsupply.com/mp/DENON/pm/DNNDL110/)
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BTW, the belt drive guys get worked up about the extra drag on the motor from auto return, but these Technics have motors that could blend a Margarita. It is a non-issue IMHO.
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Torque is plentiful, I did notice that when cleaning records - the speed barely changes when I apply the brush. The entire platter is part of the motor.
After tweaking the settings I am very happy with how the Sonata sounds with it - definite improvement over the Rega.
Pepe
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The best mate I've found for my 1200 is the AT440Mla. I bet an old sHure V15 would be great too. I'd like to hear the Sonata some day.
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try one of these to lift the tone arm at the end of play. I use a device called a saftey raiser (audio technica), which is sexier looking, but it has not been manufactured for years.
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-98799-q-up-tonearm-lifter.aspx (http://www.musicdirect.com/p-98799-q-up-tonearm-lifter.aspx)
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The Q-Up is a cool tool, but he said he wanted auto return.