Turntable Hunting

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Update

To address a few issues raised in this thread:

Lenco Lovers is dead and gone. All the idler drive talk is going on in the Lenco Heaven forum - yes, the name has been revived. The board is in process of moving, but you can find a link at www.lenco-heaven.co.uk that will get you to the forum, and will be updated when the forum moves to its new URL.

Lenco decks are not common in Canada, and rarer still in the US, where they were not marketed as Lenco. There are Bogen, Sony and Benjamin badged versions to be found in US.

Lencos are expensive in North America because the tapered driveshaft of the rotor needs to be smaller for 60Hz operation, and 50Hz rotors are much easier to get. However, if you ask around at Lenco Heaven, someone will point you to a man who will reduce a 50Hz rotor competently, so it will work properly on a 60Hz supply.

The trouble with a lot of good decks is that capacitors "go bad" on storage - when the deck dies, it is invariably because one capacitor (on a board tightly packed with capacitors) has gone south, and the simple answer is to replace every capacitor in the deck - hours of innocent amusement there.

The old decks that attract attention are those which are engineered to last. Conoisseur, Lenco, Garrard and Thorens decks have low electronic content, much easier to fix and maintain than Technics, Sony etc.

Technics decks - avoid the mk II models labelled SL1200 to SL1500. These contain the MN6042 control chip that dies on a regular basis and is very hard to find. It usually takes a couple of transistors with it when it goes south, too. A couple of years ago I needed one for an SP15, and ended up cannibalising a SL1410 mkII to get one. Silly thing is, the guy that owns it likes to adjust it so his records play at the wrong speed - which is why he wanted it fixed.
 
Re: Update

dotfret said:


Technics decks - avoid the mk II models labelled SL1200 to SL1500. These contain the MN6042 control chip that dies on a regular basis and is very hard to find.


My Technics SL1210 Mk II (with which I'm delighted, by the way) has a AN6680 control chip. Are you referring to older models perhaps? I bought mine last year.

John
 
My vote goes to Technics also, beautiful quality precision engineering, I'm thinking a SL1200mk2 would be a good choice, under $500 new, everything you need, end of story. KAB has some accessories you can add if you wish. If you are like me and want the end of side autoshut off look for a vintage SL1600mk2 or sl1700mk2 on ebay, restoring it will be fun. In my experience with SL1200mk2 and vintage SLs nothing comes close for performance features and price. Will match up very nicely with your medium compliance carts.

Ted
 
Dryseals: Technics turntables....

The Sp10, Sp15 and Sp25 are all good tables, the SP10 being the best of the three.

Marc Phillips has a Technics SL1200, and you can upgrade them, but in stock form he found to be dark sounding. KAB Acoustics sell them in all kinds of guises...some used ones are going for nearly the same price as new ones from KAB.

Occasionally some interesting DD tables come up on eRipoff.

If you want the recordings to sound like music:,Get ye a respectable turntable... Rega, Heybrook, whatever. Ensure the arm is in good condition, and add a new cartridge. You pick yer budget...

This is not a slog against DD tables, so please I hope no one take it that way.

There are so many great tables out there. I bought a Roksan Xerxes for $180 landed at my door (sorry Dave ;) ). It needed a little work, but nothing that didn't get done in an afternoon.

I guess it comes down to finding someone you can trust (preferably locally) to get said table from. Having said that there are the Project Debut IIIs that are high value as well as the Rega P1s and P2s, available new online at various vendors.


stew
 
Technics turntables....vs Pro-ject

Nanook said:
Having said that there are the Project Debut IIIs that are high value as well as the Rega P1s and P2s, available new online at various vendors.


We did a mini-shootout recently, between my SL1200M3D, a friends Pro-ject Debut III, and a borrowed Pro-ject Xpression. My Technics ate the Debut III for breakfast, but couldn't match the Xpression's dynamics.

My friend has since sold the Debut III, bought a Rega P3 AND a Systemdek XII. The Systemdek XII/RB250 combo is looking like the winner so far, just not quite setup for a proper listen.

Jeff
 
Jeff, how you doing?

well the Systemdek and a $2.19 tonearm could be something interesting.. still working at "perfecting" the procedure for making them in a batch, cause custom one offs can be a PITA.

The SL1200Mk3 is a good table. But Mk2s are going for stupid prices. Marc Phillips apparently liked the Zu version of the DL103, have a look here on the Technics.

Personally I find the Technics expensive on the used market, new would be the way to go unless doing a lot of mods.I guess alot has to do with at wehat cost can one get a suitable turntable for and how much is Dryseals willing to spend. I haven't seen a mention of a budget yet, unless I've completely overlooked it.

I've come across a great many good tables at reasonable prices (used of course).

So Dryseals, what is your total budget for this project?
 
Hi Stew.

Doin' ok. How you doin' (in my best New Jersey accent)?

Nanook said:
well the Systemdek and a $2.19 tonearm could be something interesting.. still working at "perfecting" the procedure for making them in a batch, cause custom one offs can be a PITA.

I'd like to try it on a non-suspended table.

Originally posted by Nanook
The SL1200Mk3 is a good table. But Mk2s are going for stupid prices. Marc Phillips apparently liked the Zu version of the DL103, have a look here on the Technics.

I like my stock DL-103 better on my LP12, but that's not really a fair comparison.

Originally posted by Nanook
Personally I find the Technics expensive on the used market, new would be the way to go unless doing a lot of mods.I guess alot has to do with at wehat cost can one get a suitable turntable for and how much is Dryseals willing to spend. I haven't seen a mention of a budget yet, unless I've completely overlooked it.

Three hundred was the magic number for me. I wasn't going to bother with anything priced higher.


Jeff
 
jeff, don't ya mean " how ya doin?'" ....

in my best Southey accent.

The prototype $2.19 worked great on my (suspended) Oracle Alex . I'm thinking that a type similar to the original, but perhaps out of U channel aluminium as per the Scheu Classic. I still like my inverted bearing, and under-hung weight. I would prefer to have the weight on a rack for fine adjustment

Dryseals: At some point it can get cheaper to buy new than used...Unless a good used KAB modified one comes up.keep your eyes and ears open for something interesting in your budget.



stew
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.