1200 turntable (any good?)

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Per: What you have shown looks like it was deliberately designed to strike similar chords, but I don't think it is based on the SL-1200 design.

BTW, in Japan there is an "audiophile-edition" 1200 Mk IV, which has an arm with supposedly better-spec parts, helical VTA adjuster, better internal wiring, RCA output jacks, better-sounding feet, and 78RPM capability.

But the arm still doesn't feel very inspiring. If I had to install a low-compliance cartridge or one that puts a lot of vibrational energy back into the arm, I'd put a piece of teflon sheet or tape between the top of the cartridge mounting plate and the headshell surface.

And the platter suffers from a lack of rigidity. The Mk IV platter has been mechanically damped, so when you tap it, you don't hear it ring, but it still quivers and shakes for longer than I'd like. Perhaps epoxying a stiff mat like an acrylic or graphite to the top of the platter would help.

As an aside, someone previously claimed that there is an armless version of the 1200 which was designed for console mounting, and it was called the SP10. This is incorrect. There was an SP10 (Mk 1, Mk 2, Mk 3), but the mechanism is completely different. Much stronger motor, much heavier construction, much more rigid _everything_. Much pricier, too.

regards, jonathan carr
 
1200 or Nothing

Randy the 1200's that you have are quite a fine thing.
They have a heavy arm and headshell so a heaviysh MM will work quite fine.
Shure 97 or V15 will be good for domestic usage.
Ortofons and Stanton 500's allow back cueing for DJ usage.
The base/plinth of these is real heavy, damped and fine sounding, and for critical home listening use the top perspex cover and a couple of telephone books on top.
If you take off the bottom plate under the arm you can fit better signal cable.
The arm is a little resonant so maybe a covering of pvc or gaffa tape will shut it up without significant weight penalty.
If you set it up properly with a good domestic cartridge you will end up with a machine much superior to many turntables, and great resale value to boot.

Re the 1200 lookalikes - none come close.

Eric.
 
Member
Joined 2002
Paid Member
SL-12xx

I read somewhere on the net that some U.K. magazine
recently had a project on this TT.

They made a new armboard, (for a Rega arm?).

If anybody have seen this, and can do a scan,
I would be very interested.

I would even try it w. my SME-V arm!

Arne K
NORWAY
 
Please do not install the SME V on a DJ device. These things are not really meant for music delivery unless you're already high on something or still at high school. I have my doubts about the sp10 as well, but at least it's light years ahead of sp1200. If you sell the mark V you'd be able to buy a mark IV plus a cheap old garrard301/thorens124 and listen to music. Only my opinion of course.

peter
 
diyAudio Senior Member
Joined 2002
TECHNICS

Fellows,

Neither was it marketed to be used with low compliance cartridges either?;)

To paraphrase a certain Jocko Homo:

"do I have to 'splain transmission line theory"

BTW,Jocko,thank you for taking over in that other thread.
And for your support too Peter Daniel.

Cheers,
 
Member
Joined 2002
Paid Member
To SL or not...

Yes, I might be high; on music, hot amplifiers, DIY-stuff,...

And after 38 years, I have learned to never look at the "hair of the dog" when auditioning "audio-devices".

And sorry all of you, that do not dare to try...

BTW, the arm is firmly attached to my Oracle Delphi at the moment...;)

Arne K
NORWAY :cloud9:
 
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