HI - FI Riff Why the Technics SL 1200 Is the Worlds best selling turntable

[Miss Ariel]

Mike Evans and David Price have a good old chat about the legend that is the Technics Sl 1200

32 Years after getting mine it still performs faultlessly the build quality is stunning.Nothing upgraded just the stock arm and current cart the superb AT 95 ML.

 

[daytona600]

Always had a 1200 / SP10 in my collection for decades. Currently 1200G & SL10R

 

[John R]

Don't agree with the techy arm being rubbish, the bearings are very well set up by the factory, accurate and very low friction.

 

[Tony L]

An absolute design classic. I’d personally put the Mk II as the perfect point of form dictated by function perfection. None are as yellow as my Mk7 though.

 

[kensalriser]

I must get the problem on mine fixed. I get a lot of static that comes through the speakers from the cartridge/headshell - wiggling the headshell connections replicates the problem. Any ideas what might be causing that? Happens if I change the cartridge, so it's not the specific cartridge.

 

[Rug Doc]

I must get the problem on mine fixed. I get a lot of static that comes through the speakers from the cartridge/headshell - wiggling the headshell connections replicates the problem. Any ideas what might be causing that? Happens if I change the cartridge, so it's not the specific cartridge.

Simply loose wiring inside the arm. Upgrade the cable at the same time.

edit - reading the two posts below, firstly clean te contacts! Cheers guys - hope it works.

I love my standard 1200 mk2. Fancy a G to have alongside

 

[Tony L]

I must get the problem on mine fixed. I get a lot of static that comes through the speakers from the cartridge/headshell - wiggling the headshell connections replicates the problem. Any ideas what might be causing that? Happens if I change the cartridge, so it's not the specific cartridge.

Sounds like a dirty joint in the headshell. Try thoroughly cleaning the headshell connector and the socket on the arm. Cotton bud, isopropyl alcohol or Deoxit. I had similar with one of my 3009s and cleaning it and working the spring-loaded pins in the arm socket fixed it. Do make sure the side of the headshell plug/socket is really clean and shiny too as this is the arm-earth.

 

[paulfromcamden]

An absolute design classic. I’d personally put the Mk II as the perfect point of form dictated by function perfection. None are as yellow as my Mk7 though.

If ever a thread needed pics...

 

[chris geary]

I must get the problem on mine fixed. I get a lot of static that comes through the speakers from the cartridge/headshell - wiggling the headshell connections replicates the problem. Any ideas what might be causing that? Happens if I change the cartridge, so it's not the specific cartridge.

clean the contacts between the headshell and the tonearm.

better solution: tonearm with non detachable headshell. who am I kidding, this is a Technics thread....

 

[Tony L]

If ever a thread needed pics...

Bought as an investment/emergency spare, so only briefly opened to check (the box was dinged so I had to make sure). It is astonishingly yellow, more than the pictures imply. None more yellow.

 

[paulfromcamden]

It really is VERY yellow!

Kind of wish I'd grabbed one too now but it would just be another thing stashed under the bed.

 

[Del monaco]

Any views on the 1200GR model? I got my FIL a 1500c a year ago and he likes it.

 

[david ellwood]

Is the thread title deliberately misleading?

Given we know that the technics isn’t close to being the worlds best selling turntable ?

 

[John]

Is the thread title deliberately misleading?

Given we know that the technics isn’t close to being the worlds best selling turntable ?

If you include all the variations of the SL-1200 MK# series, the number of units sold was over 3 million.

 

[sonddek]

Don't agree with the techy arm being rubbish, the bearings are very well set up by the factory, accurate and very low friction.

The arm isn't rubbish at all. It's strongly in Rega territory for sound quality IMO, i.e. very good. I suspect the sound-quality bottleneck in the arm is the headshell though. I thought my Ekos 2 provided an improvement in detail and dynamics over the stock arm. I would say this, but I think you can go further still. Sound HiFi made SME V quite a popular upgrade on the 1200. I've never heard that combination. Of course, by mounting an exotic arm purists would argue it's not really a classic Technics, but I believe it was available with SME mount from the early days and was originally conceived as an audiophile deck to accommodate other arms. It's a good arm mount system, and no prizes for guessing what I run on mine, which I think makes the old DJ deck sound absolutely top notch.

After catching up with this thread I've just mobilised mine after listening to Sondek and Amadeus today. It easily holds its own in this company.

 

[Tony L]

I can’t bring to mind any other hi-fi turntables that could possibly have sold as many as the SL-1200. Maybe some very budget Garrard autochangers (sort of thing in Dansettes etc), but I doubt any single model.

 

[freefallrob]

Loved all the ones I’ve owned!

 

[david ellwood]

I can’t bring to mind any other hi-fi turntables that could possibly have sold as many as the SL-1200. Maybe some very budget Garrard autochangers (sort of thing in Dansettes etc), but I doubt any single model.

Who said HiFi ?
And if we use that distinction does the Technics actually qualify?
The BSR sold more units in 6 months than all the different versions of the SL1200 have ever.

 

[John]

Who said HiFi ?
And if we use that distinction does the Technics actually qualify?
The BSR sold more units in 6 months than all the different versions of the SL1200 have ever.

Good question. Good Hi-Fi kind of started at the level of the old Rega Planar 2 for me. In a Linn tune dem, the Rega betters the SL-1200MK2.

 

[Alex S]

Not yellow but sounds excellent:

Stock arm but you need the damper for MC