TECHNICS SL1200/1210. HYPE OR FACT?

[John P]

I have been reading many views on the Forums (not just here) about the 1200/1210's and the deck has been received with mixed views. Many just don't want to be asociated with a 'DJ' playing 'Happy Birthday' by Altered Images at a kids birthday party and others who want to know more but maybe to scared to plump for the deck in case they get spotted by their Audiophile friends!!
Well, let me tell you now, you are missing out. I have now completed my 14th deck which now has been sold to an un naimed (in the title) friend who was so impressed at what the deck can do against his moddest LP12.
Now don't get me wrong, I have a decent Linn LP12/Naim set up and I am not about to sell my LP12 but in reasonably std form with a good budget cartridge and an isolation mat (AT and sound deadsteel) the Tech sounds bloody good with the likes of Motown/philadelphia etc, infact, I enjoyed it more than my LP12/SME 3009 Modified by AO/Dynavector d3 setup and that is a bold statement I think.

Get the deck level, well isolated and use a decent arm load meter (don't rely on the decks own counterweight marks) and you have a good start. The deck above only has the mods I mentioned sofar and it is sounding excellent through a Music fidelity XLPS/Naim Nait 5i-2/Leema Xero speakers and Chord cables.

The above deck is a serious piece of kit. Sound deadsteel isoplat mat, Isonue isolation feet. Seriously modded Rega RB250 inc Cardas rewire/cartridge tags/foam filled arm and modded counterweight, Dynavector DV20X cartridge.
This deck gave dynamics and basslines you would not believe!!!!
Just to put this into cost exercise-
Deck, ebay £118 and mint with box.
sold original arm for £58
Sold the 'DJ' Ortofon cartridge for £29
Sold the original iso feet for £26

Now the deck owes me £5 in real money (not bad for your donor deck)

The arm I have used on a Rega p25, Gyrodec and a few more I could mention and heavily modded by Johnnie 7 at Audio Origami has been a real star (thanks Johnnie) so the cost is about £325 inc arm.

The mat, feet and armboard (origin live) come in at £199 so the deck owes a little over £500.

All the items are re usable if you decide to sell the deck on again (assuming you kept the original parts!). This combo IMO wipes the floor with most sub £1100 decks, yes it's really that good with it's stability and rumbleless sound!
If you don't want to go the full hogg on arm, a std RB250/300 is another leap forward on the std arm.

My next mod is a 1210/Roksan Nima arm/Dynavector d3 (watch this space). Also, don't bother with mk5's etc, there no better so you would be wasting your money.
I was going to put this on the Naim forum as there is a few there that like this deck but rules may not allow!!
Hope you enjoyed my rant but I needed to 'express' myself here

ATB

John

 

[aquapiranha]

Why would the rules not allow this on the naim forum?

 

[Richard Dunn]

Really good post, nice photos, I just wish I could do as good ones, there is something about me and digital cameras every time it is worse than someone elses phone-cam. Its an Olympus C170 - is it crap? If it is can someone recomend me a good one.

Anyway my only point of contention is that as far as I am concerned the Techy with a re-wire is as good as any arm you can get here.

 

[John P]

Rules are no selling, no mention of ebay, no mention of how to buy something and it's not really Naim is it

 

[scoobs]

Because the unwritten naim forum rule #108 requires thou shalt not speak of japanese direct drive kicking ass of british rubber band darlings - Linn, Rega & Roksan &...

 

[John P]

Really good post, nice photos, I just wish I could do as good ones, there is something about me and digital cameras every time it is worse than someone elses phone-cam. Its an Olympus C170 - is it crap? If it is can someone recomend me a good one.

Anyway my only point of contention is that as far as I am concerned the Techy with a re-wire is as good as any arm you can get here.

Hi Richard

A good auto focus Cannon compact is a good start (around £80) and try to use natural light. Flash photo's (unless your an expert) ruin the shots, oh, and a steady hand!

The tech arm is not bad but unless you have tried a better one you will never know.
Mainly, if your happy with it, stick with it.


ATB

John

 

[John P]

Just before this deck was sold for another

 

[Richard Dunn]

I used to manufacture a TT, it was belt drive, but was a good version of the genre. I have used most arms ever built so I know what a good bearing is and how construction and material influences sound and the standard arm in the 1210 is as good in construction and bearing quality as you could get for sensible money (in this case free!), it just needs a stiffer and heavier headshell and better wiring, and is *definitely* better than a SME for use with MC and better than most Rega arms. I have heard an absolutely exceptional Rega at Paul Messengers place as Roy Gandy can select bearing quality and the best are extremely bloody good, the ordinary ones are just that - ordinary.

Ta for camera advice.

Hi Richard

A good auto focus Cannon compact is a good start (around £80) and try to use natural light. Flash photo's (unless your an expert) ruin the shots, oh, and a steady hand!

The tech arm is not bad but unless you have tried a better one you will never know.
Mainly, if your happy with it, stick with it.


ATB

John

 

[aquapiranha]

Rules are no selling, no mention of ebay, no mention of how to buy something and it's not really Naim is it

Obviously it is not made by them, the only T/T bit they do other than electronics is the aro, so why would they be bothered? why are you not allowed to mention ebay? and what is the OP trying to sell? the more I hear mention of the naim forum the more it conjures images of sad middle aged men pawing over their 100K stacks of hifi....

 

[John P]

Obviously it is not made by them, the only T/T bit they do other than electronics is the aro, so why would they be bothered? why are you not allowed to mention ebay? and what is the OP trying to sell? the more I hear mention of the naim forum the more it conjures images of sad middle aged men pawing over their 100K stacks of hifi....

Ebay and Avondale are the most banned words there. It's not all bad but yes, some people have systems to make up for there small P.....

Just got to be open minded on this subject as Richard has kindly pointed out with the Tech arm. This however, could be a can of worms. I just enjoy the builds and results from these decks. I always have a std one for reference against each mod and always a basic RB300 brings sonic gains to my ears but as always, it can be influenced by the type of music you listen to.


ATB


John

 

[aquapiranha]

John, I have been toying with the idea if another T/T of late, and the 1210 appeals because it is reliable and can be modified as you have shown. Thanks for the information, you have helped me decide.

 

[Sid and Coke]

Get the deck level, well isolated and use a decent arm load meter (don't rely on the decks own counterweight marks) and you have a good start.

John

I bought a Technics SL1200 a few weeks ago. I also have the same cartridge load meter that you have pictured and i found the stock Technics counter weight marks on my deck to be extremely accurate, in fact after cross checking with the electronic gauge i was suprised at just how close the two were...

 

[rgame666]

I totally agree with Mr. Sid - I bought 1210MK5 and just sold my Rega P3.

 

[John P]

I bought a Technics SL1200 a few weeks ago. I also have the same cartridge load meter that you have pictured and i found the stock Technics counter weight marks on my deck to be extremely accurate, in fact after cross checking with the electronic gauge i was suprised at just how close the two were...

Having found that the Dynavector d3 is so hit and miss with the tracking force I would not be without the meter even with a straight forward arm. false of habbit i'm afraid.


ATB

John

 

[John P]

I totally agree with Mr. Sid - I bought 1210MK5 and just sold my Rega P3.

Are you using this in std form and with what cartridge? The isoplat mat is a massive improvement in it's own right.

ATB


John

 

[rgame666]

Right now it is bog standard - cartridge is AT440MLa into Cambridge Audio 640P.

I was going to ask you what the first step should be but you just answered that
I'll go find an SDS Isoplat mat.

Richard

 

[rgame666]

This may be a dumb question but what do you do with the SDS mat? Do you put it on first then the standard rubber mat on top of that?

I have heard people saying good things about a thicker Technics mat - would it be worth putting the SDS mat under that mat?

 

[scoobs]

Just something to bare in mind about the isoplatmat is that it's expensive and is not a suitable interface for the vinyl record and ideally needs to be used in conjunction with another mat on top, where most folk use the excellent Funk mat, but this becomes a costly solution.

I recently swapped my isoplatmat for the somewhat cheaper isocover which is just a soft neoprene mat, when put on the platter & underneath the funk mat couples very nicely with no slippage and no resonance in the platter.. no tings, tongs or anything else.

The other thing I noticed about the isoplatmat on the 12** is that due to it's size is sits on the very slightly raised lip that is the outer silver rim of the platter, and not flush on the platter itself. This is no longer the case with the isocover as it sits just inside the raised lip and elevates the funk mat above the lip.

 

[kuma]

You have to adjust an arm height with an achromat?

 

[scoobs]

I have heard people saying good things about a thicker Technics mat - would it be worth putting the SDS mat under that mat?

I have the thick rubber mat, it's not the best solution tbh, IME it slows transient response and adds a bit of stodge in the bottom end, also when used together with an SDS you'll be leaving little spindle clearance, this may present you an issue with VTA and clamping should you wish to use one.