My only real hands-on experience with Technics has been with the SL-23 belt-drive I got last year. My take is that the SL-23 is an excellent intro TT for quality reproduction, given a decent cartridge.
I have got an SL-1300 on the way, bought via eBay.
What I discovered and is really neat, I recently got a copy of the "The complete buyer's guide to stereo/hi-fi equipment", c1977 (ask BeatleFred, he's got a buncha mags & such, and will sell copies).
One of the mini-reviews is of the SL-1300 TT!!
There is also a mini-review of the SL-1350 changer.
Micro-reviews (I'm borrowing terminology to accomodate the comments) indicate that the 1400, 1500, & 1300 are essentially similar in performance, and "differ only in the degree of automation they offer." The 1300, the most costly, is fully automatic (with manual override); the 1400 is auto-off (i.,e., semi-automatic), and the 1500 is a manual table.

What I am looking for, is for home hi-fi use. Anyone know for sure any more info re Technics tables? The 1200, of course, has created an entire type of table for dj use.
??
pete

Hey Pete,

A couple of things I can remember about vintage Technics tt's:

There was a 1200(maybe MkII) base only which was regarded good enough for home use with the tonearm of you choice. The rim of the platter was smooth polished steel finish as opposed to the one with the strobe markings.

There was also the EPA500 tonearm with interchangeable arm tubes of different mass - for matching different carts. Saw one on ebay not long ago. Also well regarded. I might have an article of it somewhere if you are interested.

Jack

Sounds like the truly audiophile SP-10/SP-10 MkII (the Mk II, anyway, came with an outboard power supply).
Crappola, I had gone out to Menard's, got back home and there was a FedEx tried to leave a package sticker on the door.

Could only have been the 1300, don't think I have anything else coming :dunno: jeez.

pete

Yep, forgot about the great SP-10. Could be my memory playing tricks on me , but I do remember also a SL1200 base only version...wait a minute..

Got it - it's the SL-120 but not with strobe markings and not the smooth platter rim as I thought.

The SL2000 was not bad too, if I remember.

Jack

Technics sure made a whole buncha tables & changers! Hard to keep track of 'em all. The tables list in the Orion for Technics is about the longest list for any TT maker.
well, i've gotta play an LP, time to fire up my fifth system for the day :D

Way to go Pete.

here's a ad I found in a 1978 mag - has a some info on thse models :

Thanks!
The 1300, that's comin' to poppa!

pete

Heres a quick timeline on Technics TT's

http://www.backspin.org/sheets.html

Dave

Hi all,
To add to this thread, ALL Technics TT's ending in 50 (ie: SL-1350, 1650, 1950, etc.) are full changers (if you have all of the stacking spindles that is) otherwise they are just full auto units. If you buy a 50 series TT, be sure to get the spindles, as it is very difficult to find them and some of them are NOT interchangeable between units (example: the 1350 spindles are longer than those for the 1650 due to base thickness differences...1350 is much thicker than the 1650, so they will bottom out in a 1650 base and not engauge the mechanism. It took me 2 years to find my stacking spindles, the album being the hardest to find (the 45 was no piece of cake either!) Rick.

Not meaning to blow my own horn, but I have all the specs on Technics tables on my website.

http://www.vintagetechnics.com

Impressive site! Funny thing was that I did that belt change for a co-worker who had an SL-1600 MK2 and he could not get it to run. Heavy beast, but neat the way they use sensors in the platter to know what size record is on.

Rob

I have the MCS-6700 (clone of the SL-1950) with all 3 spindles. Yes, they are hard as hell to come across. I found mine by purchasing a dead belt-drive MCS changer (also a Technics SL- series clone) and scavenging the pieces.

The Technics changers are probably the best compromise between reproduction quality and the convenience of changers (I collect 45s for my jukeboxes). If you want the quality side, there's a single-play spindle that has a mount like a cup, attaching the spindle to the turntable itself (no spindle hole "grinding" rumble). The drop spindles are stationary with the plinth, so some may feel like this design increases noise due to rubbing between the spindle and the record hole.

The 1650 is probably the best of the lot, very heavy base. My 1600 easily outweighs the 6700 (SL-1950). The 1350 is to be avoided because of the design of the tonearm cue mechanism (according to the vintagetechnics.com website -- I've never dealt with one personally). The 1950 is runner-up. Keep an eye on eBay for the MCS series changers, since they're blatant clones, usually with a different base/dust cover mating. Technics had a 2" "apron" on the back panel where the MCS had a flat plinth like the Technics single-play models. Also, my 6700 is black instead of silver. Since they're labeled "MCS" and "JC Penney", they typically bring a significantly lower price. Cheap way to get vintage if you ask me :) As for my experience with the 1950? Picks up vibrations through the base fairly easily, so put it on a wall-mounted shelf or a heavy bookcase. Love the drop-spindle action. However, the idea of a flat 45 adapter with no balance arm is well, a little strange.

HA1156W