The Official *Technics SL-1200* Owners Club

Added the KAB TD-1200 tonearm dampener to my SL-1200 MK2 yesterday. Still fooling around with it to get the silicone level correct (it is between 1/3 and 1/2 full now). Looking forward to hear the differences this makes.


Under half is better than over half
 
I have a SL 1700 with a denon dl 110 MC cartridge. Would there be an audible improvement going to the SL 1200?
 
Thanks Frank. Listening now with under half full resevoir, Shure M97xE with VL stylus, brush down @ 1.75 gm. Sounds really good!
A related question for anyone using the TD-1200 and the Shure M97xE - do you use it brush up or brush down? I have used it both ways prior to installing the damper and preferred it with the brush down (and the VTF adjusted appropriately), but wanted to see what others were doing.
 
I'm getting ready to buy a SL-1200Mxx turntable but I have a few questions before I do.

I have looked at 4 turntables so far. One MK2 and three M3Ds. All of them appear to have been DJ tables at some point in their lives. My concern is with the tone arm bearings.

On three of the tables, with the arm free floating and Anti Skate set at zero and the arm placed anywhere between mid mat and as far as it will go towards center spindle, the arm very, very slowly drifts back towards the arm rest and stops about 1-1/2" from the arm rest. On the fourth table the arm stays put where placed from about mid mat to as far as it will go towards center spindle. When the arm is placed anywhere from mid mat to towards the arm rest, the arm quickly returns to the arm rest. On all four tables, Anti Skating appears fully functional and the tone arm wiring is not restricting tone arm movement.

Are the tone arm bearings on all four tables shot and unusable in their current condition?

I get the impression that the vast majority of these turntables have the same problem with the bearings since most of them I have found for sale on the Bay and Craigslist are ex DJ tables. The turntable ages on the four I looked at range from 1992 to 1999.

Also, one was fitted with an Ortofon Concorde Pro S cartridge. How can you possibly set tracking force and anti skate on this type of cartridge where recommended settings are 4 or greater yet the table adjustments only go to 3.5???

Lastly, if I need to replace the tone arm assembly, there are a few "new" ones from Japanese vendors on the BAY for around $100. Can these arm assemblies be trusted as actually being new and the bearings in good shape?

I have a huge vinyl collection and have been dying to get back to spinning again. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
From KABUSA:

"Check arm for friction by mounting a cartridge and balance weight. Set weight so arm floats. (protect stylus) Move arm to end of record. Wire tension may pull the arm back but this is usually minimal and slow. Increase the anti-skate to 1.5 and the arm should swing back to the rest stop. If the arm swings back fast and forceful, or hangs in one location, the bearing are damaged and the arm should be replaced."

Applying this process, it appears that the first 3 tables you describe are OK, the fourth one could have an issue.

If you do need to replace the arm, those eBay arms are probably legit and you do have some protection from eBay if something is amiss. KAB sells new arms as well, but they cost more.

My 1200 was a DJ table, but the arm checked out fine. If you are going to go through the trouble and expense of replacing the arm, I would consider doing a rewire as well. If you read through this thread it is one of the most common modifications done to the 1200.
 
I would definitely consider the tone arm re-wire if I knew it was cost effective and would make an audible difference for me to do so. My hearing is crap due to no hearing protection with pit passes at a concert I attended a few years ago. Hearing aids help me at least enjoy the music and I have too much invested in the vinyl to drop it now. Doing the wire mod now would purely prove I could actually do the physical mod (from an Electronics Technicians standpoint...which is what I am).
 
A related question for anyone using the TD-1200 and the Shure M97xE - do you use it brush up or brush down? I have used it both ways prior to installing the damper and preferred it with the brush down (and the VTF adjusted appropriately), but wanted to see what others were doing.

My experience with the little brush started with its introduction on the V15-IV (1974?). Back in the day I was a turntable set up guy at high end retail and set up pretty much every arm and cartridge combination available at that time (1970s). I still own two turntables set up with V15 cartridges both using the little brush. The brush down always helps. No exceptions. Better tracking, lower resonance, lower distortion. Always. This is true even on low mass tonearms like the SME Series III, but more so on medium mass arms like the Technics. Keep in mind that the Shure design uses a high compliance cantilever and for that reason it makes a lot of sense to support the arm/cartridge combination at both ends. One of my tables is a Mitsubishi EC2 and it has an arm similar to my SL1200. The EC2 has a V15-IV and the difference brush up vs. brush down is rather remarkable in favor of the brush down.
 
That is awesome... where can you get painting like that done? Did you do that yourself?


Motorbike shop. I figured that car painters do big surfaces, with lots of orange peel. Motorbikes are small and painted perfectly.

Didn't cost much because someone else was getting their bike painted black so he just did mine at the same time
 
Any help much appreciated!

I purchased a Technics p-25 on ebay and have a dynavector 505 arm with heavy base I'd like to pair it with. That means I'll need to build or by a a plinth. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!
 
Technics offered three factory plinths with dustcovers for the SP-15 and SP-25 the SH15B1/SH15B2/SH15B3. I consider these Technics plinths first class in design, construction and materials. All three Technics plinths have interchangeable armboards.
 
I want to repaint my platter because it's peeling, both on top and amongst the dots.

It's easy to sand back the top, but how about between the dots? Wire brush and paint stripper is too rough on aluminium right? I could paint right over the peeling paint, but I'd rather do it properly

sand blast is an option of course... but presumably an expensive option
 
Yea!! My AT440MLa came in the mail yesterday. One unlooked for benefit with this cartridge is that it came with enough headshell hardware to mount both this one and my Shure M97Xe cartridge to head shells. Now waiting to get my SL-1200M turntable to put them on. Quick question. The little nylon washers...where are they typically installed on the screw assuming a cartridge mounting with the screw head on top of the headshell? Thanks in advance for responses.
 
Ortofon quintet black

Is the ortofon quintet black too much cartridge for a kab modded 1200. Complete tone arm mods, external power supply, rca board, etc.
 
It's allmost an overkill.
I wanted Ortofon Rondo Blue as my final cartridge but I couldn't afford it.
Quintet Black, by speciffications, doesn't look much different. Stylus is most important.
It's probably similiar engine in different housing, and I doubt we could easily hear differences between Nude Shibata and Nude FG70 (Fritz Gyger).

I think that Ortofon is just repacking those mid-priced cartridges and making them more expensive, like it did with MC15 Mk2, Salsa and disapointing Vivo Blue.
 
Hi all - Looking to join the 1200 club and haven't been able to find one in my area. I'm in Chicago and people are listing their 1200 on Craigslist for $900. I would love to get my hands on one, but am looking to spend more like $500 (or less!). Any suggestions/tips on getting my hands on one in good condition? Would joining Barter Town get me closer? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Well I wouldn't say they are a common item, but one just sold for $375 + shipping from Bartertown.
 
Oops ... I missed one that was just posted ... located 2-1/2 hours from you and well within your budget!

So ... yeah! Subscribe!
 
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