beatcomber
AK Member
My new Technics SL-1200MK2 arrived yesterday. Without even bothering to do direct A/B comparisons with my Audio Technica AT-PL120, I can safely say the 1200 absolutely smokes the AT. Of course, the 1200 is more than twice the price of the AT, so this should be no surprise.
Some quick observations:
* The 1200's chassis is extremely well damped. While the AT is very sensitive to external vibrations, you can actually tap the top of the 1200 and not hear it.
* The platter on the AT has a pronounced rinnngggg when you flick your finger on it. The 1200 is damped with rubber on both sides. (I would think that one could easily devise their own method of dampening the AT's platter, maybe with some sort of putty?)
* The 1200 just sounds richer. With my AT440MLa cartridge, I was able to dial in the perfect tonal balance. The AT-PL120 tends to lean towards the treble end, with weaker mids and bass.
* The rubber mat supplied with the 1200 is nice and rigid, and is about 1/4" thick; pretty substantial. As a result, bass is very punchy, and it serves to further dampen the platter from vibrations. The AT's supplied felt mat works against getting the same tight bass. (I was able to fix this by using a homemade cork mat on my AT-PL120.)
On the flipside, the AT-PL120 has some features not found on the SL-1200MK2 (some of which may be on some of the more expensive Technics tables).
* The AT has three speeds, so you can play 78s on it. I plan on having KAB modify my 1200 at some point to include 78 speed, at a cost of $175 + shipping (ouch!).
* The AT will play in reverse, so you can listen for satanic messages in "Stairway to Heaven."
* The AT has a recepticle for extra headshells. Only some of the more expensive Technics have this feature.
* The AT has a defeatable phono preamp built in. (Unfortunately, the preamp isn't very good.)
I don't intend this post to be a slam on the AT-PL120; on the contrary, for $150-$200 it is an excellent starter table packed with features. Mine has served me well for the past three years. But looks can be deceiving. Don't expect that it will perform like an SL-1200 just because it looks like an SL-1200. The "Wheel of Steel" is still king.
Some quick observations:
* The 1200's chassis is extremely well damped. While the AT is very sensitive to external vibrations, you can actually tap the top of the 1200 and not hear it.
* The platter on the AT has a pronounced rinnngggg when you flick your finger on it. The 1200 is damped with rubber on both sides. (I would think that one could easily devise their own method of dampening the AT's platter, maybe with some sort of putty?)
* The 1200 just sounds richer. With my AT440MLa cartridge, I was able to dial in the perfect tonal balance. The AT-PL120 tends to lean towards the treble end, with weaker mids and bass.
* The rubber mat supplied with the 1200 is nice and rigid, and is about 1/4" thick; pretty substantial. As a result, bass is very punchy, and it serves to further dampen the platter from vibrations. The AT's supplied felt mat works against getting the same tight bass. (I was able to fix this by using a homemade cork mat on my AT-PL120.)
On the flipside, the AT-PL120 has some features not found on the SL-1200MK2 (some of which may be on some of the more expensive Technics tables).
* The AT has three speeds, so you can play 78s on it. I plan on having KAB modify my 1200 at some point to include 78 speed, at a cost of $175 + shipping (ouch!).
* The AT will play in reverse, so you can listen for satanic messages in "Stairway to Heaven."
* The AT has a recepticle for extra headshells. Only some of the more expensive Technics have this feature.
* The AT has a defeatable phono preamp built in. (Unfortunately, the preamp isn't very good.)
I don't intend this post to be a slam on the AT-PL120; on the contrary, for $150-$200 it is an excellent starter table packed with features. Mine has served me well for the past three years. But looks can be deceiving. Don't expect that it will perform like an SL-1200 just because it looks like an SL-1200. The "Wheel of Steel" is still king.
