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What Makes One Turntable Sound Better Than Another One?

Andrew Heck

Andrew Heck

Active Member
Hoe there, I've got a question. I have been using a Sansui FR-3060 for a couple of months now and I just got a Technics SL-230 delivered today. I hooked up the Technics and went through the setup using the same cartridge on the same headshell through the same phono-stage and amp and speakers. Well, the Technics lacks a certain amount of, for lack of a better word, resonance. The Sansui just sounds bigger and more robust. What am I missing? The only difference I know of is that while neither tonearm height has been adjusted, the Sansui came with the better stock height. The Sansui also weighs a ton, the Technics is quite a bit less hefty. What gives? I also remember seeing some onboard electronics under the Sansui. What is that? The Technics doesn't sound bad (it's very quite where the Sansui has some signal noise I haven't resolved), just less amazing.
 
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Many things can determine just how well that precious stone drags through that plastic and reproduces music.

Perhaps the alignment is a bit more accurate? Maybe that cart works better with the 'sui arm?

So many variables. Kinda baffling, really.
 
Andrew Heck said:
I hooked up the Technics and went through the setup using the same cartridge on the same headshell
Click to expand...

Did you set the right overhang?
Or did you just transfer the mounted cartridge on the head shell to the SL-230?

There is lots of things that can make a table sound good and musical as well as lots of things that can make one sound dead.
 
4-2-7 said:
Did you set the right overhang?
Or did you just transfer the mounted cartridge on the head shell to the SL-230?

There is lots of things that can make a table sound good and musical as well as lots of things that can make one sound dead.
Click to expand...
I reset the cart in that I lined the cantilever to the two points on the protractor, it had to be moved forward to be able to line up. It's like the Technics doesn't have as much output. Maybe.
 
I am not familiar with your FR-3060 but I am currently using a Sansui SR-2050c and I am surprised at its performance. My 2050 looks to be very similar to your 3060 so I would expect performance to also be very similar. I picked up mines up for $5 and after putting in another $20 for a replacement belt and stylus (shure m91), I feel it sounds very good. It replaced a Mitsubishi DP-EC8 and I feel the Sansui sounds better however the EC-8 had a different cartridge (signet) so my comparison is not exactly apples to apples. With that said, I felt the sansui sounds more dynamic.

One day I may go back to the Sansui (or one of my other better turntables) but for now I get so much enjoyment out of this Sansui.
 
The Sansui looks to have a better arm with a nice anti skate and lateral weight adjust. It has an extra counterweight too it’s probably a higher mass arm. What cartridge are you using?

I like the wood base and as you stated it is heavy which could help it to damp out unwanted resonances.

The SL 230 is a light weight, decent entry level, but not one their best efforts.
 
The main reasons that come to mind:
1. Platter material and isolation. More noise and vibration takes away from the music quality.
2. Tone-arm: Better tracking will significantly help the signal and you'll get less distortion.
3. Motor isolation: similar to the platter; Noise and vibration hurts the signal quality.
4. Miscellaneous mechanical noise: Rubbing, ticking, squeals...all are unacceptable in a turntable.
5. Ill signals: Hum......It is a common problem stemming from poor signal wire isolation or a bad phono cartridge. All are unacceptable.....and not very easily solved.
 
bobins08 said:
The Sansui looks to have a better arm with a nice anti skate and lateral weight adjust. It has an extra counterweight too it’s probably a higher mass arm. What cartridge are you using?

I like the wood base and as you stated it is heavy which could help it to damp out unwanted resonances.

The SL 230 is a light weight, decent entry level, but not one their best efforts.
Click to expand...
I've tried a Grado Black and am now using a Shure Mt-100e (M-75 style) what I loose in the Grado's velvety refinement, I gain in the Shure's liveliness and definition. The Sansui just produces more sound, all of it.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
NO VTA adjustment on this Technics. The SL 1200 Mk II, and the SL 1300-1700 Mk II have VTA.
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I had to put some shims in the front of the headshell to compensate for the angle so the cartridge wasn't dragging it's butt so to speak. It may not be proper, but it worked and improved the tone some.
 
lbls1 said:
The main reasons that come to mind:
1. Platter material and isolation. More noise and vibration takes away from the music quality.
2. Tone-arm: Better tracking will significantly help the signal and you'll get less distortion.
3. Motor isolation: similar to the platter; Noise and vibration hurts the signal quality.
4. Miscellaneous mechanical noise: Rubbing, ticking, squeals...all are unacceptable in a turntable.
5. Ill signals: Hum......It is a common problem stemming from poor signal wire isolation or a bad phono cartridge. All are unacceptable.....and not very easily solved.
Click to expand...
The Sansui actually has more noise (hum (and only after stylus makes contact with the vinyl)) but sounds better despite that. The Technics is whisper quiet on start and contact and in quiet phrases, but sounds anemic. The Sansui makes a bigger, rounder, more full through the spectrum noise. It has a heavier arm by five grams but by the rest of your criteria is slightly lacking, yet I vastly prefer it, electric noise and all.
 
Andrew Heck said:
The Sansui actually has more noise (hum (and only after stylus makes contact with the vinyl)) but sounds better despite that. The Technics is whisper quiet on start and contact and in quiet phrases, but sounds anemic. The Sansui makes a bigger, rounder, more full through the spectrum noise. It has a heavier arm by five grams but by the rest of your criteria is slightly lacking, yet I vastly prefer it, electric noise and all.
Click to expand...

Wow...that is a wealth of information that you provided there. I often wondered how Sansui turntables performed. I've seen a few of them but never experienced one first hand. I definitely know how good their receivers are. Technics' have good workmanship, but except for the DD-1200 I really never knew how the other models performed. Just about everyone that I knew (and their relatives) owned one, so that fact alone was less encouraging for me to buy one for my re-entry into the hobby.

Hum.....sometimes its curable, and sometimes it can be a mystery. I've had turntable(s) that have had hum yet sound decent in playing records. The problem with hum is that it gets louder with volume, and it transfers its noise onto recordings....a definite No-No!!!!
 
Superampman said:
Is it possible to ground the Sansui tt? Did you shim the Technics so it is 'perfectly' level?
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I actually have to back off a small bit on the shim job, maybe .75mm. As to the grounding, I've noticed that there is no change in hum connected or disconnected from the phono stage ground or amp chassis to tonearm. In fact, Ive probed every inch of the table with wire connected to every grounding source I can think of. No change. I even ran a provisional ground from the chassis, no change. I plan to dig deeper and see if there is continuity from the ground cable to points on the turntable and make sure the two cartridge grounds are correctly wired. I also plan to sheild the signal wires as they pass the power section of the turntable innards when I disconnect the shoted RCA connections and add the RCA plugs to the chassis tomorrow. I do make plans...
 
lbls1 said:
Wow...that is a wealth of information that you provided there. I often wondered how Sansui turntables performed. I've seen a few of them but never experienced one first hand. I definitely know how good their receivers are. Technics' have good workmanship, but except for the DD-1200 I really never knew how the other models performed. Just about everyone that I knew (and their relatives) owned one, so that fact alone was less encouraging for me to buy one for my re-entry into the hobby.

Hum.....sometimes its curable, and sometimes it can be a mystery. I've had turntable(s) that have had hum yet sound decent in playing records. The problem with hum is that it gets louder with volume, and it transfers its noise onto recordings....a definite No-No!!!!
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don't get the reasons it sounds great. I guess it's magic. Honestly, some sort of alchemy, better than the sum of it's parts, audio magic.
 
Andrew Heck said:
I actually have to back off a small bit on the shim job, maybe .75mm. As to the grounding, I've noticed that there is no change in hum connected or disconnected from the phono stage ground or amp chassis to tonearm. In fact, Ive probed every inch of the table with wire connected to every grounding source I can think of. No change. I even ran a provisional ground from the chassis, no change. I plan to dig deeper and see if there is continuity from the ground cable to points on the turntable and make sure the two cartridge grounds are correctly wired. I also plan to sheild the signal wires as they pass the power section of the turntable innards when I disconnect the shoted RCA connections and add the RCA plugs to the chassis tomorrow. I do make plans...
Click to expand...
Is the tone arm grounded to the tt chassis?
 
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