How does the Technics SL 1200 compare with....

08-20-07: Shsohis
I'm currently using 1) Nottingham Spacedeck, VDH silver mod OL RB300 arm, Ortofon Rondo Bronze...

For about $1750, you could have a Technics SL1210 mk2 with KAB outboard PSU, Origin Live armboard, and their OL Silver tonearm. The combo would have wow and flutter around .01 to .025% and a weighted rumble figure of -78dB tops.

Would it sound the same as the Nottingham? No, but the differences would be a matter of taste and preferences. Would it sound as good? At least.

I had a Linn Basik turntable with a Basik Plus tonearm and Van den Hul wiring. I switched it out for a totally unmodified, only 'good' condition Technics SL-1200 mkII "just to see what happens" and was instantly converted.

You can find both tables for similar prices, and the Linn reputation would lead most Audiogon members to recommend that table, but there was just no comparison; the Technics was that good. And it's also nice to have an upgrade path via KAB electronics.

Speaking of resonances - in the tonearm - if you don't want to spring for a new arm, I can recommend wrapping the Technics arm with a $3 roll of cloth-based medical tape or similar materials. This does tame some spurious sounds to my ear, the chief benefit of which is that midrange and treble image density and solidity increases. My table/arm was bought with the Cardas internal wiring from KAB and I believe that wiring at this level has to make a difference. I can also vouch for the Sumiko headshell for at least the azimuth adjustment, if your cantilever is not perfectly perpindicular.

Just thinking that, if these modified SL-1200s are as great as touted, someone should seize the marketing moment and get a mass distribution thing going to coincide with the recent resurgence in vinyl. Sure there's a few aging 'Boomers here and there who'd prefer their LP-12s, Spacedecks, and the like on the strength of snob appeal alone, but a $1750-ish (??) table that bests designs costing five times that should sell like....well....commensurately with its reputation.

08-21-07: Lg1
Just thinking that, if these modified SL-1200s are as great as touted, someone should seize the marketing moment and get a mass distribution thing going to coincide with the recent resurgence in vinyl. Sure there's a few aging 'Boomers here and there who'd prefer their LP-12s, Spacedecks, and the like on the strength of snob appeal alone, but a $1750-ish (??) table that bests designs costing five times that should sell like....well....commensurately with its reputation.

According to Mike Fremer's column in the August Stereophile, Zu Audio was thinking of doing just that, but have apparently backed off from any production intentions.

I suspect (or heard) that there is too much handwork in the modifications to make it cost-effective. Fremer reports that the the Zu boys claimed their mods made the SL 1200 "world class."

Also, currently Panasonic is making and selling about 88,000 of these units per year, in their premier Japanese facility, and to very close tolerances. The SL12x0 family of turntables is the biggest-selling audio component of all time, with more than 3 million of them manufactured and sold. They may well be making all they can to the standards that they hold.

Still, I see your point. Kevin certainly provides that service of converting SL 12x0s into high-end 'tables, but two additional services might be mounting the Origin Live (or his own) arm board and an RB-based or compatible tonearm, and putting together a truly optimized platform.