SP10 Mk II vs Mk III

Dear Lewm: Something about the Sp-10 plinth: in the last 10 months I heard at least seven Sp-10s ( MK2/3 ) in different systems and with different plinths with different kind of performances I heard all them with good quality but in no one system heard a SP-10 that performs better that mine ( due to the plinth ) that is almost with no plinth at all.

Mine is not very good looking but is a winner, if like me you are looking for quality performance IMHO maybe you should try with and with out plinth before decide which path to go. Yes, like always is system dependent but I think is worth the effort.

Pryso, by accident I test one of my Sp-10s with and with out strobe and I have to say that I can't detect any difference but this was in my system with that Sp-10. What makes a difference is the mat that you use on it.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I recently got my hands on a NOS Tech SP-10 mkII. How does it measure up to other current high-end t/tables?

Raul,
I'm curious to know more about the mat you are using, and maybe some of the ones you have tried,
Thanks,
John

Raul

I don't see any photo of your SP10?? Can you post one?

Do you actually have a plinth or how do you site the tonearm??

regards

Nice thread - I am the proud owner of the SP 10 that John "sold locally" that has the working strobe! The table came with this very heavy metal Mcurdy plinth and I have the table screwed into the top of that plinth, dispensed with the very large Mcurdy frame and set the top plate and table into heavyish plinth of rosewoods and maple, with an arm board arrangement that is mechanically isolated from the table. I can swap arm boards in a flash. I will endeavor to put up some pics this weekend.

I have experimented with various mats and use either an SAEC SS-300 metal maat or a very rare Audiolife gun metal mat that weighs 10 kilos and was originally designed for the Micro-Seiki RX 5000. This mat gives high rotational stability I imagine, BUT - I am concerned that the significant weight might strain the motor, although on start up the high torque of the SP 10 shows no sign of stress and it hits full rotational speed as fast as without the mat. I also found that the table performs best with total isolation from the room and to this end the heavy plinth can sit on a sprung subchassis arrangement, similar to the AVID or Oracle tables. I am convinced the sprung system is superior to the heavy plinth on cones.

I can compare my SP-10 with a Micro-Seiki RX 5000 and a recently acquired Oracle Delphi MkV anniversary model with turbo. They are all discernibly different different, no winners, but if pushed I would say the Oracle is the most all around best - but it is frustrating that you can only use light 9" arms on it - I use a Dynavector 507 Mk2 that I used on all three tables for comparison with either a Sony XL-55 Pro, Technics 205 Mk3 MM, or ZYX UNIverse SB copper coils.

Based on the comments here I need to call John and get my SP10 power supply caps updated as well -joint Ottawa project John?

More to follow - have to hit the (ski) slopes now