Considering Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable

[bjarnetv]

second for the denon dl-103 cartridge.
i use it with my marantz 6300, and i love it!
i heard it plays well with the technics arm as well.

[randyruiz]

[QUOTE\]
The differences between then and now which account for the current prices of these turntables are more to do with the Technics having been adopted as an icon by millions of aspiring Hip Hop and House DJs the world over and selling millions of units into this market which it pretty much invented, while the market for audiophile turntables shrunk to a boutique one and prices spiralled accordingly.
Take this together with the current weakness of both the USD and Yen against the UKP and Euro and you have a miracle of Japanese mass production costing half as much as a low volume British built deck, the opposite of 30 years ago. The turntables themselves are little changed.[/quote]

To add further color to your already fleshy explanation.... When Technics engineered the 1200 in the early 70's it invested millions and brought to bear some of the best engineers in Japan to develop that table. Adjust those 70's dollars into 2008 dollars
and you begin to realize that no current TT company has the resources to pull off a 1200 like project off today.

Can today's TT manufactures create a table that outperforms the 1200 using exotic materials and a very high price point? Sure. Given a high enough price point so could I, Given an infinitely high price point and I can do it in like 20min. Can these guys make us a table that can outperform the 1200 at its price point? Not likely.

I am not sure that any of the current TT makers have that much money. Nor do I believe that ANY of the current TT manufactures has as much professional TT engineering resources today as Technics had in the 70's at the height of the TT's heyday. That is why a 30 year old design that has changed so little is still the DJ worlds flagship model and also why it competes so favorably with high end tables.

The 1200 is interesting because it is both highly underrated by the audio world at large but overrated by the "enthusiastic" community that supports them.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by bjarnetv

second for the denon dl-103 cartridge.
i use it with my marantz 6300, and i love it!
i heard it plays well with the technics arm as well.

Welllllllll, I already purchased a cartridge, and I accidentally ordered the wrong one. I INTENDED to order the AT120E (I'm not sure that I want to spend $230 on the Denon cartridge . . . yet). Anyway, what I accidentally ordered was the AT95E.

I can't try this one until tomorrow (when I expect my new head shell to arrive). Should I run down to one of the local hi-fi shops and buy a different cartridge and send this one back? I'm new to this area, so I'm not sure what I'll be able to find locally (at a semi-reasonable price).

Anyone familliar with the AT95E????? Impressions?

[ssportclay]

The AT95E, AT110E, and AT120E are all good cartridges at their respective price points.You will probably have a hard time finding a better cartridge locally without spending much more money anyway so enjoy your new cartridge.

[asdf]

Is there anyway to adjust the azimuth on the stock sl-1200 without using a special headshell (like the sumiko)?

I am not using a stock headshell (I have an ortofon), so I'm not convinced that the azimuth is (will be) correct. Is there an easy way to check azimuth? Is at test disc required? Thank you.

Follow-up question: Why doesn't the sl-1200 manual address alignment? Does the overlay tool supposedly address this?

--asdf

[nikongod]

Originally Posted by asdf

Is there anyway to adjust the azimuth on the stock sl-1200 without using a special headshell (like the sumiko)?

nope, you have to get a headshell that allows it. I doubt it will be a problem though.

I am not using a stock headshell (I have an ortofon), so I'm not convinced that the azimuth is (will be) correct. Is there an easy way to check azimuth? Is at test disc required? Thank you.

you can check it quickly with a mirror by setting the stylus on it. when set on the mirror (on the platter) and viewed from directly in front, the cantilever should look like a single line.

the "best way" requires a test disc with mono left & right tone tracks and a good multimeter or oscilloscope.

Follow-up question: Why doesn't the sl-1200 manual address alignment? Does the overlay tool supposedly address this?

yes, the overlay tool gets the alignment very close very quickly. it does assume that everything else is mounted perfectly, but the QC on the technics is very good, so this is not a bad assumption.

[jjhatfield]

Originally Posted by Herandu

Technics 1200 with a decent arm and Denon DL103 MC cartridge can wipe the floor clean of many "high-end" competitor...

I absolutely adore my 1200 and DL-103 combination.

Originally Posted by nikongod

nope, you have to get a headshell that allows it. I doubt it will be a problem though.

I use a Sumiko headshell with my DL-103, not because I need to adjust azimuth, but because I needed a bit more forward of an overhang then the stock headshell would give. I use a free Baerwald arc protractor to align my carts. Got it at vinylengine I think.