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Low Budget Vinyl Source - Page 12

post #166 of 186
1/26/10 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngower View Post
I bought the TC-750 today, has yet to ship though. My Shure m97xe is on it's way, should be here tomorrow, but I'm considering returning it and using some Amazon credit for the Denon cartridge. Might as well get the turntable as good as it's going to get within my limited budget rather than buy components and upgrade a few months down the road.
Sounds like a plan. Denon carts are really about the best choice there is for these Technics decks at a reasonably sensible price (in a Hi-Fi context).
Just remember to be careful mounting it and don't let your friends come along and do spinbacks on the records as they play (as anyone under 40 who spies a Technics will often do!)
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post #167 of 186
1/28/10 at 8:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngower

The cartridge is an Audio Technica AT100E.
Just noticed that there was a rare high compliance moving coil cart by Audio Technica from the late '70s called an AT-100 and remembered the cannister on yours appeared to be metal in the pic which would also suggest this.

If it is the case than you should sell this cart on ebay as it's very rare and worth rebuilding for someone who wants to run an MC on an arm like the Black Widow or SME III.
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post #168 of 186
1/29/10 at 6:59pm
Got the preamp today and have been playing records, but on occasion the turntable arm lifts itself and reverts to its cradle, with the turntable shutting off.

Is this a problem with the SL3200 or direct drive turntables in general? I'd imagine it's faulty machinery of some sort as the turntable is 30 years old, but I can't pin a consistent time at which it happens.
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post #169 of 186
1/29/10 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngower View Post
Got the preamp today and have been playing records, but on occasion the turntable arm lifts itself and reverts to its cradle, with the turntable shutting off.

Is this a problem with the SL3200 or direct drive turntables in general? I'd imagine it's faulty machinery of some sort as the turntable is 30 years old, but I can't pin a consistent time at which it happens.
is it manual or automatic?
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post #170 of 186
1/29/10 at 8:16pm
Given what he said it's doing, it's FULLY automatic.
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post #171 of 186
1/30/10 at 12:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngower View Post
Got the preamp today and have been playing records, but on occasion the turntable arm lifts itself and reverts to its cradle, with the turntable shutting off.

Is this a problem with the SL3200 or direct drive turntables in general? I'd imagine it's faulty machinery of some sort as the turntable is 30 years old, but I can't pin a consistent time at which it happens.
It's usually a mechanical assemblage attached somehow to the tonearm which gauges how far away the arm is from the label based on a size / speed setting. This is not ideal obviously as any linkage to the arm will amplify mechanical resonances and better, later designs on automatic decks like Sony and B&O used an optical cut off and weighed the actual record to work out the size and speed.

Mechanical problems are often down to some kind of little white cog which has cracked or lost some teeth and restorers will often source an industrial equivalent spare or replace it with a machined one themselves. Simpler is to just disconnect the auto shut-off and go fully manual.

These sorts of things are often pretty complicated inside unless you are handy at electronics DIY so consulting a professional restorer like Oak Tree Vintage Restoration is helpful.
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post #172 of 186
2/3/10 at 6:15am
Hey everyone,

any input on the Technics sl-1800 mk2? A used one popped up on CL locally and I may go check it out. Thanks.
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post #173 of 186
2/3/10 at 6:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by d40winker View Post
Hey everyone,

any input on the Technics sl-1800 mk2? A used one popped up on CL locally and I may go check it out. Thanks.
Its basically a fully manual 1600/1700. An excellent deck if in good condition. It also lends itself to a tonearm upgrade and may use the same mounting plate as the 1200 but am not sure.
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post #174 of 186
2/4/10 at 8:57pm
My grandma has a Technics SL-D3 in the basement.



I looked up the specs on the internet:
  • Type: fully automatic turntable
  • Platter: 312mm aluminium alloy
  • Speeds: 33 and 45rpm
  • Motor: B-FG servo controll
  • ed Pitch control: 10%
  • Wow and flutter: 0.03% WRMS
  • Rumble: -75dB
  • Tonearm: static balance, tubular
  • Tracking force adjustment: 0 to 2.5g
  • Effective length: 230mm
  • Cartridge: EPC-270C moving magnet
  • Dimensions: 430 x 130 x 375mm
  • Weight: 7.1kg

Is this player any good? I've been planning on starting a record collection for a long time. My mom got plenty of awesome rock records of Zeppelin, Hendrix and Deep Purple to start with. If this is a good starting point, it would be great. I was about to spend 50 bucks on a Pioneer 510A, as suggested in the first post. But now I can spend that 50 on maybe upgrading this thing.

I'll be honest with you guys, I was unfortunate enough to get born after the vinyl era, so I don't know at all how these things work.

I understand that there is a cartridge and a needle (also called stylus?). From what I understand, these two are the main factors of audio quality. Can you guys explain a little how it all works? Does every cartridge work on every player?

Say I got this thing, and I got 50-70 bucks to spend, on what should I be spending it, if, at all? That money is just a starting point, though. I find it fun to upgrade my stuff. Is this table also suited for that?

Looking forward to your replies! Thanks.
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post #175 of 186
2/7/10 at 11:56am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluesfella View Post
My grandma has a Technics SL-D3 in the basement....
Is this player any good? I've been planning on starting a record collection for a long time. My mom got plenty of awesome rock records of Zeppelin, Hendrix and Deep Purple to start with. If this is a good starting point, it would be great. From what I understand, these two are the main factors of audio quality. Can you guys explain a little how it all works? Does every cartridge work on every player?
Yes even though it's old it's still a great starter deck and save for the SL1200 they don't really make anything like this quality anymore to be honest. You can't really go wrong with a Technics.

The choice of cartridge is really determined by mechanical matching to the tonearm. These days most tonearms and carts that you buy new will match but it wasn't always the case. What you have here is a higher mass 16-17g tonearm which needs a low compliance cart. A solid match is an Audio Technica AT95E which you can get within you budget or else even better is a Denon DL110 if you can afford to push it a bit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluesfella View Post
Say I got this thing, and I got 50-70 bucks to spend, on what should I be spending it, if, at all? That money is just a starting point, though. I find it fun to upgrade my stuff. Is this table also suited for that?
Assuming you already have a phono pre-amp or old amp / reciever from you Grandfather with a built in phono stage I'd spend the most you can on a cart at this point.

This is more of a domestically friendly fully automated deck than something that can be upgraded. Apart form a Denon cart you can try some sorbothane footers instead of the feet and maybe a better mat. Herbie's way make nice ones but they're not cheap. The heavy Technics rubber one is actually very good.

The most important tweaks are really to make sure the thing is set up level ( use a spirit level) on a solid surface away from speakers and vibration. If you have a solid concrete or stone floor then that's the best otherwise look at putting it on it's own wall shelf, preferably on a load bearing wall.
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post #176 of 186
3/21/10 at 6:36pm
I thought I would give this thread a bump to show some budget vintage options available beyond buying a new Technics 1200 MK2.
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post #177 of 186
4/26/10 at 4:27pm
i'm in the market for a cheap one, being completely new to the vinyl scene and would like to get a feel for it before investing more.

unfortunately, i can't seem to find a good range of cheap vintage players here in singapore. should i buy from overseas and have them ship it to me? or should i look at the only 2 options i have locally for cheap.

what's the general consensus on these 2 technics players:
SL-B21L
SL-BD20

=) this is an awesome thread.
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post #178 of 186
4/27/10 at 2:26am
Shameless plug: I have a nice modified Bellari FS in the FS section, for the price it could really take a budget vinyl rig uptown! I use it with a $225 cart, FYI.

NK
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post #179 of 186
4/27/10 at 8:59am
Ok I've got an opportunity to bring back a turntable from the states.

Does anyone here have a clue which of these TTs I should go for?
Pioneer PL 12D
pioneer PL 112D
pioneer PL 510A

quick pm or response would be much appreciated as i'll be bidding on eBay
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post #180 of 186
5/4/10 at 1:20am
I just picked up a Marantz 6300 from a local audiophile. I listened to it at his place and it's quite amazing. I'm still setting it up at my place, but it's a beauty. I haven't seen a lot of info about them on here, so if anyone has any questions, I'll do my best to figure out answers
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