How good is the Technics 1200 Mk2 with all the KAb upgrades?

I may consider the Kab mods for my 1200mk5 I found on craiglist.

I believe that the stock 1200 is pretty amazing. When the price is factored in its a great deal. I also have a VPI Prime which is also a very nice table. They are closer than I would have ever thought. I don't have enough listening or cart swapping to make conclusions in my system. 

After hearing the two I really doubt I will ever spring for another more expensive TT. When I read some comparative reviews on-line I just think the diminishing returns do not justify chasing anything that will be slightly different or a little better with huge sums of cash. If people feel it necessary or worth it more power to them. 

Check out this review of the VPI Prime
www.10audio.com/vpi_prime.htm 


He compares it to a $19,000 Basis Signature with Vector 4 tonearm: 

" Compared to my well-established aural memory of the Basis, the VPI’s overall soundstage volume is more compact, although image placement is excellent. Left-to-right imaging is a bit better than the Basis. The sense of an individual singer being present in 3 dimensions is a little less tangible. The major difference between these two tables, besides the price (the Vector 4 tonearm alone costs about a thousand dollars more than the Prime and 3D tonearm combined) is a small reduction in low level resolution. This most likely contributes to these impressions of the soundstage"

Later he compares them again

"Compared to the Prime, the Basis 2500 Signature turntable offers a warmer overall tonal balance with a bit more low level information. Harmonic trails last just a little longer. Singers have a bit more depth and warmth. These are often the kinds of differences we hear with different interconnects or cartridges, but using the same interconnects and cartridge on both turntables suggests that the Basis is more resolving, as it should be considering the difference in cost."


Again this is not a knock at all on Basis. They are wildly respected tables and I have lusted after them. That being said 19k buys alot of records, live concerts, a car or several vacations. 

Then I think back to the Technics 12005mk I just bought for $250 bucks in 8/10 shape with a pretty clean dust cover on craiglist. Then I think yeah I can see why people just by a 1200 and listen to music. 

"Compared to my well-established aural memory..." Don't ever put much stock in whatever follows a phrase like this. 

The KAB fluid damper, rewired toneram, Isonoe feet, adding a center weight all will be audible improvements on the 1200. It's good to know that the table performs well enough to let each tweak be clearly heard. At every level from untweaked to maxxed out, it's competitive with most pricier tables.

It's popularity with DJs due to its durability will take the shine off for some audiosnobs, but remember that it wasn't designed to be a DJ table; it's for audio enthusiasts and became popular because its reliable speed stability was hard to beat and trickledown tech was unmatched due to the huge investment in analog that Technics had already made.
Cheers,
Spencer 

Read the review. He had the Basis for awhile then set up the Prime. He didn't A/B the two. I still think its pretty valid but obviously not perfect. I have the Prime and he nails some of its characteristics. I also have read his review of a cart I have and he nails that too IMO.

Never had the pleasure of one of KAB's Technics tables, but if they're anything like the old Technics RS 15xxx series R2R tape decks they gotta be a work of art. The Jelco 750-series arm is head and shoulders above any $~1,000 Rega arm. For anyone going for a vintage belt-drive Thorens or AR, Dave at Vinyl Nirvana (www.vinylnirvana.com) has a beautiful supply of restorations reasonably priced.

I've heard them sound great. There are other upgrades that also take it to a higher level including bearing upgrade, platter upgrade(Mike New from Australia does what are some of the best, external power supply and Isanoe feet.
Cheers,
Spencer

Alas Mike New was discredited when his platters were found to be warped -  not the earlier ones apparently.  To my knowledge no-one got a refund.  I bought his bearing on the strength of AOS recommendations but it was a total waste of money, and I upgraded to a bearing where the thrustpad was made from PEEK, a very hard species of teflon.  VPI now use this as well.
To OP.  The 1200 family are a pretty decent deck out of the box - just make sure you service the bearing. (PM me if you need help on this).  There are two fabulous features.  One is that it has a superlative Direct Drive motor, second is that it lends itself to all manner of tweaks.  These tweeks are meaningful and can be cheap.  They fall into three groups (1) further improving the speed, (2) anti vibration measures (3) tweaking or replacing the tonearm.  The 1200 can be a hobby that you can do one upgrade at a time and have a lot of fun in the process.  At the end you have a deck that can justify cartridges like the Ortofon Cadenza Black or better, (I have a Benz Wood).