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Life After Technics SL1200 Mk5

Hi All,

i am starting the hunt for a new turntable and what to hear from past owners of Technics TT's.

My first real turntable was a Luxman PD272 with a Shure V15 Type IV cartridge, both of which I wore out. Given it was my formative years, I loved that set-up. I acquired my Technics 1200 Mk5 about ten years ago after a long journey down the digital fork in the road. 

Due to some technical furniture issues and WAF, I had to set the TT aside, again. I have rolled through various digital gear and currently use a PS Audio PWT and Theta ProBasic III R2R ladder DAC.

Anyway...I set up the Technics again with an AT150 MLX cartridge and....lo and behold...the digital setup, while not possessing that vinyl sound, does sound better than the SL1200 and AT150.

I did not want to believe this, so I reinstalled the cartridge and realigned the table. Same resort. Basically, the sound is a bit tilted to the treble, the bass is a bit thin compared to my digital gear, and the overall sound seems lean.I have fiddled with cartridge tracking and tonearm balance with no improvement.

So what is next? Is it I do not like the AT cartridge? Has my digital gear outgrown my TT?

That is why I want to learn about the experiences of those of you that moved to a different turntable from Technics. What Technics table did you have and what cartridge? What new turntable and cartridge replaced your Technics setup? How did the sound improve? I would appreciate any and all advice!

Thanks for listening,

Dsper


dsper
dsper OP
664 posts
 
ihcho, Sorry, typo, I meant AT150mlx.

I have played with the Jolida voltage gain and impedance switches but maybe I have missed a good combination. It just keeps coming up a bit thin and well....shrill.

So maybe the cartridge has deteriorated over time. There are not enough hours on the stylus for that to be the problem.

In the meantime my Orton Concorde ProS 40 is playing just fine, given what it is. 
ihcho's avatar
ihcho
612 posts
 
As long as it works well with the Ortofon cartridge, you are good. 
I also feel that AT150mlx is a bit of high on treble side, but not at the fatiguing level. My SPU cartridges sound rather smoother than AT150mlx.
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
Still use my 2 sl1200 mkiis’

  I switched to Ortofon nightclub ii,  and I use the arkiv as well.Depending on the recording.

 Track great, sound great, reliable, always start and stop.

 Hope to pass em down someday!
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@arcticdeth once you will try better cartridges even at the same price as your dj nightclub II or arkiv, you will be blown away by the sound difference! There is a huge compromise in sound quality in favor to usability in cartridges you’re using (I owned all of them from Ortofon back in the days), and high tracking force is not good for your records. If you like Ortofon try to find M20FL Super with FineLine stylus at $150, you will never return to the nightclub or arkiv once you will hear what is a FineLine "nude" stylus profile.
luisma31
516 posts
 
What @chakster said
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