2. analog
  3. 160917-2029

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
luisma31
516 posts
 
What @chakster said
boothroyd
365 posts
 
The Mk5 is my final destination. 1st attempt at modding an heirloom Mk5 for a friend was such a success and reality check, I built up a second duplicate for myself. Sad to see the demise of Jelco. Their original TK-850S is an integral part of the equation for use with modern MC pickups.
solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 
There are other arms to use in lieu of the Jelco...but in any case yes the stock arm can't track a heavier low compliance cart correctly.
Light mods really wake up the old 1200s but I would, as Chackster suggested, go for an SP10mk2 or the others he suggested if bigger money will be spent eventually.

There are also modern DD aside from Technics from STST, Brinkmann etc. worth considering as well if diy isn't your cup of tea...
dsper OP
658 posts
 
@ihcho 
If I were you, I would buy another brand new cartridge and test the overall setup.
@atmasphere 
The one thing that isn't getting mentioned here is that your cartridge is beyond its freshness date.
You guys are correct!

I took your advice and purchased a new Sumiko Oyster Amethyst cartridge. Don't ask how I exactly decided on this cartridge. I knew I wanted a moving magnet and the weight and height seemed like a good fit with the Technics table and KAB rewired arm. There was a review in Novo Press where the cartridge seemed to compare pretty well to more expensive Sumiko cartridges... 

I set the cartridge tracking force at 2 grams, impedance loading at 47 kOhm, and capacitance loading at 100 picofarads.

A night versus day improvement from the old AT150mlx. 

Better bass/foundation, better drive, and the treble is much better. It is a little bit shrill on a couple of albums but I suspect that it needs more time to break in or it could just be the albums.

Right now I am listening to an old Sonny Rollins remastered in 1987 on the Prestige HiFi label. Much less snap, crackle, and pop with the new cartridge.

So the gap has closed appreciably between my vinyl and digital, which is now a PWT and Mojo Audio Mystique V3 DAC.

The vinyl sounds more immediate and the digital is smoother. Maybe that is the vinyl having a better live presence?

Now I have to listen a while. FWIW.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper


atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,640 posts
 
Better bass/foundation, better drive, and the treble is much better. It is a little bit shrill on a couple of albums but I suspect that it needs more time to break in or it could just be the albums.
@dsper  Good- glad to hear it!

Since this is a high output MM cartridge its really a good idea to look into cartridge loading. This is because there is so much inductance with the cartridge; that in conjunction with the capacitance of the tonearm cable results in an electrical peak. If the cable has high enough capacitance this peak could easily be just at the top of the audible range!

For this reason loading is essential. I think you'll find that takes out the shrillness and it should sound smoother than the digital once you've sorted it out.


The first step might be to find out the capacitance per foot of your tonearm cable. If its over 22pf and if you have more than about a meter of cable I would consider alternatives. Its essential that the cable be low capacitance and this is why you usually don't see longer tonearm cables since the longer they are the more total capacitance.
More to discover