Very good, appreciate the information and pictures that everyone is sharing. I'm always on the lookout to upgrade whatever pieces of my system I'm focused on at the moment, and right now I'm going through a treasure trove of used LPs I picked up at a Goodwill - my kind of music, and in pretty good condition, one of those they-just-rolled-a-cart-of-the-back moments. I'm not sure I'm going to stay with Technics for my next upgrade even though there would be less adjustment to a new table - I did in years long ago use the pitch control to make mix tapes and slow pieces down to hear certain portions when learning songs in my band days, but not all in on going for an admittedly better GR (can't really justify the G right now after the money I've recently spent on other pieces) with the pitch adjustment/cue light/strobe - maybe one of used SP's or a VPI table might be the ticket. Any SP models to stay away from or not worth the trouble? I know nothing about those, except some have the separate power unit and others that do not. I see used SP-10's going for not that much but they look kinda cheesy to me, like the ones with the separate speed control wheels. Better to stay with the SP-10mk2 and above?
Tell about your experience with your old Audio-Technica SL-1200s..
I've had an SL-1200 MKii for about 40 years now - did some KAB upgrades, added a Hana SL cartridge (have a Shure V15 MR Type V as well with the original and a new JICO stylus). Was thinking about an upgrade to a GR or something else around $2k-$3k and wanted to know, if you came from an old 1200, where did you go from there? Did you go anywhere? What did you gain from your next turntable? Did you keep your old one and are you currently using it as a lazy susan?
I had been considering a tonearm upgrade as a possible option but it looks as if the SME and Jelco arms are disappearing fast or are going for crazy prices. I understand that if you've never had one, you have no basis on which to make a comparison, but if you have something that knocks your socks off that doesn't require a second mortgage, please share.
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It’s not necessary to stay with Technics, but if you want to keep the cost lower than new G then SP-10 mk2 and EPA-100 tonearm is the way to go, you need at least ‘10.5 inch (or longer) tonearm for SP-10 mk2. You can look for ‘12 inch Thomas Schick tonearms (they are new) if your cart is not high compliance. SP-10 mk2 does not have a pitch control of any kind. You will have to make a custom plinth for this drive. You could look for PD-444 turntable if you can spend about $2k (probably nearly $3k with tonearm). Two arms can be used, you don’t gave to think about plinth or mods, and this is beautiful turntable. |
HW-40 costs $15k, but what do we know about that DD motor? Technics made the best DD motor and SP-10R drive cost about $9k , there are $6k left for assembling a custom plinth and tonearm for SP-10R drive to make a total cost on par with VPI Hw-40, but it’s not necessary to go that high. Direct Drive motors are not the same, there are very cheap dd motors and very expensive dd motors, high torque or low torque, old and new. The reference is coreless DD motor, now it’s Technics. However, I think even $4k for the G is too much for the OP (and I wouldn’t pay more for any turntable too). |
I picked up a used SL-1200 MK2 some time back. It had the KAB RCA upgrade when I bought it. I added some MNPCTECH feet to it (very worthwhile) and the KAB fluid damper (not much difference if any) and put some FoQ tape on the tonearm (again, not a noticeable difference) and use a Funk Achromat. I currently have a Soundsmith Aida II cartridge on a LP Gear Zupreme headshell (another very worthwhile upgrade) on it and have been using the MM input on my Herron Audio VTPH-2A phono stage. The "lowly" MK2 now sounds nearly as good as my much more expensive main table. It has responded really well to the headshell/cartridge/phono stage combination I'm using. |
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