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Upgrade from Technics 1200 MK2? $1-$1.5k budget

I'm faced with the option of selling the 1200 and buying another table, or spending for KAB upgrades. I'd like to explore a new table in the $1k-$1.5k price range rather than upgrade the 1200. The table must provide a good base upon which to upgrade.

I'd stick with the technics, but the tonearm is way to "fiddly" for me. There is way to much play in the headshell attachment area. The 2 screws on the bottom, and the single pin / bayonette style attachment are just to imperfect (maybe this is an advantage to some?). It seems like the slightest bump on the ortofon headshell, and I have to play with the azimuth. Also, i'm quite tired of dealing with ever so slight tracking issues. Very frustrating...

For completeness sake -- Stock 1200, AT120E/T, Baerwald protractor setup, 1.4-1.8 VTF, anti-skate 1.0-2.0, VTA at 0 (I have the thicker 1/4" technics mat). The setup is dead spot on, yet I still have tracking issues.

The VPI traveler jumps out at me as a good option. Likewise, Rega RP6, Clearaudio Concept (or SE). These are at the top end of my budget. The RP3 is around 1k, but all the reading I've done suggests that it might be a lateral move from the 1200. Pro-ject 5.1 as well.

One imperative feature must be ease of use / setup. I don't want to fiddle with anything. Thoughts?
128x128martinman
martinman's avatar
martinman OP
93 posts
 
Thanks everyone.

Surprisingly, I was able to dial in anti-skate by ear after reading through a few forum posts. Onhwy61 -- many thanks for the direction.

Now, as someone earlier in the thread pointed out, I can spend ~$500, send the 1200 to KAB and get a real nice mod'ed TT in return. I'm quite comfortable with electronics, but this tone arm rewire seems to be a pain. It's about $100 to have KAB do it -- is it really worth it to have Kevin do it?

Might also be good to have him do a once-over to make sure my 1200 isn't sick.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I can't say for sure because I don't have a test record with a torture track. However, I have an SL1210 M5G with KAB's fluid damper, and it can track hideously warped records that toss an undamped tonearm out of the groove.

About 3/4 of my records are used, from thrift shops, and there is nothing my fluid-damped SL1210 hasn't tracked.
bflodave
22 posts
 
My 1200mk2 is pretty much fully-KAB'd and IMHO, the biggest bang for the buck upgrades were the KAB fluid damper and the KAB arm rewire. I find that filling the damper trough just under half sounded best. My arm was rewired with Cardas wire from the arm to the RCA pins and Kevin also adds internal damping to the armtube. Big sonic improvement over the stock arm.
Kevin routinely goes over the entire unit and will communicate with you during the process. I can't speak highly enough about his services.
billstevenson
389 posts
 
My 1200 MK2 is also pretty much fully KAB modded and it sounds really, really good. I doubt very seriously that any other turntable on the market at any price could out perform these turntables in any practical, measurable way. Since I had the whole job done at once I cannot confirm which mods were most effective. Ditto Bflodave's comments concerning Kevin's service and communication.
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