Calling all Technics SL1500C owners - Cue lever

[Entrigo]

Looking forward to your comparison/impressions

Ha, well sadly I don't think I will do a proper A/B as I had planned, also as I'm dropping off the 1500C to his new home today at lunch (and it's a bit of faff to do anyway, which put me off).

Early impressions are a bit mixed. Played three records so far, which I know quite well or have played recently:

Syd Barrett - Barrett: sounded good but I didn't feel such a leap from the 1500C - also sounded a bit dark, but I am conscious a reviewer's comment of the 1300G sounding "dark" compared to the 1200GR2/G might have been at the back of my mind.

Pixies - Doolittle: this sounded amazing. The drums and bass especially were taut and engaging and in general there was more space and definition all across the spectrum. I did tweak loading on the phono stage (from 100 to 220 ohm) to be fair but I had also played around with loading on the 1500C and it never sounded this good.

Nice Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig - again, sounded good but not sure that much better than on the 1500C. Though it has to be said, this was the later repress, which I had never played before, so that might be it. I'll try playing the first pressing again later for a clearer comparison.

Anyway, even if it is just for the smoother and more satisfying operation, it was worth it! 😆

I now know I can press the lever all the way down and walk away, confident the arm will descend slowly and smoothly, instead of have to carefully lower it all the way down, and always with the fear it would drop too quickly anyway. Also the stop/start buttons have a slightly more reassuring feel when pressed.

 

[Entrigo]

Looking forward to your comparison/impressions

Although... Now that I think about it.

I really should do a quick A/B before selling it. Mumble mumble... And I'm working from home and have a quiet morning...

C'mon - I'll do it haha. Will revert.

 

[Entrigo]

OK, well done the A/B - it is not a night and day difference - as I'd suspected - but you can't miss it.

The SL1300G digs out a bit more detail and overall music has more presence, instruments have clearer edges and sparkle. While the SL1500C is assured in terms of pace, the 1300G is more engaging. Dynamic shifts are that tiny bit more dramatic.

The SL1500C remains a very good turntable though.

 

[RoA]

Thank you Entrigo. Glad to hear my 100C is not a (complete) write off. Vinyl is not my primary source so no need to change this but the 1300G looks like a class deck albeit at a huge difference in price.

I guess, some of the changes you've pointed out could be made by a cartridge change but the basic parameters are given by material and construction quality of the turntable.

One question though, whilst I do not like the feel of the lever I can just let it drop and it descends reasonably slowly (not Rega slowly). It will certainly never just freefall. Did you experience a damaged cartridge on your 1500 because of this?

Enjoy 👍

 

[Entrigo]

Thank you Entrigo. Glad to hear my 100C is not a (complete) write off. Vinyl is not my primary source so no need to change this but the 1300G looks like a class deck albeit at a huge difference in price.

I guess, some of the changes you've pointed out could be made by a cartridge change but the basic parameters are given by material and construction quality of the turntable.

One question though, whilst I do not like the feel of the lever I can just let it drop and it descends reasonably slowly (not Rega slowly). It will certainly never just freefall. Did you experience a damaged cartridge on your 1500 because of this?

Enjoy 👍

Well funnily enough, once I tweaked with the height settings, as Nopiano had mentioned, I noticed it does indeed drop down more slowly and gently. I'd had it in the default position all the time. While I don't think I had any accident directly because of this, at the very least I was always wary of it scratching a record or the stylus getting damaged, both as it tended not to drop too gently at times and as it was so close to the record. Oh well!

 

[RoA]

Well, just when I said the 100C is absolutely fine (it is!) I had a look around what else is available for around the same price and I saw the gorgeous little thing that is the NAD C588. I might change the Technics to that one just for changes sake. Mad? I've done the Rega's latest P3 and whilst a great deck won't go back to that one.

 

[Rui]

I didn’t audition it as I don’t have a shop near me to do so. I went off online reviews, YouTube vids and forums. Happy with my choice but I do find the cue lever to be flimsy and I was wondering if it was just my TT.

youtube videos in general are far from reality

 

[Rui]

Well funnily enough, once I tweaked with the height settings, as Nopiano had mentioned, I noticed it does indeed drop down more slowly and gently. I'd had it in the default position all the time. While I don't think I had any accident directly because of this, at the very least I was always wary of it scratching a record or the stylus getting damaged, both as it tended not to drop too gently at times and as it was so close to the record. Oh well!

it happened in the past, like the 77 models were more soft dropping the needle than the improved 78/ 79 ones, but no problem in both also i never used it ,

i´m used to put the needle on the record in the place i want to hear, better than those free falling systems, this refering to technics turntables and other brands as well,

i always talk good about the older turntables for the fact that the older i got the better they are refering from 67 to 79 as the few i bought after which were very good all stopped and need repairs while the 70´s ones are still working and never sent one for repair,

the old cartridges the same , a lot better and cheaper than today, even the stylus they made them weaker and tinier, the old cartridges have better sound like the technics 207C is still very good today, with a new well built elyptical stylus,

i compared it with a so much refered as being the best(mm type )2M Black from Ortofon and this brand in 77 surprised me for it´s quality, but is so wrong, i guess i´ll never say which is the best but try them and judge for yourself ,

and in pioneer i thought i had a cheap cartridge but it´s better than dozens of new cartridges, the PC-30 from 74, if one finds a well built stylus for it as the PN-30 is not the same as the PN-50,

i remenber quite well when in the 90´s bought a ES amplifier from Sony that was very good and tried a new turntable said to be very good but the old 74 pioneer with the PC-30 cartridge and PN-30 old pioneer stylus was a lot above the very good looking Sony at the time.