IS A RELUCTANT TURNTABLE AUDITION ON THE CARDS ?

[audioaddict]

OK GUYS HERE GOES. Ever since I got my concept 40s Ive not been entirely happy with the sound of my turntable. Now I dont know if its because the speakers are quite detailed or what, but now my technics sometimes seems quite mechanical, uninvolving and certainly not as fluid as i,d like. I dont know if its just on certain albums (baring in mind i do listen to a lot of 60s 70s stuff) so will be settling down soon and having a run through of my albums for an analytical listen. I have just been given excellent advice on a cartridge upgrade, which will obviously improve the sound and am certainly extremely reluctant to part with my 1200. I will almost certainly be going to some of the hifi shops in norwich for a nose and perhaps listen to a few belt drives. The decks I have in mind are the rega planar 2 or 3 pro-ject 2 expression and the pro-ject classic. If there are any more around this price point then I,m all ears. Llike i said this isnt set in stone as Ive almost parted with the technics before but changed my mind, but if i,m not happy with the sound any more I dont see the point in hanging on to it. Any advice guys is most welcome.

 

[stevebrock]

Personally I would probably stick with your SL1200 - and try a different cartridge as posted on another thread !

I can't see a planar 2 or project outperforming the Technics - you don't say on the other thread what your budget is regarding a new cart ??

Let us know - a few people on here can help you

 

[Al ears]

Personally I would probably stick with your SL1200 - and try a different cartridge as posted on another thread !

I can't see a planar 2 or project outperforming the Technics - you don't say on the other thread what your budget is regarding a new cart ??

Let us know - a few people on here can help you

I thought we tried that on the other thread

However a change of turntable will give the OP much better prospects when it comes to upgrading.

 

[bigfish786]

I think you can get more performance from the technics. I would definitely try a major cart upgrade first, then possibly try a demo of a graham sleep phono stage to see if that gives you the upgrade you are seeking.

I really liked the stability of dd turntables, I think they are very capable machines.

Dont sell it short.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Try the AT cart upgrade first. I personally wouldn't go down the external phono stage route as the one in your Rocksan is probably more than up to the job.

Or just get the deck pimped here: http://www.soundhifi.com/sl1200/evo.html

*biggrin*

What county do you live in? If you're resonably close then I would be prepared to bring over my Pioneer fitted with a 2M Black, or Blue, if this assists you in any way, apparently the decks sound very similar.

Regarding a different deck, based on my own experience you would need to look circa £1K for an improvment over what you currently have. Best thing to do is to go and audtion a shortlist.

 

[Al ears]

I think you can get more performance from the technics. I would definitely try a major cart upgrade first, then possibly try a demo of a graham sleep phono stage to see if that gives you the upgrade you are seeking.

I really liked the stability of dd turntables, I think they are very capable machines.

Dont sell it short.

Personally I think the phono stage built in is good enough for moving magnet cartridges up to £500 or so. I would only comptemplate an external one if I was moving to moving coil cartridges, which I wouldn't with this TT.

 

[ifor]

Personally I think the phono stage built in is good enough for moving magnet cartridges up to £500 or so. I would only comptemplate an external one if I was moving to moving coil cartridges, which I wouldn't with this TT.

This is what I was told here about the phono stage built into my Kandy LIII. It was poor advice. I went down the off board phonostage route (see sig) and reckon it's the best HiFi purchase I've ever made. I don't know the SL1200, but one of my TTs is Technics direct drive model and it sounds lovely.

 

[Al ears]

Personally I think the phono stage built in is good enough for moving magnet cartridges up to £500 or so. I would only comptemplate an external one if I was moving to moving coil cartridges, which I wouldn't with this TT.

This is what I was told here about the phono stage built into my Kandy LIII. It was poor advice. I went down the off board phonostage route (see sig) and reckon it's the best HiFi purchase I've ever made. I don't know the SL1200, but one of my TTs is Technics direct drive model and it sounds lovely.

It's personal choice I guess, we know you like to promote Graham Slee, and that to is a personal choice. There is, however,no getting away from the fact that the biggest improvement in sound you are going to get from a turntable like this is to upgrade the cartridge ( unless you have a budget that allows you to do both of course).

 

[ifor]

Personally I think the phono stage built in is good enough for moving magnet cartridges up to £500 or so. I would only comptemplate an external one if I was moving to moving coil cartridges, which I wouldn't with this TT.

This is what I was told here about the phono stage built into my Kandy LIII. It was poor advice. I went down the off board phonostage route (see sig) and reckon it's the best HiFi purchase I've ever made. I don't know the SL1200, but one of my TTs is Technics direct drive model and it sounds lovely.

It's personal choice I guess, we know you like to promote Graham Slee, and that to is a personal choice. There is, however,no getting away from the fact that the biggest improvement in sound you are going to get from a turntable like this is to upgrade the cartridge ( unless you have a budget that allows you to do both of course).

No promotion intended. I just disagree strongly with the suggestion that the it's not worth considering an external phono stage. My cartridge is only a £325 model. It benefited hugely from the external phonostage and to my mind forking out more on a cartridge to play through a relatively poor inbuilt phonostage makes little sense,

 

[friendly_ghost]

I have always heard that THE weakspot on the Technics is the tonearm. Maybe that too would be a good direction in which to look for an upgrade. Even a change to Rega or OL would be a significant upgrade, so I was told.

 

[Al ears]

Personally I think the phono stage built in is good enough for moving magnet cartridges up to £500 or so. I would only comptemplate an external one if I was moving to moving coil cartridges, which I wouldn't with this TT.

This is what I was told here about the phono stage built into my Kandy LIII. It was poor advice. I went down the off board phonostage route (see sig) and reckon it's the best HiFi purchase I've ever made. I don't know the SL1200, but one of my TTs is Technics direct drive model and it sounds lovely.

It's personal choice I guess, we know you like to promote Graham Slee, and that to is a personal choice. There is, however,no getting away from the fact that the biggest improvement in sound you are going to get from a turntable like this is to upgrade the cartridge ( unless you have a budget that allows you to do both of course).

No promotion intended. I just disagree strongly with the suggestion that the it's not worth considering an external phono stage. My cartridge is only a £325 model. It benefited hugely from the external phonostage and to my mind forking out more on a cartridge to play through a relatively poor inbuilt phonostage makes little sense,

I guess it comes down to the laws of diminishing returns. Considering the cost of your cartridge and the phono stage (approx. £875) you could have had one heck of a cartridge. However, at some point, the internal phono stage becomes a bottleneck. Now the ones in Roksan amps are very good, however if you consider them not good enough for a £325 cartridge, then God help anyone using an amp with a less good inbuilt phono stage.

I am assuming now we are talking figures way outside the OPs budget and certainly beyond what you would expect a turntable of that price to perform to.

 

[audioaddict]

ok thanks guys, having not heard a belt drive deck for many years its nice to hear that theyre not going to be much of an improvement over my technics which as stated so reluctant to part with. Now this advice has given me the cartridge upgrade go ahead. As stated on the previous/ongoing thread, id probably go upto £150 so now its just deciding on which brand model etc......i do happen to think the phono stage in my amp is the best ive had so wont be going down another box route............many many thanks to everyones advice.