Should I replace Technics SL1500 to new Turntable

[vmscbe1974]

Almost 10 years passed since my ownership of my technics SL1500 now it is slightly giving hum issues so i think tone arm wire or the phono rca cable needs a replacement. contemplating whether a repair is better or sell this unit and go for new age turntable for which my choice is Pioneer PLX500 or any other non dj turntable which i need suggesstions . Is giving away a technics player a good idea or retain it for life.
Regards
Srinivasan

 

[hifimaddy]

A few months ago, I had the same idea as you. I use a Technics SL1200mk2, and I'm quite satisfied, but I'm looking to upgrade to something more audiophile. I've been consulting many turntable experts in various forums and via email. They all advised me, 'Don't sell or switch to modern turntables.' Instead, they recommended upgrading the RCA cable, tonearm cables, feet, and the mat. For a major upgrade, they suggested removing the internal power supply and making it external. Lastly, they mentioned completely replacing the tonearm. We can tackle these upgrades one at a time, and that could even make the setup outperform some turntables priced at $8,000. Your SL1500 is more audiophile than the 1200, so I would recommend upgrading its components. The quality of these turntables is amazing; new models can't compare.

 

[sandeepmohan]

Is giving away a technics player a good idea or retain it for life.

A hum should be easily resolved. No need to trash the turn table just for this one issue.
Hum can also be due to a bad ground cable so inspect that.
Generally speaking, ensure all connections are clean and secure, before you go out and rip things apart.
Internal inspection of the turntable maybe needed and for this it is best to hand it to some qualified for the job, if you are not confident to do this yourself.

 

[vmscbe1974]

A few months ago, I had the same idea as you. I use a Technics SL1200mk2, and I'm quite satisfied, but I'm looking to upgrade to something more audiophile. I've been consulting many turntable experts in various forums and via email. They all advised me, 'Don't sell or switch to modern turntables.' Instead, they recommended upgrading the RCA cable, tonearm cables, feet, and the mat. For a major upgrade, they suggested removing the internal power supply and making it external. Lastly, they mentioned completely replacing the tonearm. We can tackle these upgrades one at a time, and that could even make the setup outperform some turntables priced at $8,000. Your SL1500 is more audiophile than the 1200, so I would recommend upgrading its components. The quality of these turntables is amazing; new models can't compare.

Thanks Maddy sir , will lookout for upgrades as mentioned by you

 

[vmscbe1974]

A hum should be easily resolved. No need to trash the turn table just for this one issue.
Hum can also be due to a bad ground cable so inspect that.
Generally speaking, ensure all connections are clean and secure, before you go out and rip things apart.
Internal inspection of the turntable maybe needed and for this it is best to hand it to some qualified for the job, if you are not confident to do this yourself.

Thanks Sandeep sir will try to to replace the ground wire and rca cables

 

[vmscbe1974]

Which online site do I choose to get the rca cables and tone arm wire

 

[Record Player]

The Technics SL-1500 Direct Drive is a nice turntable. No need to sell it really.

A hum issue is something that can surely be sorted. The common issues most likely will be, bad RCA connectors, tonearm wiring, grounding at the PCB in the turntable.

You could start with sort of cleaning the RCA contact points with Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and the contact points on the Phono.

There are various methods and steps that can be tried to narrow down on the issue. You could also try and change the Cartridge and see of the Hum still persists.

Troubleshooting for Vintage SL-1500 Models

• Clean Ground Connections: Oxidation on the ground lead or the amplifier's GND terminal can prevent a clean path. Clean these with a bit of steel wool or sandpaper until they are shiny.
• Check Headshell Contacts: Loose or dirty pins in the headshell/tonearm socket are a major source of buzzing. Unscrew the headshell, clean the four gold pins with isopropyl alcohol, and ensure the internal tonearm pins are springing forward correctly.
• RCA Cable Routing: Avoid running your signal (RCA) cables parallel to power cords. If they must cross, do so at a 90-degree angle to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Quick Diagnostic Steps

1. The "Unplug" Test: If the hum vanishes when you pull the turntable's power plug from the wall, you have a ground loop or a noisy power supply.
2. The "Touch" Test: If the hum gets louder when you touch the metal tonearm, the tonearm itself is likely not properly grounded to the internal PCB.
3. The "Same Outlet" Rule: Plug your turntable, preamp, and amplifier into the same power strip to ensure they share the same ground potential.

 

[spanchal]

Which online site do I choose to get the rca cables and tone arm wire

Use Mogami 2965 for RCA cables mod -> https://hifimart.com/product/mogami-ht-series-rca-cable-1-5-metre-pair/
Use this cable for tonearm wire mod -> https://www.ebay.com/itm/112446233993

 

[hifimaddy]

Use Mogami 2965 for RCA cables mod -> https://hifimart.com/product/mogami-ht-series-rca-cable-1-5-metre-pair/
Use this cable for tonearm wire mod -> https://www.ebay.com/itm/112446233993

Mogamai 2965 is excellent. It's not so expensive, and the capacitance is around 65, which is ideal for phono RCA.