Technics 1200

[sachu888]

Spell check 1 : You mean protractor ...

Ok it protects from inner groove distortion so its a protector also hyeah:

Spell check 2: And then the grove I know is a Mangrove

Uh oh ... I got too much time on my hands once again ...

--G0bble

Corrected Sir.

Regards,

Sachin

 

[venkatcr]

Just some loud thinking.

I know many of us have this fascination for a product/brand or a model that we all think is the end of the world. My point is that when TT are making a comeback, I am sure there will be other brands that make TTs that are as good as the Technics 12xx series. We just need to keep our eyes open and look around.

When I bought the Oppo 983 a couple of years ago, it was like climbing Mt. Everest. I had purchased the best DVD player in the world, period. BUT, after a couple of monts, I realised (1) I was not using it for fear of spoiling it, and (2) the HTPC I had built and the scaling inside my AVR beat the pants off the 983. This was for playing DVDs. For playing music, my audio PC again beat the pants off the 983. I found a buyer who had a number of SACDs and he grabbed my 983 before I could even blink.

Yes, buying the 983 in the US, carrying it by hand all the way and, gazing at it with adoration once installed was a different experience. I am right now planning to repeat the experience with a DAC and a Oppo 95. Who knows, if the TT bug catches me I might end up doing the same.

We are a bunch of silly geezers, aren't we?

Cheers

 

[omishra]

I got my Technics SL1200MKII yesterday. Total cost 420 USD + 40 USD local shipping + 286 USD, shipping US-India + Rs 3200 Custom charges, Total 38.2K INR. With packing it weighed 17Kg/35 lbs.

It was from ebay and shipped using SnS -
TECHNICS 1200MK2 TURNTABLE VERY NICE ORTOFON, CARTRIDGE | eBay
I preferred slow ground shipping.

It was packaged nice but it seems Customs/Security guys opened one corner and then did not pack well. So one small crack at left corner of dust cover where the packing was poked. It is Fixable & Minor. It came with Ortofon Pro S & two extra Technics head shells, it played nicely, I tested with old Mohd. Rafi songs and Metallica.

Now waiting for Carpenter who is working on custom stand/shelf. I will post few snaps once complete all cabling & installation.

 

[gobble]

Lol.

Gobble, you are posting at 7AM in the morning?!! You surely are losing sleep over your Vinyl/TT pursuithyeah:

I was kinda up from 4am. The spell checker woke me up and guided me to the laptop.

My TT investment is far away, not happening this year for sure.

@Venkat,

1. Which is the AVR that beat the ABT scaler in 983 pants down?
2. Whose pants?

Cheers

 

[sachu888]

I got my Technics SL1200MKII yesterday. Total cost 420 USD + 40 USD local shipping + 286 USD, shipping US-India + Rs 3200 Custom charges, Total 38.2K INR. With packing it weighed 17Kg/35 lbs.

It was from ebay and shipped using SnS -
TECHNICS 1200MK2 TURNTABLE VERY NICE ORTOFON, CARTRIDGE | eBay
I preferred slow ground shipping.

It was packaged nice but it seems Customs/Security guys opened one corner and then did not pack well. So one small crack at left corner of dust cover where the packing was poked. It is Fixable & Minor. It came with Ortofon Pro S & two extra Technics head shells, it played nicely, I tested with old Mohd. Rafi songs and Metallica.

Now waiting for Carpenter who is working on custom stand/shelf. I will post few snaps once complete all cabling & installation.

Congratulations Om.You can make this type of case for 1200.Drop In Hardwood Cabinets : KAB Electro Acoustics http://www.kabusa.com

Regards,

Sachin

 

[akd]

@omishra congrats
the listing that you have given a link for clearly mentions

"I HAVE HAD THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, BUT IT HAS HAD"....
"BUT DOES HAVE SOME LIGHT CABINET SCUFFS ON THE LEFT SIDE"

the cost appears to be attractive, but considering its a used one of "FEW YEARS" I wonder how the seller asks for 50% of the original price and does not mention the usage hours, during my search I came across a used 1200 MK2 in Kolkata which one of my friend bought @12K, I was hell bent on buying a new one and was ready for the economic damage. Surely your TT seems to be in excellent condition, enjoy and do write your impression

@venkatcr
you are correct, I know during my quest for 1200 I partially lost my rationale, but couldn't help it, I started knowing about it back in 2003 when it was priced @ 35K in India, from then onwards I thought of having one and slowly it became an obsession, unfortunately the prices shoot up to 55K, with my limited access and knowledge I am now convinced Technics 1200 with little improvements (tone arm,cartridge and platter) can't be beaten in the 40K-50K range. I guess the potential TT that can beat it is Rega Planar 3 (P3-24) which is in the range 50K, I already have a belt drive Debut III so went for a direct drive, its true Technics 1200 have become overpriced but don't we all buy LPs at a price which no one ever thought of?? I don't know why me and others dole out Rs. 5000/- for a record, I guess theres something in life which is difficult to justify with logic, thats the way it is we can't help it

frankly speaking for an excellent sound reproduction neither one has to buy Technics nor OPPO, it can be achieved at a fairly lower cost, again you have correctly sensed this issue

 

[gobble]

Well sigh! I was stuck on getting a Technics too ... unless I find a good Thorens now at the same price point. Then the Technics 1200 became nonviable to Panasonic for a reason - it was reputedly not built for obsolescence, but built to last... That by itself has all the appeal - the acquisition of a product made with a mindset going back into the decades, before the use and throw culture became common. The Technics fanboys are paying extra in their admiration of an engineering culture achieved by humanity, now lost to the world of budget consumer goods. I can very well imagine marveling at it like its a museum piece for that reason alone, never mind if there may be other products that beat it for absolute SQ today.

--G0bble

 

[venkatcr]

@Venkat,

1. Which is the AVR that beat the ABT scaler in 983 pants down?

The HQV Reon in my Onkyo 875. And now the hardware accelerator in ATI 5770 GPU.

2. Whose pants?

Not mine, fortunately. It is still in place.

Cheers

 

[reubensm]

i have tried a few turntables and have been listening to vinyl all my life...and believe me, nothing can beat the good old technics direct drive with s-arm....be it a sl1200 or sl1210 or sl3200...they are simply in a class of their own!!

 

[santhosh]

I have a Project Experience TT, but still hope to own a Technics 1210 (black) someday.

For me, the sheer beauty of watching the silver dots on a Technics platter form a design while spinning is itself priceless and ..... ofcourse the great music.

 

[gobble]

I have a Project Experience TT, but still hope to own a Technics 1210 (black) someday.

Oh ok .. the notes of the music will be framed against a pitch black background with this one ...?

And the silver one will have zing in the upper frequencies ...?

I hear ya !! hyeah:

--G0bble

 

[akd]

@gooble
there are a number of Thorens model doing the rounds, I read somewhere none of these models come close to their shelved ones, so do a bit research, although Thorens used to be a market leader once upon a time. If you finalize on 1200 think seriously as my observation says its price is going upwards only, and don't consider MK5 as that model does not contain hinges for the dust cover

@santhol2
I have heard a lot about Xpression, what cartridge are you using? I really like the simplicity in Pro-ject TTs, they truly underline TTs are fairly simple yet amazing piece of engineering equipment. Remember Pro-ject is the company which became popular in entry level TTs in India which is no mean achievement.

 

[santhosh]

@santhol2
I have heard a lot about Xpression, what cartridge are you using? I really like the simplicity in Pro-ject TTs, they truly underline TTs are fairly simple yet amazing piece of engineering equipment. Remember Pro-ject is the company which became popular in entry level TTs in India which is no mean achievement.

Yes, Project is doing very well in India. Thanks to a certain commercial hfv member, even Reliance Digital sells Project.

Mine is actually a Project Xperience II. Same as in link but mine has been fitted with an Ortofon Rondo Red MC Cart.
http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=xperience&cat=turntables&lang=en

Cart:
http://www.ortofon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=92

 

[sachu888]

I got my Technics SL1200MKII yesterday. Total cost 420 USD + 40 USD local shipping + 286 USD, shipping US-India + Rs 3200 Custom charges, Total 38.2K INR. With packing it weighed 17Kg/35 lbs.

It was from ebay and shipped using SnS -
TECHNICS 1200MK2 TURNTABLE VERY NICE ORTOFON, CARTRIDGE | eBay
I preferred slow ground shipping.

It was packaged nice but it seems Customs/Security guys opened one corner and then did not pack well. So one small crack at left corner of dust cover where the packing was poked. It is Fixable & Minor. It came with Ortofon Pro S & two extra Technics head shells, it played nicely, I tested with old Mohd. Rafi songs and Metallica.

Now waiting for Carpenter who is working on custom stand/shelf. I will post few snaps once complete all cabling & installation.

One question, It is an US 60 hz model.How did you manage to play?

Regards,
Sachin

 

[omishra]

One question, It is an US 60 hz model.How did you manage to play?

Regards,
Sachin

I already gone through its service manual and its DC operated internally. After first transformer its DC. So 50Hz/60Hz does not matter. Only 120VAC down converter required.

 

[sachu888]

I already gone through its service manual and its DC operated internally. After first transformer its DC. So 50Hz/60Hz does not matter. Only 120VAC down converter required.

That means any TT bought from US can be played using 120VAC down converter?

Regards,

Sachin

 

[jls001]

frankly speaking for an excellent sound reproduction neither one has to buy Technics nor OPPO, it can be achieved at a fairly lower cost, again you have correctly sensed this issue

If you are lusting after a Technics DD, then the SP-10 is the real McCoy. Should deliver the "excellent sound reproduction" in spades. And one should be able to come across a good example of the Mark II for 35-50K INR. Mk III of course would be pricier (if at all one can find one outside of Japan). The Mk III is definitely the one I lust after:licklips:
Joshua

 

[gobble]

That means any TT bought from US can be played using 120VAC down converter?

Regards,

Sachin

Without affecting pitch speed and accuracy of the motor?

-G0bble

 

[gobble]

@gooble
there are a number of Thorens model doing the rounds, I read somewhere none of these models come close to their shelved ones, so do a bit research, although Thorens used to be a market leader once upon a time. If you finalize on 1200 think seriously as my observation says its price is going upwards only, and don't consider MK5 as that model does not contain hinges for the dust cover

Thanks. I do plan on researching the Thorens options in more detail.

--G0bble

 

[marsilians]

If you are lusting after a Technics DD, then the SP-10 is the real McCoy. Should deliver the "excellent sound reproduction" in spades. And one should be able to come across a good example of the Mark II for 35-50K INR. Mk III of course would be pricier (if at all one can find one outside of Japan). The Mk III is definitely the one I lust after:licklips:
Joshua

As far as I understand MK 2 was intended for the japanese market exclusively (100 volts). Thats the reason its a price catch. Performance wise some folks have it comparing to the MK2 though I dont ahve first hand experience with that.

There are some MK 2's still available as new but the price has pretty much doubled since last Dec (when Panasonic decided to stop producing the entire Technics TT line).

Amazon.com: TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 Turntable: Electronics



MK5 is essentially the same turntable as MK2 with the addition of a long-life pilot light, customisable brake speed and quartz lock button, along with a slipmat to replace the heavy rubber mat. Operationally they are nearly identical.