Technics 1200

[jls001]

So you wanted a Twelve Hundred?

A 1210 Mark II in Mumbai:
Technics 1210mk2 (black)turntable for sale. - Mumbai - Home Appliances - Electronics

A 1210 Mark V in Mangalore:
Technics 1210 mk 5 g turntable - Mangalore - Home Appliances - Electronics

A pair in Mumbai:
2 X Technics Turntables - Mumbai - Home Appliances - Electronics - Bandra West

Another 1210/II in Kolkata:
Technics 1200mk2 Turntable - great condition- one owner - Kolkata - Home Appliances - Electronics - Jadabpur

Surely, one can't complain that the 1200 is not available in the used market

The quoted prices are a different matter, though:sad:

PS: I am not affiliated to the sellers

 

[denom]

Well 3 of them are 1210's, NOT the fabled 1200

Secondly, 1200's are not exactly worth the crazy prices that are being asked for them. Am sure there are better TT's available that are superior to the 1200. Am not a TT expert but then I do have some friends who are & I trust their knowledge & expertise.

A case of milking the cow while she can be milked

Hope people wisen up & avoid paying these fancy prices.

 

[malvai]

The Techincs 1200 and 1210 are essentially the same TT... only colour is different....

The 1200/1210 is a GREAT TT. If you can get it for about 20k (MAX). Then there are lots of little tweaks that can be done and it can, then, rival TT's that cost much much more....

 

[denom]

The Techincs 1200 and 1210 are essentially the same TT... only colour is different....

The 1200/1210 is a GREAT TT. If you can get it for about 20k (MAX). Then there are lots of little tweaks that can be done and it can, then, rival TT's that cost much much more....

Assuming that 1 gets the 12 00/10 at 20k MAX, then how much extra needs to be spent on bringing it upto spec with ones that cost more??? What are the areas of concern, which need to be addressed 1st???

Share your gyaan oh great TT expert bro

 

[kuruvilajacob]

I once got two box packing SL 1210 MG 3D and sold each for Rs20 K as I did not find anything extra ordinary in these players. They are heavily damped and cannot really bring out all the details expected in a mid hi-end deck. They are built like a tank and can last a lifetime. I have never been a fan of SL 1210s . I own a 1972 SL1200 with TPA arm. That's a totally audiophile deck in my opinion.

 

[malvai]

What you say is true Kuruvilla... I don't think that the 1200/1210 can ever compare to the big idler decks... but on the whole a lot of juice can be had from the 1200/1210...

the rock steady synchro motor on them is priceless...

one just needs to give the 1200/1210 a much better arm, some cleaning of the electricals, a little damping, a better PSU (preferably an outboard one from KAB or a Timestep)...

I have heard one such modded deck a few years ago at a cousins' place in the UK.... it sure gave a lot of big decks a run for the money!

 

[jls001]

These sellers are certainly over doing the price bit. The Mumbai guy selling the pair is asking for Rs 120000.

A pair of new ones imported by Riviera International will cost as much.

Why would one pay the same amount for a used pair of SL1200s as a new pair?

And to top it all, the Kolkata seller is asking for Rs 60,000 for a 12 year old unit! That kind of money is commanded by classic Garrard 301s or 401s.

All these guys are riding the vinyl gravy train without first doing a reality check.

 

[reubensm]

An interesting fact about most run-of-the-mill technics DD TTs are that they are heavily damped and sound lazy to the audiophile. When my father used to listen to my SL3200, he would famously say that it did not sound as energetic as his Garrard SP25.

Here is a forum thread which will give you an interesting insight on the sound signature of a typical Technics DD (same as my SL3200) versus a Dual belt drive TT. Interesting Read.

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...t-Drive-verses-Belt-Drive-two-oldies-go-at-it

 

[reubensm]

These sellers are certainly over doing the price bit. The Mumbai guy selling the pair is asking for Rs 120000.

A pair of new ones imported by Riviera International will cost as much.

Why would one pay the same amount for a used pair of SL1200s as a new pair?

And to top it all, the Kolkata seller is asking for Rs 60,000 for a 12 year old unit! That kind of money is commanded by classic Garrard 301s or 401s.

All these guys are riding the vinyl gravy train without first doing a reality check.

A few days ago, I bumped into a guy who had an old Garrard RC80 changer deck for sale (pulled form an old radio gram I suppose). Was asking for a King's ransom, 25k. When I asked out of curiosity, what makes it so expensive, pat came the reply - "its a Garrard TT with an Idler Drive sir". When I asked what is an Idler drive, he said he did not understand turntables but came to know from the internet that Garrard Idler turntables are very very expensive

 

[Zeppelin]

The prices they are asking for technics 1210 and the fabled 1200 is yes indeed crazy ,when new pioneer plx 1000 is available for 55,000 a piece .
The only problem is Reviera wants to sell only in pairs , if there is some one willing to be my partner in buying a brand new direct drive

 

[Zeppelin]

These old turn tables are really not worth the money they are asking ,technics mk2 1200 is not worth more than 25,000 ,for a great condition one,no doubt it's motor is very hardy and will never get spoilt.But the rest is bound to get spoilt with wear and tear.
The equally good brand new pioneer plx 1000 is available for Rs 55,000/'- ,this can be tweeked to an high end TT.

It is true that idler drive (rim drive) will be energetic but as time goes by the rubber does wear out and gives the same problem as belt drive ,belt drive has survived in the audiophile world because it is easy to replace the belt by even a novice and still get the benifit of controlled rotation,belt drives are more forgiving to bad quality records.
Direct Drives by the virtue of the platter directly sitting on the motor has more torque and hence less forgiving of bad records.They have their only advantages and disadvantages.idler is out.belt and direct are the only ones used now widely.

I would prefer a very well made direct drive ,since audiophile grade direct drive is hardly available in the lower spectrum of price range ,the choice left is buy a belt drive and keep changing the belt when you feel that it's slack.

 

[reubensm]

Most of the SL12s in the Indian market are priced high due to the following reasons:

1) almost all buyers are internet crazy and have started reading reviews and looking for the highest prices on eBay

2) most of the SL12s doing rounds in India have been imported from abroad and the pricing includes cost of the turntable, shipping and customs duty. The base price of any technics turntable import (expect the SP series) can be between 20k to 30k. Some sellers have the stuff hand carried and in this context, the shipping and customs duty becomes their margin

 

[Zeppelin]

When you can get a pioneer plx 1000 an almost exact replica of Technics which is out of production for many years for 55 thousand why would a sane person pay 60 thousand for a 10 year old product.
If pioneer is bought service is available and warranty is available because of the presence of the company in india ,the only sad part is they want to sell only in pairs.

In india once you pay your money to the dealer you are on your own ,service back up is dependent on his whims and Fancy

I have heard a technics and the the hype is like group mentality even the technics should be tweeked to get the juice out,similar to pioneer both are DJ oriented..
My contention is just don't fall for the hype ,make do with a rega or project.

 

[jls001]

.idler is out.

Not for me

Some of the best sound I've heard from turntables are from idler drives.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Not for me

Some of the best sound I've heard from turntables are from idler drives.

I fully agree with Joshua. A well set up idler like Garrard 301 can beat any Tecnics SL 1210 hands down

 

[Sumanta]

Forget buying used. Make one new.

 

[mpw]

the hype is like group mentality even the technics should be tweeked to get the juice out,similar to pioneer both are DJ oriented..
My contention is just don't fall for the hype

i agree totally.

as far as Jls comments and Kuruvillas comments on idler drives go - maybe they may give better sound but 95% of the populace would not want to get their hands dirty ( including me ) to set it up the right way.

Unlike earlier times - there is no time or the time has to be outsourced and skills have to be sought or bought to get the tweaks / repairs done.

( sorry for being politically incorrect )

Instead what the 1200 / 1210 offers is plug and play and tweak at leisure. It is utterly reliable as well and takes a wide variety of carts.

This is why it is so popular.

Maybe given a choice you may opt for the 1210 itself

YMMV..

regards

 

[anilva]

To my mind SL1200/SL1210 are superb turntables and can take lot of user tweaks, which are not very complex. They are almost plug and play and the setup once done, remains consistent for a long time.

Comparing them to some of the super turntables likes 301s and TD124 is not right. Price points are very different and the amount of care, setup and upkeep required for the super TTs is very different. We are operating in the last 10% zone of optimization.

For a mid HIFI aficionado there is nothing like a SL1200, whose obsession is not only turntables unlike some of us.

Cheers.

 

[souravin]

To me Technics 1200 is a workhorse. Balancing between budget, family time. tweaks and sourcing the records including cleaning are making the task much more complex. 1200 is pure plug and play- fuss free and enjoying music is the core advantage.

I will settle myself sometime with the bigger siblings like Technics SP 25 or SP 10 in near term. For the time being I'm happy with 1200.

Sourav

 

[sachu888]

Not for me

Some of the best sound I've heard from turntables are from idler drives.

100% Agree.

Regards
Sachin