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View Full Version : Techy SL1200 Phono Lead Help, Please.



DaveK
26-08-2009, 21:04
High Guys,
I'm back, for the benefit of anyone that missed me - for anyone that didn't, why not? :) .
I have finally received my Techy and set it up, complete with new headshell and cartridge set up for me by Marco, for which many thanks. I am very happy with the sound I am getting from it at the moment but suspect that it could be improved (no comments Steve, please :) ). One of the obvious areas which strikes me could be improved is the phono leads and plugs. I'm not sure whether mine is equipped with original standard leads or whether they have been replaced but they appear to be relatively flimsy compared to the 'brick shithouse' solidity of the rest of the build quality, and one phono plug looks as though someone trod on it and made a cack-handed attempt to re-round it - it now feels very flimsy and sloppy in the socket.
Because off this I think that it would benefit by having the phono leads replaced with something of a little better quality, so I have the following questions: -
1) are the original Techy phono leads lightweight and flimsy?
2) are they recognised as a weak point on the Techy?
3) how are they connected within the Techy, soldered or screw terminal and how difficult is it to replace them?
4) are they readily available as a spare part from Dave Cawley, say and if so, how much do they cost.
Any general advice, comments or guidance on this aspect would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in anticipation.
Cheers,
:cool:

The Vinyl Adventure
26-08-2009, 21:30
welcome back! :eyebrows:
i to am interested in any resposes this question might get

Tolstoi
27-08-2009, 04:50
Hi,
yes the original ones are quite flimsy and what most people do is to swap the entire phono cable for a new one with better plugs. My 1210 is still waiting for a new cable. I had to replace the plugs because the soldering inside one of the plugs broke and presented me with hum and sometimes a complete loss of a channel. There is a Nagaoka cable I'm looking forward to solder to the Technics.

To swap the cable you have to turn the deck over, take off the bottom (whole lot of screws) take of the round cover under the tonearm and solder off the old one. This is also a good chance to replace the ground wire with a better one if you wish or think you'll feel better with it afterwards.

Take a look at this site: http://www.djresource.eu/Topics/story/110/Technics-SL--Replacing-Signal-and-Ground-Wire/

They have a very neat description with pictures.

Cheers

Joerg

Ammonite Audio
27-08-2009, 06:50
If you don't feel entirely confident replacing the phono-out leads, you could send the entire arm to Audio Origami for a total re-wire. He knows what he's doing and will also check and set the bearings too. Options include filling the arm tube with foam, which might be worth considering, as my Audio Origami re-wired but otherwise standard arm does tend to get muddled when the music gets complicated; it's quite beguiling with simple stuff, though.

His service really is top-notch. See http://www.audioorigami.co.uk/index.htm

twelvebears
27-08-2009, 07:11
Welcome back Dave.

If you don't want to or can't justify replacing the arm completely at this point (as I haven't - yet), then I would definitely second Shuggie's suggestion, as this was exactly what I did.

Johnnie at Audio Origami did a complete nose-to-tail rewire, replacing the stock arm wiring and trailing phonos, plus foam-filling the arm tube and checking all the bearing tolerances for £140, and as a stop-gap to full arm replacement, I'm pretty pleased with it.

Upside is that you can just remove the whole arm and height-adjustment mount, pack carefully and send away and it comes back ready to go and quite simple to re-install.

Downside is that you'll probably be turntable-less for about 3 weeks, depending on Johnnie's work-load.

DaveK
27-08-2009, 08:43
Thanks Joerg, Shuggie and Steve,
Your posts are exactly the information(s) that I am looking for, and I expect Hamish will be equally grateful. At the moment, for me, it's a toss up between handing my newly beloved Techy to my local TV/radio/appliance repair man (who did a good job fitting longer phonos to my current old Sony TT), or shipping the arm off to Johnnie, but I'm like a kid with a new toy at the moment so it ain't going anywhere! I'll also have a look at the price of better quality replacement phono leads that one of you mentioned, for if I go for the local repair - shorter downtime.
Many thanks to all.
Cheers,

chris@panteg
27-08-2009, 10:14
Hi

This is what i bought for mine 'its a nice upgrade for peanuts ' very nice cable indeed ' don't be put off by the low price , and there is a better kit for £40 if you want it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Technics-SL-1210-1200-Neutrik-Van-Damme-Pro-Gold-Cable_W0QQitemZ310136998086QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_A udioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables?hash=it em48359b08c6&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

DSJR
27-08-2009, 10:22
I understand the mk5 has slightly better wiring, but not sure just how bad the earlier ones are, as the decks ancestors had fairly chunky external wiring as I remember..

Audio Origami do a great job and if you don't hanker after a DL103 and are happy with moving magnet carts like the AT440MLa, Denon DL110 and 160 or Ortofon mm's at double the price (!) then having the standard arm breathed on by Jonny would be my recommendation for now - it's basically a good arm, just a bit lightweight (low mass) for DL103's and some other moving coil types.....

DSJR
27-08-2009, 10:29
Hi

This is what i bought for mine 'its a nice upgrade for peanuts ' very nice cable indeed ' don't be put off by the low price , and there is a better kit for £40 if you want it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Technics-SL-1210-1200-Neutrik-Van-Damme-Pro-Gold-Cable_W0QQitemZ310136998086QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_A udioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables?hash=it em48359b08c6&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

Missed that - Looks good and £10 or so for making it up to sell (plus wire and plugs) is quite fair IMO, bearing in mind the time taken to solder it etc.. :)

I got some of the Van Damme flexible pro-patch mic cable for the Dual. Good stuff and just lets the signal through.....

DaveK
27-08-2009, 10:52
Hi

This is what i bought for mine 'its a nice upgrade for peanuts ' very nice cable indeed ' don't be put off by the low price , and there is a better kit for £40 if you want it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Technics-SL-1210-1200-Neutrik-Van-Damme-Pro-Gold-Cable_W0QQitemZ310136998086QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_A udioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables?hash=it em48359b08c6&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

Hi Chris,
Thanks for that info - looks to be just what I'm looking for and price(s) look very reasonable - only problem, I am not safe with a soldring iron, no experience and shakey hands, so I'll need to get someone to do the necessary who knows what they are doing.
Cheers,

chris@panteg
27-08-2009, 11:05
Hi Dave

Its a great little kit and nice photo instructions too ' i found it a breeze to fit

The Vinyl Adventure
27-08-2009, 12:54
Welcome back Dave.

If you don't want to or can't justify replacing the arm completely at this point (as I haven't - yet), then I would definitely second Shuggie's suggestion, as this was exactly what I did.

Johnnie at Audio Origami did a complete nose-to-tail rewire, replacing the stock arm wiring and trailing phonos, plus foam-filling the arm tube and checking all the bearing tolerances for £140, and as a stop-gap to full arm replacement, I'm pretty pleased with it.

Upside is that you can just remove the whole arm and height-adjustment mount, pack carefully and send away and it comes back ready to go and quite simple to re-install.

Downside is that you'll probably be turntable-less for about 3 weeks, depending on Johnnie's work-load.

this is the route im taking.. in fact looking at your list of bits, apart from the different headshell and the fact that yours is a mk5 we are gonna have a similar set up
the mg10 worked very well in the end by the way.. to my eye it just lined up straight away!
you still looking at getting that terminator one day?

Tolstoi
27-08-2009, 15:58
Thanks for the link to that cable, Chris. Perhaps I'll consider buying it for my 1210 and CS621 even though the 621 doesn't need a ground wire.

Cheers

Joerg