comparing super oem with technics sl1200

[richard l martin]

Hi every one. Since i now own a Technics sl1200 as well as a super oem i think just for the hell of it i will put them head to head with the same cartridge, same amp and speakers just to see how much better the technics really is. Will report soon. Kind regards all Richard.

[synsei]

I await your findings with interest Richard :cool:

[Marco]

Apologies for being thick, but what's a "super oem"? :scratch:

Marco.

[synsei]

One of these Marco, this one happens to be an Audio Technica:

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/images/uploads/audio-technica-LP1240-turntable.jpg

[RobbieGong]

Ok ! Does it share same parts ? motor drive system ? any parts at all from the stock Techie ? :scratch:

[Marco]

Ah, I see, Dave. Never heard it referred to as that... Btw, chaps, we're been here before with this AT bollocks. Do a searchy-poo... ;)

Marco.

[synsei]

Richard, the OP, owns both a Techie and one of these OEM decks and he is intending to stage a listening test to hear which comes out on top. I for one look forward to Richards findings ;)

p.s. The forum is very sluggish this evening :eyebrows:

[Marco]

Yes, I've also noticed that. These things happen sometimes.

Agreed about the listening test - it'll be interesting finding out the result. I was mainly addressing Robert's comments, as to the 'innards' of the AT :)

Marco.

[synsei]

Yes, I've also noticed that. These things happen sometimes.

Agreed about the listening test - it'll be interesting finding out the result. I was mainly addressing Robert's comments, as to the 'innards' of the AT :)

Marco.

My apologies ;)

[WOStantonCS100]

I found these photos on a DJ site (skratchlounge.com). These are the supposed internals of one such Super OEM (Stanton ST150 they said). Doesn't much look like a Techy to me... far from it.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/ciscoelnino/F8AF7166-8BF3-4088-B3D2-50BACFA966AA-214-00000064C6AAFCDA-1_zps0b84f954.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc8/ciscoelnino/D0D0EF93-4E74-4ADB-87D4-8866F042EB2B-214-00000064B6C8B2E2.jpg

[richard l martin]

Hi every one. Well i put my turntables head to head using an at95e cart with a hyper elliptical stylus played through my technics a900 amp and mission 737 speakers. Im not great at describing sound but this is what I found. The cartridge in both arms tracked as if running on rails at 1.25g. Good solid bass on both with smooth controlled mids and superb detail. The technics seemed to have a slightly better grip on the sound and was not quite as edgy as the super oem. Another thing worth mentioning is that wen the stylus is sat on the stationary record of the oem and my amp is turned up to 3/4 you can hear a humming which i suspect is coming from the transformer. No such noise on the technics, I have also noted that the figures for wow and flutter are certainly not as faverable on the oem although i have never noticed any variations in pitch. So after my litle test i have concluded that the technics unsurprisingly is the superia turntable but not by a huge margin imo and although it sounds slightly better imo the difference is certainly not night and day. bought the technics because i had a bit of spare cash and i have always wanted one but also having read on various forums people either praising these super oems to the hills or other people who mainly dont seem to have had any experience of them totally righting them of as junk so i new i wanted to get a technics sl1200 to do the comparison and finally put this super oem vs technics sl1200 thing to bed and i believe i have. Kind regards every one Richard.:)

[Qwin]

By previous accounts I have read, your results sound about right.

If you were to put a higher end amp and phono section into play these type of differences tend to open up into quite a gulf.

Super OEM is a bit missleading as they are not "super" and not "Original Equipment Manufacturer" in the truest sense, this being the widest used meaning. Better to call them "SL-1200 Clones" which is what they attempt to be.

[Audioman]

By previous accounts I have read, your results sound about right.

If you were to put a higher end amp and phono section into play these type of differences tend to open up into quite a gulf.

Super OEM is a bit missleading as they are not "super" and not "Original Equipment Manufacturer" in the truest sense, this being the widest used meaning. Better to call them "SL-1200 Clones" which is what they attempt to be.

These are not SL1200 clones. If you call them that the same applies to every DJ deck or mid range DD from the 70s. Frankly they look quite different under the skin and frankly the electronics are messy.

Also the comparison is hardly the last word as far as modders are concerned. What are the possibilities for better arm and easily removing the phono step up and USB included in some of these? Is there any damping/isolation. The attraction of the Technics was the basic quality and ease of moding the electronics and arm. These appear to have a lot of bells and whistles for the DJ and domestic vinyl ripper. Maybe the motor would make a good doner for a home made DD design.

[Qwin]

Regardless of what is going on under the bonnet they look virtually the same.
Check out the picture on post #4 the basic control layout is exactly the same and the tone arm is vitually the same. So close that if Panasonic had not pulled the plug and were interested in that sector they could probably have pulled them up on Design Copyright.
There is no design rule dictating the controls should be in that configuration, they just coppied the allready accepted configuration for the product.

It would be nice if some of these currently produced items could be used as parts doners, but from what I have seen the quality is not as good as Technics, they lack that solid purposeful feel. Thats my opinion of them anyway.

[Mike_New]

I think about the only thing that look remotely familiar to the SL1200 is the platter and the general top layout.
I have also compared the two units (not sound wise) and the motor bearing arrangement on the one I looked at seemed inferior. It does not appear possible to upgrade the bearing and I have not been able to find anyone who has valid circuit diagrams, it seems the will not supply them openly as Technics did.

[MartinT]

frankly the electronics are messy.

Very messy - really quite untidy build. They clearly don't have access to the kind of resources that Panasonic had for LSI.