A Thirsty Dog's trip down Techie road

[Thirsty Dog]

After joining the forum yesterday, I thought there is no time like the present to jump straight in with both feet :)

I would like to start a thread, which will explain why I have decided to buy a Technics SL-1210MK2. Also, the reasoning about the choices I have/will make within the budget that I have to play with. I will share the purchase, the installation, the listening, the highs and the lows, and any future plans which may come to the turntable.

I know that there are a lot of people on this forum who have trodden this path, and the depth of knowledge is wonderful. I hope to be able to learn things myself along the way, and maybe give a little inspiration and help to others who may come along in a similar position as me.

Word of warning! I'm useless at trying to explain what I hear. So please bear this in mind, and humour my simple mind (great band), and the comparisons I may come out with.


Why I decided to buy a Technics turntable, and not another make?

My previous turntable was a Rega P5/Exact, in an all Naim system. When I sold it, I told myself, that when I am in a position to buy another turntable, I'm having the same one. Now Rega don't make the P5 any more, so I had set my heart on the new RP6/Exact combo. Problem is, this comes in at £1000. Then there is the phono amp, so we are looking at at least £1200 - £1300. This is just a little rich for me, as there is no way for the foreseeable future I can come up with this much money, and I'm not taking out finance.

So I then decided that I would by happy with an RP3/Elys2. This with a decent phono amp would come in at @ £750 - £800. This is right at the top of my budget. I would have probably been happy If I just left it at that, and made the decision that this was the one for me, but something keeps tugging me to try something different. When I look back at my P5 ownership, I remember enjoying it, and some of my records sounded superb. But, there were times when I thought it should sound a bit better than it does. Sometimes, it sounded a bit closed in (try and imagine somebody singing into a Telefunken U47, that has a fine silk scarf over it. Good, but not the finest in clarity). Now this could just be the recording, or possibly I just put it down to 'this is the way vinyl is', or my useless memory.

So what to do? Well, I had thought of an all Rega system, a slightly detuned version of the Naim system I had? I've not had much else apart from my Pioneer A400 and a few Mission speakers in the past. I then decided, what I didn't want to do is fall into the camp, were I would start spouting REGA ARE THE BEST. How could I possibly know?, I haven't bloody listened to anything else! :scratch:

This was the poke in the ribs I needed. So I started looking into other alternatives. I must admit, I have always liked the look of the Technics, but like other un-educated people, I thought DJ Deck. Something though made me keep coming back, and after sending my head in a spin reading all about the turntable, and what can be done to it to enhance it at a relatively budget friendly price, my interest grew. Then I found this forum, and what I found on here has helped me come to my decision. For the budget I have, I may end up with a turntable that could be as good or close to what I thought I could not afford. But, the killer blow, is what can be done over the coming years, to transform this turntable into something rather special, that there would be no way I would be able to buy in a one-off purchase. So I am now totally set on buying a Technics SL series turntable. I mean, what is there to loose? If I don't get on with it, I will sell it. Probably not loose much money, if anything. At least I will have tried, and any money lost can be put down to experimentation. I would gladly spend a bit of money sampling a few different things to find the one I truly want.


So, why did I choose a Technics SL-1210MK2 ?

Let's get the easy bit out of the way. 1200 or 1210? - I prefer black to the silver, it's as simple as that.
Why a MK2 ? - Budget. I have approx' £700 - £800 max. This has to buy the turntable, cartridge, Phono amp, and possibly a mat and/or feet, depending on what is left. I'm a fussy bugger when buying equipment, and I want the best I can possibly get for the money. I have seen a few really nice 1210's' for sale at £400. The MK3's seem to hover about the £500 mark, and some MK5's are asking £800. I cannot justify a few hundred pounds more for a later model, which in my beginner eyes, doesn't offer twice the performance.

So, a really nice 1210 for £400, gives about the same again to go towards some other goodies to help it along the way.


Where my money is going first?

Apart from the turntable, I need a good cartridge, and phono amp. I just don't think the onboard phono stage of the Pioneer A400 will be up to the task. But, I will try it before I take the plunge. This is where it get's a bit tricky, as I have never heard a Technics turntable with various cartridges around the £150 mark. And I have never heard any phono amps other than a Naim Stageline. I'm not afraid to say, I got a bit lost trying to pick a cartridge. There are so many opinions out there :hmm: One man's coffee is another man's tea. Somebody always likes something for a different reason to somebody else. This is good, as it gives more choice. But the more choice makes it harder to choose.

I had narrowed the cartridge choice down to three, Ortofon M2 Blue, Denon DL110, and Audio Technica AT120. After reading various reviews, I thought that I would try the Ortofon Blue. The slightly cleaner presentation may suit my system, as I don't want to add any further warmness to the sound. I only have a small listening room, and I have had to work like a bugger in the setup to stop any excess boom. I have also heard it tracks like a Blood Hound (I like that). What I don't know, is how these cartridges react to genres of music. Seeing as though my Vinyl collection is about 80% rock, I may well be barking up the wrong tree. So this choice is still open to offers.

Phono amp - Well, my local Hi-Fi dealer in Chester stocks both Rega and Graham Slee, so I thought I would go about trying to get a home demo of the Rega Phono MM @ £200 and the Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE @ £250. I'm initially nudging towards the Gram Amp, but I will let my ears decide on this one. If anybody has any experience with these phono stages, I would welcome any comments.

If there is any money left, it will go into the saving pot towards a Funk Firm Achromat, and some isolation feet (either Vantage Audio or Isonoe, depending on how flush I am).


What now?

Well, not a lot to be honest. Once I have my turntable sitting on a nice pair of feet, with a cosy mat for my records, and a nice cartridge/phono amp combination, I intend to sit back and enjoy the music :rock: I cannot see myself spending any more money over the coming year, apart from on new records. If I do find myself with £200 to spare, my trusty A400 will be going on holiday to Red Hill Audio for a luxury Spa weekend. It will then come back all nice and fresh, ready to keep on playing for another ten years or more. Possibly some time in the future, I may start thinking of outboard PSU's and Mike New bearings........NO, NO, NO...STOP IT.


I will keep this thread going as I go through each process, and I promise lots of pictures.

I'm getting really excited about it now :yay:, so much in fact, it is making this old dog rather thirsty. Better go for a drink........


Until next update, thanks for reading, and any friendly pointers in helping me on my way, I would gratefully receive.


Martin

[Audio Al]

Hello Martin

Welcome to the forum :)

So you have made a wise choice Technics Sl12xx :eyebrows:

And it looks like you are on the top of a slippery slope about to go for a ride

I also own a 1200 MK11 ,not bothered that it is silver ( its about the sound for me )

I was quite happy with my 1200 until I visited the Hi Fi WW show at Scalford hall and boy what a wake up call I had :eek:

I walked into syndicate room 18 :stalks::stalks::eek::eek: The sound quality was incredible , I was mighty impressed as were a lot of others in attendance
The father and son team ( Radical and Freefallrob ) each had 1200 and 1210 both used the same amp ( Sony TAF-B940R )and speakers ( JBL L1 )
One was running a Rega 300 arm the other a 301 arm
Cartridges were a Goldring Eroica - L and a AT95e
Pre amps were a Cambridge audio CA640p modified by Jez Arkless the other was a EAR834p

Both TTs were running STD internal power supply's , STD bearings and STD feet on isolation pads , Both used STD platters although one had a ? acromat the other a carbon fiber mat

I was so impressed with the sound quality I am now trying to recreate this for myself :D
I have managed to find a pair of L1 speakers and shipped them from Florida USA , I have a Goldring Eroica-L cartridge and at the end of the month will have a much better arm , I have also obtained a CA640p yet to be stent to Jez Arkless for modifying

Here are a few photos of the said setups at the show

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0148.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0148.jpg.html)
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0147.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0147.jpg.html)
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0146.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0146.jpg.html)
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0145.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0145.jpg.html)
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0144.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0144.jpg.html)
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/bigboobs/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0143.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bigboobs/media/2012%20National%20Audio%20Show/Scalford%20Show/IMG_0143.jpg.html)
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Whatever road you take I hope it works out well for you , I will read you posts with interest

Cheers

Allen ;)
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[Qwin]

Welcome Martin :)

The SL-1200 II is a good choice, sounds good as standard and lots of upgrade possibilities.

You should get a nice one for your budget.

Mine was purchesed for £150 a couple of months ago, but I wasn't bothered if it had a few rough edges as it was going to be a project.

Keep us informed of your progress.

[johnB]

So who won the Budget Battle at Scalford Al ?

..... and is the argument that the long Techie upgrade journey (external psu, new bearing, platter, feet, stone-cladding etc etc) can be boiled down to decent arm, good cart, reasonable pre and power, but ace little speakers?

John

[Audio Al]

So who won the Budget Battle at Scalford Al ?


I am not sure if the winner was ever announced , they were both excellent ;)


and is the argument that the long Techie upgrade journey (external psu, new bearing, platter, feet, stone-cladding etc etc) can be boiled down to decent arm, good cart, reasonable pre and power, but ace little speakers?

One answer to that question is YES :D Maybe able to improve even more with said upgrades , If I achieve what I listened to :eek: at Scalford I will be VERY happy ;)

[freefallrob]

Thanks for the kind words again Al.

Just for clarity, my SL1200(silver) was running an Ortofon Vigor high out put MC (think MC3 Turbo).

The winner was never officially announced, though anyone could hear mine was clearly the best....;)

P.s radical will be along shortly to put things straight i'm sure:lol:

[navigator]

The setups continue to excite interest-mostly good.Its super to hear folks enjoy our efforts[and for some notes] Freefall and I stood at the back of the room whenever not mixing the programme .At one point we nudged each other in mutual appreciation of the quality of our achievement and outright surprise at a particular aspect of timbre that had eluded our machinations at home but sounded out in room after the gear got its dander up.
As for the winner-an absolute comparison musical phrase swopped one to the other gets a dead heat.It was only on overall playing of densely recorded work that the eroica's superior tracking showed and the ability of the Arkless 640 to keep strands separate at all frequencies gave the listeners the clearer enunciation of individual musicians.
Please remember this was an exercise of most for less. There are much better sounding systems but at a cost.
Truly the winner was Freefalls ears-mine don't hear above 10k c/s!! [its an age thing] You'll enjoy a techie if you like to play hobby. Ask on here for tips and get super info back.

[Thirsty Dog]

No long posts tonight, too tired!

Thank you all for the encouragement in my endeavour. With radical and freefallrob's systems, it goes to show that a great sounding system can be achieved at a relatively modest budget. In fact, it is high praise indeed for radical's system, that Audio Al is trying to emulate it. You seem to have found a system that totally matches your needs. Some people might try, and never achieve this, regardless of how much they spend. I wish you good fortune in your quest.

It also shows, that if you are fortunate enough to be able to invest a little more, the Technics can compete with some very exotic brands. To others, and this will include myself, I shall aim to try a find a nice balance between quality of replay and price. It sounds like a turntable that can work for everybody.

One cartridge manufacture that hadn't crossed my mind, is the aforementioned Goldring. Your not making this any easier for me :scratch: This is the head spinning choice, because it is very hard to be able to listen to each type of cartridge. You can only go on recommendation, and then there are always arguments for and against. I'm still leaning towards the Ortofon 2M Blue, but only a few days' left before the order goes in.

Decisions, decisions ??

[Thirsty Dog]

Technics SL-1210MK2 has been ordered this morning, should be here by Tuesday :yay:

Budget worked out slightly less than first thought, so not quite as much to spend on cartridge. Instead of the Ortofon 2M Blue, I have ordered a Nagaoka MP110. It has had plenty of favourable reviews, and seems a bargain at the price.

I was going to buy a set of Vantage Audio feet, but they seem to be closed for business at the minute, so will have to wait for those.

I have £200 - £250 left, which needs to go towards a phono stage. I thought about ordering an achromat, but I think I would be better off putting the remainder of the budget into the phono stage, and then buying the achromat next month, then possibly a Sumiko headshell the month after.

At this point, I intend to leave it alone for a while, and just buy/listen to the music :rock:

Still unsure about that phono stage :scratch: I shall have to look into this further next week, as I am off work. Hopefully I can borrow a Rega & Graham Slee from my local dealer, and take it from there.

Bye for now

[Macca]

, I have ordered a Nagaoka MP110. It has had plenty of favourable reviews, and seems a bargain at the price.



Good choice

[navigator]

Nag carts reliably good.For more live/dynamics try removing techy arm /headshell rubber washer.
Phonostage -Goldrings phono does very well for little money .Vibration can affect phonos-put sponge under it.
Is that I/C dynamic enough for you? Is it directional?
Matching is crucial at that point in buildup-try lots before purchase [esp solid wire-eg house lighting wiring-not just multiflexes]so as to determine the type of sound you like. It may be of interest that the Scalford lineup used original techy feet-others were tried and reduced OVERALL presentation IMO.
That deck performs well on most tables but loves heavy bases under it-use feet fully screwed in then screwed out just a minimum to level it-so it sits as low as possible [keeps skew/shear of bounce minimal].
Acrylic mat aids clean dynamic but if money is tight at moment then try playing WITHOUT a mat-you will be gobsmacked by less is more.Or try a couple of sheets of brown paper cut to fit INSIDE the raised platter lip-one sheet has a cutout for the record label to sit in.
Drop the arm height to minimum to reduce the cantilever/vinyl angle-have top of arm horizontal [use line on cardboard stood on record].
Have fun- how do you feel re that new soundscape?

[Thirsty Dog]

Thanks for the great tips Radical.

The Chord Cobra IC I use, is for the CD. It's the only one I have, and will need to buy a new pair for the Phono stage. To my ears the sound through CD is great, even though I'm using the A400 (not to everybody's taste), but it was re-capped/upgraded about 5 years ago. It now has a warmer, fuller sound, but still retains plenty of speed and dynamics. So I must be pleased with what the cable is doing. But then again, I haven't tried any others.

Setting up is my forte :D I never get bored of it. My wife laughs at me when I'm there with my tape measure and spirit level (we're still talking hi-fi by the way:)) So I'm looking forward to setting up the turntable.

The Atacama Equinox is a good heavy support, using glass shelves. Not sure if glass/wood makes much of a difference to the sonics of the Techie, but this is what it will have to sit on for now.

Interesting that no mat is better than the standard rubber jobbie?

Must admit, you've lost me on the last statement "how do you feel re that new soundscape?"

Cheers

[Thirsty Dog]

Oops.... I've just accidentally ordered a Funk Firm Achromat :hmm:

It's amazing how things like this can happen when you have just come home off night's, and your half asleep.

Better go to bed before I do something really silly.

:zzz:

[navigator]

Freefallob is an advocate of the techy mat -it does alot right. I like 5mm acrylic cos it seems 'faster' but theres little difference when cart is correctly set up. Note that my mat sits inside the outer raised ring =not on it.
The soundscape I referred to was an assumption that you were in a position to try out different mat/no mat scenarios. You need play only a few notes to hear the differences-- but longer thinking to decide if you like them.
The funk was my first acrylic mat likeable --possible skidding tho--bass can lose sharpness if slippage. I used a clamp to reduce that loss.
you may find it Funk does not totally engage with platter across its whole width. I cut some paper/brown paper/polythene [choose] to fit under it-inside the raised outer ring so it was supported entirely. Vaseline blobs between--this stops slippage .I found best substrate was a mat made for medical use with Parkinson patients-blue and tacky-obtained from 'Ways and means' type shops intended for tops of worksurfaces. Keep on experimenting -I change only one thing at a time and make a note of result. Your best sound lurks in these details-be detective

[Thirsty Dog]

Well, It's here.....


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Marti-C/Hi-Fi/Jasper_Mickey_010.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Marti-C/Hi-Fi/Jasper_Mickey_019.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Marti-C/Hi-Fi/Jasper_Mickey_015.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Marti-C/Hi-Fi/Jasper_Mickey_016.jpg


Am I pleased with it :hmm:

Dam right I am :yay:

Further details to come....

[Audio Al]

Nice one :D

[freefallrob]

Well done, the original arm does look nice.

[navigator]

Joy oh joy--really pleased for you
Perhaps now u see [or u hear] --thats what I meant by 'soundscape'.
And oh---there's much more to get from this deck.
Basics r right
now pick your favorite and well known track and be prepared to play it repeatedly after each little adjustment.
Not sure of your setup knowledge-so if following is below your current nowse then I apologise. If not have fun with following.
Ensure playing wt is near TOP end of manufacturers recommended ==and bias about the same.
Put small mirror [sometimes a shiny record will do] onto the record or platter under cart [maybe zero any bias] The image must exactly match body symmetry inline when viewed from front and from side
If u c mismatch in lines then azimuth can be adjusted a little by twisting the headshell at its attachment to arm [esp if no rubber washer]
Horizontal error is easily seen [only cart matters--not headshell level or arm level]
start by lowering arm to absolute minimum ==play and note difference the increase ht on dial a point at a time==listen after each change ==until the sound balance becomes overly trebly for your taste.
Regards
David aka Radical

[Thirsty Dog]

Before an update on the turntable (which is coming), I just want to reply to Radical.

Before I say anything, I want to thank you for your help & encouragement. And this is exactly why I have joined this forum. But, I was a little perplexed with your setup details. This is my own lack of understanding, and nothing directed towards yourself.

I tried to set up the turntable from the knowledge I already know. This involves setting the cartridge to the correct length using the Technics Cartridge alignment tool.

Then, setting the correct weight bias, according to the cartridge manufacturer (in this case, 1.5 - 2.0 g).

I then set the anti-skate, by using a blank piece of vinyl (thankfully, side 4 of Bowies Space Oddity has nothing on it), and setting it so the tone arm stays still.

I then set the VTA by measuring the height between the back of the tone arm & the front, to make sure it is totally horizontal.

This is where I am a little confused. Everything I have read suggests, make sure the tone arm is horizontal. Yet, you are suggesting that it is the cartridge that needs to be horizontal?

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry,

I have just realised what you mean, after taking another quick look at the cartridge.

The top end of the headshell tapers off, but the bottom stays level. Therefore, I just to make sure the headshell is horizontal to the record.

My old school teacher used to say, that the answer to your question usually lies in the description of what you ask.

Thanks Radical :)

[navigator]

You will find that there are as many views on setup detail as there are vinyl addicts- respected engineers assert rules that some do not follow. The key to getting the best is to try to imagine what the diamond hears-pretend its a super sensitive microphone. All components in the lineup after the cart are far less important so patience!! and don't spend money until this is spot-on.
Like a mic -its position as the vital source is crucial .It will 'hear' any vibe and give it to your interconnect and amp to sort. They do not like low bass resonances- like low vibes stored in the arm or the record material or anywhere near it-or at the arm base.The techy does a decent job of keeping them quietish so they don't reach the diamond .E.G. Its last defence of that lovely diamond is in the shaping of that techy mat .Record and deck must be must be horizontal.
Bias setting-some say that the blank disc idea is not correct.Think of the knobbly valley the needle travels-its curved so on inner circles its really pulled on one side esp on heavy recorded bass track so bias needed is more than on blank groove to keep stylus central in the valley. A test record has grooves to aid setup-likely 1.8 down and 1.4 bias [3/4 of downforce for starters]--but its in the listening cos engineering quality varies a bit-try for equal buzz in both channels by adjusting wt then bias.[assuming cart is 'square' in groove and firmly bolted in].
Other deck owners will probably add tips.
Enjoy and change only ONE thing between tests .

[Stratmangler]

I've been using a Gram Amp 2 SE (one of the original ugly ones) for what seems like for ever, and I like what it does.
It sounds good with the "get you going" SMPS PSU, and the matching (linear) PSU1 lifts performance higher still.

On the deck setup front - get those godawful standard feet off the deck asap and stand it on some sorbethane or similar feet.
The Vantage feet look to be the same as those that Origin Live supply.

[Thirsty Dog]

I have had the turntable for two weeks now. I had meant to give an update a bit sooner, but work commitments have seen me away for the past week :, so not able to listen to the turntable :(. But I’m home now, so thought it I would share my introduction of my new Technics to you.

Well, the first week was great, yesterday not so (more of this later). The first thing that struck me about the turntable was the build quality. This thing is built like a tank. After previously owning a Rega P5, this thing would kick sand in the Rega’s face all day long. The initial setup was pretty straightforward. It came with a new Technics Headshell and a nice cheap and cheerful Stanton 400.v3 cart. I removed the dust cover, and then set everything up. Must admit, I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t expecting anything great, as I was using the onboard phono stage from my Pioneer amp. So, first record on (please humour me, I couldn’t help it, I played the 12” Dead or Alive track, “You spin me around”). I just sat there with a surprised and happy smile on my face. The clarity and dynamics of the music were something I never experienced with the Rega. Ok, my ears were bleeding a little towards the end, but it is a brand new cartridge, so I new I needed to give it more time to settle down, but first impressions were very good for both turntable and the phono stage in my amp :).

After playing another three full albums, the harshness of the first few tracks had settled down, and what I was listening to was something I had never experienced before in my previous Naim/Rega system. Bearing in mind, it has been three and a half years since I sold my Rega turntable and Naim system, but I can honestly say, straight out the box, I prefer the sound of the Technics. The Clarity, Drive/Dynamics of the music, and the separation of the instruments appears to be streets ahead of what I remember. And all this with a crap cartridge and a crap amp! I have read many reviews and comparisons of Rega turntables, and I was led to believe that they were meant to excel at speed/pace, rhythm, and timing. Whilst I’m not going to slag off my old Rega TT, as I really enjoyed it at the time, the Technics seems to knock it into a cocked hat an all these attributes. I always remembered the Rega sounding a little dark and slow. I think it is what people say about coloration, when a manufacturer adds an artificial sound to the system, to give it its own “House Sound”. I’m not sure if this was the fault of the turntable, the Exact cartridge, or the Naim Stageline? What I do know, is that I now have absolute clarity and drive in the music, but more importantly, no loss in the musicality. All of this within a few records .

Day two meant the delivery of the rest of my order, an Achromat, and Nagaoka MP110. With these fitted, I continued with the listening. Initially with the Nagaoka, the bass had disappeared, which was there from the very start with the Stanton. Initially I thought, Oh No, the Nagaoka is going to be a bit bass shy. I also knew I needed to give it time to run in. Over the next two days, the bass gradually started to develop, and what I was left with was a sound which I didn’t think would be possible for the price. Everything I enjoyed in the first day is still there, but the edge has been taken away, and it sounds a lot smoother. Dynamics, speed, separation are all still there. Vocals are wonderful, and a lovely soundstage appears in front of me :D.

I have since fitted a Sumiko Headshell. More of an impulse buy really, and hard to tell if it made any real difference to the sound due to cart still bedding in, and I’m still adjusting to the sound.

When I first decided to buy a Technics SL1210, I new I was taking a bit of a risk. I had never heard one before, I had previously owned a Rega turntable (which at the time I liked), and I am now 50% on the way to building an all Rega system. What I did know, was that I wanted to try something different instead of following what appeared to be the obvious path. If I didn’t get on with the Technics, I knew I could sell it on with little or no financial loss. I would be happy I tried, and then I would comfortably settle into listening to a Rega TT for the rest of my life. Well, it didn’t quite turn out like that. I absolutely love the Technics, and I’m pleased I followed my heart instead of my head. I have no desire to listen to the Rega TT’s now, as I want to concentrate on getting the most out of my SL1210 and also looking towards an amp upgrade in the future. Whilst we are talking about amps, I’ll put in a quick word about the A400. It is still proving to be a cracking amp in my system, and I was shocked with the phono stage. I was expecting the TT to sound crap through it, and was already looking to try and purchase a new phono stage. Well, it is far better than I thought (and what other people have said about it), and I’m quite happy to keep listening to it as it is, until I can save up for a new replacement to my faithful A400.

Oh yes, almost forgot, back to yesterday.

After a week away, I finally got home with a few days off. I was going to spend the day listening to records. I thought, I would give the rack and equipment a little clean, as they were a bit dusty. What did I do? I moved the turntable to clean under it, and forgot to detach the ground wire, leading to it being stretched :brickwall:. When I switched everything back on, a loud hum was coming through the speakers when the amp was switched to the phono stage. Bugger, bugger, bugger. As the ground wire was all still intact, I wondered if the phono stage had thrown its hand in. So this led to my first dive into the internals of the SL1210. After stripping the rubber base, and the small round plate were the RCA cables come in, I ran a continuity test on the ground wire, and it does appear to be broke somewhere inside the plastic cover. So no records played on my days off, and as I am back to work tomorrow until Tuesday morning, it will have to wait until next week to get fixed :(.

Slight downer to the end of my first two weeks, but it was “user error”. It in no way spoils my thoroughly enjoyable honeymoon period with my SL1210 :harp:.

I will give an update once the Ground wire is fixed, and we are back up and running.

Bye for now.

:wave:

[Canetoad]

Martin,

The short could be at the other end of the earth wire where it attaches to the phono stage. I had to resolder mine as it had a poor connection.

[Thirsty Dog]

Martin,

The short could be at the other end of the earth wire where it attaches to the phono stage. I had to resolder mine as it had a poor connection.

Hi Bernie,

That is what I am hoping for. I don't have any spare spade connectors or a solder gun, so I will buy myself these next week. I'm just going to trim the ground wire down bit by bit (hopefully wont need to go to far) until I can run a possitive continuity test.

There is a good bit of cable to use, I just had it placed arround the rack stand for neatness, hence the stretch as soon as I moved the TT.

If it's is broke nearer to the TT, then I will have to do a crash course in soldering (I haven't used a solder gun since school), and fit a new ground wire.

[MikeMusic]

There are 2 Technics for sale in this very emporium

Need modding up, but that's where I'd start

[WOStantonCS100]

Good thing is, ground wires aren't like signal wire. In my experience, you just need "the connection"; dump to ground. Even a sloppy connection with alligator clips or wire nuts (or bare wire and electrical tape :lol: ) will get the job done. A proper termination will look better and be more reliable, of course. But, in a pinch... whatever. You could even ask a mate to come over and hold his finger to the TT and the other to phono pre/amp ground. His arms might get tired; but, hey, it's little sacrifices like these that prove brotherhood.

[MikeMusic]

Oops.... I've just accidentally ordered a Funk Firm Achromat :hmm:


I think you will find that is a big improvement as I did

[navigator]

The phono leads on my original techy arm were very firmly clamped and stood careless handling. I made earthing without solder under a small screw on the arms bottom. Any metal bit of arm housing/fixing will serve as indicated by other members. Subsequently I tied the phono and earth leads by a soft [nonresonant] string loosely attached around the back shank of a foot to form a restrained loop . Heath Robinson but it worked to support movement .
From left field but possible-check cart tags for tightness-poor fit can send hum.

[Thirsty Dog]

Luckily for me, a nice easy fix. As mentioned by Bernie, fault lay with fork connector going to the amp. Temporary fix (until I get a solder gun to do it properly), just stripped back a bit of outer cover and I've just connected it directly under the ground post. Working a treat.

I can now listen to some records during my days off. :rock:

[Canetoad]

Glad you've sorted it out for the time being Martin. :)