Technics 1200 upgrade vs Well Tempered Amadeus?

[sazeracrye]

Hi All,

I recently bought an SL1200 mk2 from the wam and am trying to decide the merits of upgrading vs buying a new WTA Amadeus.

The Techie currently has:
- MCRU LDA psu
- Isonoe feet
- The stock arm with a 2m Black in an Ortofon SH-4 Headshell.

The upgrades I am looking to purchase are:
- SME 309
- Oyaide PA 2075 Tonearm Cable
- Oyaide MJ-12 Mat
- Oyaide STB-MS / HW Vinyl Stabiliser Weight
- Timestep HE III PSU

All told the upgrades will cost virtually the same as a WTA Amadeus.

Another wrinkle is that I have an SME 3009 S2 Improved that I can use from a TD160 Super that I have, anyone have any experience with a 1200 / 3009 combo?

Any and all opinions are welcome!

[Wakefield Turntables]

Oyaide is very over priced for what it is and I would suggest you contact Yannis Tome for produce you a tonearm cable, speak to Paul Hynes for a PSU, and forget the expensive platter mat, go for a Resomat or Acromat, and then I'd counsel a simple michell platter stabiliser. You'll get better performance and still have some cash.

[CageyH]

Why change the PSU again?
The LDA one is pretty good.

If you get a chance, listen to both TT's and get the one you like best.

[Wakefield Turntables]

True, but he did ask for alternatives.

[Tarzan]

As you already have the Techie why not stick with it?:)

[belloire]

jelco 750d and an achromat. arm cable is up to you, but i got one made by Paul at Purite North. very nice it is too, and an improvment over the standard Jelco. i'm still not convinved by the difference a record weight can bring (i have an Orsonic clamp)

then lots more records with the money left over :)

[ChrisKemp]

Oyaide is very over priced for what it is and I would suggest you contact Yannis Tome for produce you a tonearm cable, speak to Paul Hynes for a PSU, and forget the expensive platter mat, go for a Resomat or Acromat, and then I'd counsel a simple michell platter stabiliser. You'll get better performance and still have some cash.
The Oyaide MJ-12 is not over priced. The Oyaide record weight is over priced. Put any 400 gram pluss on the Oyaide MJ-12 and that is just as good. I just sold my Achromat and the Oyaide MJ-12 is way better. The difference between Achromat and Oyaide platter is just as big as betwwen rubber mat and Achromat. Buy the Oyaide MJ-12 and get your self a nice record weight over 400 gram.

I would rather say that the SME 309 is very over priced. Personally I would rather go for a Audiomods arm or a Jelco 750D.

The MCRU PSU is very good.

Keep the Technics and start upgrading it:)

[chris@panteg]

The Oyaide MJ-12 is not over priced. The Oyaide record weight is over priced. Put any 400 gram pluss on the Oyaide MJ-12 and that is just as good. I just sold my Achromat and the Oyaide MJ-12 is way better. The difference between Achromat and Oyaide platter is just as big as betwwen rubber mat and Achromat. Buy the Oyaide MJ-12 and get your self a nice record weight over 400 gram.

I would rather say that the SME 309 is very over priced. Personally I would rather go for a Audiomods arm or a Jelco 750D.

The MCRU PSU is very good.

Keep the Technics and start upgrading it:)

I think Andrew was referring to the tonearm cable Chris , I have an SME 309 .I don't think its overpriced ,worth every penny .

[sazeracrye]

Thanks for the input so far gang, please keep it coming!

Leaning toward the upgrade path.

[Tarzan]

The Oyaide MJ-12 is not over priced. The Oyaide record weight is over priced. Put any 400 gram pluss on the Oyaide MJ-12 and that is just as good. I just sold my Achromat and the Oyaide MJ-12 is way better. The difference between Achromat and Oyaide platter is just as big as betwwen rubber mat and Achromat. Buy the Oyaide MJ-12 and get your self a nice record weight over 400 gram.

I would rather say that the SME 309 is very over priced. Personally I would rather go for a Audiomods arm or a Jelco 750D.






The MCRU PSU is very good.

Keep the Technics and start upgrading it:)


Yes but the Oyaide Record Weight looks so cool.:cool:

[Ammonite Audio]

Hi All,

I recently bought an SL1200 mk2 from the wam and am trying to decide the merits of upgrading vs buying a new WTA Amadeus.



These two turntables are like chalk and cheese, so listening is the only way to find out which is preferable. The WTA is a quirky but inspired thing that deliberately flouts many of the so-called 'rules' of turntable design, but nevertheless is one of the most musical things that I've ever heard (a mate has one). The Technics is another thing altogether, being easy to use, maybe forceful and dynamic, but not (IME/IMO) in the same league as the WTA for just sitting back and enjoying what's on the record. I know which I'd take.

[ChrisKemp]

I think Andrew was referring to the tonearm cable Chris , I have an SME 309 .I don't think its overpriced ,worth every penny .
I see:) sorry

[Marco]

Hi All,

I recently bought an SL1200 mk2 from the wam and am trying to decide the merits of upgrading vs buying a new WTA Amadeus.

The Techie currently has:
- MCRU LDA psu
- Isonoe feet
- The stock arm with a 2m Black in an Ortofon SH-4 Headshell.

The upgrades I am looking to purchase are:
- SME 309
- Oyaide PA 2075 Tonearm Cable
- Oyaide MJ-12 Mat
- Oyaide STB-MS / HW Vinyl Stabiliser Weight
- Timestep HE III PSU

All told the upgrades will cost virtually the same as a WTA Amadeus.

Another wrinkle is that I have an SME 3009 S2 Improved that I can use from a TD160 Super that I have, anyone have any experience with a 1200 / 3009 combo?

Any and all opinions are welcome!

Hi Steve,

My advice would be to PM Richard (sonddek), who sometimes posts here, and ask him what he thinks, as I believe that he's compared his modified SL-1210 against the WTA :)

Without having done a direct comparison between the two T/Ts, I can't advise; nor really can anyone else who's in the same position.

Marco.

[Wakefield Turntables]

The Oyaide MJ-12 is not over priced. The Oyaide record weight is over priced. Put any 400 gram pluss on the Oyaide MJ-12 and that is just as good. I just sold my Achromat and the Oyaide MJ-12 is way better. The difference between Achromat and Oyaide platter is just as big as betwwen rubber mat and Achromat. Buy the Oyaide MJ-12 and get your self a nice record weight over 400 gram.

I would rather say that the SME 309 is very over priced. Personally I would rather go for a Audiomods arm or a Jelco 750D.

The MCRU PSU is very good.

Keep the Technics and start upgrading it:)

Chris, if I think Oyaide is overpriced then it is! Your entitled to your opinion, fair enough. Personally I wouldn't touch their stuff with a very large barge pole.

[6L6]

The Technics is another thing altogether, being easy to use, maybe forceful and dynamic, but not (IME/IMO) in the same league as the WTA for just sitting back and enjoying what's on the record.

Interesting observation. I too, very much like the Well Tempered, but I wouldn't say that the modded Techie has any particular lack of making enjoyable music. Not one bit. In fact, sonically the last few mods I've done have done little, but musically have made huge improvements. My $0.02

Anyway, sazeracrye -

Keep the PSU you have, there will be very little difference in various outboard PSU, 95% of the magic is merely getting the transformer physically out of the turntable.

By all means give the SME a go. It's a fantastic arm. Or consider the Jelco, by a good friend's account who has been tuning up a batch of SP-10s, he believes they are as good or maybe a bit better than the SME. They are also damped...

I am a huge fan of the Acromat, I think it's worth trying before something more expensive.

A record weight is a record weight. Chose the one you think looks the best.

As for Cable, I am a contentious objector to expensive cables. Once past a competent design with good connectors and quality conductors, it's Veblen pricing, nothing more.
That said, a DIN-RCA phono cable is probably the most expensive cable to make properly...

[ChrisKemp]

Chris, if I think Oyaide is overpriced then it is! Your entitled to your opinion, fair enough. Personally I wouldn't touch their stuff with a very large barge pole.

That's ok. But you wrote that the Oyaide is very overpriced. That is a little different.

[sazeracrye]

Thanks for the feedback gents, well appreciated. Still not certain which way to go but the opinions helped. Cheers.