guardofmagog
05-02-2016, 02:35
For about the last 6 years I’ve stayed on the sidelines readings all your nice posts talking about your upgrades on the SL1200MK2. It all started when my friend convinced me to consider this turntable. His argument at the time was that the motor was very accurate and robust. He also told me that I could also upgrade the tonearm and get the power supply out of the plinth. I guess he couldn’t be more right about it.
So I found a used one, well it was actually new since the guy barely used it. For many years it stayed in the box on the upper shelf of my locker room. In the meantime, I went through the web and found many web sites talking about this SL1200MK2, including the art of sound, my favourite. It was only in the fall of 2014 that my listening room was ready to welcome the turntable. This is where I got hooked.
Two years before that, in July 2012, I even bought a Mike New bearing when he was giving a substantial rebate to get enough people to produce a new batch of 25. For two years it was sitting beside the turntable on the upper shelf. The bearing was not my first upgrade, why? I did lack a bit of confidence to go through this modification all by myself so the first upgrade was to replace the mat with a carbon fibre one. The improvement was good and did provide more soundstage and details. After a while I’ve decided that it was time to get all my courage together and upgrade that bearing. It could not be simpler to do. I’ve started to listen to it right away I did notice a very good improvement but I knew that the bearing needed some time to settle. I let the turntable run at 45RPM and after 24 hours I’ve decided to have a listening session.
BAM! That’s where it struck me. Incredible improvement compared to the original bearing. Wider soundstage, firmer bass, more treble extension. I did swap back and forth my Carbon fibre mat with the original one. This was now an incredible improvement compared to the old mat. This is where I thought that the bearing must be changed first in order to fully benefit from any mods. This is the spine of the turntable.
The next modification was the KAB PSU. I like this little inexpensive PSU. I bought the latest model with the improve regulator that replaces the one inside the SL1200. This makes sense since many of you guys have installed Paul Hynes regulators. Kevin’s view (from Kabusa) was always recommending to use the internal regulator instead of using the one inside the external PSU. This new model is now using the best of both worlds by replacing the original regulator. It was very easy to install too. Great sound improvement again, more everything again.
Then I changed the feet for Isonoes and headshell for the Oyaide carbon fibre. Guess what? Sound improvement again but less impact than the bearing and PSU.
Now the plat of resistance, last fall I ordered Mike New’s ETP platter. I did receive it mid January and running it for the last three weeks. First it was very easy to install and took less than an hour to do it. Just like the bearing the improvement was major and simply incredible. How can it improve so much even after all other upgrades? The bass is even firmer tighter, and incredible treble with cymbals extension up to noise floor. Imaging and soundstage did improve even more with great details. Even more sound dynamic. There was lifeless piece of music now being vivid and quite enjoyable. The platter is as flat as it can be and very sitting very tight on the bearing. It is very stable when running at 33 or 45RPM. This was the best upgrade I did on this turntable. It’s hard to believe that it will improve further more when I’ll change the tonearm with Jelco 750.
Well there it is, this is my story so far with this very good turntable. I keep ready on this forum people wandering why we spend that much money on an ordinary turntable. The main reason is instead of buying a very expensive TT in a single payment, at the end you can get an even better turntable after many upgrades when you have spare money to spend. And it is fun too!
This is where I have to thank people who did indirectly provide me with great advice through their posts on this forum, experimentation or great products.
First I am thanking Mike New for is great bearing and ETP platter. I hope many other people will order you products. Kevin from Kabusa for is great and low cost PSU. Thanks to all upgraders such as Marco and Martin T. that were very generous in providing their great reviews. There are a lot of other technics enthusiasts out there on this forum (yes it is you) who did also provide a lot of reviews on their upgrades and influenced me on the right direction.
Have fun,
Eric.
So I found a used one, well it was actually new since the guy barely used it. For many years it stayed in the box on the upper shelf of my locker room. In the meantime, I went through the web and found many web sites talking about this SL1200MK2, including the art of sound, my favourite. It was only in the fall of 2014 that my listening room was ready to welcome the turntable. This is where I got hooked.
Two years before that, in July 2012, I even bought a Mike New bearing when he was giving a substantial rebate to get enough people to produce a new batch of 25. For two years it was sitting beside the turntable on the upper shelf. The bearing was not my first upgrade, why? I did lack a bit of confidence to go through this modification all by myself so the first upgrade was to replace the mat with a carbon fibre one. The improvement was good and did provide more soundstage and details. After a while I’ve decided that it was time to get all my courage together and upgrade that bearing. It could not be simpler to do. I’ve started to listen to it right away I did notice a very good improvement but I knew that the bearing needed some time to settle. I let the turntable run at 45RPM and after 24 hours I’ve decided to have a listening session.
BAM! That’s where it struck me. Incredible improvement compared to the original bearing. Wider soundstage, firmer bass, more treble extension. I did swap back and forth my Carbon fibre mat with the original one. This was now an incredible improvement compared to the old mat. This is where I thought that the bearing must be changed first in order to fully benefit from any mods. This is the spine of the turntable.
The next modification was the KAB PSU. I like this little inexpensive PSU. I bought the latest model with the improve regulator that replaces the one inside the SL1200. This makes sense since many of you guys have installed Paul Hynes regulators. Kevin’s view (from Kabusa) was always recommending to use the internal regulator instead of using the one inside the external PSU. This new model is now using the best of both worlds by replacing the original regulator. It was very easy to install too. Great sound improvement again, more everything again.
Then I changed the feet for Isonoes and headshell for the Oyaide carbon fibre. Guess what? Sound improvement again but less impact than the bearing and PSU.
Now the plat of resistance, last fall I ordered Mike New’s ETP platter. I did receive it mid January and running it for the last three weeks. First it was very easy to install and took less than an hour to do it. Just like the bearing the improvement was major and simply incredible. How can it improve so much even after all other upgrades? The bass is even firmer tighter, and incredible treble with cymbals extension up to noise floor. Imaging and soundstage did improve even more with great details. Even more sound dynamic. There was lifeless piece of music now being vivid and quite enjoyable. The platter is as flat as it can be and very sitting very tight on the bearing. It is very stable when running at 33 or 45RPM. This was the best upgrade I did on this turntable. It’s hard to believe that it will improve further more when I’ll change the tonearm with Jelco 750.
Well there it is, this is my story so far with this very good turntable. I keep ready on this forum people wandering why we spend that much money on an ordinary turntable. The main reason is instead of buying a very expensive TT in a single payment, at the end you can get an even better turntable after many upgrades when you have spare money to spend. And it is fun too!
This is where I have to thank people who did indirectly provide me with great advice through their posts on this forum, experimentation or great products.
First I am thanking Mike New for is great bearing and ETP platter. I hope many other people will order you products. Kevin from Kabusa for is great and low cost PSU. Thanks to all upgraders such as Marco and Martin T. that were very generous in providing their great reviews. There are a lot of other technics enthusiasts out there on this forum (yes it is you) who did also provide a lot of reviews on their upgrades and influenced me on the right direction.
Have fun,
Eric.