SL 1700 & Grado Gold

[Hypnotoad]

I was using a nice little Technics SL-7 linear tracker with a Grado Blue cart in my bedroom system and it sounded really good.

I had it connected to a Jolida 801-A tube amp I picked up for a song and some nice Boston Acoustics A200's.

I just happened to have a Technics SL 1700 semi auto turntable lying around, semi auto is a must in the bedroom as I often fall asleep while listening. I also just happened to have a Grado Gold cart in a drawer as well, I picked up both of these cheap a while back.

I fitted the Grado to the Techie and spent a little time on alignment as I found I could adjust the azimuth easily and set the stylus 52mm from the headshell gasket like on the SL 1200 series.

What I found was it has that lush Grado sound with more detail, particularly in the top end, wider soundstage and a more enjoyable sound.

It's no match for my ProJect Perspective with Benz Micro Ace, lacking the detail, black background and smoothness of the higher end unit.

But it is still very engaging. I find myself listening to it more and more.

No wonder Techies have such a huge following with their ease of use and enjoyable sound and don't sell Grado's short either they seem to mate really well with DD turntables.

[DSJR]

The SL1700 was a very clear, but rather "dark" sounding table, the sprung sub assembly giving very superior isolation. The auto-trip was sensitive too, and of a far higher quality than many Jap decks of that period with auto return (mid seventies).

The Grado Gold is going to be too much of a good thing IMO, the whole thing may well send you too sleep, it's so soporific.

Seriously, I reckon the 1700 arm (along with the 1600 and 1800) is probably better suited to "proper" cartridges than the current 1200 one is, mainly due to its higher mass yet low friction. I bet a Herbies mat (or Spacemat for quality and cheapness), a Sumiko headshell and a proper cartridge with a correct to lively balance (BP/BPS, AT440MLa and so on) will transform that old 1700 into something much much better, if not as lean (?) as the Perspective....