View Full Version : Technics SL120
Beechwoods
28-06-2010, 17:04
One of the local charity shops round here had a dusty / sad looking Technics SL120 for £30 when I went in last week. What kind of things should one look for on these? Are they worth a punt? I don't want to waste £30 on something with no potential whatsoever. What tends to go wrong / be important on older 120's? I don't remember the arm - it had one, but I didn't recognise it.
Chance are it'll have already gone but as the basis of a DIY DD turntable project what do folks think?
I was told to check the bearing by pushing down on the edge of the platter, test the platter for quick start and stop, check for lack of wobble in the platter and check the strobe for regulated speed. Bearing in the arm to but not sure how to do that.
For £30 I'd snap it up!!!!!
The plinth, like the SL-150 I've resurrected, is undamped and a bit "live." The feet on the 120 and 110 are total pants and offer no isolation. these can be very usefully replaced, along with the mat, which my 150 is VERY sensitive to I've found (the techie mat with the 150 isn't bad at all, but the NAS Spacemat *the right way up goddammit!* is far better).
The SL120 drive motor is an all-in-one piece, unlike mine and the later 1200's. Apart from a few drops of light machine oil on the bearing (if you can get to it) I doubt you'll need to do more apart from considering filling the plinth-void with rubber solution or even plaster..
Apart from the isolation and acoustic-feedback issue, the 120 was a splendid deck IMO. They usually had SME's with them, but £30 would be a good price without arm I think.
Beechwoods
28-06-2010, 19:02
Okeydokey! I'll see if Mrs B can pop in there tomorrow and get them to put it aside. If it's still there that is. I have to say that I am very satisfied with my Lenco, but I do fancy having a play with a direct drive deck. It's not a surprise to hear you say they often came partnered with SME arms. IIRC the arm it had (minus headshell) looked like an 'S' shaped SME. If it was then it sounds like a reasonable deal :)
Nick, matey, you should read this thread:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=216
;)
And yes, £30 for an SL-120 is a bloody bargain!!
Marco.
Okeydokey! I'll see if Mrs B can pop in there tomorrow and get them to put it aside. If it's still there that is. I have to say that I am very satisfied with my Lenco, but I do fancy having a play with a direct drive deck. It's not a surprise to hear you say they often came partnered with SME arms. IIRC the arm it had (minus headshell) looked like an 'S' shaped SME. If it was then it sounds like a reasonable deal :)
S shaped SME? Must be an Acos Lustre then. If it is, piccies please and give me first refusal if you want to flog it?
S shaped SME? Must be an Acos Lustre then.
It might be a Series III ;)
Marco.
Can't have 'em all :D
The Series 3 in good order fetches good money on fleabay still and if your tastes are for Shures (V15 series), Ortofon OM series (some with buit-in arm pipe) and other fine high compliance devices (Stanton 681EEE mk3? AT440MLa and 150MLX and possibly the nagaoka's too)), then it'll be fine, especially if you can find the later arm-tube, which I think was titanium and coloured black (as in the simpler Series IIIS).
Beechwoods
28-06-2010, 19:31
Nick, matey, you should read this thread:
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=216
I did! It definitely whetted my appetite, but I thought a new thread was in order :eyebrows:
S shaped SME? Must be an Acos Lustre then. If it is, piccies please and give me first refusal if you want to flog it?
No problem Dave. Knowing my luck it'll probably turn out to be a Jelco something or other, and no-one'd be interested in one of those... :lol:
I'd be inclined to snap it up at £30 first - then find out exactly what you've bought. From the sound of things, you can't really go wrong.
Regards
I had one of those, THIS (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=216) very one in fact!
I didn't keep it long at all, not a patch on the Denon DP-3000 that replaced it.
The mat's the same as the one on my 150.
A modern SME is a bit ambitious for it tbh (I think it needs the rubber grommets of the 3009 models) and the feedback resonances in the plinth would have a huge effect. Lower your sights on tonearm choice and work with it and it's still a great old deck.
I remember reading about a chap who had an SL1500. he removed the bottom and grafted the chassis onto a solid wooden "base." The results looked great and apparently the sound was greatly enhanced too..
I remember reading about a chap who had an SL1500. he removed the bottom and grafted the chassis onto a solid wooden "base." The results looked great and apparently the sound was greatly enhanced too..
Hi Dave,
If you follow the link above and look closely you should just about be able to see the solid wood and lead base grafted onto the one I had briefly. If it makes a worthwhile difference then I hesitate to ask what it was like with just the 'standard' plinth! :uhho:
What do you think it sounds like :D
We had the Denon 3000 and I loved the way it worked, but I can't for the life of me remember what we sold the most of (except the Pioneer PL12D of which we alone sold at least 50 per week in the KJ Watford shop and the discount brand - Harrow Audio)
Well, to be fair, mine was a bit hampered by a pretty rickety old Hadcock tonearm (which was transplanted onto the Denon). That didn't sound too hot either until it was replaced with a VPI arm.
A good Hadcock worked well with the 150 as I recall, but it doesn't take much to wreck an old 'Adcock I found...
If the circuit board and controls/switchgear can be isolated under the 120, I'd mass load the plinth cavity myself.
Beechwoods
29-06-2010, 16:22
Went back today and it had gone :( There's the lesson. Go with your instincts and don't let it get away!
Went back today and it had gone :( There's the lesson. Go with your instincts and don't let it get away!
Don't worry mate... it could be a bonus! ;)
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