Calling all SL-1200/1210 owners!

[Marco]

Guys,

I thought that I'd report on a very quick, free, and simple tweak. Try removing the small rubber washer fitted to the arm's detachable headshell, or the ZU Supreme if you're using one of those, so that it results in superior coupling between the arm and headshell and thus increases the arm's overall rigidity. Tighten up the collar and play...

You should notice an improvement in the sound's overall 'focus', with vocals in particular being reproduced more clearly and with better definition. While you're at it clean the brass pins on the end of the headshell bayonet fitting and the ones inside the tonearm with isopropyl solution.

I'm also currently experimenting with upgrading the supplied thin grey DC lead that KAB supply with their external PSU, which I believe is holding back performance somewhat, with some woven Kimber cable shown here (available to order separately) on the SqueezePak PSU:

http://www.russandrews.com/product.a...PZIMOXPVHTKTVJ

Initial results are very good indeed and suggest that it's quite a worthwhile upgrade - full report to follow.

Marco.

[Vinyl Grinder]

If you didnt have an headshell there would be 8 less pin contacts to worry about.plus 4 less solder joint at the back or the armtube bayonet socket.

[Marco]

Hahahaha... Aye, but you wouldn't have the convenience of being able to run two or three different cartridges already fitted into different headshells, and swap between them very easily when you feel like it, either!

Marco.

[Vinyl Grinder]

Hahahaha... Aye, but you wouldn't have the convenience of being able to run two or three different cartridges already fitted into different headshells.

Marco.

That the same as preference to CD so you don't have to flip the record over for side 2?

[sastusbulbas]

Guys,

I thought that I'd report on a very quick, free, and simple tweak. Try removing the small rubber washer fitted to the arm's detachable headshell, or the ZU Supreme if you're using one of those, so that it results in superior coupling between the arm and headshell and thus increases the arm's overall rigidity. Tighten up the collar and play.

Marco.

Hello Marco,

Have you been reading Hi Fi World?

I myself have been looking at a Technics 1200's as a "maybe". I could do with something simpler with a cheaper cart for going through a lot of my records and such, which I can put in the sitting room with a lid to keep prying fingers away.

What upgrades have you given yours Marco?, and any other upgrades you can post pics of and report on or that you have read about?

I myself am "thinking" stock deck for now, but with a decent cart for second hand vinyl.

Maybe later an SME V (or IV or 309).
And an Achromat 5mm.
Maybe feet?

[Vinyl Grinder]

Don't understand why marco don't fit another arm or buy a 'SP10'! Or is it the headshell thing you keep it for Marco?

[Marco]

LOL.

Andre,

The detrimental effect of the detachable headshell is minimal, trust me, and completely outweighed by the effect of important modifications that have been carried out to the arm (Cardas arm rewire, fluid damping, brass counterweight balance, metal alloy headshell, etc) which allow it to compete sonically with any fixed headshell 'hi-end' tonearm up to £1k.

Yes, I've compared it to the various Regas (Origin Live modded and others), Hadcocks and SME Series M2s of this world, and they're not any better I can assure you (just different in presentation). The bearings on the Technics arm are also smooth and of good quality. It's actually very well engineered. So, mate, worry not about detachable headshells if the arm as a whole is a well-sorted and thought out design

Plus also, if I bought a tonearm with a fixed headshell I wouldn't be able to use an EMT XSD-15 or an Ortofon SPU, would I? And I definitely want to own both of those cartridges at some point soon! Eventually, my cartridge 'portfolio' will consist of both of those plus my various 103s, all set-up in their own headshells, which is quite a nice selection of cartridges to have, and only achievable if I've got an arm with a detachable headshell

Of course I could shell out serious money on a really top-notch arm if I wanted and no doubt it would be better but that would completely defeat the purpose of me buying the deck in the first place. Anyone can chuck money at hi-fi and buy the most expensive bits, if you can afford to, but getting maximum sound-per-pound and owning something different that's a true giant-killer takes a bit more thought and intelligence

SP10s? I love them, but my modified SL-1210 gets me about 95% there (I've heard SP10s in comparison) without any worry about things going pop and then not being able to replace the parts!

Marco.

P.S Steve (Sastus) I'll come back to you later. There's quite a lot to discuss with the points you raised.

[Vinyl Grinder]

To cut all that short. 'SP10'/'SME 3012R'...I might like you a bit more then

[Marco]

Maybe, but that's also not without its problems.

And faced with the choice of fannying about searching for suitably mint and fully operational, reliable, versions of the above at a decent price or simply just enjoying music on my (already superb) KAB-modified SL1210, let's see how long it takes me to make up my mind, big boy...

[One-millionth of a nanosecond later]

The SL-1210 option wins!!

Marco.

[Vinyl Grinder]

But but but