The Paul Hynes regulator modules have landed, chez-Marco!

[RobbieGong]

Wow, Seriously awesome looking set, can only imagine how good this thing can sound

[anthonyTD]

hi All,
It was an interesting day, before I pulled the deck apart both Marco and myself had a good listen to the techy in my system, once we felt we had given ourselves enough time to get accustomed to the sonic signature it was time to get to work.
Both Paul and myself agreed a while back that we thought there would be merit in individually regulating certain parts of the techys motor board and control circuitry, Paul had already developed an outboard power supply that was a class act, so, I knew that he would have studied the schematics of the 1210 and worked out what was needed, and how to implement it.
Well, once the mods had been carried out and everything doubled checked, we set about re-installing it in the system and got down to some serious listening, it didn’t take long for us to both realize that there was indeed some serious improvements in the timing, and bass etc, and as things warmed up things got even better in the soundstage and top end frequencies, needless to say we both felt that the mods had taken the 1210 to another level in performance, Marco even stated that he felt this mod had had a bigger impact on the Sonics than some of the more major upgrades he had done of late.
Either way, after witnessing the before and after performance in my own system I am convinced that there is serious merits and performance to be had by carrying out these latest mods to the 1210.
Anthony,TD...

[Alex_UK]

Nice one. Lovely curtains, too!

[anthonyTD]

Nice one. Lovely curtains, too!

Cheers Alex,
At least they they go with the room decor, unlike the rug i cringe everytime i see it in picks, it always looks more freaky than it does in the flesh, its only in there as Rebecca wont have it anywhere else
A...

[jostber]

Seems like some nice stuff there. Is it much work fitting these regulator modules?

[MartinT]

Nice installation, Anthony. I am glad that Marco now has these regulators installed as our decks tend to track each other as we listen to and discover new things. I too found the internal triple-stage regs made a big difference to rhythm, attack and sheer dynamic swing and your listening findings mirror mine.

I shall shortly be ordering an SR7-27 from Paul as an upgrade from my SR5.

[MartinT]

Is it much work fitting these regulator modules?

You need to be confident in removing the PCB and cutting some tracks, as well as de-soldering some components and soldering new power lines in. If you are an experienced circuit builder you'll have no problems. Otherwise, you'd be best to recruit the services of an electronics engineer for the rework.

[jostber]

You need to be confident in removing the PCB and cutting some tracks, as well as de-soldering some components and soldering new power lines in. If you are an experienced circuit builder you'll have no problems. Otherwise, you'd be best to recruit the services of an electronics engineer for the rework.

Thanks, Martin. Guess in my case I would get some electronics engineer for this.

[Marco]

Ok, chaps, just a few words about the improvements that the regulator mods have made...

I wrote before in S.O.G (on a thread which is now a sticky) about the differences that upgrading made going from the Paul Hynes SR5-21, to the utterly superb SR7-21EHD. Well, it turns out that what I was hearing then, with the SR7, was only scratching the surface!!

Since fitting the individual regulator modules to my T/T, it's as if I'd previously only been hearing the effect of half of the SR7, with the other half remaining 'dormant' (or at least not fully utilised), waiting to be 'woken up', when partnered by the regulator modules... Perhaps Paul would confirm if that observation has any basis in fact?

My reason for feeling that way? Well, quite frankly, the sonic improvement gained by adding the regulator modules was so HUGE that it seemed almost impossible to believe that they alone were responsible for the effect I was hearing!!

Sonic gains?

Try, massively improved bass response, which is conveyed now in a sense that is not only palpably more 'fleshed out', weighty and extended, but rhythmically adroit, utterly controlled, and tuneful in the most musically addictive way imaginable. The Techy has always timed like a bastard, but now it combines this with serious 'soul', in a way that James Brown would be proud of, and underpinned by physically visceral low-frequencies, which appear to emanate from deep down within the bowels of the earth!!

One of the (justified) criticisms of direct-drive T/Ts is that they can sometimes sound a little clinical and 'matter of fact', lacking grunt in the lower frequencies, compared with the best idler-driven decks, such as Garrards and the top Lencos, in suitably massive plinths. Indeed, that is why people are largely attracted to those turntables, as they underpin music with serious gravitas and authority, often making an SL-1200 (or even an SP10) sound somewhat 'anaemic', in comparison.

Well not now!!!

The Techy is at last able to compete, in that respect, with the 'big boy' idler-drives, and not only that, outgun them (as usual) in areas such as speed stability, vanishingly low coloration, and therefore greater overall accuracy. However, it's not only in the bass that the combination of the SR7EHD and regulator modules excel in fundamentally improving; the use of this combination also results in a (subjectively) significantly lowered noise-floor, cleaning up the sound in the process, and allowing the midrange and high frequencies free reign to 'swell' and develop dynamically and harmonically like never before, when my turntable was in a lesser state of modification.

Make no mistake: fitting this PSU combination opens the window to such an extent that the tiniest of tiny nuances in the music, previously hidden in the mix, become spot-lit for inspection - but in a manner which is entirely unforced and natural, such is the way that the combination of the SR7EHD/reg modules allow my SL-1210 to effortlessly excavate the most demanding and complex material, whilst connecting me emotionally with recorded musical performances in the most convincing, and at times spine-tingling, way conceivable.

Each time I upgrade this turntable, it never ceases to amaze me just how much latent sonic potential exists waiting to be untapped, and these latest modifications simply serve to prove the point further and confirm just how good the motor unit is that Panasonic built all those years ago!

Does vinyl replay get much better than this? I honestly don't know...

What I do know is that music on vinyl has never sounded as good as this, to my ears, and that the Paul Hynes SR7EHD and regulator modules have been significantly responsible for that, combining together to quite incredible sonic effect. They're not cheap, but for those serious about turning their SL-1200/1210s into genuine 'high-end' turntables, able to compete with the very best, I'd suggest that the use of this PSU combination is near mandatory.

I can't pay it any greater compliment than that.

Marco.

[MaksK]

Sounds like a must-have upgrade, glad you are enjoing it so much Marco. I have already decided on it

Btw, what is the bottom left PCB for?