Timestep psu for the SL1200

[chris@panteg]

Separate power supplies for audio components are nothing new' in fact almost mandatory in some kit such as pre amp's or phono stages etc.

I regard a good outboard psu in turntables as critical ' and with the Technics SL1200 series of turntables even more so, you see the the reason i am writing this is to try and put into words at how the new timestep psu by Dave Cawley
has improved my SL1210.

Installation could not be easier really roughly a 20 min job perhaps one soldered joint, one small point the strobe light stays on after the mod.

So how does it sound ' well after playing a few familiar tracks the music sounds more fluid and much more open, on complex music it appears more calm or less busy ' i tried a wide selection of music ' too young from Nat King Cole' best of ' sounded utterly gorgeous.

I tried some of my small collection of Jazz ' Ben Sidran Bop city' yes please feel free to laugh at this one, Patricia barber Cafe blue and Jacintha ' here's to Ben ' this recording is all analogue using vintage valve microphones and it sounded wonderful ' kei Akagi's piano playing had me spellbound.

Stella by Yello is pure audio pyrotechnics and on the 1210/timestep i noticed greater dynamics with extra slam and a more sparkling top end.

Idlewild by everything but the girl is a current fave of mine and i noticed something different about the timing of rhythms here' again it seemed more fluid more coherent' Ben Watt's vocals on the night i heard caruso sing had much greater clarity and depth.


I will try and add more comments later as i have only been listening for a few days but i would urge anyone with a 1200/1210 to give Dave Cawley's PSU a try once you hear it you will not want to go back, no more hum either which is another thing i almost forgot.

So in short then this is not a cheap upgrade but i think critical in getting the best from the techy.

[Gromit]

Thanks for that Chris - am very much looking forward to receiving mine later this week.

I actually made quite an important little discovery last night - something had been bothering me about the Technics which, to start with, I couldn't quite put my finger on. You know what it ended up being? It runs slow. Seriously.

I'll explain...

I'm blessed/hindered (delete as applicable) with perfect pitch which I've had tested to A442 (ie A in concert pitch is 440Hz). This means that my natural pitch recognition sits slightly above the recognised norm - saying that though, some orchestras (in the US for example) will tune to 442. All I've done is move the pitch slider to plus 0.5 (approx) and it sounds better. The harmonics have become more natural for starters and it now sounds more correct.

Anyway - sorry for the slight hijack.

[Peter Stockwell]

I'm blessed/hindered (delete as applicable) with perfect pitch which I've had tested to A442 (ie A in concert pitch is 440Hz). This means that my natural pitch recognition sits slightly above the recognised norm - saying that though, some orchestras (in the US for example) will tune to 442. All I've done is move the pitch slider to plus 0.5 (approx) and it sounds better. The harmonics have become more natural for starters and it now sounds more correct.

Anyway - sorry for the slight hijack.

The well tempered technics, eh ?

I'm looking forward to your view on the timestep, my view of the KAB PSU sits pretty closely to Chris's remarks. More ease, clearer presentation into the mid range, where the music is. Plus, rock solid timing. i.e. great acceleration and phenomenal breaking.

[jonners]

I actually made quite an important little discovery last night - something had been bothering me about the Technics which, to start with, I couldn't quite put my finger on. You know what it ended up being? It runs slow. Seriously.

Richard - Are you saying the deck doesn't run at 33.33 rpm? I think not. You are raising the pitch to where you feel more comfortable but you are also now playing everything at a fractionally faster tempo than it was recorded. So I don't think it's accurate to say the deck runs slow.
The only way to raise the pitch without increasing the speed would be by digital processing!

John

[Gromit]

John - please re-read what I put.

My perfect pitch (ie my natural pitch) which is, to be honest, a pain in the arse at times, 'hears' concert A at 442Hz. That's slightly above what is usually considered to be normal (European orchestras tend to tune to A440). Raising the pitch on the Technics makes it sound more natural to my ear. When set to 0 the 1210 sounds slow (ie flat in pitch) to me. The increase in tempo by using the pitch slider is negligible and I doubt anyone without a stop watch would even notice it.

Trying it out on the missus yesterday evening (she's also a professional clarinettist) she could detect the very slight raise in pitch but because it didn't affect her hearing in the same way, she wasn't at all troubled by it.

[Peter Stockwell]

Trying it out on the missus yesterday evening (she's also a professional clarinettist) she could detect the very slight raise in pitch but because it didn't affect her hearing in the same way, she wasn't at all troubled by it.

Yes, in discussions with pro-musicians, they can tell when musicans are taking liberties with the pitch, stuff I can't articulate. I was listening to some Lucinda Wiliams a while back, and my friends noticed on one song that she was "almost" flat, and that on the next she was spot on. So I can "see" what you are getting at.

I take it you enjoyed the time you spent with Rega TTs ? They are reputed to run a little hot.

cheers

[Gromit]

Yes, in discussions with pro-musicians, they can tell when musicans are taking liberties with the pitch, stuff I can't articulate. I was listening to some Lucinda Wiliams a while back, and my friends noticed on one song that she was "almost" flat, and that on the next she was spot on. So I can "see" what you are getting at.

I take it you enjoyed the time yous pent with Reag TTs ? They are reputed to run a little hot.

cheers

Peter - good point re the Regas.

Strangely though, some seem worse/better than others. My dad's old Planar 3 is pretty much spot-on (this it to my ear I should add!) but a standard P5 I heard was a tad over the top. Adding the psu calmed it down to where I liked it though.

Something to try - play a record and slide the adjuster to approx '+0.5%' and you'll see what I mean. It's noticable, not a lot, but does make a difference.

I should add it's not an artificial tweaking of the pitch to make it sound snappier, but for me it makes a difference in terms of it making the deck sound more natural.

[jonners]

John - please re-read what I put.

OK, I re-read what you put. You put: "It runs slow. Seriously." If you had said it sounds slow - that would have been different. Am I being pedantic here?

John

[Gromit]

Am I being pedantic here?

John

You are John, but I'd be just the same tbh.

Actually I re-read it myself and thought 'eh?' but hopefully I've explained it better later on.

I'll put it down to one of those moments, you know the ones when the missus says 'I know what I said'.

[Peter Stockwell]

I'll put it down to one of those moments, you know the ones when the missus says 'I know what I said'.

More like, I know what I meant