Picked up a very nice Technics SL-1900

I've been listening to more vinyl lately, and put the Denon DL103 MC on it. I was quite amazed at the improvement over the Ortofon 2M red I had been using.
, well duh. Sorry. Here we go again, making another one of Glenn's threads an Epic Thread.

The Denon brings out so much more detail, more clarity and depth, fuller bass, quite amazing. The table and cart combination is very good in my system.
The problem now is I'm looking at some higher priced carts like the Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III, and Sumiko Blue Point 2. Are these really that much better to justify their cost, or will the improvements be minimal at best?
Glenn
As you go up stuff keeps sounding better and better. I've been lucky to trip over a few very nice cartridges and with our audio group had a number more heard at their place or here. As will all this stuff, diminishing returns and that seems to be at or into the 4 figure territory. Couple things I have read about this (and whoever hates hearsay, tough), those expensive cartridges can be retipped for well less than a replacement/exchange from the manufacturer but this means it may sound a bit different from the new model and as you go up in the lines someone believes the cartridges start to sound similar from different manufacturers. I don't know about this one.

One thing about these cartridges, they have a following and those that use them can usually describe their sound to you. If you have a question about a specific cartridge, a thread on it will get responses from those that have or have had experience with it and they can tell you how they sounded to them.

You have that nice MC designed moving coil unit, put it to good use. Folks that jonz for it put high dollar cartridges through it.

Oh, I have an SL-1600 Mk II that works just fine so I can play in this sandbox, too.
 
, well duh. Sorry. Here we go again, making another one of Glenn's threads an Epic Thread.


As you go up stuff keeps sounding better and better. I've been lucky to trip over a few very nice cartridges and with our audio group had a number more heard at their place or here. As will all this stuff, diminishing returns and that seems to be at or into the 4 figure territory. Couple things I have read about this (and whoever hates hearsay, tough), those expensive cartridges can be retipped for well less than a replacement/exchange from the manufacturer but this means it may sound a bit different from the new model and as you go up in the lines someone believes the cartridges start to sound similar from different manufacturers. I don't know about this one.

One thing about these cartridges, they have a following and those that use them can usually describe their sound to you. If you have a question about a specific cartridge, a thread on it will get responses from those that have or have had experience with it and they can tell you how they sounded to them.

You have that nice MC designed moving coil unit, put it to good use. Folks that jonz for it put high dollar cartridges through it.

Oh, I have an SL-1600 Mk II that works just fine so I can play in this sandbox, too.
Not looking to make this an epic thread at all. It's a nice table in remarkable condition. Starting to mess with different carts, and think about the cart food chain.
I'll start a cart specific thread so it's focused on the topic only.
Glenn
 
I didn't think so. This thread was quiet for too long.

Glad you are enjoying a nice step up in data retrieval with your vinyl rig. Folks will help you go further.
 
image.jpeg I really like my technics Sl-1900 as well. I received it for free with the original box as a co worker of mine was going to throw it out. I am running a AT100E on it now. I have tried different carts and this one seems to sound the best on it for my setup. The dust cover had the typical swirls on top from a potted plant I was assuming.
 
View attachment 865020 I really like my technics Sl-1900 as well. I received it for free with the original box as a co worker of mine was going to throw it out. I am running a AT100E on it now. I have tried different carts and this one seems to sound the best on it for my setup. The dust cover had the typical swirls on top from a potted plant I was assuming.
Nice, and FREE! Any issues? And what are people thinking! Never put anything on the dust cover except maybe a fabric cover to protect it.
Thanks, Glenn
 
No issues and sounds great. It cues up pretty well on automatic but I prefer to que it up myself. I actually found a better dust cover on eekbay and sold mine for a bit less to someone who didn't have one or had a really cracked one. Mine had a very small crack near the hinges but doesn't look as bad as the swirls it had on top.
 
Mat question.
Will a rubber mat from the 1200 MK1 be an improvement over the 1900 mat? Especially in isolating-damping TT noise feedback through the cart?
I ask this because I just had my Denon DL 103 modded by ZU Audio, and the improvement is astonishing! So much so, that I'm now hearing TT noise between tracks! This wasn't noticeable before with the stock 103, or the 2M Red.
I've read through a bunch of mat threads, and most saying that all the different mat types out there is a waste of money, except one comment about the Technics 1200 MK1 mats as being excellent. Better than the current mat, or the same rubber? So what do you gents say?
Or, any other suggestions to isolate-remove the TT noise.
Thanks!
 
Mat question.
Will a rubber mat from the 1200 MK1 be an improvement over the 1900 mat? Especially in isolating-damping TT noise feedback through the cart?
I ask this because I just had my Denon DL 103 modded by ZU Audio, and the improvement is astonishing! So much so, that I'm now hearing TT noise between tracks! This wasn't noticeable before with the stock 103, or the 2M Red.
I've read through a bunch of mat threads, and most saying that all the different mat types out there is a waste of money, except one comment about the Technics 1200 MK1 mats as being excellent. Better than the current mat, or the same rubber? So what do you gents say?
Or, any other suggestions to isolate-remove the TT noise.
Thanks!

That looks like the SL-1200 thick mat, which is very hard to beat on a techie, imo. In fact, when Technics came out with the $4000 new SL-1200GAE they changed pretty much everything but the mat. Kevin Barrett at KAB thinks it's one of the best options, as well. ymmv
 
That looks like the SL-1200 thick mat, which is very hard to beat on a techie, imo. In fact, when Technics came out with the $4000 new SL-1200GAE they changed pretty much everything but the mat. Kevin Barrett at KAB thinks it's one of the best options, as well. ymmv
Thanks for your input Jeff! So the thick mat was an option, or were all 1200 mats the thick mat?
 
Thanks for your input Jeff! So the thick mat was an option, or were all 1200 mats the thick mat?

Not sure on that one, but it's the one to have if you're not scratch'n. :) KAB hasn't been able to get the thick mat for a while, so they sell a die-cut poly-coated aluminum mat along with the thin mat. It's a nice combination for the SL-1200.
 
Not sure on that one, but it's the one to have if you're not scratch'n. :) KAB hasn't been able to get the thick mat for a while, so they sell a die-cut poly-coated aluminum mat along with the thin mat. It's a nice combination for the SL-1200.
Thanks. There's a couple on fleabay. I'm going to look at some pics of MK 1's, see if it's the same.
 
I'm not an expert on the mats but I believe on certain models it had the thick mat. My 1200 M3D is suppose to have a thick mat but it didn't have one when I purchased it. I ordered a original thick mat from Japan and slapped it on. Honestly I didn't like the sound coming off it. It seemed like it had too much dampening. I tried thin mats, cork, solid acrylic, and settled on a funk firm mat. It sounded the best on my system. My sl 1900 sounds great with the stock mat and a thin technics rubber mat on my 1210 M5G. I know this probably doesn't help any. I wonder if some shielding between the headshell and cart might help. I would love to try a Moo mat one day. If anything it would look cool on the platter. Lol
 
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I'm not an expert on the mats but I believe on certain models it had the thick mat. My 1200 M3D is suppose to have a thick mat but it didn't have one when I purchased it. I ordered a original thick mat from Japan and slapped it on. Honestly I didn't like the sound coming off it. It seemed like it had too much dampening. I tried thin mats, cork, solid acrylic, and settled on a funk firm mat. It sounded the best on my system. My sl 1900 sounds great with the stock mat and a thin technics rubber mat on my 1210 M5G. I know this probably doesn't help any. I wonder if some shielding between the headshell and cart might help. I would love to try a Moo mat one day. If anything it would look cool on the platter. Lol
The funk firm mat seems to get high marks from what I've been reading so far. Price is a bit steep to me though.
Your experience with the thick mat is interesting. Wasn't what I've been reading so far about it. Interesting how a big improvement in the cart, now neccessitates another improvement.
 
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