Technics sl-1500 price question

[dutchflea]

I agree with you, just good quality, no issues with the metal top part of the plinth. Just one or 2 things I noticed concerning the resonance/feedback ringing:

- The bottom part of the 1300 to 1500 is hard plastic and sounds pretty hollow when tapping it. This could contribute a bit to unwanted feedback. Models like the 1301, 1600 have a nice metal bottom damped with a slab of rubber and the mk2's have a nice thick TNRC compound bottom. There is a difference there.
- The 1300 to 1500 do not have the floating subchassis like the other models in the series, which should also prevent some feedback.

On the 1300-1500mk2's: they just have 2 weaker points:
1. the lift, 2. the suspension rubbers.

If you can't repair them it's a no-go indeed. But I have 4 of them and no issues once I repaired the arm lifts, 2 are in daily use for years now. Really excellent

The suspension rubbers might deteriorate over time, but this issue could also happen with the 1301-1501 series and the 1600-1800 series, which use the same rubbers around the 4 springs.

My advise would be:
- If you want plain and simple go for the SL-1300 to 1500 series, the SL-1301 t SL-1501 series or the SL-1600 to SL-1800 series, whichever suits you best. I would choose the xx01 series (good looking), but people who like dotted platters and pitch control might well prefer the others.
- If you want a fancy table with height adjustment for optimal cartidge matching, go for one of the mk2's. They are more complex though, and can have cueing issues which can be solved by a skilled repairs man. With the 1300-1500mk2 it is the cueing cam, with the 1600-1800mk2 it can be the plastic cueing gear or the chip controlling the cueing motor, or even the motor itself. Complexity comes with a price.

 

[SaSi]

There is nothing wrong with the SL 1500 original model. There are no speed issues if in pristine condition as stated. The plinth is a nice heavy metal and does not "ring" any more than that of the other solid plinth Technics. The tone arm is probably superior to the 1600-1800 (original) and no worse than the SL 1200 Mk2 tone arm used on the 1600-1800 MK2s. The 1300-1500 MK2s? Just stay away from them. The 1301-1501, possible the best Technics consumer TTs.

Here is how bad the speed control is on the 1300-1500 series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtO4YurFgqU

OK, I'd like to admit, I don't want to start a flame war here about the TT. I like it, I enjoy a couple of them that I have - the SL-1500MkI is the no frills no issues TT you can depend on. No flimsy things to go wrong all the time and any failures are easy to fix.

But, in retrospect, after Technics built, sold and obsoleted all these models, IF we want to rank them as a whole, some of them rank low and some rank high. I won't argue on which one is the absolute worst and absolute best - that's more of a personal taste and viewpoint thing.

I looked at the YouTube video. Very interesting. At first, the contributor showed the w&f measurement in the wrong scale. The needle rested almost at the edge of the measurement scale. Not the proper way to measure things - if you want to reach correct conclusions. And just as I was ready to discard him, he flipped he switch into x10 scale and there you have it - the needle floats between 0.025 and 0.04%. While the measurement as a number is better than excellent, the constant drift is unacceptable and audible, even through the Youtube video. And it's not an indication of a bad design, just a worn out or dry bearing. So when the guy claims "excellent performance" I would think "Time to take the motor apart".

I make this point just to show that anyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone is encouraged to think twice before accepting any view.

Back to the SL-1500 and some additions to my original comments:
Yes, there's an issue with the speed accuracy. Can be fixed by thorough cleaning of the speed pots both on the plinth and the trimmers under the platter. Both need to be very clean before the performance goes back to specs.
The plinth rings. Yes it does and I've personally witnessed plinth feedback while playing very loud through loudspeakers that can reach pretty low in frequency (<50Hz). Can be fixed by modelling clay or even bitumen sheets - the same that are used inside loudspeaker enclosures.

The tonearm is a bit on the heavy side. Not the tonearm to mount a Shure V15IV or even - perhaps - an M97xE. But a low compliance moving coil would be fine. Not all tonearms are low mass.

And the SL-1300MkII that I suggested as better suffers from the famous cue level syndrome. Well, it's fixed now and there's even a part on the internet to purchase and replace the faulty plastic lever that fails. Obviously a more complicated surgery than cleaning pots or applying modeling clay. But I like the MkII more and after the - more involved - repair, makes for a more complete and beautiful TT. Like I said, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

And - btw - the obvious choice should be an SL1200MkII. The "standard" in Technics DD (or DD in general for some). But there's the element of funds, availability and looks that affects choices, right?

 

[dutchflea]

I think (hope) we all agree that all the 1200-1800 models are fine performers, after 35-40 years they just need some work here and there to get them back to the original specification, like cleaning, lubing, adjusting pots and sometimes replacing a part.

But just for fun I'll make a personal ranking. Let me say first they all meet a nice quality standard and all are capable of good performance. All models have their unique qualities but emphasis on different points, be it looks, build quality, simplicity or ease of use.

Ok, so there it goes for the models I own or owned (and not counting the tangentials) my ranking is:

1. SL-150mk2 + SME 3009 Improved: has everything I could wish for except the automation, best build quality with solid wood bottom and armboard. Great looker too.
2. SL-1300mk2 / SL-1310mk2: almost as good, fully auto but without the SME arm, too bad there is no cueing button on the front panel. Build is on par with the 150 except the bottom is TNRC.
3. SL-1600mk2: the most refined (servo motor driven) automatics with cueing button on front panel (yes!), thick rubber mat, but it runs hotter than the 1300mk2 and looks slightly worse (more boxy shape and crowded with the pop up light and infrared receiver). Build almost as good as the 1300mk2, just a tad lighter everywhere (dust cover, platter, plinth, bottom).
4. SL-120 + SME 3009 Improved: great bare bones classic, very nice and substantial direct drive motor and platter, very nice speed switch and pitch control dials. No quartz lock, suspension, plastic resonant bottom and I do not care much for the high feet.
5. SL-1200mk2: great classic and well performing turntable, I just miss the automatics of the previous ones, also it loses out a bit in the "being different" section and I do not like the looks of the big pitch slider.
6. SL-1411: great looking quartz turntable with just the essentials, no pitch control and no VTA adjustment (shame!). Very good build quality, build on par with the 1600mk2.
7. SL-1610: very good looks but no quartz lock and no VTA adjustment, simple but elegant automatic mechanism. Very good build quality, on par with the 1411 (slightly lighter platter and different arm gimbal design, same bearings though).
8. SL-1310 / SL-1510: almost as good as the 1610, a bit heavier build (platter, plinth), different arm though (heavier, which is not worse per se). No suspended subchassis, no quartz lock, suspension, plastic resonant bottom.
9. SL-Q3/Q2: simplicity and performance, slight cost cutting and thus less sustantial than the models in the 1x00 series, lighter and smaller. I hate the dustcover with the lousy hinges and do not like the springy feet much (press stop and often the needle skips).
10. SL-Q303/Q202: slim line, simplicity and great performance, Technics managed even more cost cutting here by more effecient component integration without affecting performance. Again the dreaded hinges though.
11. SL-5300: great automatic quartz TT, it even has a nice integrated stylus light, smooth auto mechanism and heavy platter. Too bad of the plastic plinth and the dreaded hinges.
12. SL-D2: great budget direct drive TT where Technics did not cut costs where it mattered most, meaning the motor, arm and platter! Really a great design choice. Ok, plastic plinth, but for the money you really cannot ask for more. Dreaded hinges...
13. SL-B2: belt drive with a lighter platter than the SL-D2, I guess it was good value for money but I did not like it that much.

That makes 12 likes out of 13... not bad!

(bold = currently owned)

Edit: on topic, I hope this info helps the topic starter a bit in his search.

 

[commando]

If one doesn't require automation, the SL 1200 MKx is first choice, although I prefer the SL 1200 original. But they are relatively rare. I own both an SL 1200 MK2 and an SL 1200 original as well as many other Technics TTs. If you want automation, the SL 1600/1700 original is my first choice and if you want a changer the SL 1650. Alternatively, I put the SL 1301/1401 on an equal level. The SL 1300-1500 (original) range are nearly as good a choice. The only drawback is that the auto versions are more difficult to repair because the auto mechanism is encased in a separate metal subassembly which is a pain to trouble shoot while in operation.

The SL 1300-1500 MK2s have too many problems. They are very expensive to fix, unless one plans to repair them themselves.

The cueing motors on the SL 1600 MK2 and SL 1700 MK2s are wearing out with age and repairing the motors is extremely expensive. The SL 1800 MK2 is another matter, a very good choice.

 

[joshsimpson7]

Thanks for everyone's help. I ended up finding an sl-1200 mk2 in great shape. It looks and sounds great, so I'm glad I didn't go with the 1500. I'm going to take my sl qd33 to the office, which will be fun and a neat conversation piece.

 

[dutchflea]

Congrats! What makes the 1500mk1 interesting is that they are often offered for little money, while the name of the 1200mk2 causes an inflated price tag.

But I think the out-of-the-box sound quality and flexibility of the 1200mk2 is a step above the 1500mk1. That's why a 1500mk1 should go for considerably less than a 1200mk2. Built quality is great for both models though, not much difference there.