Mark_71
Member
Technics SL-D202 Refurb Project Update - Soliciting Ideas?
Objective: Find a good turntable to be an upgrade project to improve my skills and in the process see what really makes a difference.
I've been looking to sharpen my soldering and re-wiring skills. I just took a soldering class. I'm thinking it would be a good project to replace lead wires, maybe tone arm wires, maybe put in binding posts so I could easily swap out RCA cables. I want to see what really makes a difference - sound, function, and cosmetically. But my Technics SL-1360 runs like a champ and I don't want to tinker much with my Pioneer PL-630; both are near mint and I'be be sorely disappointed if I screwed anything up. So off to Goodwill to get a guinea pig turntable.
Took a few months but finally found a Technics SL-D202 (c.1981) direct-drive turntable at Goodwill for $39. Tonearm rest broken, no headshell, no dustcover, but the plinth was in great shape, near mint. The pitch control was a bit off, but not awful. It's semi-automatic, which is my preference - I prefer cueing the tonearm and lowering it down (w/ a control level or slider), but I like it to auto-return.
Cleaning, Repairing, & Replacing
I removed the platter (solid and heavy) and the base plate (a heavy resin, not metal). I thoroughly cleaned all the electrical components with alcohol, removed leftover resin, and applied DeoxIT where necessary. It really wasn't that dirty. I generally use Goo Gone (wear gloves!) on the exterior plastic and laminate parts, sometimes even on real wood. Goo Gone did a great job on the plinth; I find often alcohol is too strong for some plastic surfaces.
I applied a drop of oil to the spindle.
I replaced the tonearm rest with a $10 Technics OEM part purchased off eBay. It was from another model and not all Technics used the same tone arm rest height so I had to cut about a centimeter off. That was the only part, short of the dustcover and headshell/cartridge/stylus, that obviously needed to be replaced.
I attached a basic no-name test headshell and used cartridge (Audio-Technica AT90, $22).
Hook Up
Hooked it up to a Technics SA-700 with JBL LT20 bookshelf speakers and AudioQuest 14 gauge speaker wire.
Adjustments
Adjusted and balanced tonearm weight to recommendations. Pitch control was now spot on, god-bless you DeoxIt! You seldom fail me.
Sound Check
Honestly, I had low expectations. For comparison, I'm used to my Technics SL-1360 (a dual-voltage SL-1350, c. 1975) w/ an Audio-Technica AT440MLA (much more expensive cartridge/stylus than the AT90). It's not a super high-end turntable, but a reliable and well-built one. The SL-1360 has a bigger profile and the plinth is much heavier and more solid than the D202. The D202 was in comparison - light, a bit "plasticy," and the feet were a cheap flimsy rubber with felt bottoms. Not 1990s cheap, but not 1970s solid. Inside was a mix of metal and plastic parts, nothing spectacular, but nothing looked worn. And with a cheap $22 AT90 cartridge on it I wasn't expecting much.
I was so wrong! It sounded great. Everything worked reliably and smoothly. Pitch control 33 and 45 was perfect. The tonearm return worked perfectly. I was surprised, even slightly shocked. I had read a few good reviews about the D202 and in general people said it was a solid mid-fi performer. And I have to agree. That's precisely what it is. No, it's not a tank like the 1360 or other models from the 70s, but it's a good quality turntable and it cleaned up quite nicely. I think I'd have to hear them side by side to notice any difference (I'm sure there is needle-wise).
Next Steps
I didn't expect much and that throws a monkey wrench into my total refurb plans, since I expected to hear mediocrity and then upgrade parts until I noticed improvements. It sounds pretty good as-is, but with only $39 + $10 (parts) sunk into it, I decided it was still worth the risk of maybe breaking it with "improvements" and I already have more equipment than I need, so what should I try doing to further improve this little gem?
I know this is barely a mid-fi turntable at best, but it's direct drive, spot on pitch control, a nice heavy platter, and looks like a good quality tonearm. I had intended to drill holes and attach binding posts, maybe replace tone arm wire (if I can figure out how... I can't even figure out how to get at the wires near the headshell). Again, this was supposed to be a re-wiring test case and maybe I'll do that, but I have some other ideas.
Comments much appreciated or maybe you'll just find it interesting what I'm trying. I'm not worrying about the cost and I can always use the parts or the experience.
Completed
Ordered
The headshell / cartridge is also part of my test. I hear so much division with Grado that I want more experience. I've already tried a Grado ME+ Prestige Mono cartridge on my SL-1360 now and loved it. Absolutely no hum and it really brought my orig Beatles mono records to life (even scratched records sounded good, minimized the surface noise). And I've used those lead wires before and with good results.
The Damplifier is for the inside of the plinth. When I first hooked it up the turntable the cartridge / tone arm was picking up a lot of hum from the speakers (due my hasty setup and the turntable being a bit in front of the speakers for my initial soundcheck due to lack of space - yes, I know pretty stupid). Sounded awful until I figured out why, but before by position epiphany, thought the plinth or feet were to blame so I decided to try some damping materials. I ordered the thinner version Damplifier sheets because there's not a lot of extra room inside a D202 plinth and I don't want to obstruct any move parts.
http://store.secondskinaudio.com/damplifier-10-sq-feet-10-damp-5-sheets/
The Sorbothane feet are new me. I read a lot about them and I have a few different sizes to try out. 1.5", 2" half-spheres, a set made for the 1200 (with threads), and 2" flat one... kinda went a little crazy ordering those. Bought them all from "dang-good-stuff" seller on eBay; I think I'm going to like them a lot. I can't figure out if the D202 feet unscrew, but I can get them off if need be by force, but they won't be going back on. Just in case I don't like the Sorbothane feet, I ordered some spare D202 feet off eBay, so someone figured out how to get them off (spare feet - about $30). One observation - the plinth is not perfectly level, by ruler and bubble level test.
Debating & Nervous
If anyone has any other good ideas, let me know. At the very least, you'll get a good review of what I'm testing out and some of the products.
Objective: Find a good turntable to be an upgrade project to improve my skills and in the process see what really makes a difference.
I've been looking to sharpen my soldering and re-wiring skills. I just took a soldering class. I'm thinking it would be a good project to replace lead wires, maybe tone arm wires, maybe put in binding posts so I could easily swap out RCA cables. I want to see what really makes a difference - sound, function, and cosmetically. But my Technics SL-1360 runs like a champ and I don't want to tinker much with my Pioneer PL-630; both are near mint and I'be be sorely disappointed if I screwed anything up. So off to Goodwill to get a guinea pig turntable.
Took a few months but finally found a Technics SL-D202 (c.1981) direct-drive turntable at Goodwill for $39. Tonearm rest broken, no headshell, no dustcover, but the plinth was in great shape, near mint. The pitch control was a bit off, but not awful. It's semi-automatic, which is my preference - I prefer cueing the tonearm and lowering it down (w/ a control level or slider), but I like it to auto-return.
Cleaning, Repairing, & Replacing
I removed the platter (solid and heavy) and the base plate (a heavy resin, not metal). I thoroughly cleaned all the electrical components with alcohol, removed leftover resin, and applied DeoxIT where necessary. It really wasn't that dirty. I generally use Goo Gone (wear gloves!) on the exterior plastic and laminate parts, sometimes even on real wood. Goo Gone did a great job on the plinth; I find often alcohol is too strong for some plastic surfaces.
I applied a drop of oil to the spindle.
I replaced the tonearm rest with a $10 Technics OEM part purchased off eBay. It was from another model and not all Technics used the same tone arm rest height so I had to cut about a centimeter off. That was the only part, short of the dustcover and headshell/cartridge/stylus, that obviously needed to be replaced.
I attached a basic no-name test headshell and used cartridge (Audio-Technica AT90, $22).
Hook Up
Hooked it up to a Technics SA-700 with JBL LT20 bookshelf speakers and AudioQuest 14 gauge speaker wire.
Adjustments
Adjusted and balanced tonearm weight to recommendations. Pitch control was now spot on, god-bless you DeoxIt! You seldom fail me.
Sound Check
Honestly, I had low expectations. For comparison, I'm used to my Technics SL-1360 (a dual-voltage SL-1350, c. 1975) w/ an Audio-Technica AT440MLA (much more expensive cartridge/stylus than the AT90). It's not a super high-end turntable, but a reliable and well-built one. The SL-1360 has a bigger profile and the plinth is much heavier and more solid than the D202. The D202 was in comparison - light, a bit "plasticy," and the feet were a cheap flimsy rubber with felt bottoms. Not 1990s cheap, but not 1970s solid. Inside was a mix of metal and plastic parts, nothing spectacular, but nothing looked worn. And with a cheap $22 AT90 cartridge on it I wasn't expecting much.
I was so wrong! It sounded great. Everything worked reliably and smoothly. Pitch control 33 and 45 was perfect. The tonearm return worked perfectly. I was surprised, even slightly shocked. I had read a few good reviews about the D202 and in general people said it was a solid mid-fi performer. And I have to agree. That's precisely what it is. No, it's not a tank like the 1360 or other models from the 70s, but it's a good quality turntable and it cleaned up quite nicely. I think I'd have to hear them side by side to notice any difference (I'm sure there is needle-wise).
Next Steps
I didn't expect much and that throws a monkey wrench into my total refurb plans, since I expected to hear mediocrity and then upgrade parts until I noticed improvements. It sounds pretty good as-is, but with only $39 + $10 (parts) sunk into it, I decided it was still worth the risk of maybe breaking it with "improvements" and I already have more equipment than I need, so what should I try doing to further improve this little gem?
I know this is barely a mid-fi turntable at best, but it's direct drive, spot on pitch control, a nice heavy platter, and looks like a good quality tonearm. I had intended to drill holes and attach binding posts, maybe replace tone arm wire (if I can figure out how... I can't even figure out how to get at the wires near the headshell). Again, this was supposed to be a re-wiring test case and maybe I'll do that, but I have some other ideas.
Comments much appreciated or maybe you'll just find it interesting what I'm trying. I'm not worrying about the cost and I can always use the parts or the experience.
Completed
- Cleaned and DeoxIt everything
- Replaced tonearm rest
- Attached basic cartridge
Ordered
- Technics OEM headshell ($49.99, Needle Doctor)
- Grado Green1 Prestige Series Phono Cartridges - Standard Mount ($95.00 Needle Doctor)
- Nerve Audio Vagus Silver Litz Wire Headshell Leads ($59.99)
- Damplifier™ 10 sq. feet - 10 DAMP 5 Sheets
- 4 Sorbothane 2" (50mm) Vibration Isolation Feet 50D w/ Urethane coat ($32.99 Ebay)
- Blue Jeans - BJC LC-1 Stereo Audio Cables, 3 foot, Black, with Techflex (low capacitance)
The headshell / cartridge is also part of my test. I hear so much division with Grado that I want more experience. I've already tried a Grado ME+ Prestige Mono cartridge on my SL-1360 now and loved it. Absolutely no hum and it really brought my orig Beatles mono records to life (even scratched records sounded good, minimized the surface noise). And I've used those lead wires before and with good results.
The Damplifier is for the inside of the plinth. When I first hooked it up the turntable the cartridge / tone arm was picking up a lot of hum from the speakers (due my hasty setup and the turntable being a bit in front of the speakers for my initial soundcheck due to lack of space - yes, I know pretty stupid). Sounded awful until I figured out why, but before by position epiphany, thought the plinth or feet were to blame so I decided to try some damping materials. I ordered the thinner version Damplifier sheets because there's not a lot of extra room inside a D202 plinth and I don't want to obstruct any move parts.
http://store.secondskinaudio.com/damplifier-10-sq-feet-10-damp-5-sheets/
The Sorbothane feet are new me. I read a lot about them and I have a few different sizes to try out. 1.5", 2" half-spheres, a set made for the 1200 (with threads), and 2" flat one... kinda went a little crazy ordering those. Bought them all from "dang-good-stuff" seller on eBay; I think I'm going to like them a lot. I can't figure out if the D202 feet unscrew, but I can get them off if need be by force, but they won't be going back on. Just in case I don't like the Sorbothane feet, I ordered some spare D202 feet off eBay, so someone figured out how to get them off (spare feet - about $30). One observation - the plinth is not perfectly level, by ruler and bubble level test.
Debating & Nervous
- Do I attempt to install binding posts? It's true I like the flexibility. They look cool. I'd buy high quality ones. But I don't have a lot of room on the backside of that plinth. Wondering if a dustcover would even have room to open on its hinges. Then again, I have those sweet Blue Jeans RCA cables... and they are really nice. I'd have to drill holes, position binding posts, figure out the ground (if that changes), solder the old wires binding posts... and I've never done any of this before.
- Re-wire the tone arm with high end quality 99.999+% Pure Silver Litz 30AWG 5N Tonearm Wire 400mm / 1.3 MM ($53 eBay). I haven't bought that yet. Maybe buy a spare D202 tonearm to test on first? I've never dis-assembled a tonearm and I can't even figure out how to get at the ends near the headshell. It doesn't appear to unscrew... and I've never done any of this before.
If anyone has any other good ideas, let me know. At the very least, you'll get a good review of what I'm testing out and some of the products.