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Technics SL-M3

SA-708

SA-708

Appalachian-American
I've purchased this Technics SL-M3 linear tracking turntable from The Turntable Factory that should arrive next week. I'd been saving my nickles and dimes for an SL-1210Mk2, but when I saw this on eBay BIN with a Grado Silver I bit. I can always get a 1200 later; they've been in production for 40 years and are much easier to find than this model.

I've downloaded a service manual from Vinyl Engine, but have not been able to find out much more about this turntable. As near as I can tell, it is the only Technics linear tracker without the tonearm attached to the lid. Does anyone here have one or any experience with one?
 

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I have never, ever seen or heard of that turntable before. Vintage Technics has no information too! Maybe a Japan only model? Either way, you have one rare TT on your hands. Quite a looker, too! :D
 
In the mid-80s Technics produced a series of electronic, woodgrained, p-mount tables. SL-M1, SL-M2, the linear SL-M3, and the SL-MA1, which I had for a time. My biggest complaint about the Technics linears was the tonearm in the dust cover. That M3 is sure a beauty. Congratulations!
 
MisterFishey said:
I have never, ever seen or heard of that turntable before. Vintage Technics has no information too! Maybe a Japan only model? Either way, you have one rare TT on your hands. Quite a looker, too! :D
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Vintage Technics was one of the few places that had info on it, when I was researching before hitting the BIN button. I don't think I trust all the numbers in their table though; they don't show it as being a p-mount, and the wow/flutter number look too low.
http://www.vintagetechnics.co.uk/turntables/slm3.htm
 
MisterFishey said:
I have never, ever seen or heard of that turntable before. Vintage Technics has no information too! Maybe a Japan only model? Either way, you have one rare TT on your hands. Quite a looker, too! :D
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Vintage Technics has info. You must have been looking in the wrong section of turntables (try: Direct Drive Linear Tracking Turntable Systems) .:D

Sure is a beauty!:thmbsp:

And has better specs than a 1200!
 
Here are the specs per the service manual:

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The 0.022% WRMS figure looks more realistic.
 

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If you look at the vintagetechnics chart you can see that the SL-Mx series had better specs than any other Technics tt except the SP10MK3.
 
:drool: I've always wanted one of those! I almost got a SL-M1 back in the day, still have the brochures, but ended up with a 1200MK2 due to the cart mounting. NICE TABLE congats! :music:
 
Congratulations. It's a fine looking piece of instrument. I hope it's fully serviced and ready to go - nothing is worse than getting such a nice thing only to find out you need to make it work.

Does it come with a dust cover?
 
The SL-M1 exists in two generations, btw. The first generation still had an S-shaped arm, similar to the one on the SL12x0MkII et cetera, with detachable SME/Technics type headshell for halfinch mount (should have come with another headshell for T4P as stock accessory though, iirc). The second generation with straight T4P mount arm was introduced a couple of years later.

SA-708: Sure I still remember the SL-M3. Nice table (should work really fine with your AT152LP...) - I just never liked the appearance of the M3 and MA1 as much compared to the M1...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
SA-708 said:
Here are the specs per the service manual:

attachment.php


The 0.022% WRMS figure looks more realistic.
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The reason for the difference between the figures is the way they are measured - 0.008% is measured using the electronics that compensate for changes in speed, so it's not taken while playing a record, whereas the 0.022% is. Virtually all of the Japanese manufacturers used several different methods to measure wow and flutter, and the lowest figures, which are below 0.01% on the very best turntables that were made (eg Technics, Sansui, Denon, JVC), are by using just the electronic signal to measure it. For instance, my Sansui XR-Q7 has it as 0.009% when read straight from the FG (Frequency Generator) - they don't even mention any other figures! A Technics manual I have says of the 0.01% wow and flutter for their SL-1610Mk2, "This rating refers to turntable assembly alone, excluding effects of record, cartridge or tonearm, but including platter. Measured by obtaining signal from built-in frequency generator of motor assembly." Using a record, tonearm and cartridge to measure it, the figure rises to 0.025% WRMS. Using a different measuring standard, the figure is 0.035% peak! So the figures depend on how the measurement is done as to how good they are. And of course, they're much better if you're not actually playing a record!

-Don
 
This is great!!
I've got an SL-M2, and I've been having a very hard time finding any information about it. The M2 looks pretty much the same as your M3, but it's got a regular (P-Mount) tonearm. Is it safe to assume the sonic bits are the same? I've just put a Grado Green on it and I love the way it sounds.

I'm looking for a dust cover and one one of the feet from the bottom to bring it back to 'original,' have you found a source for old parts too?
 
It still hasn't arrived, so I don't know if it has all the parts or not. Part of the reason I took the gamble on it, is that the seller is a turntable repair shop that I was familiar with, so hopefully it will arrive intact and with all parts.

The listing mention they had a minor repair left to do on the genuine vinyl veneer before they sent it out. What does the vinyl look like? Would refinishing the plinth in real wood veneer be a big improvement?
 
Does anyone have a source for older Technics parts? I need a strobe light bulb for my SL-1700 and the local Panasonic/Technics can't get it, only 1200 parts.
 
SA-708 said:
It still hasn't arrived, so I don't know if it has all the parts or not. Part of the reason I took the gamble on it, is that the seller is a turntable repair shop that I was familiar with, so hopefully it will arrive intact and with all parts.

The listing mention they had a minor repair left to do on the genuine vinyl veneer before they sent it out. What does the vinyl look like? Would refinishing the plinth in real wood veneer be a big improvement?
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No, you don't want to refinish this. Unless they do a real botch job, the veneer is really nice.
 
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