Looks nice. I dig the shrink tube on the tonearm. Looks nice and serves a function for only $0.50. :thmbsp: I want to rewire mine, but am not sure how easily my SL1300 arm will come off, or if it will need to. The 1200 arm looks much nicer to work on. The automation on mine scares me.
Technics SL-1200 MK2 tonearm rewire mod
- Thread starter dogpile
- Start date
beatcomber
AK Member
Paul is absolutely correct. The SL-1200MK2, with the mods that thedelihaus performed, is completely transformed. Open, lively, extended, stable, and quiet are all words that I would use to describe its new character.
sxty8goats
Super Member
Question for the Deli. 
(Or any one else with an informed opinion..)
A buddy was just gifted an SL1810. Non-Mk2. He is coming by tonight to give it a look-see and throw a couple carts at it. I expect I'll be doing an arm re-wire on her with a complement of new leads. As I'm looking at parts and pieces I noticed that the SL1200Mk2 arm is listed as fitting, minus the nice VTA base.
Question is this: Is it worth popping on the newer arm or is the MK1 arm good enough? The new arms are in the $50 range, dirt cheep for this sort of thing. So do we throw $60 at the table for wire and leads or do we throw $110 and mount a 'modern' arm?
(Or any one else with an informed opinion..)A buddy was just gifted an SL1810. Non-Mk2. He is coming by tonight to give it a look-see and throw a couple carts at it. I expect I'll be doing an arm re-wire on her with a complement of new leads. As I'm looking at parts and pieces I noticed that the SL1200Mk2 arm is listed as fitting, minus the nice VTA base.
Question is this: Is it worth popping on the newer arm or is the MK1 arm good enough? The new arms are in the $50 range, dirt cheep for this sort of thing. So do we throw $60 at the table for wire and leads or do we throw $110 and mount a 'modern' arm?
Guys it s the second time one of the litz wires is cut because it is not properly supported on the rca end.
Any ideas on how to achieve enough mechanical support between the wire and the Eichmann bullets?
I was thinking to separate the wires even further away from the bullets (>20cm) and use some teflon tubing, plus some extra heashrink to increase the diameter of the wire/cable so that the bullets' screws grip it tighter and allow some wire slack inside the plug.
Any ideas on how to achieve enough mechanical support between the wire and the Eichmann bullets?
I was thinking to separate the wires even further away from the bullets (>20cm) and use some teflon tubing, plus some extra heashrink to increase the diameter of the wire/cable so that the bullets' screws grip it tighter and allow some wire slack inside the plug.
Closeup of bottom side wiring. I kept solder material as little as possible. I did not exclude that PCB because it does not harm anyway. It provides better handling and mechanical strength, keeps area tidy and neat. I am not blessed to hear differences by excluding PCB and connecting directly to RCA wires. cardas wires are tied to PCB with a strong cotton string.
se7en8n9ne
Active Member
so is there anyway to fix this. I've read a many forums on rewiring the tonearm and i believe you're the only one who mentions this and i forgot all about it.
is it fixable. or am i S O L
dogpile
Member
It's been a while since I performed the rewire so my memory is a little blurred.
If the copper catch wire is not in the correct position you will need to either A,
Take apart the arm and tone arm wire and reposition the anti skate.
Or B, somehow bend the catch wire around the tone arm wires (in pillar column) so that it's
on the correct side of the wires.
Is your anti skate not working?
If the copper catch wire is not in the correct position you will need to either A,
Take apart the arm and tone arm wire and reposition the anti skate.
Or B, somehow bend the catch wire around the tone arm wires (in pillar column) so that it's
on the correct side of the wires.
Is your anti skate not working?
se7en8n9ne
Active Member
rewire
I haven't finished rewiring the tonearm yet but i forgot to adjust to 0 or .5 as the manual says but i think i can fix it. my problem is Kevin at K A B sent the EXACT length of wire and not enough to mess with sodering.
Well still working it out, hopefully i finish tonight.
Thanks for your reply, B
I haven't finished rewiring the tonearm yet but i forgot to adjust to 0 or .5 as the manual says but i think i can fix it. my problem is Kevin at K A B sent the EXACT length of wire and not enough to mess with sodering.
Well still working it out, hopefully i finish tonight.
Thanks for your reply, B
Jeff Wood
New Member
Hi Guys, this is my first post on this forum, so hello anyone !
I've read this thread (several times) with great interest, because I am about to do almost the same thing.
Let me explain something first of all, I recently decided to get a vinyl playing hifi system together, I've just bought the deck (Sl1210 m3d, unused), I bought a Rega Brio-R amp and a pair of Epos Elan 10's. Oh and an AT95e.
I didn't actually plan to mod the deck but after reading so much I've decided to go down the modding route
So far, I've been busy ordering bits..
I've ordered the following;
4 feet of Discovery tone arm cable.
an LT317 regulator.
a Herbie mat, 285mm, 4mm thick.
a KAB Fluid damper.
I'm also going to put the transformer in a separate box and just feed the low voltage AC to the deck.
Anyway, going back to the tone arm cable mod,,
I'm thinking of not using any screen on the cable
Not sure if that's a good idea or not,,but I think I want to try it.
Reason is; I used to work for a hifi manufacturing company (LFD Audio), and we never used screens on our interconnect cables, because of the negative effect it had on the sound,, so I'm wondering if I really need the screen on this mod.
Bearing in my mind it's a short length, 3 feet. And it will twisted, and also the deck transformer is in a separate box away from the deck.
So, that's the plan, I guess the only to find out if it's going to work is to try it. If it doesn't, I can always add a screen.
Also, I don't intend to add any braiding etc, Im happy for it to stay delicate looking
I'll post some pics as I go, keep you all informed
And I would like to thank Dogpile for starting this thread and for all the advice and pictures, many many thanks :thmbsp:
I've read this thread (several times) with great interest, because I am about to do almost the same thing.
Let me explain something first of all, I recently decided to get a vinyl playing hifi system together, I've just bought the deck (Sl1210 m3d, unused), I bought a Rega Brio-R amp and a pair of Epos Elan 10's. Oh and an AT95e.
I didn't actually plan to mod the deck but after reading so much I've decided to go down the modding route
So far, I've been busy ordering bits..
I've ordered the following;
4 feet of Discovery tone arm cable.
an LT317 regulator.
a Herbie mat, 285mm, 4mm thick.
a KAB Fluid damper.
I'm also going to put the transformer in a separate box and just feed the low voltage AC to the deck.
Anyway, going back to the tone arm cable mod,,
I'm thinking of not using any screen on the cable
Not sure if that's a good idea or not,,but I think I want to try it.
Reason is; I used to work for a hifi manufacturing company (LFD Audio), and we never used screens on our interconnect cables, because of the negative effect it had on the sound,, so I'm wondering if I really need the screen on this mod.
Bearing in my mind it's a short length, 3 feet. And it will twisted, and also the deck transformer is in a separate box away from the deck.
So, that's the plan, I guess the only to find out if it's going to work is to try it. If it doesn't, I can always add a screen.
Also, I don't intend to add any braiding etc, Im happy for it to stay delicate looking
I'll post some pics as I go, keep you all informed
And I would like to thank Dogpile for starting this thread and for all the advice and pictures, many many thanks :thmbsp:
Jeff Wood
New Member
Hi, I've just finished it,
Very easy to be honest, Ive used the original mains wire that goes into the deck, and to honest, I havnt even bothered putting the transformer assembly into a box, Ive just connected the wires and heat shrunk them,
The transformer will be hidden away anyway.
As it happens, I'm just about to do the Regulator mod, I've bought an LT317AT, and I read somewhere on here that its a direct swap..
Very easy to be honest, Ive used the original mains wire that goes into the deck, and to honest, I havnt even bothered putting the transformer assembly into a box, Ive just connected the wires and heat shrunk them,
The transformer will be hidden away anyway.
As it happens, I'm just about to do the Regulator mod, I've bought an LT317AT, and I read somewhere on here that its a direct swap..
Jeff Wood
New Member
Ive done the tone arm rewire. Wasn't too bad a job to do,
Ive used the discovery cable the same as OP,, and it has made a big difference,
Its mainly the mid range is definitely more open sounding, and also the music is more involving.
At the moment Ive just got the wires going straight to the amp with no shielding, I just wanted to try that.
I had to move the brio to the other side of the deck so the wires didn't pass over the mains inlet if you see what I mean.
That's made it almost bearable,,,but to honest I'm either gonna screen the cable or maybe move the transformer out the box on the rega brio. I havnt opened the lid of the brio yet to see how doable that is, shouldn't be a problem. Got to better to have mains voltage further away if poss.
(246 volts where I am btw last time I checked).
Ive used the discovery cable the same as OP,, and it has made a big difference,
Its mainly the mid range is definitely more open sounding, and also the music is more involving.
At the moment Ive just got the wires going straight to the amp with no shielding, I just wanted to try that.
I had to move the brio to the other side of the deck so the wires didn't pass over the mains inlet if you see what I mean.
That's made it almost bearable,,,but to honest I'm either gonna screen the cable or maybe move the transformer out the box on the rega brio. I havnt opened the lid of the brio yet to see how doable that is, shouldn't be a problem. Got to better to have mains voltage further away if poss.
(246 volts where I am btw last time I checked).
Jeff Wood
New Member
Hi,,,well firstly.. I have got a erm,,broken cartride issue but I'l come to that in a minute...
OK, so I made a slight mistake yesterday I didn't do the earth lead properly, it wasn't connected to the chassis of the deck, but I've re done it, now the earth is connected to the tone arm and turntable, and its now fine.
Ive moved the amp to its original position to the right of the turntable, and I've routed the signal wires towards the front of the amp and under it, and now I havnt got any hum problems,
So, remember that Im using just the discovery cable, with no shielding at all, and to my ears its fine. The difference is very noticeable compared to the stock cable.
Also, I've sacrificed the removeable headshell and ive just removed the pins and pushed the wires through the holes and soldered on the clips, which attach to the cart...
Now,,,I can reveal my problem,,,,I managed to break one of the pins off my brand new 440mla cart, the blue pin, long story,
So now I need to find a suitable AT cartridge body...
OK, so I made a slight mistake yesterday I didn't do the earth lead properly, it wasn't connected to the chassis of the deck, but I've re done it, now the earth is connected to the tone arm and turntable, and its now fine.
Ive moved the amp to its original position to the right of the turntable, and I've routed the signal wires towards the front of the amp and under it, and now I havnt got any hum problems,
So, remember that Im using just the discovery cable, with no shielding at all, and to my ears its fine. The difference is very noticeable compared to the stock cable.
Also, I've sacrificed the removeable headshell and ive just removed the pins and pushed the wires through the holes and soldered on the clips, which attach to the cart...
Now,,,I can reveal my problem,,,,I managed to break one of the pins off my brand new 440mla cart, the blue pin, long story,
So now I need to find a suitable AT cartridge body...
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