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Technics SL-1200 series as an audiophile turntable?

I've see this post for a bit and up until a week ago I would have said a resounding "No" that an SL1200 couldn't be in the same league. This past week, I found the Origin Live Armboard Upgrade. Now that I can add a Rega/OL tonearm, Cardas wires and maybe even a KAB DIN Connector ... I dunno, but I think it would give more than a few high end TT's a run for their money.
 
Hi, I Had posted on the SL1200 club post about a problem I am having. Thought I would check here as well. I got a SL1200MK2 from PC Nation on April 12th, after getting it hooked up it sounds real good but if I look even with the base at the bottom of the platter while its spinning it raises up and down at worst about an eigth of an inch. It seems that maybe the platter is warped or someone else said maybe the spindle? Any of you had this problem before, have any of you dealt with Technics or PC Nation. PC Nation is closed on the weekend so I will try to call them Monday, I tried calling Technics and was on hold for twenty minutes and gave up for now. It sucks watching the arm and cartridge raise up and down while playing a new unwarped record. Supprisingly it sounds pretty damn good.
 
well somtimes the strobe dots themselves arent perfectly straight, get to eye level with the platter, focus your eyesight on that and an object like A broom handle behind the turntable and let the platter spin and look at the straight object behind the turntable. the molds they use to make thiese things arent always perfectly straight. But I have seen warped platters, so it does happen, you just need to make sure you get the right diagnosis.
 
molecules01 said:
Just got my MK5 1210. ($364 delivered from PC Nation) All set up with my M97xe. I am stunned by the way this sounds, ( and have yet to set the overhang). I have a Marantz 6100, Kenwood KD-3055. I kind of got this because I couldn't get my Thorens TD-145 to sound good, and finally broke the arm connection to the headshell fussing with it so much to get it set up correctly. I can't believe this TT !
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I was unable to find the SL-1210MK5 on pcnation.com. Is that product unavailable to people in my part of the country??
 
So hows this going?

are the 1210M5G owners happier than the 1200MKII owners?

very curious I am. If I read the whole thread I get drunk...
 
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The link to the page on pcnation for the 1210M5G and the 1210MK5 are screwball...

They both say 'GE CAPITAL CORP' before the description. So does that mean that GE is the parent company to Technics and Panasonic? Also, if you type 'turntable' in the search box, there are no returns for the Technics or any other turntables. If you type in 'turntable-black' or 'turntable-silver' then you get results.

Also the price I show for the M5G is $582.47

and the MK5 is $525.32

This is considerably higher than the $364 quoted below.
 
MaxSeven said:
The link to the page on pcnation for the 1210M5G and the 1210MK5 are screwball...

They both say 'GE CAPITAL CORP' before the description. So does that mean that GE is the parent company to Technics and Panasonic? Also, if you type 'turntable' in the search box, there are no returns for the Technics or any other turntables. If you type in 'turntable-black' or 'turntable-silver' then you get results.

Also the price I show for the M5G is $582.47

and the MK5 is $525.32

This is considerably higher than the $364 quoted below.
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Yeah IDK there are people here that bought the M5G from PCNation back when they had them for $416.00 and free shipping and were happy with their service.
But when they exhausted the first run on inventory they went up to $582.47 with free shipping newegg also had them for a good price but have since run out too.
This site is the lowest I have found for now that includes free shipping.

http://powersellernyc.com/product/view/PANASONIC--SL1210M5G-QUARTZ-SYNTHESIZER-DIRECTDRIVE-TURNTABLE-WITH-ADJUSTABLE-PITCH-CONT-24160.html
 
Amazon has them for $499 located here -- and notice they oddly call the turntable the 'SL-1210MK5G' when there is no such model number (discussed before).

I think we have tapped into a strange phenomena with the model numbers, wierdo search criteria, and huge price variances. :D
 
MaxSeven said:
Amazon has them for $499 located here -- and notice they oddly call the turntable the 'SL-1210MK5G' when there is no such model number (discussed before).

I think we have tapped into a strange phenomena with the model numbers, wierdo search criteria, and huge price variances. :D
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Yeah but its the M5G.
What is the shipping cost to your ZIP?
I have dealt with etronics before and they did not disappoint
One left in stock!
 
I own two 1200MKII built in the late 80's. I use one with a Denon 103R MC and love the sound with that match. The other has been stored away for many years. All with original paperwork. Use to own a high end $3000.00 REGA P-7 with the same Denon 103R and i could not tell them apart. I sold the REGA and pulled out my 1200's. Never looked back. My buddy is selling me a Marantz 6300 with all original paperwork and even the sales check!
 
ledd4u said:
I own two 1200MKII built in the late 80's. I use one with a Denon 103R MC and love the sound with that match. The other has been stored away for many years. All with original paperwork. Use to own a high end $3000.00 REGA P-7 with the same Denon 103R and i could not tell them apart. I sold the REGA and pulled out my 1200's. Never looked back. My buddy is selling me a Marantz 6300 with all original paperwork and even the sales check!
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Having had a P7 and 1200's, I think the limiting factor was your Denon. The Rega responds much better to higher end cartridges than does a stock Technics. Put a thousand dollar cartridge on both of them, and then you will hear a huge difference.
 
Bigerik said:
The Rega responds much better to higher end cartridges than does a stock Technics. Put a thousand dollar cartridge on both of them, and then you will hear a huge difference.
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:scratch2: Isn't that another carte blanche statement?? I was under the impression that compliance, rather than cost, was a much more direct cause for sonic differences. The assumption being made is that any high dollar cartridge, regardless of compliance, is going to sound better on a Rega. That assumption doesn't hold up when the engineering of the tonearm and the cartridge and their synergy is studied. If the majority of thousand dollar cartidges are low compliance; there should be no question that they won't sound as good on an arm designed for a high to medium compliance cartridge. It seems I've read that several here and on other websites devoted to the topic. I could be wrong.
 
Yep, If I would to put a thousand $ cartridge on the 1200 then what? Anyhow, sold the REGA on Audiogon and never looked back. Ever heard the expression "point of diminishing returns "
 
:yippy::yippy:so the final word is.........yes the technics 1200 is an audiophile turntable! :yippy: :beerchug:
 
"put a $1000 cartridge on both of them..." what's that supposed to mean? Which particular $1000 cartridge should I get and why? The suggestion is you need to spend $2000 (2 cartridges) to hear a "huge" difference between a 1200 and a Rega. Come on, that is a meaningless statement that contributes nothing to the discussion. The denon cartridge is a worldwide acknowledged excellent cartridge with essentially perfect specifications and virtually a 'reference' sound and performance. I say mount one on the rega, one on the technics and get a test record and sort them out once and for all.
 
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