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Technics SL-1300mk2 or SL-1600mk2?

ranukic

Active Member
Hey,

I have the opportunity to choose between these two TT’s to replace my current SL-5300. Which one would you recommend and why?

Thanks
 
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Not much between them, really, but my vote would be for the 1600 II. There are factions of the Techie-camp which hold that the suspended Techies like the 1600 sound better than the unsuspended units like the 1200 & 1300 - i.e. with alll else being equal.

An example of such an argument is pasted below, with a link to the relevant site:



"I have a (suspended) Technics SL-1600 mkii direct-drive TT – and I have had an (unsuspended) SL-1200 Mk II. The suspended design does allow for a more ‘airy’ sound."

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/kab-modded-technics-vs.526539/
 
I really like my 1800mk2 compared to the non suspended tables.
Having the suspension is especially nice for floors that are less than solid (mine). Once set up and adjusted properly it seems to soak up all vibrations from music and footfalls with little to no transmission to the suspended bits.
 
Hello Damacman, yes they do. I repaired the cueing mechanism on the 1300mk2 as the it had the notorious broken plastic piece that has the cam. Also within I found the cam follower sheered off so I had to improvise by drilling a hole through the plastic into the metal internal post and anchored a hardened steel dowel inside the hole as the new cam follower. The results have been reliable.

Hello OMGCat!, thank you for your post. I should have posted that this is going in my basement entertainment room where I have concrete.

Hello Waj4all, I found your post and link helpful. I also found the link below (starts out MK1) but has a great post by SaSi (#15) that gives a decent amount of detail. There are a couple of posts beyond with additional detail.

I am leaning toward the 1600mk2. The suspended feature and more reliable internal mechanisms are helping me with this decision.
 
Hello Waj4all, I found your post and link helpful. I also found the link below (starts out MK1) but has a great post by SaSi (#15) that gives a decent amount of detail. There are a couple of posts beyond with additional detail.

I am leaning toward the 1600mk2. The suspended feature and more reliable internal mechanisms are helping me with this decision.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
The 1300MkII is a suspended TT as well and the suspension is pretty much identical to the 1600MkII.
Visually, I prefer the 1300MkII. Something about the platter lacking the strobe dots gives it a classy look.
The 1300MkII has more mechanical parts compared to the 1600MkII, which has several CMOS parts that can fail. Repairing a 1700MkII was a bitch, but also fun.
OTOH, the height adjustment for the tonearm on the 1600MkII is a "proper" one, like the 1200MkII while on the 1300MkII it's, well, a joke - but it works.
I have solved problems like this by having both and rotating them.
 
I believe you might be right at that. (Subsequently confirmed about the Mk 2). Yet, I seem to recall hearing it said that the original ('mk 1')1300 was basically a version of the unsuspended 1200. That might or might not have been so for the original, but apparently the Mk 2 versions are suspended.

Still, here's an opinion from a Techie fan from the same thread I'll link below:

"1300 and 1400 models I don't recommend. Especially Mk II models. Cueing and automation have been known issues. No parts to fix them. SL-1600 Mk II best automatic of the lot performance and reliability wise. Equal to the original SL-1200 in performance and build but not the Mk II upwards." https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41255

And, for anyone interested in the various models, I'll paste from my files a post or two;





·


Technics Direct Drive SL 1100 - 1800 models
by Japi Roelofs » 21 Oct 2011 13:48

Hi all,

this has probably been done before, but since I keep searching for the SL-1*00 model variations (and forgetting them) I figured I'd make a summary of the seventies DD models starting with SL-110/1100 and ending with SL-1800MK2. This list is about functionality variations, I didn't include weight, year of manufacture etc. I think it's pretty accurate but I might be wrong... any suggestions are welcome. Here goes:

Technics Direct Drive Turntables SL 1100 – 1800 models

SL-110 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1100 : Manual / Servo control / Epa-110 tonearm
===================================================================
SL-120 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1200 : Manual / Servo control / Epa-120 tonearm
SL-1200MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / pitch fader / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1300 : Fully automatic / Servo control / memo-repeat
SL-1350 : Fully Automatic / like SL-1300 + record changer mechanism
SL-1301 : Fully Automatic / Quartz locked / no pitch control / memo-repeat
SL-1300MK2 : Fully automatic / Quartz locked / digital pitch / memo-repeat / auto-return on/off / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1400 : Semi-automatic / Servo control
SL-1401 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / no pitch control
SL-1400MK2 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / digital pitch / auto-return on/off / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-150 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1500 : Manual / Servo control
SL-1501 : Manual / Quartz locked / no pitch control
SL-150MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / digital pitch / without tonearm
SL-1500MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / digital pitch / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1600 : Fully automatic / Servo control / spring suspension / memo-repeat
SL-1650 : Fully automatic / like SL-1600 + record changer mechanism
SL-1600MK2 : Fully automatic / Quartz locked / spring suspension / repeat play / motor-cue (knob + lever) / infrared auto disc size detection / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1700 : Semi-automatic / Servo control / spring suspension
SL-1700MK2 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / spring suspension / motor-cue (no lever) / auto-return on/off / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1800 : Manual / Servo control / spring suspension
SL-1800MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / spring suspension / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height


All MK2 models have adjustable tonearm height, however the 1200, 1600, 1700 and 1800 MK2’s have the ‘universal’ type tonearm with a rotating ring at the base, while the 1300, 1400 and 1500 MK2’s have a knob that can be tightenend and loosened to allow up and down movement of the arm.

Fully automatic models have a device to select the disc size (either manually or, with the SL-1600MK2, automatically) and the tonearm will be raised and transported to the desired spot by a motor mechanism. They can also be operated manually. Semi-automatic models have an auto-return function (the tonearm will be returned to the armrest after completion or interruption of play).

Name variations: “10” instead of “00” indicates different color (black): i.e. SL-1300 = silver, SL-1310 = black; SL-1400 = silver, SL-1410 = black etc. SL-1360 = black SL-1350, I'm not sure if there is an SL-1660 though.

Cheers!
Japi




·

Re: Technics Direct Drive SL 1100 - 1800 models
by DiamondWindow » 01 Jan 2012 18:56

SL-13*0MK2
SL-14*0MK2
SL-15*0MK2

all have spring suspension/sub-chassis

SL-150MK2

suspensionless w/ thick 4-bolt, wooden armboard

NOTE: All have balanced (underside drilled) platters



https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41255
 
Yet, I seem to recall hearing it said that the original ('mk 1')1300 was basically a version of the unsuspended 1200.
That is not correct. The original 1300/1400/1500 share nothing in common with the 1200 and the 1200 is not suspended as the phrase implies. I have not had any experience with the original 1200 and don't recall seeing pictures of the insides but it does look different to the rest.

The issues about the 1300MkII and the cueing system were valid at some point but since then ways have been documented to fix that and there's a part for each version of tonearm on shapeways (3D printed) that replaces the broken lever, so apart from having to do some moderately complicated mechanical repair, it's a pretty viable turntable. The 1600MkII is probably the better of the two, especially in the tonearm section.
 
Wow and thanks for the added comments with data. An engineering friend once told me "in god I trust, everyone else must provide data".

I have been listening to the 1600mk2 a little this afternoon. I am very satisfied with its sound and performance. I do like the smooth edge platter appearance of the 1300mk2 and the underside mirror for tracking. The tonearm adjustment on the 1600mk2 is solid where the 1300mk2 has a little (very little) slop that could allow it to pivot slightly. The 1300mk2 has a very fluid cueing movement where the 1600mk2 appears more mechanical.The dust cover on both are solid compared to the other Technic's TT's I have owned but the condition of the 1300mk2 is almost pristine where I will need to polish up the 1600mk2. The Platter for the 1300mk2 has got to be about 30% heavier than the 1600mk2 but I think the mat's weight for the 1600mk2 almost evens it out. The record size detection for the 1600mk2 is cool but honestly the only 7" album I own was a bonus that came along with my Dr. Feelgood album.

Thanks again and keep the data coming...
 
I believe you might be right at that. (Subsequently confirmed about the Mk 2). Yet, I seem to recall hearing it said that the original ('mk 1')1300 was basically a version of the unsuspended 1200. That might or might not have been so for the original, but apparently the Mk 2 versions are suspended.

Still, here's an opinion from a Techie fan from the same thread I'll link below:

"1300 and 1400 models I don't recommend. Especially Mk II models. Cueing and automation have been known issues. No parts to fix them. SL-1600 Mk II best automatic of the lot performance and reliability wise. Equal to the original SL-1200 in performance and build but not the Mk II upwards." https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41255

And, for anyone interested in the various models, I'll paste from my files a post or two;





·


Technics Direct Drive SL 1100 - 1800 models
by Japi Roelofs » 21 Oct 2011 13:48

Hi all,

this has probably been done before, but since I keep searching for the SL-1*00 model variations (and forgetting them) I figured I'd make a summary of the seventies DD models starting with SL-110/1100 and ending with SL-1800MK2. This list is about functionality variations, I didn't include weight, year of manufacture etc. I think it's pretty accurate but I might be wrong... any suggestions are welcome. Here goes:

Technics Direct Drive Turntables SL 1100 – 1800 models

SL-110 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1100 : Manual / Servo control / Epa-110 tonearm
===================================================================
SL-120 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1200 : Manual / Servo control / Epa-120 tonearm
SL-1200MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / pitch fader / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1300 : Fully automatic / Servo control / memo-repeat
SL-1350 : Fully Automatic / like SL-1300 + record changer mechanism
SL-1301 : Fully Automatic / Quartz locked / no pitch control / memo-repeat
SL-1300MK2 : Fully automatic / Quartz locked / digital pitch / memo-repeat / auto-return on/off / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1400 : Semi-automatic / Servo control
SL-1401 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / no pitch control
SL-1400MK2 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / digital pitch / auto-return on/off / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-150 : Manual / Servo control / without tonearm
SL-1500 : Manual / Servo control
SL-1501 : Manual / Quartz locked / no pitch control
SL-150MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / digital pitch / without tonearm
SL-1500MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / digital pitch / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1600 : Fully automatic / Servo control / spring suspension / memo-repeat
SL-1650 : Fully automatic / like SL-1600 + record changer mechanism
SL-1600MK2 : Fully automatic / Quartz locked / spring suspension / repeat play / motor-cue (knob + lever) / infrared auto disc size detection / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1700 : Semi-automatic / Servo control / spring suspension
SL-1700MK2 : Semi-automatic / Quartz locked / spring suspension / motor-cue (no lever) / auto-return on/off / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height
===================================================================
SL-1800 : Manual / Servo control / spring suspension
SL-1800MK2 : Manual / Quartz locked / spring suspension / stylus illuminator / adjustable arm height


All MK2 models have adjustable tonearm height, however the 1200, 1600, 1700 and 1800 MK2’s have the ‘universal’ type tonearm with a rotating ring at the base, while the 1300, 1400 and 1500 MK2’s have a knob that can be tightenend and loosened to allow up and down movement of the arm.

Fully automatic models have a device to select the disc size (either manually or, with the SL-1600MK2, automatically) and the tonearm will be raised and transported to the desired spot by a motor mechanism. They can also be operated manually. Semi-automatic models have an auto-return function (the tonearm will be returned to the armrest after completion or interruption of play).

Name variations: “10” instead of “00” indicates different color (black): i.e. SL-1300 = silver, SL-1310 = black; SL-1400 = silver, SL-1410 = black etc. SL-1360 = black SL-1350, I'm not sure if there is an SL-1660 though.

Cheers!
Japi




·

Re: Technics Direct Drive SL 1100 - 1800 models
by DiamondWindow » 01 Jan 2012 18:56

SL-13*0MK2
SL-14*0MK2
SL-15*0MK2

all have spring suspension/sub-chassis

SL-150MK2

suspensionless w/ thick 4-bolt, wooden armboard

NOTE: All have balanced (underside drilled) platters



https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41255
Excellent info. I figured I'd add that I believe the SL-1301/1401/1501 model series to have been a 'stopgap' following the issues seen with the SL-1300/1400/1500Mk2 series (which started failing during the warranty period), and before the SL-1600/1700/1800Mk2 models were introduced. The -01 models (-11 for the export market, of course) were only offered for one year, and are essentially the plain SL-1600/1700/1800Mk1 models with quartz lock added, I think. Also, they use suspended plinths, which isn't mention in the list you quoted. Why Technics decided to use the earlier model series with an -01 suffix added, I have no idea. Here's a picture of my SL-1301:
sl1301.jpg
 
The 1600MkII is probably the better of the two, especially in the tonearm section.

But isn't that the MAIN basic point I'd made?

So you're agreeing with my main point, obviously. So why go around nit-picking every minor non-issue?

Haven't I already conceded that at least the Mk2 SL1300 is suspended, with only the original left for me to verify? In conceding the point, I make an off-the-cuff remark about something I heard or read decades ago, and you respond to even that with, "That's incorrect..."?

So you're now suggesting that I didn't hear or read what I'd heard or read?

Don't be ridiculous, man. Don't you know when to let go?

My main point was that there was not much between them (I don't believe the 1300 is a bad unit, really) but that the 1600 might be the better choice.

You agree with that.

Yet you opt to nit-pick an error in a secondary point I'd made. I graciously concede that point and agree with you, at least in regard to the Mk2 which I was able to verify so far.

And, yet you come back again to ignore the fact that I agreed with you on a secondary point to now nit-pick another secondary remark about something I thought I might have heard long ago (not a statement of fact) - a secondary remark I made in agreeing with your point about another secondary remark? I'd even qualified the second secondary remark about what I'd heard by saying; That might or might not have been so

And yet you opt to take me on - again.

Come-on, man, why so anal?

Relax. Get a life man!

Look again at the question in the title of this thread. It's been asked & answered. That's the main point that matters in this thread.

And we both agree to the answer to that question.

I even agreed to your take on a secondary issue. And still you come again to dispute something I thought I'd heard (yes, it bears repeating).

So what's your problem - really?

Again; we both agree on what matters (and even points beyond).

Here's hoping that's the end of that.




PS
I don't know which unit the OP will choose - and neither does it really matter to me. Neither do I have anything against the 1300. My advice in favour of the 1600 over the 1300 is based on bits of knowledge I'd picked up over the years (even if I sometimes struggle to recall some of the reasons for my choices). I do not give bad advice.

Case-in-point, the previously linked thread is not specifically about the 1300, yet there are several disparaging remarks from users who've had bad experiences with it - and the following examples are just from a two page sample of comments from a 6-page thread which doesn't set out to focus on the 1300. There's even at least one remark similarly advocating a choice of the 1600 over the 1300.

Neverthless, I reiterate; I've nothing against the 1300 and I do think it can be a stellar performer if the user is lucky enough to avoid the issues others have found:


DON73 » 04 Feb 2013 01:50

My preference for the SL1700 is that it's semi-automatic without all the electronic functions of the MKIIs. I have two 1300MK2s and both have been a PITA.

Top

----------------------------------------


y Japi Roelofs » 20 Feb 2013 21:23

As much as I love the MKI series, I don't think the MKII series of the 1600-1700-1800 are of lesser build. They have a lot in common with the SL-1200MKII. The tonearm height adjustment is really nice, and they have a heavier platter and better feet than the MKI series.

There's the dreaded cueing problem with the 1300-1400-1500 MKII series, but I think that was just a design flaw.

-----------------------------


KentT wrote:1300 and 1400 models I don't recommend. Especially Mk II models. Cueing and automation have been known issues. No parts to fix them. SL-1600 Mk II best automatic of the lot performance and reliability wise. Equal to the original SL-1200 in performance and build but not the Mk II upwards.

------------------------


by KentT » 30 Aug 2014 16:08

Updates, the SL-1300 MK II is the troublesome model. There was a part in the cueing/automatic mechanism which was prone to failure even in warranty. The SL-1400 Mk II also had this same item fail. The revised part Panasonic issued had even worse failures…


https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41255&start=15
 
Last edited:
Thanks again for all of the feedback. I have decided to hang on to both units. The 1400mk2 will be for looks while the 1600mk2 plays all of the music.
 
I checked the overhang on the 1600MK2 AT15SA cartridge and found it about 1mm too short. Corrected it and am now spinning Dire Straits Live Alchemy, WOW! This is a huge improvement over the SL-5300. I am attaching a couple pictures of my setup the 1300 looks impressive off to the side. Thanks again!

C2AC7311-137E-454D-A930-F2EFA8715566.jpeg 5E2AD82F-A3D3-416C-B1CB-97268D61B938.jpeg 939D6253-3880-496B-B2A1-03C4A259C231.jpeg
 
Back in the late 70s, a turntable without large strobe dots and no pitch control was considered "lesser" among the Japanese products. But it felt a bit silly. What a turntable needs to do is rotate at the exact speed selected, be it 33,3 or 45 (for two speed TTs). Adding pitch control and a strobe should mean that the user had another burden to take care of, setting the correct speed, because the turntable could not do it by itself, right?
That's what make me love the simplicity of the SL-1301 series. No pitch control, no strobe, and quartz locked speed. As things should be, right?

BTW, the 1301 is much more different to the rest of the 1300 versions and has more mechanical parts than the others. They tend to gum up and that causes problems but it's relatively easy to take it apart, clean everything up, lube sparingly and off you go. I have fixed two such TTs last year, using one for reference and taking the other apart. Once cleaned up, they performed flawlessly and have been since then.
 
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