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Technics SL1600 MkII

merrylander

merrylander

AK Member
After putting the RB300 arm on my Planar 2, I bought the SL1600 mainly so that I could swap about cartridges. After cleaning it up I set about mounting a cartridge and was really shaken when I found that I could barely get a balance, it was as if all the carts had suddenly lost half their weight. I recalled that when I had repaired a similar TT for a coworker it had an AT cart of some description and had been easy to setup. Examination of the end of the arm revealed the small screw on bit that you see in the photo. Amazing just how heavy that little piece is. Once removed balancing the carts became a breeze.

I downloaded a SL1200 owners manual from Technics and found that their TTs come with extra weights for both ends of the arm. The sl1200 arm looks like the same model as the SL1600.

Rob
 
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Once the mystery was solved I mounted the Grado Green (Thanks Brian), the Signet TK5E and the AT31e MC and used my protractor to set the overhang. A nice feature of the SL1600 is the VTA adjustment so that once I find the best setting for each cart all I have to do is record the number.

Rob
 
Nice table. If you want to upgrade the sound you could use the KAB hydraulic damper they make for the SL1200 series. Except for the cue I believe they are the same arm.

Ron-C
 
Hey merrylander, that TT looks awfully familiar to my wonderful SL-1700MK2!

I'm just curious though.... What's that button next to 33/45 buttons? I can't make it out in your picture.

BTW, here's mine!

DSCF1565.jpg
 
That is the auto repeat button, set that and the record will repeat instead of shutting down. The service manual arrived today, real neat. I was having a problem in that it set the stylus down a few grooves in instead of putting it down in the lead in groove. Took all of 5 minutes to adjust, amazing what reading the friendly manual will do.:D

Rob
 
A manual?! What's that?! LOL :p:

On a serious note, how do you like the SL-1600MK2? I love mine. This is the first time I've had it hooked up and playing in well over a year. And it's the very first time ever playing it through tube amplification. I almost forgot how good vinyl sounded.

Now I'm in the search for a good phono pre and some more LPs.

BTW, do you or anyone else know of any tweaks or mods that can be done to out TTs? Just curious.
 
As I noted above, I also have a Rega Planar2 that I put an RB300 arm on. All well and good, but it does not have a replaceable head and I have four carts that I like, depending on the phase of the moon.:D So, having once repaired an SL1600 for a co-worker I bought this'un on ebay because the build had impressed me. So far I have been mainly playing it with the Grado (BTW, no hum) and it is fine.

I use it for doing the LP to CD thing, bought a nice preamp from BrianB, the MMF one becuase it does both MM and MC, you might take a look at that, except there are no controls.

Only tweak I heve heard of is what Ron-c noted above,

Rob

Just remembered that I have a NAD 1300 pre, but I am waiting for a service manual as it is not working at the moment. Seems like a nice unit if I can get it running.
 
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