Technics 1200 KAB Tonearm Rewire + RCA Upgrade Guide

I previously posted a how-to guide on how to rewire a Technics turntable with KAB upgraded wires plus upgraded RCAs. I cleaned up the guide and fixed a couple things that needed it. Please see the link below for a PDF of the guide with pictures for every step. This should be every step you need to complete this absolutely fantastic upgrade. It really does put the table into a totally new level of performance. An absolutely outstanding upgrade that is fun to perform. It does take come care and fiddling to get everything correct, and you need to have patience and be careful. If you don't want to do this yourself, send your table into Kevin at KAB to do it for you. The upgrade is definitely worth it. I'm here for any questions. You will need to sign up for a Dropbox account to view and download this guide. I would post everything here with the pictures, but it only lets me post 5 pictures per post, so it is much better and smoother do have it all in 1 PDF file. Please let me know if the link is not working.

Here is the link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d5arq917k6dekuc/Technics Rewire Guide.pdf?dl=0

 

Bump

 

I've been contemplating which way to go on this mod. Whether to do it myself or send it int to KAB. Now that all the steps are laid out clearly, I may just have to give it a go! Thanks for putting this together.

 

Give it a shot! Not really all that hard and if you completely screwed it up, you can still send it to KAB and they can get it right.

 

Definitely give it a shot! Only way I was able to do it was because of some of the how to guides already online. I wanted to make a more in-depth and step by step one than the ones already out there. You're welcome! It was a pleasure making the guide. I hope it proves helpful to some. The improve in sound quality really is astounding. I'm enjoying re-listening to all my LPs and hearing things I'd never heard before. Also, like @BayouTiger said, you can always send it to Kevin to fix it if you screw up. Follow my guide to a T and be careful during the 'operation' and you won't screw up though. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

So, I take it that the link to the guide works for all of you? Please let me know if it doesn't. Any comments/criticisms are certainly welcome.

 

Listening to all my albums again with this upgrade. Still being blown away at the improvements in detail and sound quality. I can literally hear ever note played with complete clarity, and that is saying something when I'm speaking about thrash metal.

 

It worked for me thanks DM, in fact iirc I didn't need to register.

If I'm honest I downloaded it more for future reference / just in case I become a 1200 owner in the future, so I haven't gone through it in detail yet

It did look good though and I have to say thanks vm for the effort - I appreciate that these things always take more time than you think when you start

 

I need to do this mod ! thanks for the great thread, pictures and instructions. Maybe I'll grab all the stuff needed over the holidays and give it a shot.

 

Link didn't work for me and I didn't want to register to yet another site.

 

Did you wait a bit for it to load? You don't need to login or sign up to view it, only to download it. Try Google Chrome.

 

All good. I 'closed' the register box and the link eventually loaded.

I've been contemplating this as well. Plus, over on AK, someone was about to attempt this, so wanted to share the link if that is ok?

Thanks

 

Glad to hear! Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for checking-in.

 

I just purchased the rewire kit and the DC voltage regulator from KAB for my Technics 1210 Mk2. I had been looking at purchasing a new TT recently but realized I owe it to myself to try and squeeze more performance out of this already excellent TT. Hoping these two mods along with the fluid damper I already have will take things up a notch.

 

Not the same, obviously, but would it be the same parts and procedure to upgrade the arm on an SL-1700?

 

I purchased my 1200 used and one channel was going intermittent. I had a pair of single-ended RCA cables on hand so I installed them. I didn't mess with the tone arm wiring though.

I have a hard time buying into that kind of upgrade.

 

I know I would too !!!

 

The wiring costs $30 so if it does have no audible improvements I'm not going to be too upset!

 

If done right, you should notice an immediate improvement. Also, the cardas wires and upgraded RCAs should be more expensive than that, unless he's running a sale?

 

Any chance of reposting that PDF Again? The dropbox link is dead, and it sounds fantastic!
Thanks in advance.

 

Here is the link. Sorry it was accidentally taken down! Let me know if you have any questions. It's been more than 1 year since I did this, and it still sounds amazing and everything is holding up very well.

Dropbox - Technics Rewire Guide (Own Guide).pdf

 

Kevin (KAB) now also sells a dampening tube that fits inside the arm tube so no need for the shrink wrap or cotton inside the tube.