Petition launched to reintroduce Technics turntables (Update: The SL-1200 is Back!)*

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by englishbob, May 27, 2014.

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  1. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I think my G cue might be better than what I had on my Mk2 but I don't think that one would jump either (it's packed away so I can't test it). This is something the 1200s did so well that I can't imagine why it would be changed. I wonder if it's more of a Q/C issue and those in the videos need service?
     
    displayname likes this.
  2. oregonalex

    oregonalex Forum Resident

    Well, since the one I had here did the same thing, it is more than just one-off. It was a contributing factor to my trading-in the GR for a G.
     
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  3. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    So, the G and GR lifts are different? It's amazing how the "little things" can mess up a nice system.
     
  4. recstar24

    recstar24 Senior Member

    Location:
    Glen Ellyn, IL
    When I had chance to play with both at axpona both felt and operated the exact same way. I would reiterate I have never ever seen anyone work a cue lever so aggressively than in that video.
     
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  5. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I agree about how he flicks the cue lever but even doing that I can't excite my tonearm. Up or down, the damping in the lift seems independent of how fast I move the lever. That's why I thought those might have been defective somehow.
     
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  6. recstar24

    recstar24 Senior Member

    Location:
    Glen Ellyn, IL
    Me either - maybe I’m not trying hard enough lol. If there is an issue I’m of the belief that it’s due to a faulty lift mechanism and NOT the G and GR having different mechanisms.
     
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  7. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    I dunno - the vid to me is like trying to take a Harley on a motocross track; wrong choice of equipment for desired abuse.
     
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  8. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Mine (GR) works perfectly- if you operate it like a normal person :) you get smooth, satisfactory results up and down.
    The base that the tonearm queue stop rests on is rubber- stopping abruptly will cause it to bounce a little but I have never found a need to do this .
    I did have a slight issue sliding the tonearm over and it would bobble back and forth but the rubber pad is now smoother and that issue is gone.
     
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  9. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    If you flick the lever, like in the videos, does the tonearm lurch?
     
  10. Aftermath

    Aftermath Senior Member

    I just tried this on my Mk2 and LTD and the neither had the issue shown in that video; i.e., I couldn't make the arm jump or move abruptly regardless of how rapidly I moved the cuing lever.
     
    Lucca90 likes this.
  11. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    The video is actually a bit strange. It's the only video uploaded by that user. I don't know what that table have been through.
     
  12. Lucca90

    Lucca90 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SouthAmerica
    Same here
     
  13. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    I tried and could not get it to jump up and down- the lever is damped. Although I suppose if you yank on it hard enough it could cause the whole table to jounce. But I did get a little side wobble because of anti skate.
    Basically no issue or concern whatsoever.
     
  14. Lucca90

    Lucca90 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SouthAmerica
    It seems like it is not an isolated problem after all.

     
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  15. displayname

    displayname Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas
    This was the first video I saw. I find it interesting that they were both on 1210's. I'd be even more interested if they were both 1210's in the US sold by Guitar Center because I find it very odd that GC is the big box retailer with the 1210.
     
    PhilBiker likes this.
  16. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    If I understand correctly, the problem is that there's no delay at the arm lift movement relative to the cue lever movement, so they both move in the same time and the movements of the lever are directly transferred to the tonearm causing it to jump because it is being hit by the arm lift. When there's delay (damping) this is not happening. My guess would be that there's some silicone grease in the mechanism that is responsible for the mentioned delay, like in the target light (we know it can stop popping up smoothly after a while and shoots up with force), so the lift itself probably needs a bit of pushing/"clicking" on the top, down - up movement, so the silicone grease and/or the spring inside find their proper way.
     
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  17. oregonalex

    oregonalex Forum Resident

    I have only tried the stock mat and the Wooden Bull on my G(AE). Your observations match my experience.

    I like the stock mat on perfect recordings, especially those that have perfect rendition of sibilants. Snappy, airy sound with good, tight, but natural sounding bass. But if the record has ANY excess or unclean sibilance, it gets obnoxious real fast.

    The Wooden Bull sound is mellow, smooth, tolerant of less than perfect sibilance, but as you have observed, the bass is flabby and indistinct and some air is lost.

    So I think I'd like try Herbie's next. The question is what thickness. Herbie's recommends 4mm for the old Technics, but as the GAE has the 3-layer brass/Al platter not prone to ringing, I wonder if 3mm would be enough. The spindle on the GAE is shorter than on the old Technics and if a clamp is needed for a dished record, the loss of 1mm of spindle to the thicker mat could be an issue. It would also be great to be able to swap mats without having to adjust arm height.
     
  18. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    I too, would like to try a Herbie's on my 1200G, but also have the question on whether or not to go for the 3mm or 4mm. What is the height of the stock rubber mat? Anything lower than that will be too low for setting the VTA on certain cartridges using aftermarket headshells. With the stock arm/stock mat, I had to put the VTA dial on 0 to get the VTA right on the Kiseki Blue NS I was using at the time.
     
  19. Drewan77

    Drewan77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK/USA
    The stock rubber mat on my 1200G measures 3mm thickness using a vernier (I use a 3mm Achromat instead)
     
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  20. oregonalex

    oregonalex Forum Resident

    I think I'll try a 3mm. Herbie's site says if in doubt, use the same thickness as the OEM. I also emailed them, but have not heard back yet.
     
  21. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Cool. I'm definitely interested in hearing your impressions. I also wish the Auditorium 23 Hommage Mat came in a 11.5" diameter version. The standard size is 12", which is too big for the 1200G's platter and the mat is way too expensive to attempt cutting it to size.
     
  22. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    I have the 4mm on my GR and it works very well- the extra mm helps fit some cartridges that were too short.
     
  23. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    You are correct in that the lifter uses a silicone oil-filled damper, here it is:

    [​IMG]

    It only moderates the lowering of the arm, you can overpower it when lifting via the lever, which has a direct mechanical connection to the tonearm rest when lifting, and I suppose make the arm jump if you are really enthusiastic like the video. That is expected, because you've imparted momentum into the lightly-balanced arm. Like when you are crouched and stand up, do it fast enough and you are jumping.
     
  24. AArchie

    AArchie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Mine seems to also damp on the lift. Nothing I do can make the arm jump. It goes down slow and goes up slow.
     
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  25. keiron99

    keiron99 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockport, UK
    Does anyone know what the current best price is for the SL1200G in the UK?

    A couple of months ago it could be had for £2500. Now that retailer has put it back up to £3000 and doesn't in fact have it in stock. I'm told it's in short supply and Technics are struggling to meet demand.
     
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