Technics new SL-1200MK7 and SL-1500C*

But there has to be some connection and a switch somewhere, right?

 

Oh, I'm on the same page with you, that's why I had the preamp ripped out of my AT120. However, I'm not sure I'd advise the same with a 1500.

 

I’m sure there’s a small switch in the signal path but I would think the main concern is if the capacitance is effected like with the ATLP120.

Guess we are just waiting for brave volunteers to rip this open and do some measurements

 

I'm not sure people would do it to a new $1200 deck. Ideally, I'd like a Franken-Technics: one with no pitch control and strobe thingy, and with auto-lift, like the 1500, AND no phono like the 1200GR. But, alas, Technics doesn't make one, so I'd have to settle for one or the other. And, with reports of the auto-lift not being the best, I'm inching back towards the 1200GR, which has no auto-lift.

 

I don't know. But I'm thinking probably not a switch. Both probably get a feed from the cart at all times and you choose which you want to connect to. The choice itself is the "switch".

The On/off for the Line Out does not appear to switch between them - it just turns the phono amp on/off.

I guess a test would be seeing if there's a signal at the cart leads with the phono stage out set to "ON". If so, they both get a signal at all times and the phono stage isn't being "bypassed", as such, since it's not in that path anyway.

But that's just what I'm surmising from the pic.

 

That is worth it's weight in Gold.

This is what I would buy if I was in the market. I use a Technics 1600 MK2 Full Auto and love it. I have KAB's Fluid Damper on it (It fits and works great on 1600's-1800's too) and his Spindle base plate mod. He IS the resource and Jedi Master. Don't hesitate one iota to get his version.

12 Gram effective mass confirmed from KAB - Just like the MK2's. Sweet.

Just to take out some leg work that I already did, here's some Resonate Frequency numbers for a 12 Gram tonearm that I did while researching for mine. All mostly under $1000. Done on res comp website calculator and use markup of 1.5 for (100 Hz). No test records involved of course.

Sorta trippy they picked the Ortofon Red as the standard. Ortofon Website doesn't even recommend a 2M Bronze/Black for a MK2. Gotta be marketing and brand recognition, Global offereing.

Dynavector 15x5 - 8.09
Dynavector 20x2 - 7.67

Hana El and Sl - 7.23

Denon 110 - 10.56
Denon 103r - 12.25 - can be reduced with heavier headshell
Denon 301 - 8.16

Benz Micro Silver and Gold - 9.2
Benz Micro Ace Blue - 8.9

AT Art 9 - 6.47
AT Art 7 - 8.663
AT 33 Ev - 8.98
AT VM95L - 10.9
AT 440 ML - 9.076
AT VM 540 ML - 9.09
AT 750 - 8.7

Nagaoka MP-500 - 9.5
Nagaoka MP-300 - 10.69
Nagaoka MP -150 - 11.7
Nagaoka MP-110 - 11.7

Clear Audio Essence - 11.31
Lyra Deloc - 8.12

Goldring 1012 GX - 7.2
Goldring G21 - 7.72
Goldring Eroica - 8.4
Goldring Elite - 8.4
Goldring Legacy - 8.5
Goldring G2300 - 7.65

Sumiko Blue Point - 7.44
Sumiko Amethyst/Moonstone - 8.2
Sumiko Songbird - 7.9
Sumiko Blackbird - 7.7


Ortofon Red/Blue - 7.729
Ortofon Bronze Black - 7.37
Ortofon Quintet Red/Blue - 8.56
Ortofon MC3 Turbo - 10.376
Ortofon Cadenza Red/Blue - 9.25

Shelter 501 III - 8.57

Some fat finger calculation may be involved so not 100 percent, but happy enough to post.

 

A couple of pages back here in this very thread, but I guess I misread it. Still, sounds problematic if you read page 41 here.

 

A GR-level deck that lost the strobe/pitch control and added auto-lift would have been my choice, for sure. As it is, I just live without auto-lift on my GR and await the day somebody makes a lifter that somehow fits around the KAB arm dampter trough (which may well be impossible to do...).

 

I have been assuming what you describe is how it is wired, but then does that not leave the phono stage with a connection to the signal path of the phono-level output? Maybe the effect is entirely negligible?

 

Kevin said the circuity of the preamp looks ok, but because its all surface mounted it's hard to evaluate overall. He noted there is a pair of Panasonic propylene film capacitors, which he seemed to think was a positive. He added that they did a "super" job of shielding it.

 

I'd assume the latter not really knowing how it's wired - it's sharing the feed somehow. Seems Technics specifically wanted to avoid the phono stage in the signal path.

 

Not sure that the 1500 uses a switch. I'm under the impression that the wires from the arm Y out, one pair to the preamp, the other straight to the RCAs.
If so, no switch and nothing to defeat.
User selectable based on output terminals used.

 

Well, you still need the switch in the path to the internal preamp input to not load the cartridge when using the phono out, but that phono out should be direct, unless they set it up to be either line out or phono out alone.

 

Why do you need a switch?
Could it not be something like a junction box?

 

Isn't there a switch on the back panel? How would a junction box be implemented, wouldn't it still need a switch or relay or something?

 

No switch that I am aware of, just two sets of outputs. Technical seems to have done this right.

 

There is an off/on swtich for the line output.

 

There are two outputs and a switch. Here’s the manual.

 

If you just y-split the two circuits, you are not removing the phono stage’s capacitance from the phono-level outputs. I would think the switch takes care of it because of the two outputs, but people who are not going to use the built-in may still prefer not to have that switch in the path.

 

But does not the switch just kill the preamp? How does it effect the direct output?

 

I think @Big Blue is right. The signal is likely running through the switch. The switch is completing circuit A (out to RCA) or circuit B (out to phono stage), much like a speaker or amp switch box. Forking the signal at such a low level stage wouldn’t work out.

In all honestly I really doubt the switch has any more impact on the sound than the internal wiring would normally. I doubt KAB would bother upgrading the tonearm cables if this was a measurable problem. I’m sure some people will swear they can “hear” such a thing but unless it’s corroded or adding capitance it shouldn’t be a big deal. I guess it is potentially a point of failure via corrosion years down the line.

 

The test for this would be to see if there's still a signal at the phono out with the line out set to on.

 

In general, as zombiemodernist suggests, I see a switch as a potential point of failure, so if I have no use for the circuit that is being switched, I would prefer a continuous wire over two wires with a switch soldered in between. In reality, this may be inconsequential, but in principle I just don’t like unnecessary joints in the signal path.

 

Link to this?

 

KAB re 1500C mod:
"Total value of these additions exceeds $518.00"
How? My math shows below $400.