Technics SL 1500 C

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by DeepFloyd11, Oct 25, 2019.

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  1. Starquest

    Starquest ‎ ‎ ‎

    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    What would be the price for a 1500C w/o the preamp and 2m Red, but made in Japan? Could they pull that off?
     
  2. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Of course they could, but have decided not to.
    So...no need in wondering?
     
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  3. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    You need to open up the 1500C and inspect the preamp design to be able to answer that. I haven’t seen inside pics so far.
     
  4. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I'm sure the built in preamp and 2M red cost little to add in production so the price would only be a little lower if not included. I would probably upgrade the cartridge immediately and hook up an external preamp if this was to be used as my main TT. If that autolift was adjustable the facility might have been of some value. Judging from the Darko review it will lift off before the end of quite a few new records and most vintage vinyl.
     
  5. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio

    I would say the Pre Amp is probably like the run of the mill built in pre's you would find in other TT's and Integrated amps, etc. It probably was configured to the Ortofon 2M series of cartridges. The reviews I've read say the preamp is decent, nothing special.
     
  6. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    KAB discovered that there is a service mode that allows one to switch between two "trip" settings for the auto-lift. I don't know how to do it, but apparently you enter service mode by entering a code through the speed buttons. Once in service mode there's another code to adjust the auto-lift. You then move the arm and the 33 lamp illuminates at the trip point.

    He said it's only a small amount of adjustment, and that the one he tested tripped at 3/16" from the label on the default setting, which really ought to be enough to avoid early arm lifting on almost every record...but of course there are reports of it tripping early in some of the reviews. It would be odd if they didn't all ship on the same setting, but who knows? I also wonder if firmware could be updated to help solve that issue...
     
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  7. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    I'm interested. Do you have a link to the article?
     
  8. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    No, there's no article. I just heard it from Kevin, so probably best to email him directly.
     
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  9. Oelewapper

    Oelewapper Plays vinyl instead of installing it on the floor.

    Will do. I also found the service mode key combo for the MK7:
     
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  10. sathvyre

    sathvyre formerly known as ABBAmaniac

    Location:
    Europe
    I received my TECHNICS SL-1500C yesterday - and I love it :)
    Great unit, nice design, very good made and no warped platter (as shown on several YouTube videos).
    I had the Audio-Technica AT-LP140XP before - also a nice one, but with a little bit of hum (especially on low output cartridges).
    The TECHNICS is dead quiet. No hum etc...and the automatic tonarm lift at the end of the record works well !!! Nice that it plays a few seconds before...so you are able to listen to runout grooves like on "Sgt. Pepper", before the tonarm will lift up (after 10-11 twirls).
    Nice one. I think this will be my player forever :)
     
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  11. sathvyre

    sathvyre formerly known as ABBAmaniac

    Location:
    Europe
    One question: As there is no way to fix and store the 7" puck directly on the table, is there anything available (like a self-adhesive thorn for example) ? Would be cool to get it attached to the upper left corner for example. Thank you very much.

    EDIT: Here is an example (an old TECHNICS player, see top right above the platter). This is what I am looking for (only the mount):

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2020
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  12. MCM_Fan

    MCM_Fan Senior Member

    Location:
    Oregon
    @DeepFloyd11 did you get a new turntable, or are you still considering your options?

    If you did get one, what model and how do you like it?
     
  13. Zoo Station

    Zoo Station Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    In regards to the droopy tonearm lift cue lever issue: I wonder if it is somehow related to the auto lift feature. I've never had this problem. My auto lift has been turned off since day one. Is anyone having this problem with the auto lift turned off? Another thing I've noticed is that the tonearm lift cue lever seems to have a spring loaded position BELOW the normal "down" position. When the lever is normally down and the arm is parked at rest, the lever can then be pressed down even further and then it springs back up to normal down position when released. I wonder if this somehow resets the auto lift mechanism. Maybe the mechanism can somehow get stuck "in between" and fail to stay up when lever is lifted? The owners manual is quite explicit about correct procedures to be taken after an autolift and its illustration shows the lever being pressed down completely after parking the tonearm to rest. I've uploaded a video showing this on mine. To be clear, I don't know if any of this is relevant to the droopy tonearm issue as mine does not exhibit this issue at all. I've even mistakenly left the lever up overnight and it's still up the next day.

     
  14. Robin NL

    Robin NL Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Netherlands
    I have this turntable and use the autolift function. I have been playing 3 albums a day for over 100 days now. Vintage records, new pressings... Of the 300 records, only 1 (!!!) did not make it to the deadwax... and the grooves on this one almost ended in the label. The auto lift causes a mechanical system to lift the tonearm. After flipping the record, or bringing the arm to its rest point, and wanting to lower the tone-arm, gently press the cue a bit longer. After two seconds max. you will hear a soft click, meaning that the lift system has released the arm lift. It is a bit counter intuitive, as the old SL1200 arm lifts worked a bit differently as they had no auto lift. But the system works just fine if you are a little patient. The pre-amp is much better than a Schiit Mani or Project Box. I have upgraded the Ortofon Red to a Nagaoka MP-150 and use the built in pre-amp to feed my IotaVX-SA 300 and PA 300, powering the Dynaudio Evoke 20's with a REL T5-subwoofer.
     
  15. Robert Godridge

    Robert Godridge Forum Resident

    I am also a classical record fan and have thousands of lps, so I feel I would like to step into this topic.


    I have a technics 1200GR with several vintage carts (shure v15 (iii) and goldring g800 super E being most used)
    I bought this turntable because of the wow and flutter specs, and here are a few more thoughts on that:
    If you have a solo piano record or symphony with massive chords that go on for ever (bruckner etc) and it is even a tiny little bit off centre, you may very well hear it. I do and yes I love the gr, no I wouldn't exchange it for any non-technics turntable but it wasn't the miricle cure I naively thought it might be.

    I had a pro-ject debut carbon esprit turntable before this and it was a few months after I got it I was gifted the main part of my classical vinyl collection, a good 3000 albums focusing on piano in particular. These records with the 2m red cartridge on that turntable pretty much put me off the deck altogether. I upgraded to a 2m blue and meh, it still wasn't doing it for me. I have a lenco that at this time I was only using for 78s, tried an lp on there, instantly blown away by the vintage sound.
    Some of my advice to you is don't discount vintage cartridges. I like my sound a bit rolled off I suppose but the 2m red made everything sound like it was crammed into a box, it sounded to me like a very bright car stereo system, but I was a lot happier with it before I heard other (older) carts than afterwards!
    Don't do what I sort of did and buy a technics thinking you won't hear any wow any more though. I am not disapointed with my purchase, even though I've banged on about getting hum and hiss, once there's music on all that just disappears into lovely sounding music.
    All this being said, if I were you I'd focus on the cartridge if you already have a technics dd turntable. If you want to treat yourself get the gr! A very important thing for classical records is how well the cartridge handles surface noise, for example my goldring is far more forgiving than the shure.
    the poster who pointed out what a nasty medium vinyl is for classical music was, sad to say, dead on. I love classical music and I love vinyl, therefore I have a lot of classical music on vinyl, but the pops, clicks, ticks and in my case wow (I have extremely sensitive hearing and perfect pitch) do detract. I put on a record when I want an experience, or if that performance can't be had cheaply on cd or download, but if I really want to admire a composer's work or a performance it is, more and more, cds for me, and now is a fantastic time to be collecting classical music on both cds and records. btw I'm talking standard redbook cds and 24 bit downloads here, nothing fancy though I do dream about sacd!
     
  16. luckyno13

    luckyno13 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    I was all set to finally upgrade my old Rega RP1/Bias 2 cartridge to a Rega P6/Exact when this 15ooc turntable appears.

    The non-dj looks and removable headshell make it attractive to me.

    Do people feel that with the 1500c upgraded with a 2m Blue or in time, a VM95ml, the 2 turntables might be comparable?

    (I don't want to make this another Rega vs Technics debate, I'm open to both approaches.)
     
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    A Technics and a Rega are not comparable, period. They are totally different designs with very different design philosophies.

    You should buy the design that suits your personal needs best.

    If you are talking cartridges, not really comparable either.

    The Exact is a very high output MM with a fixed stylus (NOT user replaceable) that uses an Ogura PH profile. The 2M Blue is some kind of VMS design with a nude elliptical stylus. The 95ML is an MM cart with a Namiki Microridge stylus. AT's MM design differs from some others because they use two tiny magnets mounted on the cantilever, ahead of the rubber suspension. Most MM designs use a larger, single magnet mounted behind the suspension.
     
  18. 33andathird

    33andathird keep em spinning

    Location:
    ireland
    Don't know but I have a 1500c and love it. Yes the auto lift is a bit cheap, but Technics don't specialise in that technology so ill cut them some slack. Sure the worshipped 1200 series hadn't even the option for auto lift.
    It's a good sounding table with a good bit of weight to it. I don't get the Japan snobbery. If it's made well it doesn't matter where it was made...plenty of quality Panasonic electronics made in Malaysia.
    It does annoy me though that they were building 1200s in Japan for half the price of the 1500c as recent as 2010. Tells us a lot about the last decade eh?
     
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  19. nyrjoe

    nyrjoe Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New York
    Have a Sl1500-c setup question. Mine came with Turntable height set at 2. I’ve read the height of the 2M Red that came with the unit is 18mm, which per the sl1500-c manual would require the tone arm height be set to 4. I found it strange that Technics would set the tone arm height at 2 from the factory with the supplied 2m Red that needs 4. Am I missing something? Have something wrong?
     
  20. Davey

    Davey NP: Rosali ~ Bite Down (2024)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Is the tonearm level? That is what you are trying to do, the dial number doesn't really matter.
     
  21. nyrjoe

    nyrjoe Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New York
    It appears level at both 2 and 4. If anyone with the 1500c that used the 2M Red, did your height come set at 2? If yes, did you adjust?
     
  22. Davey

    Davey NP: Rosali ~ Bite Down (2024)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Well, a 2 mm height change only causes a 0.5 degree change in tonearm angle, so hard to detect without a measurement aid.
     
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  23. nyrjoe

    nyrjoe Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New York
    A re-read of the manual (pg16) does recommend a height position of 4 for the accessory cartridge!
     
  24. DBMartin

    DBMartin Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Interesting thread, I'm thinking of buying an SL-1500C (seems like a lot of TT for the money indeed). I currently have an AT LP120USB with VM540ML cartridge, but I'm looking for an upgrade. I'm curious to find out whether the Ortofon Red is up to the job, does the SL-1500C actually pair well with the VM540ML?
     
  25. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    VM540ML should be much better in the C than the 2M Red
     
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