The Technics SL-1200 GAE/G/GR general questions thread

The IEC is actually a tight fit if pushed in properly. Shouldn't be that easy to loosen.

 

Can you provide strain-relief by using a zip tie to secure the cord to something ahead of wherever the pulling is taking place? ..Such as the leg of the equipment rack.?

The main on my SL1210GAE fits fairly snugly... ..I can't imagine it would ever work it's way loose unless something is tugging at it.

 

For now it feels quite secure, but that's a good idea with a zip tie! or
I might end up buying a propper locking power chord. I think it happened in the first place due to it being on an extention that I'd had to unplug a faulty hard drive from so I had probably tugged it. I'm glad it's not just me who's experienced this though.

 

I have an Audio Technica AT150MLX cartridge on my SL1200G.

Everything has been great for a couple of years. I've hardly touched anything.

However, I have in the last couple of weeks started noticing terrible inner groove distortion with high frequencies. At first, because I heard it on new records I bought, I thought it was faulty pressings. (I even sent one back!) But it's doing it on lots of old pressings too which used to always sound great.

I have removed the headshell and examined everything. The nuts are tight. The cartridge seems aligned - as best as I can tell - using the supplied Technics alignment tool. (When I removed it, by the way, the thin rubber washer between the headshell and the arm got a bit mangled - can you get replacements?)

I rebalanced the arm. I've tried different tracking forces too.

So everything seems fine but I'm still getting distortion. What can be the cause? Is the cartridge knackered? It's 5.5 years old but I only play half a dozen or so records a week. I keep it clean with an Onzow and always vacuum clean my records.

I'm at a bit of a loss. Can anyone please help?

 

Might be a worn out stylus tip or it requires more thoroughly cleaning.

 

At 6 albums a week, you are at about 1150 hours, so stylus is ready for replacement. If you sometimes average more than 6 a week, well ...

The problem you'll find now is that you can't get a new stylus for that cartridge without paying far in excess of what you likely paid for the cartridge. You can get some that will work fine, and you'll probably be satisfied, but Audio Technica doesn't market any MM carts that advanced anymore, they save the more exotic bits for their LOMC line.

 

So stylus wear can be a cause of inner groove distortion? It sounds fine everywhere else on a record.

 

Yes, IGD or more surface noise can be a sign of a worn stylus.

 

You wouldn't wait until 1k hours to replace the stylus ... the permanent damage begins, and your records are the most valuable stuff.

Microline stylus last longer than any other, but ... more than 800 hours ... never for me.

 

@keiron99, your stylus is worn out and it was likely worn significantly some time ago. The reason I say this is because a member of another forum has a lab microscope, a fancy camera, and image stacking software and I have seen wear photos of that specific stylus with less hours than yours and read his comments on it.

The bad news is you can't get a 1:1 replacement for that cartridge, at least not without paying $$$.

The good news is you can get something close enough to probably offer a high degree of satisfaction, even if it's not going to sound 100% the same.

The VMN540ML stylus will fit that cartridge. Probably the closest thing, though you don't get the fancy boron cantilever. The VMN750SH and VMN760SLC will also fit that cart.

Up to you...

 

This is just a thought, but since you're also in the uk, if you decide to exotify your cartridge a bit have you conciddered an expert stylus company paratrace or something similar?

 

You can get the rubber washers for your headshell from KAB.

KAB Electro Acoustics http://www.kabusa.com

Click on "Sound Accessories" at the right of the top menu.

You will see them buried under "Headshells for "S" Arms and Headshell Wires"




Sent from my Galaxy Tab® S2

 

Thanks for the replies. So it looks like I need a new cartridge. Lord, where do you begin, the choice is overwhelming! AT alone have about 5 cartridges at that price.

I will try not to turn this thread into a "recommend a cartridge for up to £500" discussion. But is there a cartridge in that price category that is a favoured, natural choice in terms of mechanics, weight, geometry etc for the SL12ooG? One that tracks REALLY well (my current AT150MLX was never very good with the HiFi News test record).

 

You could buy this trplacement stylus. Much cheaper than buying a new cart. Audio-Technica VMN40ML stylus

 

Thanks but would appear to be a downgrade from what I currently have.

 

This is the nearest equivalent. Audio Technica VM740ML Moving Magnet Cartridge the new AT150MLX 4961310137571 | eBay If it isn't up to your current model take it up with the seller for false advertising. The lack of boron cantilever likely doesn't make a great difference. My guess is if Dave is claiming this it sounds really good. If you spend any more might as well move up to one of the MC models.

 

How does one identify which cartridges are a good fit? The first two I've looked at see to have problems. I considered the Audio Technica 2m Black PNP, but that's too heavy.

Then I looked into the AT33PTG, and that requires shims and spacers and different mats and god knows what.

Is there a quick way of identifying which cartridges are compatible without having to make modifications?

 

Weight, height, compliance - and for those with an integrated headshell: overhang
Other than that, it’s just a matter of taste.

 

See the height / weight / compliance of your actual cartridge. That's the theory.

In practical circunstances ... things can be less complicated. I have the vm540ml in a technics tonearm working perfectly and before that i used ortofon with a 11 grams magnesium headhsell.
Any of that situations wasn't "perfect" ... but, it works perfect.
I have a thick marble under my tt and a rack with good isolation ... that helps? i don't know, but in both cases i don't have any issues.

So, take it easy.

The AT33PTG it's an amazing cart if you have a decent mc preamp. Buy it ... if you don't like it ... you can sell at a very good price, it's a totally bargain.

 

We wrote almost the same at the same time ...

 

Thanks but when looking at the secs of a cartridge, what weight, height, compliance etc. should I be looking for? Are there min and max limits to those?

 

According to the manual, the cartridge should be 17 to 23mm high with the stock 3mm mat and headshell.
Overhang should be 52mm.
Weight and compliance can be approximated by using a formula:
Resonance frequency
The higher the weight, the lower compliance required, or the other way around.
The formula is just an indication, but not a definitive answer.

 

I have a Lehmann Black Cube SE II phono stage which I think is reasonably well regarded.

I was definitely interested in that cartridge until I read you have to mess about with spacers and mats to get correct VTA. I just can't be done with that (which is actually why the Ortofon plug and play also appealed, until I read that's not a good match either!)

Do we know what cartridge Technics use to demonstrate the SL1200g?

 

Not by a whole lot though. Most people, especially aging audiophiles, are not going to be able to tell the difference between an aluminum cantilever vs. a boron one if everything else is substantially the same in a blind test.

That's why we suggested you simply get a new stylus for your existing cart.

One of the reasons the 150MLX was discontinued, is because AT had problems with the diamond falling off the end of the cantilever due to the way it was glued on.

If you really want a boron cantilever, you'll have to move to one of AT's MC carts. The OC9XML is probably the most logical choice, if having an ML stylus on boron is important to you.

The better AT carts, whether MM or MC, are good trackers. They should easily be able to hit 80um or 90um on a test record when set up properly - certainly lab tests and user reports bear that out. By that I mean a real test record, not an audiophile toy like the HFN LP, which should never be used to judge real cartridge performance.

 

Yes, the lehmann it's a very good preamp. The AT 33 is 16 mm and the OC9 is 17 mm like the 150mlx ... if you want the same height, the OC9 AT line it's a safe bet (as patient_ot say before)