"Do Vinyl Records Actually Sound Better Than CDs? We Take A Closer Look" in Slashgear

[mtemur]

As to your 'why' I answered above. Please reread my response- no need to repeat myself. I've read more than once or twice that damping is one of the key ingredients missing from older machines.

I contest that you are actually going 'up the ladder of turntables' just because they might be more expensive! High end audio is not driven by price, its driven by intention. So you can have a really expensive turntable that does not exceed the performance of a Technics SL1200G and in practice that seems to be pretty common. I've noticed that a lot of products in high end audio are not created by engineers so much as by audiophiles. Some have education and are familiar with engineering principles so have good products and others went to the school of by gosh and by golly...

In the end, you will find that you can't gaslight me on this one. No offense meant but I take my training, experience and measurement any day over what someone tries to tell me on the internet. The measurement side of this BTW is very repeatable and if you get it right the improvement its very audible. I can't think of why anyone would resist that!

I have Technics SL-1000 and measured SL-1200G. I also listened them. They're good for their price but nothing special. Better turntables with better isolation sound much more better. SL-1200G is good for $4500 and sounds ok but still it's w&f measurements is worse than old SL-1200 or SL-1300 mk2. I measured myself.

 

[Atmasphere]

I have Technics SL-1000 and measured SL-1200G. I also listened them. They're good for their price but nothing special. Better turntables with better isolation sound much more better. SL-1200G is good for $4500 and sounds ok but still it's w&f measurements is worse than old SL-1200 or SL-1300 mk2. I measured myself.

The weakness of the Technics machines is the platter pad for one thing.

I can't speak to the SL1000 as I've not heard it. But once the SL1200G gets a good platter pad and you change out the tonearm (Triplanar) its very hard to beat at any price.

My turntables sit on an isolation platform that is good to 3Hz; that in turn sits on an equipment stand built for the platform and in turn that sits on a set of Aurios Pro bearings. Its pretty impervious to sound pressure even at 105dB according to what I hear and my measurements. That must be taken into account when during my comments.

Technics got the coupling between the platter and the base of the arm right in the SL1200G. They did not get this right in the SP-10s and its variants. So their more expensive machines have coloration problems that the SL1200G does not. I think its a better machine than our model 208 which is why we don't make it anymore. But the 208 was better at that coupling thing I just mentioned and its platter is better damped, but not as good WRT speed stability. So there are tradeoffs between the two.

 

[Bones13]

The weakness of the Technics machines is the platter pad for one thing.

I can't speak to the SL1000 as I've not heard it. But once the SL1200G gets a good platter pad and you change out the tonearm (Triplanar) its very hard to beat at any price.

My turntables sit on an isolation platform that is good to 3Hz; that in turn sits on an equipment stand built for the platform and in turn that sits on a set of Aurios Pro bearings. Its pretty impervious to sound pressure even at 105dB according to what I hear and my measurements. That must be taken into account when during my comments.

Technics got the coupling between the platter and the base of the arm right in the SL1200G. They did not get this right in the SP-10s and its variants. So their more expensive machines have coloration problems that the SL1200G does not. I think its a better machine than our model 208 which is why we don't make it anymore. But the 208 was better at that coupling thing I just mentioned and its platter is better damped, but not as good WRT speed stability. So there are tradeoffs between the two.

How hard was it to put a Triplanar arm on the 1200G? I do like mine, but always wondered if the arm was the weak link. I will spend some google time on that. I remember Origin having some sort of insert for the older 1200s to mount other arms, the SME was popular back then.

I already replaced the mat with a cork one, it have not played with the more expensive ones.

 

[Atmasphere]

How hard was it to put a Triplanar arm on the 1200G? I do like mine, but always wondered if the arm was the weak link. I will spend some google time on that. I remember Origin having some sort of insert for the older 1200s to mount other arms, the SME was popular back then.

I already replaced the mat with a cork one, it have not played with the more expensive ones.

If you try the Oracle mat (which you'll hear is a lot better than cork), its not really effective unless its permanently adhered to the platter (it has a peel-off back with adhesive for that purpose). So don't put the platter screws in that affix it to the motor otherwise you'll have to chisel the platter pad off of the platter to get the screws out should you ever need to.

We designed an armboard of the same thickness and finish as the rest of the plinth. This was done to cause vibration at the platter to be common mode with the arm so the arm would be unable to transduce it, causing coloration. Once mounted to the machine it was a simple matter to mount the Triplanar as it only needs three screws. We've even mounted the 12" version. The machine is so speed stable that the arm does far less oscillation above the groove as it plays, eliminating that 'shimmer' you really don't know is there until you compare a turntable to a reel to reel machine with the master tape. IOW you get that same locked-in imaging that has been part of the purview and appeal of reel to reel machines recently.

 

[Bones13]

Thanks Ralph! If I get to keep my vinyl rig after our upcoming move, I’ll ping you for one of those arm boards. I’ll look into the mats now.

 

[dennis h]

@Atmasphere

Which clamp do you use with your recommended mat ?

 

[Atmasphere]

@Atmasphere

Which clamp do you use with your recommended mat ?

The Basis clamp is the best we've seen so far.