Modded or stock Technics SL1200G

I am still running a stock SL1200G other than the Oracle mat and HRS weight like you have.  I was playing some new vinyl that came today and was absolutely loving it.  What really makes me proud is the bass on my vinyl is as good as and sometimes better than what I get from my Esoteric SACD player.  I can only imagine with the high end arm and cartridge you are using, you are probably close to the limits of the TT.  I am thinking of purchasing a Dynavector 20X2L cartridge to use instead of the ZU cartridge.

How are you doing?  I had a big scare at the beginning of the month as I had a ultrasound done and got called back for a CAT scan with radioactive dye put through my veins.  The large mass they thought they saw with the ultrasound wasn't there with the CAT Scan.  I thought for sure it was cancer as all the guys who retired before me came down with cancer within 2 years of retirement.  I thought I was next as I am coming up on 2 years.

stereo5,

Happy that it was a false alarm with the cancer scare. Had a similar incident with an MRI. Had to go back in the tube for 2 hours. 1hr no dye, 1hr with dye. No Cancer. I am still hanging in. Medical Marijuana is helping me to use Less Opioids

I think many like you, are enjoying their SL1200Gs with little or no mods. A proper platter mat instead of the stock mat is good. Mat and weight combos are to the users preference. There are so many. Too many to try all combos. I tried 5 mats and 3 weights.

I agree with you,that with the Triplanar and Kleos, I might be at the TTs limit. I think that the Triplanar and my phono would have no problem with an even better cartridge but not my wallet. I have been thinking used cartridges for awhile. There is a builder of very High End TTs about an 1hour drive away, that offers used Low Hour cartridges once in awhile.

I have a Dynavector XXII mk2 on my Kuzma Stabi TT, 12" VTA arm. Took a chance on the Dynavector. Did not know the Dynavector sound. The Lyras are hyper-detailed and dynamic. The Dynavector, has the details, just not hyped-up. Good bass, Smooth and a bit warmer which these old ears are liking.



                                                                                                                  

I, too, have this tt modded by Ralph for a Triplanar U12 arm.  I have gone with a 5mm thick acrylic mat (no longer available "VSPM" design) sitting atop a 1.5mm silicone foam mat.  I am using a Stillpoints LPS weight, and a peripheral ring clamp that I made myself using a sandwich of two layers of stainless steel bonded to a middle layer of acrylic, all CNC'd to make the ring.  My rig does not sound as good to me without either the weight or the ring.

The whole sounds very transparent and delivers the musical goods in a way that I like.  I'm pretty satisfied with it where I am.  Between it and my Lampizator Pacific DAC I have two outstanding source options, and the biggest limitation I run into is the recording quality itself.  Great records or digital files sound very satisfying to me (OK, given the limitations of home reproduction vs. live - - neither can truly compare to hearing the MN Orchestra live, but on small ensemble works....).  Bad recordings have no place to hide, but they don't make me run, either.  I listen to plenty compromised recordings simply for the joy of the music.  It is just so nice when that joyful music marries with outstanding recording and pressing.

I have one also and I will say that my Triplanar VII SE sounded better on another table than the Technics, it seems like it was picking up some noise from the power supply so I would also upgrade to the timestep one if I wanted to keep the TP on this table

jbrrp I also use a funk firm mat I had to get the 3mm one because the 5mm one I had was too tall for the Triplanar, not alot of room to lower the arm on this table. I had to get a board from Greece and drill it myself because no one in the US wanted to make one without sending the whole table to them which I thought was kind of weird

jtsnead,

What TT did you have the Triplanar mounted on that sounded better ?? I have no noise intruding from the Technics TT. Could it be from another component in your system or poor ground ?

My system is dead quiet. First time in forever with any system that I've had since 1972. Always fought some hum, buzz, or just noise floor of the components.

I was a Spectral owner for 20 years. Fussy about setup and cabling. Also, does not play well with other components. Not anymore, since I changed to Pass Lab and XLR terminations. Both of my phonostages use RCA inputs but after that XLRs. Very happy not fighting for a noise free system anymore. Makes a difference, especially with low level detail.

If I change cartridges, I may need Ralph to make me a new armboard. Not a big hassle for me. I am maxed out with VTA adjustment, but do not fret about it. Due to my health issues, It is not something that I should do anyway.

If I remember right, you got an armboard from somewhere and did the mod yourself.

Have you mounted the Triplanar on the other TT rather than the Technics?

jbrrp I also use a funk firm mat I had to get the 3mm one because the 5mm one I had was too tall for the Triplanar, not alot of room to lower the arm on this table. I had to get a board from Greece and drill it myself because no one in the US wanted to make one without sending the whole table to them which I thought was kind of weird

A thicker mat works in the Triplanar's favor as far as VTA goes; this sounds a little weird.

The problem in mounting an armboard to the Technics is that to be the most effective, the armboard must be of the same material (aluminum) as the plinth, so as to not vibrate differently from the rest of the plinth. In this way it imparts less coloration. I've seen a number of armboards sold on ebay, but none of them were built with any of the vibration issues really sorted. So we built our own. Since Triplanar is about a 15 minute drive, we've usually had Tri over to do some supervision of the mounting to make sure the arm was placed optimally.

@jtsnead 

I agree with Ralph's observation that your constraint on thicker mats seems puzzling.  I have the thickest mat I could put on without hiding the spindle, because I figured more acrylic would offer a better sink for the needle vibration energy, and it had the bonus of bringing my U12 into better VTA adjustment range.  Thinner would have limited my ability to drop VTA at all below neutral, and I have had cartridges that need that.

Your right I had it backwards I needed the taller mat to get the arm higher so I could adjust vta better, its been a while since I listened to the 1200 with the TP. When I moved the arm to a SME 10 the arm sounded better to me it could of been a placebo effect but it seemed quieter less hashy if you know what I mean it which i attributed to the power supply built into the 1200 or just a better integration with the SME. I had a delrin board made for the TP buy a friend that makes hi end turntables.