Technics SL1000 MK3 (SP10 MK3) performance/value VS modern turntables?

In Miami, you can get the best rum from Cuba, easily.

I view JP as something of a genius with direct drive. He fixed my TT101 after several very smart and competent persons had tried and failed over a period of 2 years. And I am pretty sure that mine was the first Victor TT he ever worked on. He found a crack that ran across a tracing on one of the PCBs, causing an intermittent problem. The defect had eluded detection because it ran underneath a glob of solder, rendering it invisible unless one knew exactly where to look. I don’t think he had to replace any parts at all. I’ve also got his chip in my SP10 Mk3.

Yes but no one has addressed the major problem with the SP10mk3 - that is the antiquated error correction circuitry based on obsolete chips that results in errors and overshoot.

The Technics SP10 servos use algortihms to estimate predicted errors and employ rapid response times (limited by the technology of the day). The servo action includes error and overshoot. 

It is no better than the jitter endemic in digital reproduction, and sounds like it to me.

Hi Dover, 

The Technics "Quartz Locked" units utilize PLL motor control. 

Since this is on topic: I’m currently debating whether I’m re-soldering the springs into the wooden box of this original M.A. Cotter Plinth that this SP10 MK3 w/ FR64fx tone arm was designed with or going with a more modern plinth.
This was a very special custom built setup for an audiophile who purchased it from Mitch in the 1980s.
(see links to photos of the unit before and after taking it out of it’s base. It weighs probably between 200-300 lbs.

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this SP10 MK3 w/ FR64fx tone arm was designed with

The tonearm is NOT the 64fx, you’re lucky, because it’s the 66fx ! Amazing tonearm (very expensive and rare), much better than short 64fx. If you don’t know, the market value of your 66fx is about $5k today. 

@jpjones3318

Hi Dover,

The Technics "Quartz Locked" units utilize PLL motor control.

So you believe the frequency generator, speed and phase control circuits meet current state of the art performance do you, even though the SP10 uses 70’s chips and we now have chips capable of switching at a trillionth of a second, and computer power millions of times faster today ??

If indeed the SP10mk3 controller is as crude as described in their advertising - then basically it is correcting instantaneously any speed deviations calculated using data generated from those 70’s chips.

It is no different to digital jitter in my view. The advertising implies there is no smoothing of the error correction.

I note that Technics again claim in their advertising that the higher platter mass of the mk3 ( 10kg ) is key in generating a more stable FG used in the speed and phase control circuits.

By comparison the Victor 101 calculates the error over a period of time and feeds the correction in over a period of time to "smooth" the correction.

Also as you would know the L07D relies on platter mass for stability, the error correction only kicks in when the speed deviation is beyond quite a wide range.

It is clear that Technics, Victor and Kenwood, 3 of the supposed best direct drive TT’s from the 70’s, had 3 quite different views on how best to implement speed control of the platter.

They must have had 3 disparate views on how speed control circuits affect sound quality.

Since I believe you own all three decks - I would be curious to know if you believe they each have a sonic signature.

I have heard multiple SP10mk3’s and L07D’s and each motor has a signature sound to my ears that is readily identifiable irrespective of arm/cartridge. I have not heard the Victor, but I have heard the Thrax which I believe uses similar principles to the Victor 101 in the way the error correction is implemented.