2. analog
  3. 1020136790

Time to get things straight.

Every person that states the Technics 1200 is THE best TT in its price class risks himself to getting Flack from the belt drive crowd. I have posted that Thorstens speaks highly of it and here's some of his quotes as posted in the Asylum:

"And yes, the 1200 with a better arm is dynamite. Even stock with minimal tweaks it's an easy Rega P2/3 killer."

"So don't knock it if you don't know it. A Rega Planar is a cheap bearing and Motor stuck into a piece of MDF, the engineering content for all intents is ZERO. The only worthwhile thing on the Rega is the Arm."

*********

And from Steven Rochlin:

"Hmmmm... I DO AGREE that the 1200 does not have the overall "ultimate" PRAT of my VOYD setup (or a finely tweaked Linn LP12), though overall it really does have nice, smooth, consistant PRAT that blows away even the $20k+ Goldmund Reference and the like. Maybe the 1200 does not the worlds best PRAT, but DARN good. Over 10,000 dance clubs around the world prove it virtually every night."

"The Technics SL-1200 in its various offerings are EXCELLENT!!! Do not listen to those "belt drive only" folks. Wonder if they know that the highly praised Goldmund STUDIO turntable was direct drive? Anyway, the 1200 is probably THE BIG BARGAIN in turntable land. Great motor, good platter, built to take a lickin' and keep on tickin' (with apologies to Timex, whose watches ALWAYS broke after a month for me).

"Over the MANY years I have used more than i care to remember 1200 tables at MANY clubs. They ALL worked flawlessly and even after all the, er, um, abuse of back scratching and needle dropping and vinyl dropping they just kept going and going. IMHO there is pretty much nothing on the new market under $800 that comes near the 1200 in speed stability, drive, and overall PRAT (pace, rhythm and timing). Given the right needle i can only see great things UNTIL you get the upgrade itch and go for a used Linn LP12 or VOYD. Besides, what other "audiophile" table would you play Led Zeppelin backwards to hear all those Satanic messages? Oh how about ELO backwards to hear the secret message?"

****

Wake up, people!!!

So much for glass and particle board...
psychicanimal

Showing 7 responses by jimbo3

jimbo3
304 posts
 
Great table! Both of the DJ's you quoted above are spot-on. Got a couple of Nottingham's for my dance club and the PRAT was so bad that no one would dance. (We never did find the "ON" switch.) After a month of back-scratching and needle dropping and vinyl dropping, both of them finally broke. Worthless! (To be fair to Nottingham, I think they broke when my DJ was doing his Jimmy Hendrix impersonation. But still, that is no excuse.)

BTW- Now that we can play backwards with the 1200's, I do want to confirm for everyone that Paul is, in fact, dead. Strange that Rochlin and Thorstens are keeping it a secret....

jimbo3
304 posts
 
Twl- You don't have to make the upgrade to the 1200, the Sansui and the Cerwin-Vegas at the same time. You can trade up to each one at a time as funding permits. With any luck, your hair will be long enough just about the time that the system is complete. If there is any cash left, get some Peter Max black-light posters.

Regards
Jim
jimbo3
304 posts
 
C'mon guys, give Psychic a break. He's extremely knowledgeable. For example- he's the only one who knew that the 1200 has a direct drive motor that doesn't need to contact the platter in any way to drive it. Magnetic Pulse Drive I think he called it. Very high tech- Scotty used similar technology when the Warp Drive was about to blow and it kept Capt Kirk from falling into Klingon hands. (I saw it with my own eyes and I'm sure that Psychic can verify it, too.)

Also, if you get the 1200 and do all the mods yourself, it'll be better than a TNT and you'll have only spent about $1500. Better yet, when you go to sell it, it'll fetch upwards of around $150. Talk about a great investment!!

Please, everyone, do yourselves a favor and get yourself an SL1200 and a pair of 901's now and avoid the rush!!
jimbo3
304 posts
 
Bravo, Ohlala- You're post on 5/3 hits the nail on the head. Also, in a previous post, Psychic said he loves to stir up controversy, then step back and watch the fur fly. Unfortunately, little of that is constructive, just as this thread is not very constructive. (Nor was intended to be.)Even more unfortunate is that some of our younger brethren who are trying to experience analog for the first time are getting information that is less than accurate.

I don't think anyone here (except for one or two) really cares who has what table for what reason. Rational and open discussion, opinion and facts have generally been the hallmark of this analog forum. But there are a a couple of crusaders who have been fast and loose with facts and, when legitmately questioned, resort only to attacking other's choices. For example, I wasn't aware that I am like an elderly person in an insane asylum just because I have a belt drive table.

This thread was designed to be silly. And silly it is.

And now it's time for for me to get back to gumming my applesauce here at Belleview....

Jim
jimbo3
304 posts
 
I don't recall **anyone** ever having said that the 1200 **isn't** a good value in it's $400 (retail) price range. I've recommended good used ones to folks who are looking to get a start (or re-start)in vinyl. At around $150 (used) it's a great start which allows one to decide if and how they want to move forward from there without losing a large initial investment.
jimbo3
304 posts
 
Geez, I agree with and supported virtually all of Psych's very first line that the 1200 is one of the best in it's price range and I recommend it, and you say I'm trying to "start something" because I didn't bend over all the way and say that it is absolutely the best table in the universe in it's price point? You boys are wound up WAY too tight.

Y'know, there are hundreds of recommendations here monthly to get someone started in all sorts of price ranges, yet not one of the thousands of Rega or Music Hall or Basis owners whines, cries and carries on like you kids when their table isn't universally proclaimed "the one and only Truth, the Way, the Light and the End-All and Be-All". You're just going to have to get over the fact that there are alot of darn good choices out there and the world (and records) doesn't revolve on what you *think* you know to be The Only Thing For Everyone For All Time.

Regards to everyone else-
Jim
jimbo3
304 posts
 
Psych- The Origin Live RB-250 is considered better than the OL RB-300. I don't recall the details, but it had alot to do with the stub configuation being more conducive to improvements. There were/are more than one level of upgrades than OL could do and the 250 enabled them to do more. From there, OL took the 250 a step further into a Silver(?) series (not to be confused with the current Silver model), which might be the predecessor to their latest off-the-shelf offerings. Might want to check their website.

Regards
Jim
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