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 4 responses by marakanetz

marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Francisco, you can modify your SL1200 even further:
Due to a stable speed and pitch control capability you can use your TT as a stand-alone motor to a different DIY turntable. I've seen a bunch of successful designs here on the web but don't recall of the top of my head.
My wrong Michell is going through the little mods and sounds better and better!
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
I've had Rega P3 for a few weeks and realized that it was a mistake for me not to pass on Rega for more serious analogue equipment. Rega played fine only on the first groves of the record but then everything degraded and any of my cartridge mounting excersises weren't successful. So the only thing that left from my Rega is arm that had been recently(3 months ago) modified with Incognito kit and heavy Clearaudio counterweight.

So as you can see I'm not Rega enthusiast as well and I do believe that the motor they use can be successfuly applied onto kid's toys and the glass platter is the most successful media to transfer all its vibration onto the vinyl surface.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
It's all true, Sean, but however the vast part of analogue performance depends on turntable rather than the arm meaning that Rega is nothing worth but the arm.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
...Can't say anything about SL1200 but the other Technics DJ TT(don't remember the precise model number) with DME3009 S-shaped tonearm even hooked up with Sumiko BP didn't impress me at all. My friend used to be a DJ and now he's getting step-by-step a home 2ch. He's replaced his Technics table with vintage Oracle Alexandria(now that's a great performer!) So as you see I can't be SL1200 or DD enthusiast.

Let's have a case with no such sencitive as P3/Sondek comparison and compare instead Rega 25/RB600 with Sondek/basic or VPI HW19/RB250 and see what wins.
Or simply what will be better having Rega 9/RB250 or Rega P3/RB900? In the last case if you will invest the difference between RB900 and RB250 towards the cartridge you will certainly be on the higher level of performance.

What I mean is that the Rega decks very often logically "factor out" like in algebraic fractions on the market, meaning that by getting a cheaper arm and the better table you will benefit much more than the other way arround.

I didn't mean to hurt people that deside to stay with P3 or other Regas and pleased with it's performance. I've just made a conclusions from my research and experiments made within a couple of years.
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