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Technics 1200 tonearm

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Posted on June 22, 2017 at 13:13:36
Gera
Audiophile

Posts: 244
Location: Illinois
Joined: April 23, 2000
 Hi,

I have a Technics 1200 with KAB regulator and Cardas wire upgrade with the stock Technics tonearm.

I use the MM Ortofon Concord with OM-20 tip, which I like a lot. My question is about the tonearm upgrade. Given that I will use the above cartridge, is there much benefit and value to upgrading my tonearm?

How good is the stock arm with cardas wire?

Thanks,
Herman

 

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RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 14:47:23
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005

I think the SL-1200 arm is fine with most cartridges. Just the lower compliance carts would be problematic. I think the SL-1200 arms are under rated myself.....

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 14:57:22
Gera
Audiophile

Posts: 244
Location: Illinois
Joined: April 23, 2000
 AudioSoul,

I is the OM20 a low compliance cart?
https://www.ortofon.com/stylus-20-p-372

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 18:17:11
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17294
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 No, with a compliance of 25 it's a high compliance cartridge.

Using the chart at vinyl engine, and assuming 1gr for mounting hardware, I get a resonance of 7hz.

That's a little low. (tonearm mass a little too high for the compliance of the cartridge)


Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 18:36:12
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Hi Herman,

I own a Technics SL-1200 and I agree with AudioSoul about the Technics tonearm. It's a very good tonearm as far as I can tell. I'm happy with mine.

Your cartridge is more of a high-compliance cartridge with compliance of 25-um/mN. That's the same as 25 x 10-6 cm/dyne.

Do you have the KAB silicone fluid tonearm damping trough. If not, I would highly recommend that option. It will improve tonearm performance with high-compliance cartridges like yours. Without the fluid damper, the Technics tonearm performs best with medium compliance cartridges in-between 10-um/mN and 20-um/mN. I'm using a Denon DL-S1 on my Technics SL-1200 and it's compliance is about 17-um/mN. However, I have used an Audio Technica ART7 with compliance of 28-um/mN and it sounded just fine. Of course, I have the KAB fluid damper, which you can order and install yourself.

Good luck,
John Elison



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RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 18:37:01
flood2
Audiophile

Posts: 2558
Joined: January 11, 2011
 Hi
The arm itself is already a good design with a suitable effective mass for matching to most cartridges on the market today and it doesn't disgrace itself with what I consider to be moderately expensive cartridges - the most expensive cartridges I use with mine are a Denon DL304 and AT33PTGII just to give you an idea of price range.

You will find that the arm has far less effect on the sound quality compared to ensuring accurate alignment for horizontal tracking error and arm height as well as accurately setting antiskate and VTF. I presume you are using the stock Supermat? The correct arm height to set is between 2.25 and 2.4. It depends on what the "0" setting is so you will need to fine tune by ear.

The Cardas wire upgrade is already an improvement. However, the new ultra flexible wire is better still - the main advantage is that the flexibility avoids "wire bias" which the stiffer teflon insulation suffers from to a degree that you will notice that at zero VTF, the wire tension is sufficient to "pull" the arm to a specific position in the middle of the record. When you are the outer edge, it slowly drifts inwards, at the innermost radius it slowly drifts outwards.
This may not be a problem with your arm, but the ultraflex wire solves that if you do.
If I might suggest that one improvement you could make - swap the Concorde body and get a cheap OM3/5 body or even Omega (they are the same) and put your Sty20 on that. Now you can optimise the geometry properly using an arc protractor or (better still) a Linear Offset jig.
I hate to cause any panic over arm tolerances, but the Technics arms actually vary in length and pivot location giving up to 0.5mm error in overhang and a corresponding error in offset. The Concorde body gives you no option to correct this. Going back to a traditional mount cartridge on a Jelco HS25 headshell (which allows to adjust azimuth) will give you a much more accurate alignment which is far "cheaper" than buying a new arm and new arm mounting plate.
Regards Anthony

"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 22, 2017 at 19:04:40
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3537
Joined: April 23, 2007
 no

 

black 1200?, posted on June 22, 2017 at 22:35:19
Gera
Audiophile

Posts: 244
Location: Illinois
Joined: April 23, 2000
 Hello John,

thanks for the tips! I'll try the damper with my tonearm. One other thing I noticed:
How did you get a black 1200?! I thought black was designated as a 1210...
thanks,
Herman

 

RE: black 1200?, posted on June 22, 2017 at 23:09:38
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 No, both models come in either black or silver. The 1210 is an International version equipped to handle all voltages whereas the 1200 is strictly 120-VAC, 60-Hz.

Good luck,
John Elison

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 23, 2017 at 04:17:15
beach cruiser
Audiophile

Posts: 7054
Location: so cal
Joined: September 24, 2003
 since you are using orotfon cart, on their website, if you enter your tonearm brand and model in the cartridge finder they will give you the best match in their product line. Hopefully it will match the cart you already own, if you are lucky. Even without a match, you might gain some insight.

I tried the feature out, entered in my arm and it selected mid line stuff. Hurt my feelings, but at least it is honest, and one choice matched a potential future target.

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 23, 2017 at 11:53:10
majick47
Audiophile

Posts: 799
Location: Pembroke MA
Joined: June 27, 2006
 When all else fails in critizing the 1200 the last ditch complaint is the 1200 tonearm. Absolutly nothing wrong with that tonearm, has some of the lowest bearing friction figures around. The tonearm rewire by KAB is a positive upgrade along with the fluid damper. Most of the complaints are due to picking a cartridge that isn't a good compliance choice for the 1200 tonearm, there are a number of excellent cartridges that fit that medium mass tonearm like a glove and sound terrific. Maybe it's a visual thing for me but I'm not excited with the Concord cartridge. My Ortofon VMS20e would be another story on a 1200.

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 26, 2017 at 15:49:59
cactuscowboy@bresnan.net
Audiophile

Posts: 7738
Location: Powell, Wyoming
Joined: July 23, 2007



I've been using a KAB modified Technics SL-1200MK5 for many years. It has the stock tonearm with optional dampener and Cardas rewire. My favorite cartridge for routine LP and 45 playback is the Concorde, for which I have four styli: D25M, 20, 30, and 40. I've also used a very high compliance Soundsmith SMMC2 and low compliance Stanton 500 (for 78 playback), a wide range that the tonearm handles beautifully. Altogether, I have about fifteen cartridges of various makes ready for use and of course the removable headshell is a huge plus in that regard.

I won't argue the point made by flood2 that a conventional headshell & 1/2" mount cartridge would allow a finer degree of alignment adjustment. I own a couple Ortofon OM bodies but I cannot find any significant improvement with them versus the Concorde. I've also experimented with different alignment schemes and keep coming back to the Concorde or using the standard Technics quick & easy method of using the white overhang gauge with conventional headshells.

Overall, two thumbs up for the Technics tonearm, particularly with the aforementioned mods.

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm, posted on June 29, 2017 at 01:02:48
flood2
Audiophile

Posts: 2558
Joined: January 11, 2011
 The Technics arm is an excellent design and very well made for the price that it goes for.
With respect to my preference for the 1/2in mount bodies....It's more about the flexibility you get with the 1/2 inch mount bodies more than anything else. I know that Kevin was always a fan of the Stanton Groovemaster bodies as well as the Concorde not only for the convenience (which I won't deny!) but because he felt that the direct coupling to the arm was preferable. I wouldn't argue with him on that, except that you are dependent on the accuracy to which the arm mount was set and the accuracy of the positioning of the two arm tube mounting holes which define the total effective length. Another far less important aspect is that you are stuck with the Technics alignment which is perfectly good as a Universal alignment for all record sizes, but limiting nonetheless for anyone interested in optimising the alignment for their preferred record collection.

I love the flexibility that a removable headshell arm design gives - I designed a jig that allows me to set up cartridges for any of 4 different optimisations - one of them for 10" and 7" records only to an inner radius of 52mm. It certainly makes for an improvement in the sound quality and shows that the arm is capable of a very high standard of performance.


Regards Anthony

"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm.. meh., posted on June 29, 2017 at 16:27:45
bare
Audiophile

Posts: 1879
Joined: April 14, 2009
 Got a 1200 as a hand me down, a couple years back.
Never could get the thing to outsound my venerable Thorens.
So I took it to bits. Why not.. It didn't please me in the least.
Did discover that it's mfg wasn't exemplary.. and that goofy arm was clearly for looks as it's one very heavy contraption.
Frankly I don't understand the 'lore' on these
But then some love Edsels too.

One mans' trash is another mans' treasure.. clearly.

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm.. meh., posted on June 29, 2017 at 16:39:14
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 It sounds like you got one of the crappy 1200s. I was lucky and got one of the good ones.

Oh, well. Such is life!

 

RE: Technics 1200 tonearm.. meh., posted on June 29, 2017 at 16:42:45
flood2
Audiophile

Posts: 2558
Joined: January 11, 2011
 ".. and that goofy arm was clearly for looks as it's one very heavy contraption"

If you couldn't get yours to sing, it is likely that you had a combination of set up faults and/or issues with the motor control. Given the platter control stability with the SL1200 is already superior to many belt drives costing far more, the majority of complaints about the sound are almost certainly down to alignment faults on the part of the user. Unless you have the right tools for the job, no turntable will sound good if you haven't got the alignment of the cartridge correct... no matter how expensive the equipment - the most expensive cartridge in the world will still sound like s@!%.

I'm puzzled by your determination of the arm being "heavy". The effective mass of the arm (12g) is lower than many arms of the period including Thoren's own arms some of which were 16g. Remember that the effective mass is determined by the inertia of the system when you have the counterweight and headshell/cartridge installed at the desired VTF. The bearing friction is also very low. The only point I would agree is that the variances with the Technics headshell and arm construction and positioning mean that most people wouldn't be getting the best out of the system because arm height and geometry would be screwed up. However, if one has the right tools and the know-how, the SL1200 handily beats very expensive "so-called" audiophile decks into a pulp!

BTW I presume if you think the arm is goofy....then you would think all non-straight arm tubes are goofy? Like the SME3009?
I can assure you that the sound from a properly set up SL1200 with stock arm is anything BUT goofy!


Regards Anthony

"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats

 

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