Sure the SL1200 is a venerable machine in the midnight hour at the clubs, pubs, and discos, but my deck is perched in my mellow home.
This is my second midnight session (in a row) with my new KAB SL1210 - my first turntable. Last night, after getting home from work around 8pm I had to clean the records and assemble the cartridge, set the TT adjustments (my first time ever for each), and make connections. It was just before midnight when I finished my first listening session. I played around 5 different albums. Cool.
Tonight I had another late work night and listened until midnight (it's just me here and the unit next door is vacant). So tonight I sat down (after switching some cables) and listened to the TT again. Then after a couple of albums I decided to fill the KAB fluid damper and listened some more. The fluid damper tightened everything up quite a bit. Dynamics improved as well. Granted nothing is "broken in/burned in" yet but I am having fun and enjoying the sound. I am getting a few clicks here and there (on the new vinyl as well), which I attribute to dust, even though everything was just washed/vac'd and brushed prior to playing.
I mentioned my plans before but here is my TT set up:
* KAB Technics SL1210 MK5se (new), with mods:
-Tonearm Fluid Damper
-Cardas tonearm rewire with add-on RCA Phono Plate
* Audio Technica AT150MLX MM cartridge
* SDS Isoplatmat + Herbie's Way Excellent II mat
* On a 3" oak? cutting board (I whacked it firmly and the TT didn't skip a beat)
Preamp: Gram Slee Amp2 SE
Interconnects : Ven haus cryo pulsar silver /Audio Art Cable IC-3 ('cause that's what I have)
Other components: Denon 4306 receiver and Tetra 12ou bookshelfs and ML Abyss Sub (combo use as a AV system)
So far I have listened to:
Tears for Fears- Songs from the Big Chair
Depeche Mode - Special Edition Shake the Disease, 12"
New Order - Touched by the hand of god, 12"
David Storrs - Dancing on a planet 12"
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk 180g
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer 200g
My next step is to clean all of my other albums and better understand all the vta and antiskate settings, etc. I don't seem to have any noticeable issues with my initial set up but then again I really doubt that I got it all right just following the rudimentary Technics manual. I also need to flatten the Isoplatmat since I see a slight rise in one area when the turntable is rotating.
And then listen some more. Buy some more vinyl. And listen some more.
enjoy your music ~ed
