[Marco1408]

Hi guys,

This is a prelude to a full review that I intend to do of this fabulous turntable. I know that many of you in the US are already very familiar with Kevin's modifications, but as yet there aren't (as far as I'm aware) many (if any) users in the UK with the level of modifications I've had carried out to an SL-1210.

The table I've had modified is an SL-1210 MK5G, which is a particularly beautifully finished unit, and the modifications carried out are as follows:

Off-board 220V power supply unit.

Cardas rewired tonearm.

Fluid damping for above.

Threaded record clamp

Strobe disabler

Those are the KAB modifications. On top of that, I'm also using an SDS Isoplat mat in conjunction with a 3mm Herbie's Way Excellent II mat, which I've found is the ideal record to platter interface combination for the 1210, and an LP Gear Zupreme headshell, with Clearaudio cartridge leads, instead of the standard Technics one, shown here:

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=LPGZHEAD&Category_Code=HEADSHELLS

The metal alloy construction of this headshell provides the cartridge with the necessary mechanical rigidity to maximise performance. Good as the standard Technics headshell is, it is not as effective as the Zupreme, and as I use a low compliance Denon DL-103 Pro MC cartridge, the extra mass this headshell provides is welcome.

Having the off-board PSU enables the use of high quality mains leads, and as someone who has always appreciated the benefits of these, this is a big bonus. As such, a Transparent Reference Power Link supplies current to the PSU. It might seem a touch over the top, mad even, to use a mains lead that costs more (£650) than the table itself, unmodified, but the performance lift over the supplied (good quality) lead makes it more than worthwhile. At the moment I'm still getting a feel for the table's sonic and musical abilities, but suffice to say that it sounds absolutely fabulous and outperforms any other turntable I've heard or used at its price point and considerably beyond. However, I will go into more detail later once I have finalised my thoughts.

It's interesting to note that in this month's issue of the UK magazine Hi-Fi World, the editor David Price has reviewed his modified SL-1200, and waxes lyrical on how good it is, although he has fitted a specially modified RB250 arm, as doesn't rate the stock Technics one. In fact, he goes on to completely rubbish the Technics arm, stating that it is no more than a cheap Japanese OEM job that's "more likely to cost pence than pounds". How wrong he is - especially when the arm has been Cardas rewired and fluid-damped!

I shall be comparing the points raised in Hi-Fi World about the SL-1200 with my own thoughts on the KAB-modified SL-1210 I use in the review I'll be posting here, and also be sending my comments to David Price at the magazine (particularly about the tonearm) and also on the Hi-Fi World audio forum. In the meantime, I'm just enjoying the music and trawling through my record collection! Thanks again to Kevin at KAB for all his hard work. The review will be ready in about a week, which I'll post here. Meanwhile if anyone has any questions I shall be happy to answer them.

Regards,
Marco.

[Marco1408]

Hi tvad4,

Yeah the Zupreme headshell is a worthwhile tweak. The Technics one is decent quality, and probably better than most detachable headshells, but in my opinion it's worth spending the extra on the Zupreme, especially if your cartridge is likely to benefit from the extra mass. I haven't seen a better made detachable headshell on the market. I don't think the Sumiko one shown here:

http://www.needledoctor.com/Sumiko-HS12-Headshell?sc=9

is as well made, although I'll happily be proven wrong if anyone has directly compared the two. And anyway, I don't like the fact that the Sumiko doesn't have a finger lift. I rarely use the armlift to cue records, and much prefer to hand cue, so for me the Sumiko is a no-no.

The fluid damper is a complete no-brainer if you're intending to use the Technics arm (and why not?) as it really does improve the definition of vocals and and all aspects of midrange communication, as well as making bass deeper and more tuneful. The strobe disabler is also definitely worthwhile fitting, as it further reduces noise in the supply and the result is that music has more focus and general 'believability'.

Marco.

[ohenry]

I don't think the Sumiko one shown here:

http://www.needledoctor.com/Sumiko-HS12-Headshell?sc=9

is as well made, although I'll happily be proven wrong if anyone has directly compared the two. And anyway, I don't like the fact that the Sumiko doesn't have a finger lift. I rarely use the armlift to cue records, and much prefer to hand cue, so for me the Sumiko is a no-no.

You may be right about the Sumiko headshell quality, but it does come with a finger lift that attaches via the bolt heads (I have a newer version of that headshell and the lift hardware is black):


So, it may be worth a comparison, if you are inclined.

Edit:  Oops, it appears that the finger lift now comes separately for an extra $9, making it a $49 package.

[TheChairGuy]

Marco - nice set-up!!

I never found headshell's made much of a difference in things.  Once you damp any plastic or thin aluminum headshell with a bit of modelling clay, it's quite non-resonant.  I'm dubious on whether 2" of exquisite quality wire is gonna' make much of a difference either.

Nonetheless, I've never seen anything quite so well made as the Audio Technica headshell I bought at AudioCubes a while back.  It, too, is space age material and comes with what is arguably the best copper wire that can be found in PC-OCC (one crystal boundary per 125').  The mounting is super snug to the cartridge:
http://www.audiocubes2.com/category/Vinyl+Accessories/product/Audio-Technica_AT-LH13,OCC_Head_Shell.html?osCsid=c937d8750620b9ff46d9166d4c4f4b18

The 'problem' with the 13gram one I bought is that it is quite a bit too stubby/short for most cartridges to fit well in there.  I'd recommend the 15 or 18 gram headshells as they are likely longer (AudioCubes doesn't give much guidance on this online) as long as your tonearm can still support/balance them.

Bar none they are the best I've seen....but with the couple cartridges I could fit on it, I didn't notice a difference between it and a Plast-i-Clay damped plastic headshell I buy for $10.00-$12.00 from www.TurntableBasics.com 

It's the same wire AT packages with the AT440MLa - I think it alone costs $20 or $25 when you can find them to buy separately.

[TheChairGuy]

Grant/tvad4, et al....the AT headshells (this line anyway...they also make a magnesium MG-10 / 10 oz headshell that I have never used) has azimuth adjustment.

They look nicer than the plastic headshells to be sure and at $45-$49 aren't terribly overpriced (neither is the Sumiko or Zupreme I see) as accessories go.

[Marco1408]

Hi ohenry,

Thanks for the pic of the Sumiko. It seems strange though to supply the finger lift seperately - and then charge extra for it, too!

Also with the finger lift being in a different finish to the headshell, it looks kind of primitive and 'home-made' compared to the Zupreme.

Marco.

[Marco1408]

Marco - nice set-up!!

Cheers. It works for me. Yours isn't too shabby either

I never found headshell's made much of a difference in things. 

Sorry I have to disagree. For me, as the headshell is an integral part of the tonearm, what it's made from is important. In my experience, a cartridge can sound unlike it does normally in a different headshell, and the material the headshell is made from (particularly its resonant and mechanical rigidity qualities) have a significant impact on the performance of the cartridge. I've got various types of headshells and they all have a different sonic signature. If you've got one of those cheap, lightweight, mass-produced in Taiwan jobs, you'll get a significant upgrade by changing to the AT one you've got, or the Zupreme, or Sumiko.

I'm dubious on whether 2" of exquisite quality wire is gonna' make much of a difference either.

Be dubious. It's healthy to be sceptical!

In my experience, however, all wire makes a difference. Everything in hi-fi has a sonic signature. You wouldn't think that an extra few metres of mains lead at the end of a very long electrical supply chain would make a difference, yet clearly it does. The same thing applies with cartridge leads. Again, I've experimented with different types and found that you can easily upgrade from the ones supplied with most headshells. Some are downright nasty. The ones that come with the Technics headshell are not bad at all, but substituting these for good quality LC-OFC leads from AT, Clearaudio, or those of similar quality from other respected manufacturers really does pay dividends. Ohenry is correct in that the integrity of the signal is maintained best by keeping the cable loom the same throughout, so if you've had your arm rewired with Cardas cable it makes sense to use Cardas cartridge leads. Therefore I have ordered a set of these:

http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=oem&pagestring2=Headshell%20Leads&pagestring=Headshell%20Leads+(closeup)&content_id=27&part_id=98

Now those look the business! Nice short wire, too  

Nonetheless, I've never seen anything quite so well made as the Audio Technica headshell I bought at AudioCubes a while back.  It, too, is space age material and comes with what is arguably the best copper wire that can be found in PC-OCC (one crystal boundary per 125'). 

The 'problem' with the 13gram one I bought is that it is quite a bit too stubby/short for most cartridges to fit well in there.  I'd recommend the 15 or 18 gram headshells as they are likely longer (AudioCubes doesn't give much guidance on this online) as long as your tonearm can still support/balance them.

The Audiocubes website is very interesting, particularly their range of cartridges and MC step-up transformers. I intend to buy one of these for the SL-1210 later in the year:

http://www.audiocubes2.com/category/Cartridges/product/Denon_DL-103SA_Moving_Coil_Cartridge.html?osCsid=a3a38b99f36aecec62b93456ce01d1d7

I'm a massive fan of Denon moving coils, as they offer superb sound per pound (dollar!) They have a very authoritative, dynamic sound, with powerful bass, that I love, and in the midrange they sound very 'valve-like'. Most affordable MC cartridge these days sound too bright and clinical for my tastes.

As for your AT headshell, I looked at that, too. It is very well made, but as the azimuth adjustment is in the form of preset drilled holes on the underneath of the headshell, I didn't feel this provided the level of fine adjustment that I require. With the likes of the Zupreme and Sumiko, you can slide the cartridge up and down the headshell in absolutely minute amounts, which can make all the difference when fine tuning a cartridge and getting it to 'sing'. Getting a cartridge set-up absolutely bang on is a lengthy and delicate process!

Marco.

[Marco1408]

Hi tvad,

FWIW, I am not certain if the KAB Cardas tonearm re-wire also includes Cardas headshell wiring (I seem to recall it does, but I'm not absolutely certain

It doesn't. But I guess you can't expect Kevin to think of everything!

The arm is rewired with Cardas cable to the end of the arm tube only. I also suggested to Kevin that he should continue the cable loom out from the arm base into phono leads instead of having a termination box, and a further signal-breaking joint. This would mean that the cable loom would be the same throughout and almost unbroken from the arm tube into the preamp. However, as Kevin pointed out, he's not a cable manufacturer and it's not an easy job providing the required termination with the Cardas tonearm cable. Also people like to experiment with different interconnects.

I chose 'Classical' interconnects from Kevin's excellent range of American Recorder Technology cables. These feature Mogami super-flexible cables and ART's own gold/teflon end connectors. They have superb resolution, work really well and seem to have very little sonic signature, which for me is what a good cable is all about. Special mention though has to go to the plugs - they provide the best and most secure fit I've ever seen on a phono plug, out with Eichmann bullets.

Marco.

[TheChairGuy]

As for your AT headshell, I looked at that, too. It is very well made, but as the azimuth adjustment is in the form of preset drilled holes on the underneath of the headshell, I didn't feel this provided the level of fine adjustment that I require. With the likes of the Zupreme and Sumiko, you can slide the cartridge up and down the headshell in absolutely minute amounts, which can make all the difference when fine tuning a cartridge and getting it to 'sing'. Getting a cartridge set-up absolutely bang on is a lengthy and delicate process!

You can't see it on the AT, but the headshell does move north/south and east/west for that last bit of adjustment needed (it locks into place with set screws not shown on bottom of cartridge).  It's the best arrangement I've ever seen in a headshell....however once I damp the $10 Taiwan jobbies with modelling clay, I hear nary a difference between 'em 

We audio and vinyl phools tend to look for extraordinary relief from easy issues to fix.....helped all the way to whet our appetities for more by marketers of such equipment.  AT, Sumiko and LP Gear don't make much selling anyone $10 headshells and dishing out advice to buy a $3 stick of modelling clay and damp 500 headshells with it.  I'm a marketer myself - so I'm not delusional, just realistic on these matters 

Anyhow, sorry if this sounds preachy - I love your set-up man - and just glad to have another vinyl-phool to chew the fat with 

[Marco1408]

You can't see it on the AT, but the headshell does move north/south and east/west for that last bit of adjustment needed (it locks into place with set screws not shown on bottom of cartridge).  It's the best arrangement I've ever seen in a headshell....

Ah, it's different then to the AT magnesium headshell that I have. I must buy one of the above for my collection, haha!

however once I damp the $10 Taiwan jobbies with modelling clay, I hear nary a difference between 'em

Yes, but isn't it a bit, erm, cheap and kind of 'home-made' looking? First and foremost things must make an appreciable difference, but if they do that and also look great at the same time (like your AT or the Zupreme) then so much so the better!

We audio and vinyl phools tend to look for extraordinary relief from easy issues to fix.....helped all the way to whet our appetities for more by marketers of such equipment.  AT, Sumiko and LP Gear don't make much selling anyone $10 headshells and dishing out advice to buy a $3 stick of modelling clay and damp 500 headshells with it.  I'm a marketer myself - so I'm not delusional, just realistic on these matters

As am I. Thankfully my experience usually keeps me right, and filters out the marketing bollocks from the genuine products that work

Anyhow, sorry if this sounds preachy - I love your set-up man - and just glad to have another vinyl-phool to chew the fat with

No worries about the preachy thing. It's cool to shoot the shit. As far as I'm concerned it's all about sharing info with like-minded fools, erm I mean enthusiasts!

Marco.

[TheChairGuy]

Marco - this was my former table I worked over for a year....


As you can plainly see, a little dab of modelling clay in my headshell now on my new table is a huge step-up in WAF 

Hey, don't forget to damp the underside of your Technics 1210 with mastic spray damping of some kind...the effect is really quite profound-for-cheap for many direct drive enthusiasts: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=43698.0  You've taken care of most of the platter ringing issues with the Isoplatmat and Herbies (similar setup to mine), but the mastic spray and even a thin layer of modelling clay on the underside, might take it to another plateau in performance.

It did, for me 

[lcrim]

I did want to comment here but am somewhat reluctant because my experience is very counter to much of what has been written so far.
Some months back tvad4/Grant PM'ed about the Technics mods from Kevin in general but one concerned azimuth adjustment of the headshell.  I didn't know at the time that headshells for that arm were available that could accomplish that.  I do not agree that this is a necessary adjustment and have never had any issues with mistracking due to a cartridge not being properly aligned in a stock headshell.  I never have tried to fix what isn't broken.  I have had many conversations with Kevin and others on this subject and personally believe that it isn't possible to hear differences between headshells unless its totally broken.  Sorry, I also have never seen any evidence of mold-release agents that require cleaning but that's another sore subject.
Marco, you must have a very nice sounding setup there but I have to agree with John, that few inches of wire doesn't amount to anything.  I would defy anyone to be able to tell the difference blindfolded in sound between headshells.  Most comments about the adjustable azimuth headshells that I have seen are that they are almost impossible to get properly set up and the user invariably goes back to a fixed headshell.  Sorry but I think you should take the money you would spend on fancy adjustable headshell and buy more LP's w/ it.
Edit: I still wouldn't spray any crap inside my TT.

[doug s.]

i know i have mentioned this before, but i will bring it up again here.

marco, i don't care how good you think the denon is - ditch it immediately, unless you wanna get it re-tipped w/the vdh stylus, or something similar.  (it seems the audiocubes rebuild still keeps the spherical stylus shape, but i am not sure.)  you're literally grinding your records, at 2.5g tracking with a spherical stylus.  fine-line type styli are the way to go - better tracking, more retrieval of info off the winyl, lower noise floor, way less force in psi on the actual winyl surface, as the actual surface area of a fine-line stylus that contacts the winyl is so much larger than a spherical (or even an elliptical) stylus.

doug s.

[Marco1408]

John,

That's an interesting idea. I can see the merit in that. What exactly though is "mastic spray"? You guys must have a different word for it over in the States. In the UK "mastic" is white sticky stuff you squeeze out of a tube to fill the gaps between the tiles on your bathroom wall and the bathtub. I certainly wouldn't want to plaster that on to the underside of my T/T!

Nor modelling clay, TBH... How about a layer of damping sheet?

Marco.

[TheChairGuy]

Hey Marco,

I might have it all f'ed up  and just calling it 'mastic' spray (mastic means sticky in my mind).  The stuff is generally black and gooey...and unless you buy the fast-drying type, take a looooooooooong time to cure.

The Dupli-Color stuff 17 oz/ 481 gram spray can I have in front of me says: Professional Undercoat and Sound Eliminator.  Quickly dries in 10 minutes or less, Paintable, Rubberized, Corrosion Proof.  It's a rubbery compound that is described as a sound deadener on the instructions on back.

Damping sheets are usually too think...the clearance on most platter undersides with direct drive decks are quite small.  The spray on stuff  can be applied very thinly.  If you still have room left, a very thin layer of modeling clay helps further.

After that and good physical isolation on the stand (I love my 4" thick piece of butcher block), you have a world-beater deck for a pittance 

This is a strange day already at only 8:40AM here....I find myself in utter agreement with HardHead (my co-mod) Larry Crim   

That doesn't necessarily mean whether he or I are right...we're just in unusual agreement, that's all 

[Marco1408]

Hi Icrim,

Nice to see you posting on this thread! Please continue to do so.

Some months back tvad4/Grant PM'ed about the Technics mods from Kevin in general but one concerned azimuth adjustment of the headshell.  I didn't know at the time that headshells for that arm were available that could accomplish that.  I do not agree that this is a necessary adjustment and have never had any issues with mistracking due to a cartridge not being properly aligned in a stock headshell.  

I have to disagree. I appreciate that your experience tells you differently, and I respect that, but I can easily hear the difference a good quality headshell makes. I have two standard Denon DL-103s (not the Pro version that I normally use) mounted in different detachable headshells. One is in an old lightweight SME headshell and the other is in an AT magnesium headshell. As both cartridges track at the same weight, it's simply a matter of unplugging one and plugging in another using the same music. You can do the change over in a few seconds so it's very easy to pick up on differences before you forget what it sounded like before. As soon as you plug the AT in the sound has bags more weight and authority, and most importantly, more musical information is retrieved from the grooves. With the lightweight SME, the sound is 'weedy' and bass-light in comparison - just much less musically satisfying... Maybe it's a cartridge thing?

Marco, you must have a very nice sounding setup there but I have to agree with John, that few inches of wire doesn't amount to anything.

Thanks. For me it does what it says on the tin  

But I have to disagree again with the cartridge leads! Sorry, dude, but again the difference to me is obvious. The effect is similar to upgrading a mains lead or an interconnect cable.

Sorry but I think you should take the money you would spend on fancy adjustable headshell and buy more LP's w/ it.

LOL. Buying LPs, for me, isn't a problem. It's one of my favourite pastimes!

The "fancy" headshell is bought and paid for, so the rest will have to go on beer and women

Marco.

[Marco1408]

Hi doug,

marco, i don't care how good you think the denon is - ditch it immediately, unless you wanna get it re-tipped w/the vdh stylus, or something similar.  (it seems the audiocubes rebuild still keeps the spherical stylus shape, but i am not sure.)  you're literally grinding your records, at 2.5g tracking with a spherical stylus.  fine-line type styli are the way to go - better tracking, more retrieval of info off the winyl, lower noise floor, way less force in psi on the actual winyl surface, as the actual surface area of a fine-line stylus that contacts the winyl is so much larger than a spherical (or even an elliptical) stylus.

The Denon DL-103 I use is a special Highphonic-modified version that I imported from Japan. It's the Pro version that's used in broadcasting studios, and the like. One of the modifications, I believe, is to the cantilever and stylus assembly. As a result it tracks at 1.8-2.2g, which is much lower than the standard 103. One of the key differences, though, is it has a much improved high frequency response (20-55,000 Hz instead of the 20-45,000Hz of the standard 103). This gives the cartridge a very different sonic signature. It is much more detailed and open-sounding, as you would expect from the difference in frequency response, and musically it is in a different league from the standard 103. It also costs twice the amount.

Before I got into the Denons I used a Koetsu Black Goldline and a Lyra Argo (i), amongst other respected 'hi-end' cartridges, and in my opinion the Pro Denon DL-103 is as good in most areas, and much better in others, namely bass response and midrange harmonic detail. It also makes music sound so goddamn funky! I dislike the somewhat 'forensic', cold, hyper-detailed, sound of most affordable modern MC cartridges, and I'm not a fan of moving magnets.

Here's a link that shows both the DL-103 Pro and matching Highphonic MC step-up transformer that I use with it (top two photos). The combination sounds fantastic.

http://www.swingaudio.com/WWShipping.htm

Marco.

[lcrim]

Marco:
Doing the conversion 42,000 yen works out to just over $354 and thats not including shipping or is it?  Anyway, its quite a premium over the standard DL-103 is one of the darlings over on the Asylum.  It can be had from an eBay guy who is very reliable for $148 delivered which is certainly cheap enough.  It does require a good deal of gain and (I'm agreeing w/ doug) I would be awfully concerned about what it may do to your precious vinyl. 
The Denon 301II is much more interesting to me but I've not yet heard it.  It is a high compliance LOMC that tracks @ 1.5 grams or so and has great word of mouth.
I am absolutely fine w/ a LO Benz Glider but a nice backup or change of pace would be a cool thing.  John's got more cartridges than I have clean socks so I think I can make a case for it @ $240. http://cgi.ebay.com/Denon-DL-301II-Moving-Coil-Cartridge_W0QQitemZ190124389214QQcmdZViewItem
Anybody heard it?

[Marco1408]

Marco:
Doing the conversion 42,000 yen works out to just over $354 and thats not including shipping or is it? 

Nope it is not. But it's worth it. The 103 Pro is a different ball game to the standard 103, when set-up properly. You do need a decent deck, and in particular an arm and headshell with enough mass to cope with the low compliance, otherwise it sounds edgy and bright. In my opinion, most people who don't rate the 103 haven't heard one set-up optimally. It takes quite a bit of fiddling and a comprehensive understanding of how it works to get the most out of it.

Anyway, its quite a premium over the standard DL-103 is one of the darlings over on the Asylum.  It can be had from an eBay guy who is very reliable for $148 delivered which is certainly cheap enough.  It does require a good deal of gain and (I'm agreeing w/ doug) I would be awfully concerned about what it may do to your precious vinyl. 
The Denon 301II is much more interesting to me but I've not yet heard it.  It is a high compliance LOMC that tracks @ 1.5 grams or so and has great word of mouth.

When you say "it" can be had from an eBay guy, do you mean the Pro or standard version?

I don't have a problem with high VTF on a cartridge. It makes for better groove stability and IME a more 'solid' sound. It's no coincidence I feel that all the lightweight 'toppy' sounding cartridges I've heard have operated at a low VTF. And my vinyl collection is A-ok.

Also, one thing to remember about Denon is that due to their massive resources they're able to produce cartridges at prices other manufacturers would not be able to charge, so a $350 Denon MC is about equivalent to a $1000 MC cartridge from a smaller manufacturer with much less resources. It's like Technics with the SL-1210. If they didn't have the resources to mass-produce the D/D unit, how much would it cost for a smaller independant manufacturer to produce such a thing? Just as price is no arbiter of quality with our beloved 1200s and 1210s, so it is with Denon and the DL-103.

Marco.

[Jampot]

Marco, You have my utmost admiration for going to the trouble of importing the KAB Technics into the UK. Our friends / fellow audiofools across the pond have difficulty understanding our import tarrif and VAT structure - it makes US (and far east) sourced kit very expensive

So, Larry/ Icrim, the great deal on the Denon on ebay is not so cheap!

TCG's 'mastic spray' is (I think) what we call underseal - though obviously it must go on pretty thinly and is a modern formulation if it can be over-painted (I found that in the link provided in Johns thread about it). Similarly, Plasticlay is Plasticene - took me a while to work that out and be comfortable I wasn't making a BIG mistake. Of course, it is quite inoxious and easily removed if you don't like it.

Where abouts in UK are you Marco? I would love to hear your setup....