[BikeWNC]

I think I have everything I need to proceed with rewiring the tonearm on my 1200.  I've decided to use Cardas wire to the circuit board and Zu Xaus to the preamp.  The combination of the copper Cardas and silver Zu cables appeals to me.  I'm going to check everything one more time, get all my ducks in a row, and hopefully get this done in the next day or two.  Man is that Cardas wire some thin stuff.

Andy

[Psychicanimal]

I lost a tonearm attempting this!

You will need to make a jig for this job or you will irrevesibly damage the tonearm tube.  Technics sells no tubes--will have to buy a new tonearm.

[BikeWNC]

I am hoping that I can attach a single wire to the disconnected tonearm wires and pull them through the headshell end of the tonearm.  I will then solder the new Cardas wire at that end and to the wire I pulled through the arm tube and pull it back to the circuit board.  I don't plan to remove the arm.  Then I will re-attach to the circuit board with the new RCA cables.  Sounds simple but I know that working with 33ga wire is not that easy.  Someone over on VA did it this way and it worked out OK.

Andy

[Psychicanimal]

Just remember you need to solder the clips in the same place, otherwise the spring loaded contacts will not exert uniform pressure.  The jig is to measure the existing distance.  Bet Technics uses a four pin jig for this job.

[BikeWNC]

I plan to keep an old headshell attached and use my fly tying vise to hold it while I solder to the clips.  If when I get in there I forsee a problem, I'll have to rethink what I'm doing.

Andy

[Psychicanimal]

Question is,

where do we get those clips?

[BikeWNC]

Well, once I tore into the 1200 I decided to not replace the tonearm wires.  The wires in the tonearm are already pretty thin, maybe 30ga, as compared to the Cardas 33ga wire I have on hand.  They may even be as thin as the Cardas wire.  I just didn't feel confortable soldering that stuff in such a critical application. 

But, I did go ahead and replace the RCAs from the circuit board with Zu Cable Xaus.  That procedure was fairly easy and seems to make a significant difference.  More resolution overall, but I'm sure some time will be needed to realize the final outcome. 

So far I have added the tonearm damping trough, the KAB PS, replaced the stock feet with Mapleshade threaded brass footers, replaced the rubber mat with a Herbies, and wrapped the tonearm with teflon plumbers tape.  The deck is sitting on a Timbernation 2" maple board in a maple box filled with styrafoam peanuts.

Each of these additions has made improvements.  I'm currently using a stock Grado Gold cartridge.  I am waiting for the threaded spindle and clamp from KAB.  I may try an Achromat and the longhorm mod too.  I also have my sights set on a lo mc like the Dynavector 20xl.

Andy

[Psychicanimal]

Well, once I tore into the 1200 I decided to not replace the tonearm wires.  The wires in the tonearm are already pretty thin, maybe 30ga, as compared to the Cardas 33ga wire I have on hand.  They may even be as thin as the Cardas wire.  I just didn't feel confortable soldering that stuff in such a critical application.

I told you...

  I also have my sights set on a lo mc like the Dynavector 20xl.

I suggest you search eBay for a used, top notch MM design like my Audio Technica AT-15S.  Punch, microdynamics, detailed high frequencies and smoothness combined.  There are original NOS stylus available...

[Songforyou]

Psychicanimal,

Why would you recommend a top notch MM over a LOMC for the SL-1200?

I'll be purchasing one soon (just waiting for KAB to complete the cardas re-wire) and was going to use a denon 103.

Are there reasons why a good MM is better for this table?

Thanks.

[Psychicanimal]

Why would you recommend a top notch MM over a LOMC for the SL-1200?

It takes some serious $$$ to do the low output MC thing right, that's all.  I think the majority of people who take the low output MC plunge these days are overstraining their system's capabilities and unnecessarily compromising punch, dynamics & noise floor.  My system's power delivery/noise control rig is somewhere near $7K list & I would think things over before doing such a move.

I have to agree with Frank Van Alstine on this one: anyone doing the tweaks he recommends in his Audio Basics magazine on a decent moving magnet cartridge will get outstanding performance, more so on a 1200 with the tonearm fluid damper mod.  Like he says, "Low output moving coils are a pain."

I went to my parent's house and my mother replaced the living room furniture where their stereo used to be. She gave me a small bag she had saved and inside were two wooden boxes: a Shure V15 III & and Audio Technica AT15S, my first cartridges. Both stylus are busted, however.  The cartridges used to belong to my father's friend who got me into high end.  He sold me the Shure for $30 and gave me the AT-15S.  He went crazy buying low output MC's, sold his SP-10 and bought a SOTA vacuum, a Klyne SK5 (the Klyne's *nice*).  He had a Shinon Red, Monster Alpha, you name the flavor of the month low output MC and he had it.  He did admit to me last Christmas that selling the SP-10 for the SOTA was a mistake.  If he knew that the V15 III and the AT-15S were the real keepers!!!

Are there reasons why a good MM is better for this table?

None whatsoever.  The 1200 can successfully handle many of the expensive low output MCs out there.

Here's a good thread to check out:

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/messages/601869.html

[Songforyou]

Psychicanimal,

Thanks for the response and the link.  I'm following the asylum vinyl thread as well.

Here's the thing:  I have a Scott 222 with a decent MM phono.  If I pop for the Denon 103 and the Jolida 9A (a good match according to the comments) I'm in the $700 price range.

Would a $600 MM cartridge be a better way to go?  How would something like the dynavector 20XH compare to the Denon sonically?

[Psychicanimal]

Psychicanimal,

Thanks for the response and the link.  I'm following the asylum vinyl thread as well.

Here's the thing:  I have a Scott 222 with a decent MM phono.  If I pop for the Denon 103 and the Jolida 9A (a good match according to the comments) I'm in the $700 price range.

Would a $600 MM cartridge be a better way to go?  How would something like the dynavector 20XH compare to the Denon sonically?

I read over and over in the Vinyl Asylum that the Jolida and the EAR 834 are 'better' than my Monolithic phono stage with outboard dual mono power supply.  What I never see is the explanation of what 'better' means.  My sixth sense tells me those comments come from guys who like what I despectively call 'analog' sound.  It's bloated, artificially holographic and colored.  Dusty Vawter is a world class audio designer whose gear beats other more expensive ones.  Dusty likes linearity, clarity and wide bandwith.  Using transistors is the most direct and cost efficient route to achieve this--especially on a phono stage.  Even a tube head like Dan Wright uses transistors in the first gain stage of his phono preamp!

When an audiophile has a craving to spend money nothing will stop him--you know that!

You ask me questions about gear but my answer is a *systems* one:

1) Since you already have a classic tube piece, I would work on power delivery/noise control to lower the noise floor and take it from there.  That way your phono section will perform at its best.  Some good cones to drain vibrations away and a good vibration sink will take you real far.  A great cryo'ed power outlet like the ACME silver plated cryo'ed and an Absolute Power Cord MKII will make your system deliver the widest bandwith possible.

2) I would stick with a MM or high output MC.  What you choose is up to you, Ortofon X5, Goldring Eroica & Dynavector 20 in the MC camp; Ortofon Concorde/540, Stanton 681 EEE, whatever you like.

3) The tonearm rewire, fluid damper and outboard power supply are so important I would address them before thinking on spending serious $$$ on a cartridge.  Taking care of them and getting a Stanton 681EEE will give you better sound from the beginning.  The 681 could become a spare.

4) The ultimate choices are yours.  All I'm giving you are my opinions and preferrences based on successess and mistakes.  Meditate, grasshopper...

[BikeWNC]

I took the old RCA cable from the 1200 and connected it to an old headshell to make a burn-in cable for the new Zu Xaus RCA.  So now I am listening to an ancient Sony disc changer through the tonearm and into my preamp.  From what I've read the much higher output from the cdp relative to a phono cartridge helps to burn-in the cable much faster and more completely.  I think 24 to 48 hours should do it.

Andy

[BikeWNC]

OK, that old Sony had to go.  I can't believe how bad it sounds.  I took back the Toshiba 3950 from my daughter for a day or so.  Much better.

Andy

[Psychicanimal]

I think the Zu Cable Xaus has good potential if properly cryo'ed and cooked for 30 days straight.

[BikeWNC]

All my experience with the cryo process has been positive.  Maybe in the future I'll get it done.  But for now just let it burn-in.  Small steps.