I dubbed many LPs in my youth on my old Technics SL-D2 turntable (now owned by a listmember). The
best dubs were done using an Audio-Technica cartridge that the long-gone actually-competent salesman
at Tech Hifi installed for me. The SL-D2 had a similar but cheaper arm mechanism to the SL1200, and
a lower-grade DC motor. It was semi-automatic, which was nice. Its rumble specs were slightly worse
than the 1200 but they were very good within the price class. In that price range in the 70's, the
belt-drive were generally very poor in the wow and flutter spec, which to me is much more annoying
than the sometimes-audible rumble of a direct-drive model. The SL-D2 also had a "neutral" position
between the two speeds on the speed switch, which allowed for precise cueing (carefully and
infrequently done with the Technics cartridge since it was not a conical stylus).
One thing I did find helpful with the SL-D2 was the set tracking at the heaviest end of the
cartridge's range. That seemed to tame any tonearm resonances and also led to better tracking on the
typical paper-thin and warped-in-the-package record of my youth. As I've said before, CD's were very
welcomed compared to the typical mid-80's LP.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Hamilton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 6:46 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Technics apparently really has discontinued their turntables
> The Technics SL-D303, that appeared in 1981, which I call, "the SLED,"
> is an interesting and slightly cheaper (in every way?) alternative to the
> SL-1200 MKII. Picked one up at a pawn shop, here in Cincinnati. It has
> identical wow, flutter, and rumble specs as the SL-1200 MK II. Like that
> model, the -D303 uses a direct drive F-G servo, for drive control, but
> without true, quartz lock, whereas the MKII SL-1200 is "with."
> I've been getting quite listenable transfers of microgroove LPs using
> an (MC) Ortofon VMS 30 MKII with that S-shaped, tubular tone arm. (Get
> tubular, dude!) In conjunction with an NAD 7100 phono stage, the RCA new
> orthophonic equalization record traces a ruler-flat curve on the SpectraFoo
> FFT meter. Not a Rockport or even an proper MKII-1200, however, it's very
> close...
>
>
> Andrew
>
>
> On 1/12/11 8:56 PM, "Roger Kulp" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> The 1200 wasn't the only model you know,I would suggest picking up ANY
>> Technics 'table,if you see them cheap,and working.
>>
>> Roger
>>
>>
>>
>> --- On Mon, 1/3/11, Aaron Levinson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> From: Aaron Levinson <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Technics apparently really has discontinued their
>> turntables
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date: Monday, January 3, 2011, 11:55 AM
>>
>> As someone who arguably straddles the line between the transfer and DJ worlds
>> I can say that the reputation of Stanton and Numark is far below that of that
>> venerable 1200 on any given day. No self-respecting DJ would even put them in
>> the same league.
>>
>> R.I.P. indeed and now let the insane eBay gouging begin!
>>
>> AA
>>
>>
>> On 1/3/11 12:43 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
>>> Kevin at KAB Electronics sent the following response to my followup querie on
>>> this topic:
>>>
>>> _____________________________
>>> About 3 weeks ago, an official announcement was made to all distributors
>>> that the Technics line of turntables is now discontinued.
>>>
>>> If you desire a brand new one, you will have to start searching. They
>>> purposely waited until all inventory was depleted. So It will be very hard
>>> to find new merchandise.
>>>
>>> What I will likely do going forward is try to create like new refurbished
>>> decks. Since many of the cosmetic items like top plates and dust covers
>>> should remain available for a few years to come.
>>> ________________________________
>>>
>>> That's a shame.
>>>
>>> For the DJ set, I think people can make due with Stanton and Numark tables,
>>> but for transfer guys like me, a KAB-hotrodded 1200 has been a really good
>>> choice as far as value meeting high quality.
>>>
>>> RIP another analog legend.
>>>
>>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> [log in to unmask]
> www.serifsound.com
>
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