Move over Thorens, here comes the...Technics?!

[Guest BobG]

Kenwood offered the KD-500 with integral tonearm and the KD-600 sans arm. They also offered an accessory center weight and ring weight that had a diameter of about 13". The combination cost something like $250 but they really sounded great. These days, a center puck can cost that much and a ring weight when available is way expensive.

These might be a problem with 180g or 200g records. If you can find a KD-600 with these two weights at a fair price, jump on it.

[gilbodavid]

hi all. i've owned a thorens td160 with sme3009II arm. was very nice,

if a bit shimmery and lacking body. but made a certain winston massalis

lp sound like it never has since. Hi Fi World (google search it) did a

comparison of the td150/160's and a Michel Gyrodeck, and the Thorens

won. The also compared the td125 to a Origion Live Aura Gold, and it

came ot even stevens. My current deck is a Goldring Lenco GL75 on a

home made solid plinth. I sold my Garrard 401 when the Lenco outshone

it with OLSilver arm on both. Having read Jean Antais of Audiogon (see

his monster thread with masses on idler drive and DD - his fave dd is

the Sony 225, which for him outshines his SP10 mk2) he can't seperate a

perfect Garrard 301 from his Lenco L75, so I bow to him on this issue

and wonder if i set up my Garrard right.. Also, recently Hi Fi World

compared a Garrard 401on a Martin Baston plinth to David Price's

fave modern tt, the Mitchell Orbe ($4500 here

in England) and the Garrard won easily. I find all

these old tt's fascinating, and would love to try a Technics, perhaps

the 150mk2 or the Sony. Too little time.....

[Aggie Klipsch]

Talk about a blast from the past. Back in the 70's every one was buying the Technics and Kenwood TT's. After the Garrard Zero 100 I switched to a Technics with a Shure stylus. It was wonderfully balanced with a sweet sound. But one thing I noticed was that when the volume came up you tended to get feedback through it. Of course this could have been running a Phase Linear 400 through some weird Technics speakers that looked like small monoliths. Can't remember the model # but they were some fantastic speakers. Move ahead and ordered a Thorens TD-145 Mk2 with a Black Widow tonearm and an MC cartridge. It had fantastic sound and was the smoothest playing TT I had heard yet. Of course this was around 77 and the vinyl of the time was Van Halen. The ears took some damage back then. The Technics is a solid performer and you should be happy with it's performance. One thing I noticed was that it got up to speed incredibly fast. No wonder they sold so many of them.

[jt1stcav]

..."One thing I noticed was that it got up to speed incredibly fast. No wonder they sold so many of them."

And continue to do so still today with the latest Technics models designed primarily for pro DJ use. The Guitar Center I work at can't always keep 'em in stock half the time. And since they're derived from the old consumer SL-1200 and later 'tables, even with beefed up pro motor drives, they're more than capable of being excellent consumer 'tables today (without the DJ cartridges from Stanton, Ortofon, and Numark).

[whell]

..."One thing I

noticed was that it got up to speed incredibly fast. No wonder they

sold so many of them."

And continue to do so still today

with the latest Technics models designed primarily for pro DJ use. The

Guitar Center I work at can't always keep 'em in stock half

the time. And since they're derived from the old consumer SL-1200

and later 'tables, even with beefed up pro motor drives, they're more

than capable of being excellent consumer 'tables today (without

the DJ cartridges from Stanton, Ortofon, and Numark).

Actually mine is the "elder statesman" SL-1200, the original w/o the

incrediby high torque of the "pro" versions. Still, it has the

super dense, heavy base, brushless DC motor, and a pretty darn nice

tonearm.

[jt1stcav]

Like this model? It is a cool lookin' turntable IMO. Glad to see that many still hold these old Technics in high regards (they've proven themselves for over 30 years now, so that has to say something)![Y]

[whell]

Jim - that's the one! Of couse, the one in that picture looks a

bit less well travelled than mine. All in all, though, everything

still works great on it. Just spinning some vinyl tonight, and it

is a treat to listen to this player!

[jt1stcav]

I agree, they can still perform, just like mine can. Unfortunantly, my '84 Stanton 981HZS cartridge is old and tired, and the replacement stylus is no longer available for this long-discontinued MM. I really need a new cartridge (preferably a high-output MC), but I'm low on funds for the moment so I don't play my LPs as often as I'd like for fear of possibly damaging them (I doubt the replacement stylus is that bad off, but why take the chance?).

I also own a worn Sumiko Blue Point MC cartridge that I'd like to trade in thru NeedleDoctor.com's trade-up policy...buy a new Blue Point or Blue Point Special at their reduced price, and send the old cartridge back to them in the new Sumiko package; a great deal if you ask me. Then I'll be back to spinnin' vinyl each and every night!