This year's vinyl system changes

[Wildcat]

I've never been an all-out, get-every-last-detail type of turntable owner, but I do like it to sound as good as it possibly can. Even more than that, I need it to be reliable, and easy to use.

My last turntable was a mixed bag. When it was on point, it could sound quite good. Yet it had its issues, some of them being design shortcuts, others being build quality issues. It was also the second from the top of the line for that company at the time and today, that model sells for what my new, current rig costs at retail. (I won't mention the manufacturer or model--I don't really want to publicly shame them, but they are a big name from Europe.) At best it could be frustrating, and such little things as taking way too long for the platter to spin up, especially at 45 RPM (20-25 seconds), and landing at 45.1 RPM vs. 45.0 RPM...just little annoyances that had me avoiding records for a while. And being a belt drive with a heavy platter, it had its days of sounding anywhere from sort of stable speed-wise to dreadful. (I even made my own belt from silicone, which worked better.)

I was watching a particular model at Music Direct and, this past June when they finally got some in stock, I contacted them and made a trade-in for the turdtable I owned. They were more than generous, and I drove it over to Chicago to make the swap.

I ended up getting the Technics SL-1210G, the black version of the well-reviewed 1200G/1200GAE that made all the waves in the press, which shares nothing at all with the 1200 series of the past (even though they look the same). I have to say that the speed stability is the biggest improvement I hear--I've never heard anything like it. (I'm hyper-sensitive to pitch.) If I had to guess, this modern motor and control technology is probably more stable than the Technics motors used on all of those cutting lathes from decades ago. I like that the platter also gets up to speed nearly instantly, and that the speed is adjustable (again, due to the pitch). And 78 RPM can be achieved by pressing both the 33 and 45 buttons simultaneously. Interchangeable headshells is a good feature, especially since I have a 78 RPM cartridge and can now reduce my playback all down to a single turntable, vs. keeping an older modified turntable around just to play a single speed.

What else I like is the look and feel--the controls all work smoothly and with precision. And it's reliable. I always know it's going to start up, and the motor isn't going to stall like it did on my previous turdtable. The only changes I made were to replace the rubber mat with a better one, and I put the whole thing on a thick slab of wood (from Butcher Block Acoustics) supported by a set of four ISO Acoustics isolators. And the 1210G has its own isolation feet as well. Resting a hand on top of the plinth, I feel absolutely no vibration from the sound in the room at high volume.

Since one of my tasks with the turntable is to transfer vinyl to digital, both to store it on my server for later playback anywhere in the house, but also for uploading to YouTube. It has made that workflow a bit easier.

My second upgrade was to finally get ahold of a SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-1 Plus. It is every bit as good as you've heard, and I've rescued so many records I have given up on that is was well worth the money. I had to find this one used, on eBay, since SweetVinyl has been in a pinch due to supply chain issues. For doing the vinyl transfers to digital, I feed the analog output of the SugarCube right to my TASCAM digital recorder. Otherwise, I use the coaxial digital output and send it to my DirectStream Jr. Unless the SugarCube is dialed in improperly, I (like many others) hear nothing detrimental to the sound. I've tried various filters in my audio editor on the computer (even pro audio filters) and nothing comes close to this. It greatly reduced my workflow when transferring to digital, too.

It's really nice to be able to simply pull out a record and play it. And to play so many of them I could never enjoy since they were too noisy.

Sure, I'd love one of those Clearaudio monstrosities that cost more than our house, and a DS Audio optical cartridge system to go along with it, but this works just fine for my needs which, admittedly, are occasionally outside the scope of what many audiophiles use a turntable for. And it'll no doubt outlive me--this thing is heavy and built like a tank.

And it does sound good...no complaints here!

[admin]

Congrats on the new Technics player. Technics has such a great history with turntables and the look and design is so unique. One of the last few high end manufacturers that use direct drive. But they figured it out and perfected the system. The SL-1210G is visually great. That huge pitch adjuster is such a cool thing to have on the table. They really pack a lot of stuff onto the table which is a different direction than many other manufacturers go (ie platter, arm, and separated and nothing else).

I know you don't want to name the European turntable manufacturer that gave you problems, but please say it's not Rega. Their turntables have a special place in my heart.

The Sugarcube is a very controversial move. Digitally "cleaning" the analog signal. I think you will get very polarizing opinions. Those that say you are killing the vinyl sound and turning it into streaming/digital and of course those that will embrace the new pop free sound.

What was your overall impression with music direct? I've never bought from them before but they always send me these beautiful catalogs. I like flipping through it as they have better pictures on higher quality paper than any of the trade magazines.

[AnotherJohnson]

Technics has always had a good build quality with useful features. Back in the day their best was not uncommon in Nashville studios. I had a Tecnics in regular use in a second (or third) system up until maybe 2016.

I still keep an old Dual for 78s … I can keep the Shure spherical stylus on that table as “dedicated.” A nice thing about the REF Phono preamps from ARC is their inclusion of additional equalization curves and their inclusion of several gain options. Of course there are some others that also include such features.

I think Bill Stephenson had a Sugar Cube and he really liked it too. He was using VPI’s 40th Anniversary table and a TEA1 s3. He hasn’t posted in a long time.

Glad you’re having fun with the vinyl. It’s better for your health since you’re up and down three or four times every hour.

[AnotherJohnson]

I know you don't want to name the European turntable manufacturer that gave you problems, but please say it's not Rega. Their turntables have a special place in my heart.

Regas are pretty bullet proof. I doubt that it was a Rega.

Linns are difficult to set up, but the only ones I know who criticize the build quality are the folks who are still angry that Ivor stiff armed his partner back at the beginning. I’ve built several LP12s from parts and I’ve never had any issues with fit, finish, or function.

Clearaudio makes good stuff with good quality control too.

With the Japanese you are generally going to get consistency if nothing else.

There are some brands from Eastern Europe that may disappoint from sample to sample, but this is true for some US brands too. If you get a good one, you’ll be happy. But if you need customer service to get it sorted out, you may be frustrated.

FWIW, my experience with Music Direct has been positive over the years.

[Wildcat]

I know you don't want to name the European turntable manufacturer that gave you problems, but please say it's not Rega. Their turntables have a special place in my heart.

I won't mention any names, but I'll just say that I wouldn't *cough* Czech them out again if I were buying another turntable.

The Sugarcube is a very controversial move. Digitally "cleaning" the analog signal. I think you will get very polarizing opinions. Those that say you are killing the vinyl sound and turning it into streaming/digital and of course those that will embrace the new pop free sound.

On the contrary, a few diehard analog listeners I mentioned it to, who also owned it (and are in varying stages of digital-phobia), were quick to praise how transparent the SugarCube is. The internal ADC/DAC is quite good on its own, and sending it in my system to the DirectStream Jr. is icing on the cake. It's just as easy to press a button and bypass it completely if I ever want the all-analog experience. But the records it has saved, and that I'm now able to enjoy, far outweigh any disadvantages that I may not even hear. I honestly feared a backlash when I first saw the first units many years ago, but the overall vibe online has surprisingly been positive, especially for someone like me who has more than a few decades of records purchased and inherited.

As a torture test, I ran an old record of my dad's through the unit, with the controls set on "Stun." Did it clear up everything? No. But it made that relic a lot more listenable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUx-BdX4OWs

What was your overall impression with music direct? I've never bought from them before but they always send me these beautiful catalogs. I like flipping through it as they have better pictures on higher quality paper than any of the trade magazines.

Having dealt with them online, and having met the staff a few times at AXPONA, they're top notch. In fact, one year at AXPONA, I was looking for some inexpensive isolation feet for a component of mine (Vibrapods, #2). Their manager mentioned that since they were out of stock at the show, he'd stop by the warehouse and pick a few up. Next day, he forgot...but he handed me the next set up (#3 Vibrapods) and told me, "On the house." When I bought a defective LP pressing that same year, I sent an email and they had a replacement on the way to me very quickly. If you email a sales inquiry, you'll usually get an individual to correspond with, who will help you through the sale.

[Wildcat]

I think Bill Stephenson had a Sugar Cube and he really liked it too. He was using VPI’s 40th Anniversary table and a TEA1 s3. He hasn’t posted in a long time.

Glad you’re having fun with the vinyl. It’s better for your health since you’re up and down three or four times every hour.

For sure! Especially when I spin those 45 RPM sets. I need all the exercise I can get lately!

I know some vinyl fans complain about those 45 RPM sets, as they have to get up and flip records more often. I used to spend evenings spinning my 12-inch singles, where I was getting up every 5-10 minutes. So it never bothered me.

[AnotherJohnson]

Regarding the Sugar Cube products, they definitely fill a niche.

I use a VPI MW-1 religiously. It pretty much takes the grit based noise away. I’ve had VPI and/or Nitty Gritty RCMs since 1985. I am a fan.

I have a Kirmuss for “restoration.” I don’t use it much. I don’t need it very much. Harry Weisfeld (sp?) told me he liked ultrasonic cleaning for grungy record store and dumpster finds.

The Sugar Cube can help with actual damage, whereas the RCM or USCM can’t help there. I’ve thought about buying one, but I honestly don’t need it for 95+% of my records. When I was young I would clean the record and then tape it on a 3 head deck with chrome tape. I played the tapes most of the time to save the record.

It’s nice to have modern tools. I may revisit the sugar cube idea at some point.

[AnotherJohnson]

Another thing that can have significant impact on surface noise caused by dirt or wear is stylus profile.

If the record has been worn out by play with a conical or elliptical stylus, switching to something like a Shibata or other hyper elliptical or line contact profile can get you data from below the worn depth and it may sound new.

[AnotherJohnson]

Regarding the TT with the Czechered past, I’ve always been more suspicious of Music Hall than of Project. But …

Upscale has made it a point this year to offer a free service of “checking out and setting up” any TT they sell to you. But you have to ask them to do it. They say that a lot of TTs have been coming through with serious QC issues. Some people don’t want an open box, but in the case of TTs, I think it’s wise to let the dealer go through it before shipping.

[admin]

Are the QC issues with the low end models only? It would be rather appalling if a high end turntable had QC issues.

It's good customer service to have them look it over before delivery. Good on them.

[AnotherJohnson]

Are the QC issues with the low end models only? It would be rather appalling if a high end turntable had QC issues.

You would be surprised at how some high end TT QC is lacking.

There are some very well known offenders with disappointing showings in their five figure offerings. I’ve owned two US made models that were $6k and $12k, and both had fit, finish, function, and Gremlin issues. That why I returned to Linn. I was really glad that I’d not sold my LP12s after several months of fighting with things like glue blocking ground paths, bogus bias force compensation, jury rigged wiring harnesses and the like.

Right now I’m streaming Jessie James Decker’s “This Christmas”. Amazon mixed tracks with some 44/16 and some 48/24. I’ve never heard her before. If you like hot chicks singing modern country music, it’s actually pretty good. Chalk another one up in favor of streaming. Free, fast, good. Did I mention free?

[AnotherJohnson]

You’ve commented on liking Rega. RJ is a fan too.

Back in the day the standard recommendation from the British audio press was to buy an LP12 if you could afford it. And if you couldn’t, buy the Rega Planar 3 with RB300 arm.

It was good advice.

Nowadays Rega has many models and their strength is in their simplicity and high quality. It’s hard to screw them up, and set up is pretty easy. If I were not already set with Linn, I’d consider one of the higher level Rega set ups. You don’t upgrade them though. You can’t turn a 6 into an 8 or a 10.

If a good dealer is available to support you, the entry level
LP12 is still my recommendation for someone just starting out if they can afford it and are really serious about vinyl. Otherwise the Rega 3 and current version of the arm is a solid alternative. Of course the best advice for a noobie is “reconsider.” Do you really want to go down the vinyl rat hole?

[admin]

And if you couldn’t, buy the Rega Planar 3 with RB300 arm.

And that is exactly what I had!

[AnotherJohnson]

My approach was to buy a used LP12. An audiophile/friend/salesman was downsizing, and also lusting after higher level gear. I bought his Valhalla LP12 and first generation Ittok arm for $500. That’s the one that has evolved into my current highest level LP12. The factory recorded my serial number and gave me a new stick on label when I upgraded the old picture frame afromosia wood plinth to the new style corner braced rose nut. When I upgraded to Chris Harban’s Woburn Abby Oak plinth, the sticker moved too. Tom O’Keefe said that if I upgrade to the Radikal 2 motor/controller, the factory will install my serial number on the new external box.

Since the streaming projects (both the ND8006 and the Node) have actually gone better than I’d expected them to, I’m less inclined to drop another pile of money on the LP12. But … it is nice that Linn has supported the LP12 platform continuously for all these decades. I think next year may be the 50th anniversary. Tom O’Keefe has speculated that they may be doing something special to celebrate. I dunno …

I do know that in spite of my disappointment that the only way to get good service is to deal with dealers hundreds (or even thousands) of miles away, the TT itself has never disappointed.

[AnotherJohnson]

I think next year may be the 50th anniversary. Tom O’Keefe has speculated that they may be doing something special to celebrate.

I am wrong. 2022 was Linn’s 50th anniversary.

And less than a week left to celebrate.

At least I didn’t miss it entirely… and it did get the Karousel upgrade and Tom’s set up.

[Wildcat]

Are the QC issues with the low end models only? It would be rather appalling if a high end turntable had QC issues.

Mine wasn't top of the line...but it was second from top of the line. Basically a version with a 10-inch arm as opposed to a 12-inch arm.

I had no complaints about the appearance--the base was mahogany, a nice rich color. But it was a multitude of other things that frustrated me.

• The cueing lever stopped working after a year. I ended up disassembling and reassembling it, and it (sort of) worked up until I got rid of it.
• The dust cover would not clear the platter if there was a record on it.
• The dust cover hinges and their "damping" system were nothing more than L-shaped pieces of round stainless steel clamped down with screws.
• The bumpers for the dust cover were ten-cent silicone stick-on thingies that fell off after less than a year.
• The pulley became loose on the motor spindle and I had to put a dab of glue on top of it to keep the motor shaft from spinning inside it.
• The belt was crap. I ended up making my own out of square silicone o-ring material.
• The platter took forever to get up to speed; the speed increment displayed as the processor did its work. It took far longer to get up to 45 RPM (the digits on the readout incremented much more slowly). It was frustrating to use.
  45 RPM always settled in at 45.1 RPM.
• The tonearm wires were so fragile that I was always constantly afraid of snapping them off. The cartridge clips were also flimsy.
• The tonearm was a nice carbon fiber design, except the finger lift was so small and inadequately shaped to be of any use.
• The back sides of the counterweights were ugly--just raw silicone blobs and metal, not covered at all. It just looked cheap, even if you rarely ever saw it.
• We were given four counterweights that had numbers on them, but the numbers correlated to absolutely nothing and seem assigned at random. Even the manual didn't mention what they were, only to say that they were of different masses for heavier or lighter cartridges.
• One of the magnetic levitating feet came apart as I was trying to adjust it.
• The anti-skating was a tiny weight that needed to be looped onto a post. For one of my cartridges it wasn't enough mass to counteract antiskating--they should have enclosed another, heavier weight, or used a system similar to what I have on my old Grace G707-II arm.
• Over the last couple of years, the motor would be in a "stall" and would require turning it off and back on, giving the platter a spin to get it moving.
• The platter was continually dirty on the edges the entire time I owned it. Tried cleaning it several times, even with solvents--a black manufacturing grime came off each time. Seriously, shouldn't they have cleaned this at the factory? (Although I never thought to try CRC brake cleaner on it--works great on break fluid, oil, and engine grime when I'm working on cars.)
• Their tonearm interconnect was crap--the bass was breaking up the sound. Only I didn't realize it until I swapped in a used Morrow Audio cable, so, something in the connection in the original cable was suspect.

If some of these seem nitpicky, sure, they might be. But at this price point, it's inexcusable. One or two minor things? Sure. But overall these things added up to a miserable ownership experience.

The only minor complaint I have about the SL-1210G is that the machining for the strobe band is not 100% perfect--just a small cosmetic issue. But the rest is spot-on and there isn't a single issue with any of the functions. I just turn it on, and it works.

Regarding the TT with the Czechered past, I’ve always been more suspicious of Music Hall than of Project.

They're both made in the same Czech factory, as is EAT (European Audio Team) which was designed (and/or run?) by the wife of Pro-Ject's founder, from what I recall. As I understand it, Roy Hall creates the designs for the models he sells, and has them built at the Pro-Ject facility. In a sense, I'd think the Music Hall turntables might be somewhat better, as Roy can be quite cantankerous if there is something he doesn't like. And his designs are unique, not just clones of existing Pro-Ject products. I had an older MMF-2.1 that I bought used with a broken tonearm wire--fixed that, and it was a solid little spare turntable that never let me down, and sounded better than it had any right to, given the lower cost of materials used.

What really undermines the seriousness of Pro-Ject in my eyes are all the novelty turntables they build now. Metallica? Check. Yellow submarine? Check. Vertical turntables? Check. (Czech, mate??)

[AnotherJohnson]

I can feel your pain.

Many people have similar lousy experiences with a certain US brand, including me.

It doesn’t seem nitpicky to me. I am not a fan of gear where excuses are thought to be excuses rather than revelation of a screw up.

I’m glad you were able to get the Technics. And that it is performing well, as I would expect it to.

In my opinion, the most likely to please turntables (in no particular order) are Rega, Linn, Clearaudio, and the upper levels of Technics, Yamaha and Denon.

McIntosh and Levinson rebadge TTs from others. All the little one off type $100k plus guys are Mom & Pop, and a spot for more excuses down the road. Anything with a unipivot tonearm is to be avoided at all cost. Anything with a poor excuse for anti skate (like wind the wire two turns or similar) is an excuse squared. Give them a wide birth.

[Wildcat]

I've never been a fan of unipivot arms myself as from a mechanical standpoint, I don't understand how they can keep a cartridge perfectly stable. I also wouldn't have the patience to set one up, nor are my eyesight and motor skills what they used to be compared to decades ago. But they do have their fans, and I've heard a couple at the audio shows that sound really nice.

One lower-cost table I liked was the rebirth of the ELAC Miracord several years ago--it sounded good, looked fantastic (attractive styling, nice build quality), but it seems ELAC has abandoned them once again.

And I think it ages us when we say that the LP12 and Rega 3 were the go-to turntables back in the day. My favorite local audio salon used to carry both of those, and this was from about 1978 onward, up until CDs started taking over in the mid 80s. They were our local source for those brands. But on a refreshing note, they weren't the uptight, snobby type of dealer (like one of their competitors a few miles up the road, who is still in business). They carried systems anyone could afford, but always offered a path to purchase something a little better for more money, with the promise to upgrade even further at a later time.

It's a shame they later had financial issues and shut down. It was a place you could go and never feel pressured to buy anything.

[AnotherJohnson]

I think a lot of businesses get into trouble by trying to make it work on less than adequate margin. Really to work well for a long time, you've got to have the right products, the right support, the right pricing, and maybe most important, the right location.

Our local dealer used to carry Linn. In fact we've had several Linn dealers in the area over the last 40 years. Either the dealer fails, or the dealer drops Linn as too much trouble.

I'm pretty chuffed about the LP12 though. How many products that were introduced in 1972 are still fully supported by the original manufacturer as they enter their sixth decade? It's a strong argument in favor of the LP12, and completely missed by the US based audiophile press.

[Wildcat]

I think some of the reasons behind some audio dealers going out of business is that they steadfastly remained out of the home theater market when it was first exploding in popularity (which is where a lot of the money went), along with mid-level retailers like Tech HiFi (who carried a range of brands and models that bridged the mass-market brands to near-high-end) disappearing in favor of big box stores like Best Buy who operated at a much larger scale and catered to the casual shoppers. The one "stuffy" audiophile store near me branched out into home theater and remained in business for 47 years until finally calling it quits this past September. (I get the feeling the owner wanted to retire, as it remained under the same ownership for all these years.)

There is a lot to be said for longevity, and the LP12 remains a classic to this day. All of the improvements over the years were simply Linn's way of discovering newer and better ways to get the most performance out of their platform. Even though I've never owned one, I've always had a soft spot for the LP12 and Linn's approach to it. I also recall that Linn may have had an entry-level table, and the Basik arm was also an entry-level piece. (I haven't really been in the loop that much over the past couple of decades.)