technics sl1200 mk3

[duficity]

Ok, I have finally bit the bullet and decided to see what all the fuss is about and bought a Technics SL1200 mk3 on ebay. Should get it in about a week. Does anyone know the differences between the mk2 and mk3? What are the basic mods that SL1200 owners do to their tables to get the best performance? I will likely build a plinth for it later, but wont be changing out the tonearm right away? I might add a townshend trouqh and paddle assembly, since I see one of the mods recommended is a tonearm damper at the pivot. Any other suggestions?

[cafe latte]

Not up on the Mk2 and 3 differences, but before you start planning you new arm and what mods you will do, fit a really good cart, and listen to it stock. Maybe a damper trough will be a good mod, also modding it to take any rcas is a good idea, but why mess with a perfectly good plinth?
My Sl1210 with a stanton 881 with a Jico stylus or my Decca super gold sounds amazing. Mine is stock apart from an arm rewire and rca leads. When I bought mine I was going to change the arm , psu ect but when I heard it I left it mainly stock as in my opinion it is excellent as it is. The Technics really needs the right cart to make it shine this is were you should start.
Regards
CL

[bubba45]

What Cafe Latte said.
Stock with the right cart it's an excellent TT. If you are going to mod it then try new feet - sorbothane pods or rubber screw in cones before Isonoe feet - and then a new platter mat.
The sorbothane pods / rubber cones seem to add a little more isolation over the original feet. Both of these are very cost effective upgrades as they cost little and give a slight improvement. I didn't bother with Isonoe feet.
The Technics rubber mat is fine tbh but there are mats that help with the sound from bottom up (according to my taste and IME):
Herbie's mat - small improvement. Seems to give a bit more focus to the sound
Funk Firm Achromat - much bigger improvement over the original. Definitely more focus to the sound, tonal balance improved and actually separates the different sounds out from each other much more.
Sound Dead Steel Isoplatmat & Isocover - best of the ones I tried by a distance but also the most costly. In truth I got mine as part of a package of a 2nd hand 1210 on eBay. By the time I sold the bits I didn't want this cost me virtually nothing. if I was buying from new I'd have stuck with the Achromat.

I tried different arms but went back to the stock one in the end and left it as is. It's a fine and underrated arm as is tbh.

I think the main difference is that the MK3 has the same kind of pitch control as a MK5 - e.g. you can press a button next to the pitch slider and disable the pitch control so it stays quartz locked at perfect pitch. Or if you've adjust the pitch you press the button and it automatically returns to perfect pitch again.

Be good to hear your thoughts when you get it set up.

[KentT]

Agreed with keeping the stock arm but rewiring with Cardas. Like the Funk Firm Achromat as a bang for the buck upgrade and the Isonoe feet.

[Cobra2]

If I remember correct, the Mk3 has -78- speed as an extra feature, all other should be similar.

Arne K

[djlotus]

Many people confuse the MK3 and M3D.
If it is a true MK3, the only differences are gold plated RCAs, gold foil logo on back, and most likely a 110 volt power supply as these were only released in the Japanese market.
If it is a M3D, the only differences are the hinges no longer lock in, no indent at 0% pitch, and a Quartz Lock to 0% pitch button.
All unmentioned features are the exact same as the MK2

[Cobra2]

I was wrong, 78-speed came on Mk4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technics_SL-1200

Arne K