The Technics SL-1300 is a great example of what I refer to as classic direct-drive decks from the golden era of excellence in the engineering and manufacture of turntables. Technics made a range of decks and this was one of the best of the consumer models. With a nicely balanced 2.5kg platter, aluminium chassis, Technics’ […]
I get asked this turntable FAQ all the time. Is there a simple answer? Usually, yes. There is nothing new in turntable design and much of the best turntable engineering and design was done back in the 70’s and 80’s. Sure there was some junk from the time too, but it was cheap to buy even
The Technics SL-1200 direct drive turntable, in its various iterations, will be well known to most vinyl lovers these days. They have become almost legendary for different reasons – DJs love them for their fast startup and solid build; home users love them for their engineering and audio bang for the buck. Make no mistake
Clients will often ask: “Mike, does my deck really need a service?” Based on experience, there are very few situations where a service won’t noticeably improve turntable performance. I usually reply with “Have you ever had it serviced?”, “Has the bearing oil ever been changed?” and “Has your cartridge ever been properly aligned?” You can probably imagine
I’ve just finished restoring two lovely decks – a Systemdek with Rega RB250 arm, and a Connoisseur BD1. Regular viewers will know just how much I love working on interesting turntables and these are two good examples. Systemdek The Systemdek had some strange symptoms: the platter would start turning in the wrong direction, there was
