Comprehensive turntable measurements by Hi-Fi News

[Ilkless]

Occasionally I browse hi-fi magazines with measurements at the local Kinokuniya. Hi-Fi News from the UK (now part of the same parent company as Stereophile) does less comprehensive speaker, amp and DAC measurements compared to JA at Stereophile, but does comprehensive measurements for turntables and cartridges. Stereophile does not measure vinyl equipment except for phono preamps occasionally. They've now started to upload several reviews with measurements here.

A few issues ago, I'd read about the glowing praise they had for the Technics SL-1200 reissue, which measured close to state-of-the-art in a much cheaper and less cumbersome package compared to some esoterica. The SL-1200 measurements don't seem to be online. But the SL-1000R one is: https://www.hifinews.com/content/technics-sl-1000r-turntablearm-lab-report. State-of-the-art in every respect and conspicuously better than cottage industry darlings such as VPI, SME and TechDAS. Speaks to what can be yielded from evidence-based engineering in a conglomerate given massive economies of scale and R&D capability - all things that are hard to come by for competing turntable manufacturers.

 

[amirm]

Good measurements (for turntable) but didn't realize the 1000R retailed for $20,000.

 

[Daverz]

I realize these new Technics tables are only superficially like the SL-1200, but it was only back in the 2000s that one could buy a new SL-1200 for, IIRC, under $500 at B&H Photo.

Also VPI has a couple direct-drive tables:

https://www.musicdirect.com/best-se...MI94CDutX54gIVCNtkCh3wcgu8EAQYASABEgL-WvD_BwE

And I wouldn't sneeze at the engineering of SME tables and arms.

 

[Phorize]

Occasionally I browse hi-fi magazines with measurements at the local Kinokuniya. Hi-Fi News from the UK (now part of the same parent company as Stereophile) does less comprehensive speaker, amp and DAC measurements compared to JA at Stereophile, but does comprehensive measurements for turntables and cartridges. Stereophile does not measure vinyl equipment except for phono preamps occasionally. They've now started to upload several reviews with measurements here.

A few issues ago, I'd read about the glowing praise they had for the Technics SL-1200 reissue, which measured close to state-of-the-art in a much cheaper and less cumbersome package compared to some esoterica. The SL-1200 measurements don't seem to be online. But the SL-1000R one is: https://www.hifinews.com/content/technics-sl-1000r-turntablearm-lab-report. State-of-the-art in every respect and conspicuously better than cottage industry darlings such as VPI, SME and TechDAS. Speaks to what can be yielded from evidence-based engineering in a conglomerate given massive economies of scale and R&D capability - all things that are hard to come by for competing turntable manufacturers.

You make a valid point, not sure I’d characterise SME as ‘cottage industry’ though, a 1/3 of their business is precision engineering for a range of applications, including those of NASA.

 

[Rja4000]

Reminds me of this...
1981

 

[Tom C]

SME is hardly cottage industry. Although the founder passed away a couple years ago, he was a talented engineer.
I’ve got a technics SL-1200GR I got a few months ago ($1,600) which produces excellent sound, and I think is very good for the money. My VPI Classic 4 is better, though. VPI is a family business, but they’ve been at it 40 years.

 

[anmpr1]

I’ve got a technics SL-1200GR I got a few months ago ($1,600) which produces excellent sound, and I think is very good for the money.

In 2005 I bought an SL-1200 Mk5 simply because I figured Panasonic was going to get out of the business, and I didn't know how much longer my SL-110 (1975) would be around. The 110 is still cranking, so I probably should have waited for the GR. I paid $500.00 at a guitar store for the 1200.

If I had a new GR, I'd definitely get in to 78 RPM records. In fact I am considering the KAB upgrade for this reason. $175.00, which seems fair.

 

[Tom C]

I was a little frustrated by 78’s. The market for the disks is small, so they’re hard to find for a reasonable price. And fragile. And you get one song per side. Also, you have to switch out cartridges and reset VTF, antiskating. It’s fun, but you have to be in the mood. The digital clean up technologies have gotten pretty good, so it’s much easier to listen to a digital file of the same material. I know, the same can be said of any LP, but for shellac the differences are much greater (IMO, that is).

 

[pozz]

Link to SL-1210 GR measurements.

Seems to be the same source and method by Miller Research, who also apparently sell testing equipment: QC Suite.

 

[Tom C]

Same person, right?

 

[anmpr1]

I just watched a video review of the new Mk7. A DJ who sounded like he was from England. Interesting take. He liked everything about the deck... except that it was lightweight compared to the previous 1200 series. He couldn't figure out why Panasonic would market a DJ specific deck with all the nice features, but then make it lighter, and more susceptible to feedback. For this he was very perplexed. For use in a club, he thought the lack of heft would be a deal breaker, compared to even less expensive models from other companies. Note: this is not the four thousand dollar model, which is apparently tank like, but the new thousand dollar DJ oriented 1200 version 7. Strange.