Just Upgraded from a Fluance RT 85 with Ortofon Blue to a Technics Sl 1200 GR with AT 95 ML

[My adventures in stereo]

I am a relative new to Turntables and vinyl
Picked up a Fluance RT 85 belt drive turntable, prefitted with a Ortofon blue MM cartridge
Great value at 500$, with acrylic platter and the cartridge
I really enjoyed using it with a Parasound Z phono XRM phono preamp
Learned the ropes with it and wanted to upgrade to a more robust mechanical turntable

Really liked what I read about technics direct drive turntable and their modern iterations
The SL 1200 GR, seemed to have the best value for money
The AT VM 95 ML seemed another excellent value option, with its long lasting stylus, tracking capabilities
Also a friend had the same combo & I liked how it sounded

So picked both up
The Technics comes packed very nicely, arrived with no damage
It is build like a tank and makes the fluance look like light weight in comparison
Connect the RCA, ground and power cables first, as recommended in the manual, before attempting to put the rest of the turntable together
The connectors are all on the bottom & this is a heavy turntable, not easy to hold with one hand and attach cables, I leared the hard way

The rest of the assembly was uneventful
Having a look at unboxing videos on YouTube earlier, paid dividends

If using a relatively light weight cartridge like the AT 95, no need to add the extra weight, at the end of the tonearm, just the regular counter weight will do
set the tracking force & antiskating to 2 gm
The tone arm appeared parallel with the above calibration, hence no VTA adjustment done

The controls on the Technics are very straightforward and robust, love the blue LED
The torque makes cleaning vinyl with a carbon fiber brush really smooth

Went on try my new Steelydan " Cant buy a Thrill" and was pleasantly surprised by the sound
The treble is less harsh than on the ortofon blue, the mids and low end are nicely detailed

 

[restorer-john]

That beep at 27 seconds sounds just like my kitchen cooking timer!

Lovely turntable and I'm glad you like it. Your recordings are also getting better. Still a very reflective, live room, but the image and balance is spot-on now.

 

[My adventures in stereo]

That beep at 27 seconds sounds just like my kitchen cooking timer!

Lovely turntable and I'm glad you like it. Your recordings are also getting better. Still a very reflective, live room, but the image and balance is spot-on now.

Thanks
That was my AC, forgot I was recording

Glad you feel the recordings are improving
Was recorded on my phone with a Shure MV 88 +, too lazy to setup the Rode and audient
Will get a carpet for the floor
wont forget, how you picked up the balance issue from a recording

 

[My adventures in stereo]

This is my first turntable with VTA adjustment, it sounds fine as is and visually the tonearm looks horizontal and sounds balanced
Ordered a acrylic block, hw do you set VTA?

 

[My adventures in stereo]

Really enjoying this aesthetically

 

[Godataloss]

This is my first turntable with VTA adjustment, it sounds fine as is and visually the tonearm looks horizontal and sounds balanced
Ordered a acrylic block, hw do you set VTA?

You can pretty much set it by eye (and ears). I used to obsess over it until I got a table with VTA (Really SRA- stylus rake angle) on the fly. Once I could twiddle to my hearts content, I quickly came to realize that my eyes and ears method was all I needed. Anyone that claims they can hear fractional degrees in changes of alignment is full of poo. The clear alignment blocks are definitely worthwhile though for setting azimuth as you have a much shorter axis to align in that plane. Balancing a cocktail straw on the headshell as a reference is a good helper. Obviously you want do this before you set your tracking force.

 

[DVDdoug]

I don't play records anymore but occasionally I'll digitize one.

I do like direct drive with no belts or drive wheels to wear out. I have an older Technics direct drive and it still works fine. It was a lower cost model without the high-torque "DJ" motor in the SL 1200.

In the vinyl days I was always upgrading, or wanting to upgrade my cartridge. Mainly I was looking for better frequency response (probably more highs!). But the records themselves were the main source of frequency response variation, and I knew that, so that was foolish. And I used to "feel guilty" if I was using EQ or tone controls... Or maybe I just thought my system was inadequate if I had to EQ, but it was mostly the records.

 

[My adventures in stereo]

You can pretty much set it by eye (and ears). I used to obsess over it until I got a table with VTA (Really SRA- stylus rake angle) on the fly. Once I could twiddle to my hearts content, I quickly came to realize that my eyes and ears method was all I needed. Anyone that claims they can hear fractional degrees in changes of alignment is full of poo. The clear alignment blocks are definitely worthwhile though for setting azimuth as you have a much shorter axis to align in that plane. Balancing a cocktail straw on the headshell as a reference is a good helper. Obviously you want do this before you set your tracking force.

Thanks for the feedback on VTA adjustment, the acrylic block verified , my visual setting, I did not need to adjust

I don't play records anymore but occasionally I'll digitize one.

I do like direct drive with no belts or drive wheels to wear out. I have an older Technics direct drive and it still works fine. It was a lower cost model without the high-torque "DJ" motor in the SL 1200.

In the vinyl days I was always upgrading, or wanting to upgrade my cartridge. Mainly I was looking for better frequency response (probably more highs!). But the records themselves were the main source of frequency response variation, and I knew that, so that was foolish. And I used to "feel guilty" if I was using EQ or tone controls... Or maybe I just thought my system was inadequate if I had to EQ, but it was mostly the records.

Interesting , that the records themselves are the source of frequency response variation
Will keep that in mind

 

[srkis]

Not surprised that you liked VM95ML better over the 2M Blue (EN), though never heard an Ortofon. While elliptical nude IS better then bonded elliptical, the ML is just an another dimension. To both EB and EN... When the stylus on my VM95E came to end, decided to spend an extra 100€ and try the ML. DID expect it to be better, but boy... the difference was heaven and earth... Suddenly all my 40 yrs old vinyls sounded as if they were remasters. Had to go through my entire collection again... Also appeared that the ML succesfully "hides" imperfections, scratches etc. on worn and/or SH records... Those 100€ are among the best bang for the buck in my 40+ yrs with HiFi!
PS. I run it on an SL1210MK2.

 

[My adventures in stereo]

Thanks for sharing, glad you are enjoying your rig

 

[Bernard23]

I am a relative new to Turntables and vinyl
Picked up a Fluance RT 85 belt drive turntable, prefitted with a Ortofon blue MM cartridge
Great value at 500$, with acrylic platter and the cartridge
I really enjoyed using it with a Parasound Z phono XRM phono preamp
Learned the ropes with it and wanted to upgrade to a more robust mechanical turntable
View attachment 243650

Really liked what I read about technics direct drive turntable and their modern iterations
The SL 1200 GR, seemed to have the best value for money
The AT VM 95 ML seemed another excellent value option, with its long lasting stylus, tracking capabilities
Also a friend had the same combo & I liked how it sounded

So picked both up
The Technics comes packed very nicely, arrived with no damage
It is build like a tank and makes the fluance look like light weight in comparison
Connect the RCA, ground and power cables first, as recommended in the manual, before attempting to put the rest of the turntable together
The connectors are all on the bottom & this is a heavy turntable, not easy to hold with one hand and attach cables, I leared the hard way

The rest of the assembly was uneventful
Having a look at unboxing videos on YouTube earlier, paid dividends

If using a relatively light weight cartridge like the AT 95, no need to add the extra weight, at the end of the tonearm, just the regular counter weight will do
set the tracking force & antiskating to 2 gm
The tone arm appeared parallel with the above calibration, hence no VTA adjustment done

The controls on the Technics are very straightforward and robust, love the blue LED
The torque makes cleaning vinyl with a carbon fiber brush really smooth

Went on try my new Steelydan " Cant buy a Thrill" and was pleasantly surprised by the sound
The treble is less harsh than on the ortofon blue, the mids and low end are nicely detailed

View attachment 243651


View attachment 243652View attachment 243653View attachment 243654

I've just bought the same cartridge and same headshell separately to use on my SL-1800. How did you set up the overhang, and to what distance?

 

[My adventures in stereo]

i did not adjust the overhang

 

[Bernard23]

Ah OK, presumably it was pre-fitted?

 

[My adventures in stereo]

Ah OK, presumably it was pre-fitted?

Exactly

 

[srkis]

I've just bought the same cartridge and same headshell separately to use on my SL-1800. How did you set up the overhang, and to what distance?

SL-1300 through SL-1800 use the same overhang as SL-1200, that is 52mm. Dunno about VTA, though...

 

[Bernard23]

I've read somewhere, and my memory fails me of the names of the two theories, but 52mm is one option, there is another at 46mm? Different points of max and min tracking angle error that result in different distortion profiles as you track across a record. Anyway, in the first instance I've got to figure out a way of ensuring the cartridge is parallel to the headshell to minimise azimuth errors. can't wait....

 

[andrewskaterrr]

It's funny, I was originally going to get a RT-85, but after listening to direct output of player comparisons on Youtube, and Ortofon Blue vs VM540ML comparisons, I went SL-1200MK5 + VM540ML. It's my first "good" TT, and 2nd one I've ever owned. It sounds great. I wanted them for their more neutral sound, and I feel they are. I heard the Ortofon Blue was bright, so I moved away from that.

 

[Chester]

SL-1300 through SL-1800 use the same overhang as SL-1200, that is 52mm. Dunno about VTA, though...

Related to this, does anyone know if a correctly aligned cart and headshell on a Technics MK2 could be put straight on to a Technics GR?

 

[drmevo]

Related to this, does anyone know if a correctly aligned cart and headshell on a Technics MK2 could be put straight on to a Technics GR?

As far as I understand it, yes, they are both the same 52mm overhang.

 

[Boltman92124]

Related to this, does anyone know if a correctly aligned cart and headshell on a Technics MK2 could be put straight on to a Technics GR?

Yes it's the same overhang. But I wanted to add that the pre-fitted cart/headshell like the vm95ml/H should be double checked. Mine came with 49mm between the rubber washer and tip. It needs to be 52mm for the Technics stock alignment. The little Technics jig/alignment tool is a must have for Technics owners.