Technics SP10 MKII discussion

Hello all. I thought I would post a not-so-brief description of my road from Michell Syncro to an SP10 MKII. I've put this on Vinylengine.com too. I had written it here first but deleted my tab before I submitted, furious.

This is an advert effectively but I don't have a problem with that. This is an example of an excellent little business who really deliver on their promises.

THE BEGINNING

This time last year I was running a Michell Syncro, Linn basic+ and Denon DL304. It is a cracking little turntable and the cart is excellent for the price (200 UKP) but I was after something with much more solidity, sound stage, better timing and resolution. I also hankered after another DD.

after a bit of research on www.vinylengine.com and on www.thevintageknob.org I decided on an SP10MKII and because it looks so good I wanted the Obsidian Plinth. I set myself a limit of 1000.00 UKP. Complete SL1000 (motor and base) were going for 1300 UKP ono on ebay at the time.


THE SEARCH


1. The Base In Nov 06 I found an Obsidian Plinth on the US Ebay, I won the auction at $426.00 and waited with baited breath for my plinth to arrive whilst looking for a motor unit.

2. The Motor Unit While waiting for the base I found a motor unit on ebay Australia. It was advertised as 1 of 5 ex broadcast units in 'good condition'. I bought it for $600.00 Aus Dollars. Again I settled in for the unit to arrive by sea (the cheapest postage)

THE LET DOWN

Part A
Unfortunately the Base unit arrived (in February!) in pieces. It looked like it had been opened at the US end and dropped. I was pretty pissed off. The Seller was very helpful, but we have still not resolved the US Post Insurance claim.

AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH

I found out about a guy called Richard at Vantage Audio in the UK when I saw some pictures of a repaired Kenwood L07-D. I got in touch and sounded him out about the possibility of repairing my base. I wasn't hopeful to be honest, it was a real mess. Richard told me to wait for the motor and then asses if it was worth it but he at least sounded positive.

The pictures below show the SH10 - B3 base on arrival:



Part B

The motor Unit arrived in March and looked like it had the hardest paper round in the business. Like it had served time on the poop deck of Radio Caroline and been keel hauled for fighting a few times. Damn ebay seller, he isn't trading any more and only let me know he'd posted when I gave him 24hrs before contacting paypal and getting my cash back. Still, you take risks at that price and it was perfectly fine mechanically. The Picture below shows some detail:



I got in touch with Richard again and eventually I managed to meet up with him in person and hand over my damaged goods. He was extremely friendly and helpful. Crucially he agreed to try to keep the costs of repairs below 500 UKP. This would help me stay just within my limit.

What did he do nex?

The Base

Richard stripped the base into it's constituent parts, seperated the shattered pieces and then fixed, bonded, filled, sanded, filled, bonded, coated, sanded, coated and sealed it. It happened something like this:



Then



Then




And it ended up looking roughly like this:



Motor Unit

The motor Unit got a few litres of elbow grease, some rubbing, anodized and then a smooth coat of satin varnish to protect it. It went from:



To



THE FINISHED ARTICLE

I collected a couple of weeks ago and (as some will know) finished it off with a DV 505, Vantage Audio Tonearm Lead and Einstein EMT TU-2 (see 'review'). It sounds awesome to me and has produced exactly the sound I wanted. Even before I mounted the EMT the DL304 was performing wonders on the new TT. I think this little cart is capable of more than people realise.

The TT isn't cosmetically perfect but it's as close to it as I can imagine it without replacing any parts. Richard has done an outstanding job for a very reasonable price. It took a while as he had to squeeze it in amongst jobs that actually pay their way. I am delighted with the look, feel and the sound of my new TT

I can heartily recommend Richard and Vantage Audio for the repair / overhaul of these wonderful DD turntables (and probably much more besides). He's a qualified electronics technician with a lot of experience and has either owned or worked on most of the classic DDs, including the Nakamichi, and L07 -D (which he owns and specializes in). In this instance he has rescued what I thought was a dead turntable.

Cost

It cost me 976.00 UKP including repairs (capped at 500 quid) and without arm or cart. Not cheap but a good deck for the money IMHO. If the base hadn't arrived in bits I'd have used the cosmetically challenged motor unit for a total cost of only 490 quid!

It now looks like this:



POSTSCRIPT

I learned the following things:

1. If you are prepared to wait you can get things at a reasonable price
2. There is always a risk of damage / false advertising on ebay so have a contingency fund
3. Pay for the best shipping and Insurance you can afford.

The DV505 cost $800.00 Aus and works really well with the DV505. In total the deck, arm and cart cost me around 1800.00 UKP. Not cheap by any stretch but I don't think I'd have got a better combination buying new or nearly new. And no I haven't figured in petrol, time and worry into that cost. I'm happy

SOURCES / REFERENCES

www.vantageaudio.com

www.vantageaudio.com/info/KL20.htm

www.vinylengine.com/technicssp10mkii.shtml

www.soundfountain.com/amb/sp10page.html

 

great work, amazing recovery and a very nice arm, my sl1200 hankers after the dv505.
made fun reading too.

 

Nice write up and Richard sounds like a decent bloke. The work he's done on the plinth is great.

I think a number of these fine turntables are finding their way into British audio enthusiasts systems now, and prices are increasing all the time. Maybe it's time for someone like Sterling Broadcast or Vantage to make a small production run of aftermarket plinths?

I'm interested in the differences between your plinth and Murray's - on looks alone the Obisan one wins every time IMHO. I'm getting some slate cut for mine - I have a sneaking suspision it might be just the ticket when coupled to a large massy structure. Has there been any comparisons done on plinths anywhere do you know?

Finally what's the mat you are using? I've got the standard Technics one and don't want anything made of perspex.Are you going to consider a clamp as well? I've noticed in Japan there are a number of mats. I think the standard one is 294mm if Murray can confirm. That being the case, there are aftermarket mats over there from 47 Labs (295mm), Harmonix and others. One for our local correspondant to look into I think.

Thanks again for the post.

 

Mike,
Did you get the power supply seperate and was that all kosher?
Looking good!I used to use these decks professionaly(with the little wired remote stop starts) a loooong time ago, fabulous and 'only £499 in 1977
Frank

 

Verrryyy Nice Scott ~ Well worth the journey

Unfortunately mine is missing its Technics badge courtesy of some sodding vandal at BBC Norfolk !!!

 

About 5 years I bought a SP10mk11 BBC version for £70 - After a while It stopped working so sadly skiped it - I know know it was an easy fix. Then about 9 months ago I found a brilliant condition SP10 MK11 at a radio fair for just £250. It sounds excellent.

I hardly listen to CD at home anymore.

Andy

 

Hi Guys

Mic, the matt I'm using is the standard one turned upside down. I've ordered a graphite mat from 'Boston Audio':

http://www.boston-audio.com/mat1.html

Richard said that the Micro Seiki gun metal mats are very good but they do cost a fortune, even now and I think they might be a couple of mm too wide. I'm going to look for an old clamp i think, I fancy a Micro one.

I'm also going to order an outer stabilizer from a helpful chap called Rudolph Bruli, see the details at:

http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/ttring.html

He has also has some thoughts on plinths, his idea seems to be a Lorricraft for the Technics.

I needed to measure the clearances with the cart on before I ordered. Richard has some stabilisers he made for the L07-D but they are a bit more expensive purely because so much time and effort has gone into them. Machining, turning and re-turning stuff of that diameter is almost not cost effective unless you do a run of 10s or 100s. Clearaudio are charging 500 quid for theirs!

Slate deck make some after market bases. Indeed they asked me to e-mail them some pictures and the dimensions of the motor unit. I did that but didn't hear back. In any case I think 1500 UKP is a bit much for two bits of stone. I've been thinking about trying another base and have some ideas but think I'll use my Garrard 401 as a 'base' for that project. I suppose that is another thread to start this evening.

ADPully, I wish I'd found a mint one for 250 quid. I think I'd buy any that I came across now, see what could be done with them and look to re-mount or sell at a SMALL gain. BTW Richard may have a couple available which were going to be used for scrap but following this work one mine he thinks they may be salvageable.

A bit long again. Thanks for the comments.

 

Nice one Scott & kudos to Vantage Audio for bringing it back from the dead. Just don't let on how good it is or everyone will want one!

I'd agree re the Obsidian plinth looks wise, they are very pretty. The Stirling Plinth possibly gives better isolation though. Whether just mass & lots of it is the answer I don't know. I'm inclined to try a fully suspended sprung plinth a la R Bruil/ Cotter/ Goldmund Studio for my 2nd Motor unit.

Mic, I have a CF 'mystic' mat cut to size that you can try when you get that far.

 

Murray, have you ever tried any of the other Technics motor units?
I like the look of the SP15 but is it a cut down, cheaper SP10?

 

I think a simple solution might be two slate plinths, birch ply surround, and squash balls between the plinths. Should be cheap and maintenance free. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the offer of the mat. I'll also be bringing back a Harmonix and 47 Labs with any luck so you will be welcome to try those if they work out.

Scott, your supplied mat is very different to mine - mine being a heavy flexible rubber with ridges. Yours looks very different to that.

 

A very impressive looking resurrection. Hats off to Vantage for pulling it off and yourself for having the faith. The state of the plinth and motor I'm not sure I would have. Good stuff eh

 

Here's the one they came up with on the Soundfountain site:

 

The SP15 was a cut down version of the SP10, weighing 6.2 KGs to the SP10s 9.5kgs.

Not sure why you'd want to bother seeing as you can get hold of fully working SP10s for £200-£300.

 

Very nice restoration job. Looks great.

-- Ian

 

A very experienced studio engineer pointed out to me that the 4 circular pads on the underside of the stock SP10 mat are there for a reason- to counteract static energy (or something similar- cannot remember exactly what). They are a part of the overall design.

 

Yes. My mat looks exactly like the one shown close up on Soundfountain but there are no four circular pads on the bottom. Did they change at all?

 

I remember about 3 years ago at the Tonbridge show Sterling was selling Sp10Mk11's for £249 there seems to be a glut of them.

Currently I use a simple plywood plinth (wall mounted) but have wondered what a slate one would sound like - Slate certainly worked very well with a Garrard I once had.

I would certainly try a Slate plinth, as long as it was smallish if one was available for around £250

Andy

 

Mic,

My mat has the ridges on the other side but you may well have another type they were in production for so long.

I like the idea for the plinth. I'm going to start a DIY thread about it though as might help with a wide range of TT's including some other DIY efforts like YNMOAN's excellent magnetic bearing Linn - based effort.

On the subject of the SP15: I haven't heard one but if you check out audiogon the SP15 and 25 go Much Much cheaper than that sometimes so if you are pushed it may be an option. There are another couple of serious Japanese DD motor units which may be worth a look at if you are looking at a custom plinth, although cost is always a consideration.

The Victor (JVC) TT101 (below) / 801 (With Vacum unit at link) / 81 (2nd pic)





http://www.thevintageknob.org/THEVAULT/TT801/TT801.html


The Denon DP80

http://www.thevintageknob.org/THEVAULT/TT801/TT801.html

Also, off topic here but check out the gallery at TOPCLASS:

http://www.topclassaudio.com/web/eng/photo_gallery.jsp

Look at the 2nd page and all that accuphase.

 

Have you got any contact details for Sterling Broadcast?

Thanks

 

If anyone can instruct me how to host photos via photobucket, then I'll post a couple of shots of my (stock) mat.

I'm already on photobucket and have uploaded my mat photos. There's a direct link, HTML tag and IMG code.

What do I do next?