AT-PL120, SL1200 in disguise ?

Hi tg,

Yes, I have three stashed away, but sadly they only look similar to the SL1200. They use a different motor - not the "only moving part is the platter" of the Technics. I had to mod the first one to get a performance out of it: I had to strip out the in-built phono stage (the end of a logic pcb) by repositioning the arm wiring, and had to remove the built in phono stage selector switch because even switched out, the cartridge would still see the in-built phono section input impedance in parallel with the external phono stage (23.5k cartridge loading in-effect). The grounding isn't that effective and that had to be improved too. The output cable is complete rubbish and I had to replace that with some VanDamme plasma cable to obtain the 100pf cable capacitance. The arm is not the Acos Lustre of the Technics and is designed for heavy tracking of lightweight cartridges - it needs a heavier counterweight which I sort of acheived using a miniature "tool-clip" (terry clip) a tiny cable tie and a 25mm brass hex spacer....

Even after all that, it won't take a moving coil because noise from the pitch control board interferes.

I could go on, and on, and if the latest ones are USB I won't even be trying to do anything further with AT on turntables. They are obviously aimed at the bedroom wannabe!

Otherwise it would have made a really great 78/45/33 rpm turntable with the pitch control and reverse making it easy for transcription use.

My other idea for 78 rpm was to have a "gear-change" stepped pulley mounted to the rear top of a Rega Planar (2 or 3) using an extra belt, and providing the pitch control through a mains inverter.

But as with all these things those who instigated the enthusiasm tend to evaporate into the distance. Therefore I just felt I was wasting my time and wrote the cost down to experience...

tg wrote: Ah well, a sheep in wolf's clothing then. Thought it looked too good to be true. thanks for the info.

Yeah, me too.

Thanks for that info Graham, I've been wondering about that deck for quite a while.  I was convinced it must be an OEM 1200.  I'm, rather glad it turns out not to be!

Les

Juliangst wrote: Actually I use one of these for 78s & 45s, and IMHO for that it is not half bad.  I use it with a Notts Analogue Spacemat & esoteric sounds cartridge set for the 78s & a Shure M97xE for 45s.  Through the jazz Club it really sounds good.   My main table is a Notts Analogue Interspace Junior with spacearm & Dynavector DV10-x5.  All played through Quad 66 pre & Quad 606 power to KEF 104/2 speakers.

To be honest, if you have the patience to put an extra counterweight on the arm, to rewire from the arm cable take off point - making sure the internal phono preamp is completely disconnected so as not to alter the cartridge's response, to do all sorts of other tweaks which I did but have forgotten the details of, then the PL120 isn't half bad, and I enjoyed using it. However, there is still the noise pick-up problem if using an MC or an unshielded moving magnet or moving iron cartridge (yes, I did try the Music Maker Classic on it ) .

My concern is for those less adept. The SL1210/SL1200 works fine straight out of the box, however, there is still some hum pick-up using the Music Maker Classic but that's a £1200 cartridge on a £400 deck...

I wanted the PL120 originally as a 78 player too, and that's why I went the extra mile to try and improve it, and I have to agree, it's a good 78 player. It's also great for back cueing because it has a "reverse gear".

I can't help wondering where the decision to call it a PL120 came from... I remember the Pioneer PL12D....? (a far superior turntable!)

Graham