OK... I'm good...

[Mike Anderson]

Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio likely has one of the most comprehensive inventories of tubes I've ever seen. He literally travels the world buying up old inventory of old stock vacuum tubes.

Kevin is a great guy, I highly recommend dealing with him. I've made a couple big-money purchases from him now, and he did me right both times.

[jt1stcav]

I'm just glad to see Technics 'tables are still highly regarded by some golden-eared audiophiles and not poo-pooed as being just DJ 'tables that aren't worthy of using MCs and playing 180 gram pressings.

I know that ain't so 'cause I'm using my dad's mint '79 SL-1700MK2 and it's still a flawless performer! I did use my old Sumiko Blue Point (1st gen) high-output MC for a short time with it and was I ever impressed with my vinyl's sonics! It's worn and needs to be replaced, so I've gone back to my trusty TOTL '84 Stanton 981HZS pro calibrated MM with its D98S Stereohedron "longhair" stylus...still a great tracking MM after all these years!

My budget's extremely tight right now, so I'm still using a Music Hall mmf-phono pack MM/MC phono pre...hopefully someday I'll be able to replace it (I'd like to go all tube to keep in tune with my amp and preamp), but for now it'll do. My LPs still sound great with what I'm using right now, so I can live with that!

Keep on enjoying your Technics/Denon combo.

[royphil345]

Me??? A golden-eared audiophile??? Naw... I simply can't afford anything in that class.

I've always had a love for the music and the gear though... I think after spending some time with the Technics / Denon combo, I can safely say you could not get better sound from vinyl for the same amount of money... or it would be real close...

I'm more than a little envious!!! The 1700 is automatic right? A used 1700 would have been my first choice, but it seems the auto mechinisms often need work and there are a few parts that tend to fail (after 25 years of service or so... LOL). Have also had most of the used turntables I've tried to buy damaged in shipping by idiots. Trying to get refunds is a pain...

Only upgrade I'm considering is changing the interconnects or purchasing the mod from KAB that lets you plug in different interconnects. I'm sure I won't get it done in any great hurry. The sound of the Technics / Denon combo is just not screaming for an upgrade of any kind.

Thanks for the kind words. Hope your Technics continues to bring you much enjoyment!!! Nice pic!!!

[jt1stcav]

Thanks for the compliment. Me and my SL-1700MK2 really appreciate it!

The SL-1700MK2 is semi-automatic (auto return only); the SL-1600MK2 of the same year was fully automatic, and the SL-1800MK2 was totally manual (with the mechanical cueing lever instead of the electrical cueing button). Other than that, all 3 'tables were exactly the same.

I too, have heard about auto mechanisms failing after time; even the auto return belts have been known to wear and break...before my dad retired the 'table in the mid '90s, the original return belt did break, and all he did was replace it with a rugged rubber band of equal size. Once I aquired his 'table a couple of years ago, the return mechanism's been working just fine with the rubber band still in place! Works for me.

I'd like to replace the '1700MK2s original patchcords as well with RCA jacks, but I refuse to take the chance and ship it to KAB just because I'm so paranoid about my own equipment being destroyed enroute, no matter how well I pack it. I'll eventually contact a local repair facility that might be able to do this work and I'll drive there and drop it off...I feel much safer delivering it in person than having a shipper drop it repeatedly inside his delivery truck before the repair shop gets ahold of it!

[royphil345]

Yeah... I wouldn't ship the table unless it was a last resort to get someting fixed. I was talking about installing the KAB jacks myself. That's a pretty easy mod... Since I'm using a low-output MC, it might be better to just replace the interconnects with something a little nicer. Less chance of picking up hum from additional unshielded connections and such... Less to go wrong...

As long as your rubber band keeps lifting the needle at the end of the record, I'm going to be a little jealous...LOL.