TECHNICS PRODUCTION CHANGE REPORT BY KAB


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SL-1200GR Tonearm Fits Vintage Models
I was surprised to learn that the GR toneam will in fact fit on a vintage MK2 arm base. In fact the 1500C arms will fit as well and are a little less expensive.

KAB Returns With Special Edition Audiophile Mod Kit For All New Technics models
A new mod kit consisting of a new fluid damper TD-1000, our custom Ortofon Concorde 30 cartridge, RC-1200 record clamp and set of KAB SpiralAir interconnects is now available at a discounted price. The kit fits all new Technics models.

Technics/Panasonic Now have 3 new turntable models.
In a clear effort to disrupt the audiophile markets, Technics now has models placed at the sub $4K and sub $2K price points.This stands to disrupt the belt drive markets for many years to come. Thanks I beleive to all the ground work laid down by KAB from 1992 to 2009 and all of our customers, Direct Drive is now considered a wholly acceptable drive method when executed properly. All this groundwork has paved a path that is allowing Technics to enjoy practically instant acceptance by the audiophile markets. After years of technical stagnation in these price areas, the analog consumer finally has a choice that includes something technically superior in every way to belt drive. I look forward to seeing how this all plays out.

Technics/Panasonic hints at introduction of a new turntable!
Please visit links here and here
If this follows in line with the new items already introduced under the new Technics brand, it will give them
an opportunity to reintroduce a turntable at a more competitive (read expensive) price point. With the turntable market shifting away from DJ's and leaning more towards vinyl entusiasts and audiophiles, continually raising the price of the 1200 series was no longer a viable strategy.

Thick mats and hinge kits are officially discontinued. but stock remains at the Panasonic warehouse. KAB will continue to stock these until all parts are exhausted. Also, price increases are showing across the board on most parts. Cast Platters have nearly tripled in price! Now may be a good time to plan on some key maintenance parts like arms, pitch sliders and motor board Integrated circuits.

Part number SFWO 010 spindle bearing lube has been discontinued. Panasonic was nice enough to send me the MSDS which identifies the origin of this oil. It is a synthetic diester oil blend known as Anderol 465. It is an aircraft specialty synthetic oil specifically formulated for impregnating sintered metal bearings and parts. I have sourced this original oil from Anderol and it is available on the main 1200 page. Price is the same for a 6CC dropper bottle. Sturdier bottle lets us ship it first class airmail.

Part number SFPAB18201K1 has been discontinued. This is the fixing plate, the internal plate that contains the cueing system and antiskate control.
This is the one used in the MK5, M5G and GLD, the one where the pitch control has 0-6 gram range.
Part number SFPAB18201K, the part for the MK2,3 which has a pitch range of 0-3 grams is still available. These 2 plates are interchangeable.
You would need to swap the gears and spring to keep the wider antiskate range
I have asked if they can look into supplying the metal cueing lever separately. Someone may have to step up and reproduce that part.

After a one year hiatus on the discontinued list, the original MK2 power knob including brass shaft, is back on the active parts list. It comes with a new part number as well RFKNL1200MK2. Of course, you can still modify the MK2 to the recessed MK5 knob if you wish, you just need to replace the strobe tower at the same time as they are mating pieces.

There has been a change in the interconnect cable affecting the following models: Sl1200MK2. SL1210MK2, Sl1200MK5, SL1210MK5.
This changeover likely occured in product with 2009 date codes. So that would be serial numbers beginning (GE9A. 9 is 2009, A is January)
The change involves the interconnect cable electrical capacitance. The older cables had a total capacitance of approx 120pF, the new cable is approx 325pF. This change makes the newer models incompatible with most high output cartridges since the total load capacitance for uniform frequency response is typically under 300pF total. Most preamps have 100pF internal, some have more. Adding that to the 325pF of the cable will produce a peak in the high frequency response, with the most likely affect being exaggerated surface noise and sibilance.

Resolution: KAB has notified Panasonic QC and send a letter to Pansonic, Osaka Japan on 8/6/10.
A response from USA has been recevied 10/13/10:
"There was a wiring change in production that did affect the cable capacitance of this model. As you know there are several factors to determine the overall capacitance of the system, but suffice it to say, the old cable had a lower capacitance. Because of the adverse effects, the factory has discontinued the new cable RJL2P001B12 and have reverted back to the old cable RJL4P002S12 in production, since September 2009." So it appears this will be corrected and eventually new production tables will have the original cable.

All KAB units shipped after 8/4/10 will have the cable replaced with the older 125pF cable.

KAB Electro Acoustics
P.O.Box 2922
Plainfield, NJ 07062
908-754-1479 PHONE
908-222-3442 FAX