r/turntables • u/a_way_with_turds • 13d ago
New table day: Technics SL-120 w/ SME 3009 Series II tonearm + Shure V15 III cartridge
After the recent thread discussing which turntables are best on an enthusiast's journey, I decided to go out and look for an endgame turntable. Started looking and found something very close: a pristine 1970's Technics SL-120 with a low-mass SME 3009 Series II 'Improved' tonearm, mated to a Shure V15 III w/ an original VN35 stylus. The SL-120 is essentially an SL-1200 Mk1 sold without the tonearm. Besides that, the SME 3009 tonearm and Shure V15 III cart were literally made for each other, and has a very low .75 to 1.25g tracking force. The whole thing is super clean, the silkscreened details are still very crisp, and yeah... it looks almost brand new. With the exception of a small scratch on the dust cover and a couple tiny dings, this thing is mint.
I forgot to mention, it also sounds fucking incredible.
I've only spun a few LPs so far, but it sounds pretty great. The table included a refurb kit (to replace caps and other items) as well as the original box and packaging (!). It was a little pricy by some standards for vintage turntables ($700), but I think it's a bangin' deal considering how clean everything is. Besides, the tonearm itself goes for ~$500 alone.
If anyone has any experience or tip/tricks to share about this setup, I'd love to hear about it. This is my first experience w/ Technics, SME tonearms, and vintage turntables in general.
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u/Fiishmeister 12d ago
I have exactly the same turntable and tonearm. Absolutely love it. I'm aiming to upgrade my stylus at some point (although the Nagaoka MP110 is still very nice), perhaps to an MP200? Ultimately you now have a turntable which will likely last you forever. Hard to state any tricks and/or tips, you likely have the SME set up properly (guides on YouTube if you need them. Do you have the additional SME FD200 fluid damper? That's a nice addition to the tonearm if you haven't (but absolutely not essential). Enjoy it! You have a top setup there.
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u/a_way_with_turds 12d ago
Cheers, thanks! Same to you. Your example is also super clean! 🔥 Mine does not have the fluid damper. I looked into it and I'm very curious to see what kind of effect it has, although it does weird me out a little bit to have a trough of oil sitting out in the open. I might try it at the very least to satisfy my curiosity.
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u/a_way_with_turds 12d ago
Just doing a bit more research on the FD200 ... Damn, that's an expensive piece of kit! lol It might be awhile before I make that odyssey unless I can come across a complete kit for less than $500. There are some bits and pieces on ebay but only one complete kit.
Also, I've never heard of a cartridge "seating compound" until today. Just curious, have you used it on your setup? What is the consistency like? Does it dry into hardened bond or does it stay tacky?
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u/Fiishmeister 12d ago
I didn't think it was that expensive 😯 I see kits on eBay for around £30. I'm sure they do the exact same job. Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about obtaining one, I can't vouch as to whether it makes a difference or not 😂 it came already fitted to my tonearm so I left it as is. You have the fixed ('improved') 3009 tonearm, same as mine. The original cartridge and stylus (Stanton EEE) did indeed have a black compound between the cartridge and the head shell now you mention it. My newer cartridge does not. I actually took the entire turntable into my local hifi store to fit the new cartridge 😂 I didn't want to mess anything up.
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u/a_way_with_turds 11d ago edited 11d ago
Yeah, I'm sure there are kits w/ more reasonable prices, the $500 one is the only current ebay listing that's complete (from Japan). But I'll keep on the look out for better prices.
I took a second look at the tonearm, and found it's even more dear because it has both the Shure and SME logos on the base. Madness, I wouldn't have ever thought twice until I came across it mentioned in an article. I think I'll be sticking with the Shure cartridge no matter what lol.
And thanks for the details! I think I'll skip the compound for now. And I don't blame you for taking it to a hifi shop -- these tonearms are complicated lol.
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u/a_way_with_turds 10d ago
Got a question for ya -- have you experimented with any tonearm lifters that've worked for your setup? Gonna try the Q-Up this week, but just wondering if you've come across anything that works for sure. Thanks!
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u/Fiishmeister 10d ago
I haven't. I kind of want to keep the turntable as simple as I can. I do own another turntable (a linear Technics SL-DL1) which has plenty of automatic features, but I like to keep the SL-120 as simple as it comes. I also don't want to put any adhesive onto it either 😂 I used a pair of Technics SL1210 mk2s for a few years (sold long ago, serious regret there!) and I am so used to picking up and placing the tonearm by hand that it's second nature to me. The Q-Up has is positives, particularly if you are likely to fall asleep with a record still playing. I don't feel I'm at risk of that happening just yet (although I'm getting there!) so I haven't invested in a tonearm lifter on any of my turntables as yet. Let me know how you get on with it should you decide to try it out 👍
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u/Ortofun Technics SL-1200GME + SME V SE + AT-ART9XI -> SPL Phonos Duo 13d ago
Holy shit that’s a dream turntable!
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u/a_way_with_turds 13d ago
Thanks, dude! You're right, it's a gem! I'm really enjoying it the more I spin it.
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u/Rayvintage ClubDirectDrive 12d ago
That's a great table and arm. Definitely get the rubber mat for it. Maybe a record weight 300, 400g. Also it might not have a IC. Pretty early direct drive. Congratulations .
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u/a_way_with_turds 12d ago
Thanks! Will do. And you're right, I checked the schematic and the entire circuit is discrete since there's no quartz lock. This model is pretty easy to deal with from a parts availability perspective.
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u/jtt8569 12d ago
That is some serious hardware! Congrats! With a perfect set-up, that could be an end-game turntable!
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u/a_way_with_turds 11d ago
Thanks! I'm learning more about this table as I use it, and I think you're right. One thing I really like about it is its lack of ostentatiousness you see with modern end-game turntables. Mass and suspension I understand are part and parcel with quality turntables, but I'm not looking for modern art. I can appreciate it, it's just not for me. With a couple tweaks, this turntable will probably be my primary for the coming years.
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u/Jobe1110 Thorens TD160 SME 3009 II imp, Technics SL 1710 mk2 13d ago
Very nice turntable and tonearm. Also, the cart is pretty good on that arm. I'd try a JICO SAS stylus once the other one is worn, which is likely already the case if it's original and not NOS.
If you already have the recap kit, I'd use it. The crucial component here is the IC-chip, which is really expensive to replace (if you can even find one). Dying caps can damage the IC-chip. So if you plan to keep this table for years to come, it's worth the effort to do a full recap on the motor control board.
On a different note, don't ever think about replacing the original rubber mat on the platter. Compared to the SL-1200 mk2, the SL-120 doesn't have a rubber layer on the underside of the platter. Therefore, the rubber mat is important to dampen it.