impure Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 hello all, I picked up a Technics sl-23, can anyone tell me of there quality and roughly what they are worth, i dont know if ive made a mistake wasnt really looking for a turntable but it jumped out at me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prana69 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) hi impure Although Technics are more renowned for their direct drive turntables (The SL-1200 is legendary), the SL-23 is a very decent belt drive. I have owned a few, the most recent of which was a mint condition unit which I sold for a bit over $200. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300603739499 A unit in normal pre-loved condition should cost between $130-175 I reckon. Mechanically the SL-23 is good. Like all of the "known brand" Japanese hi-fi companies of the 1970s, Technics didn't cut any corners in their build. The SL-23 is a solidly built table. I did hear that it can suffer speed issues but none of the units I have owned had those issues. Provided it looks to be in good nick and well maintained, it should be alright. Just a bit of oil in the motor and the spindle bearing and it should be fine. There's a manual for the SL-23 at vinylengine.com. Sound is nice with the right cart. Plenty of people here can give you advice on what to buy, depending on your budget. I don't much like the look of them, but they do sound pretty damn fine when set up right. Dave Edited December 1, 2011 by Prana69 sp and URL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impure Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 fantastic news, thanks so much, i paid 15 bucks for it, they have a rotel there too which i may go back and grab also, does anyone know how to buff the lids to make them look good again, it has some light scratches on it, what cart would you reccomend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozcal Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 fantastic news, thanks so much, i paid 15 bucks for it, they have a rotel there too which i may go back and grab also, does anyone know how to buff the lids to make them look good again, it has some light scratches on it, what cart would you reccomend? Yep some of the Rotel tt's are v.good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prana69 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 fantastic news, thanks so much, i paid 15 bucks for it, they have a rotel there too which i may go back and grab also, does anyone know how to buff the lids to make them look good again, it has some light scratches on it, what cart would you reccomend? $15 is good buying! 1970s Rotels are pretty good too. A lot of the Japanese decks from the 1970s were actually built by one or two manufacturers, then components and designs shared and rebadged. Which is why many look so similar and they all sound pretty good. I have heard Brasso and a lot of elbow grease improves the appearance of the lids, but I have either been too lazy or too impatient to have much success with that product. I have used a plastic polish which I bought from a UK ebay seller. It worked OK, but did not perform miracles. One product I have found works surprisingly well is old "Finish 2000" (by Turtle Wax) car polish. I noticed that it seems to really buff car headlights and tail-lights, so I wondered what it would be like on turntable covers. But that was on an already pretty good cover. I don't know what it would be like on a worn cover. Use at your own risk, of course...... Cart - I often recommend an Audio Technica AT95E for this level of turntable. Minimal outlay (approx $30 delivered from Germany) but great sound. I buy from William Thakker's stylus shop online. If your budget stretches to >$100, there are heaps of great options. Denon 110. Ortofon 2M Red. Audio Technica AT-440MLA are popular choices in the $100-150 price range. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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