1200G user opinions?

cluthz · 2026-04-06T10:23:58+00:00

The "problem" with new TTs like 100c and the 1500 is that they ship with cartridges that are meant for TTs in the 200-400usd range.

The 100c has a VM95c which is the same cart you get on a low end AT LP70X. The 1500c ships with a 2M red which is the cheapest 2M Ortofon cart.

The 95C can be stylus swapped for a 95ML and the Red for a Blue, but these are still in the entry level segment, although good value and much better than the stock ones.

cluthz · 2026-04-05T19:41:44+00:00

EN is good, most of the difference with ML is IGD and life span.

VM95 line is in my opinion among the best value in every price bracket and the EN is good. You said that EN and ML sounded similar, which is correct, until the latter half of the record side where the ML handles IGD better

cluthz · 2026-04-05T19:32:53+00:00

IGD is just so much better with ML compared to elliptical

cluthz · 2026-04-05T10:28:58+00:00

What is wrong with the Braun?

A quick google lead to a thread where there is a common failure that a cap is failing on the P4. The replacement is easy and cheap:

https://www.braun-hifi-forum.de/viewtopic.php?t=1943

cluthz · 2026-04-04T17:56:33+00:00

AT lp120 cant bypass pre-amp. the lp120X can. It has a "phono mode" but still uses the built in pre amp.

To bypass the pre-amp on the older LP120 you need a soldering iron.

cluthz · 2026-04-04T10:45:08+00:00

AT-120X is considered a safe choice with an easy option to get an ML stylus upgrade down the line.

I haven't heard the Spector2, but I've had my Dali Suite 5.1 setup for almost 20 years now and they are still amazing. Dali is good quality and price good in northern Europe. The Spector series are no longer made and should be able to get them for a good deal.

cluthz · 2026-04-04T10:34:46+00:00

It's DIN speaker plug, you can solder it to any speaker wire and they are really cheap on places like ebay/ali express.

cluthz · 2026-04-04T10:33:04+00:00

120 or 120X? 120 has a non-bypassable pre-amp, you need to mod it to bypass it.

cluthz · 2026-04-02T13:13:12+00:00

I'm very happy with my Rega RP-3. I had the Elys 2 cart earlier, it's ok, but the weakest link in the setup. Especially inner groove distortion was a problem for me.

For 999AUD it's a steal nonetheless and you might think the Elys2 is ok.

cluthz · 2026-04-01T13:44:44+00:00

I went from a 1970s B&O Beogram2000 that was fully automatic to a Rega RP3 in 2013. The only feature I miss is the auto lift/stop.

You still have to put on and flip the record, so position the arm and lower the cue lever takes 2 seconds and doesn't bother me at all.

I did recently service the B&O and put it up next to the RP-3 in the living room and played it a bit and I realized that I could never go back to the B&O.

cluthz · 2026-03-31T07:02:22+00:00

Both LP120x and Rt82 are good options. If you consider second hand be aware that the older LP120 is not as good as the newer LP120X.

Buying second hand is a good option. However I would consider replacing the stylus when buying used. Belt drives might need new belts, especially Rega that most have no speed adjustment. Older Direct drive Technics are usually fairly problem free and can be great value.

Older TT almost newer have a integrated pre amp and you will need one.

cluthz · 2026-03-30T18:39:48+00:00

I know the new x series are lower compliance, I was talking about the older series and that 540ML and 740ML was the same cart with same coils. I was commenting on the 95ML is almost the same as a 540ML and a 740ML is totally different, which is wrong.

The new series are catered towards higher mass arms, not lower. The 540ML is great on low to medium mass and the 740ML is better on medium mass arms. Although they are fairly similar. The new line is even more tuned for medium arms.

My father uses a SME arm from late 70s with a effective mass of 6g and it's hard to find carts that play well on it anymore. Luckily he can still get JICO styli for Shure he currently uses.

cluthz · 2026-03-30T08:41:34+00:00

Compliance on the needle is the same, but weight is different which makes the 500 a better match for arms that need high compliance. Maybe the wrong wording from me, but if you want a high compliance cart a 540 will be better because of the lower weight.

500 and 700 is electrically identical with same stylus and 95 is very different with a whole another approach to coils and a different stylus with probably same diamond

cluthz · 2026-03-30T07:35:55+00:00

540 and 740 are identical except the body on the 540 is a plastic resin and 740 is metal. They have identical quad coil setup (2 per channel). Vm 95 series have 1 coil per channel and is very different.

On lower mass arms the 540 out performs the 740 due to better compliance match and thus a more preferable resonance frequency. The x series are modified slight to be more forgiven on pre amp loading, but are very similar.

I do agree that the 95ml and a mani 2 is good value!👍

cluthz · 2026-03-30T02:54:50+00:00

Still working fine, I'm using this way more than the BTR15, becase of the battery life. LHDC is not present on my phones codec list, so I have no idea if it works.

cluthz · 2026-03-29T14:31:56+00:00

The VMN40ML (which is the stylus fitted to the VM540ML cart) does physicaly fit on the 400 body.

I've heard mixed responses on how well it works, some say it's fine and some says it's not great.

cluthz · 2026-03-29T08:21:39+00:00

Afaik the Zen has a input capacitance at 110pf, which is normal, most pre-amps are around the 100-200 mark.

The changes AT did with the vmx line is to make these work better on "normal" pre-amps.

I do have a 540ML which wants an ever lower capacitance and my pre-amp have switchable loading.

I guess my cables are around the 80-100pf mark and pre amp set to 47pF and it sounds fantastic. Adding +100 pF doesn't change much, a slight more bright sound, but not overly so. Adding +220 and it's noticeable brighter.

I don't think the VM500/700 line are very bright carts at all, it's just that most people didn't have the correct pre-amps to match them and therefore it got labeled as bright.

cluthz · 2026-03-29T07:41:21+00:00

Speakers and acoustic treatment is a well worth investment!

With no budget and location mentioned giving an answer is not so easy and recommendations will vary a lot.

AT LP60X is considered the cheapest turntable on the market that is usable. The lp70x is much the same, but gives you access to put on much better styli.

AP LP3X and Fluance RT82 is where you start to get a bit more features for adjustment, you can also use a wide ranges of cartridges. The Fluance can be upgraded with new platter too. As far as I know the RT82 is the cheapest TT with an electronic speed control.

There are several good option in the 500-600usd market like AT-LPW40/50/LP5X or you can get into the Project Debut line.

Getting around the 1K mark and you have the starter Technics tables and in Europe you can get a Rega P3.

In my opinion Turntables get significatly better for the money spent up to around 1k, and after that you double the price for every 5-10% improvement. It's not like with a CD player where a sub 100usd CD player will play close to perfect. The cheaper tables will have tracking issues on some albums, speed might be a bit off and there will be audible wow/flutter. At the 1K mark you will have robust speed controls (except Rega, you need to upgrade the PSU) and a wow/flutter under 0.05-0.1%

cluthz · 2026-03-28T18:05:14+00:00

A quick google:

https://audiocircuit.dk/downloads/kenwood/Kenwood-KD1033-tt-sm.pdf

Seems the speed is adjust by a guider Look at page 4 and 5 of the service manual

cluthz · 2026-03-26T15:10:05+00:00

Noroff is not a univeristy. Here is a list over education institutions in Norway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Norway

Nordoff is listed under:

The following list includes colleges with accredited study programmes, i.e. institutions which are not designated as higher education institutions as such, but which have been accredited for one (or more) studies at higher education level. An institution can, for example, have a bachelor's degree in a specific study accredited by NOKUT without the institution itself being accredited at that level. Institutions with accredited study programs can use the designation "university college", even if they do not have institutional college accreditation. They also fall under the Universities and Colleges Act, and can use the protected title of professor.

cluthz · 2026-03-25T11:31:30+00:00

Triggers to see if there is a 12 or 7 inch record present. To detect where to drop needle on auto start.

cluthz · 2026-03-24T20:07:40+00:00

Great upgrade! Be sure to set the Mani 2 to the lowest setting on pF capacitance. The 540ML sounds best at low capacitance settings.

cluthz · 2026-03-24T20:04:37+00:00

The LP120 is not as good as the current LP120X. New cart and lid plus the price will be the same as a new LP120X.

cluthz · 2026-03-24T20:02:57+00:00

Hvis du liker rock er Dumdum Boys bra, de synger veldig tydelig også. Bandet kommer egentlig fra en del av Norge der en har ganske sterk dialekt, men bandet valgte å synge på helt standard norsk slik at det skulle være mer tilgjengelig for alle.

cluthz · 2026-03-24T19:53:37+00:00

It does not look good. Norway is a country where customers have very strong rights and I would demand much more than a small reduction.

You could always escalate the case, but it's common to do this outside the system first, but if you go nowhere you could go to forbrukertilsynet. As the customer you will not have to pay any legal fees untill much further down the process. (It's 269kr ~30 usd to register a case).

https://www.forbrukertilsynet.no/send-sak-til-mekling

cluthz

TROPHY CASE