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Re: [ARSCLIST] Technics 1500 was: Re: [ARSCLIST] Ampex ATR-102 opinion (was MD5 Hash Generators
I've heard the RS1500 that Dan Meinwald (US rep for EAR) has with the
TdP mods. While it is worlds better than the stock electronics, I
have to give the nod to mine (a very biased opinion of course).
Actually, it uses the stock heads which is a minus I think. A guy I
know has a couple of TdP modded machines (ATR100 1", MM1200 1" with
MR70 amps) and those things are stunning! I could listen to Mary Had
A Little Lamb all day on those. I've never heard a de Paravicini
design that wasn't great. I'm a big fan of him also.
Steve
On Jan 23, 2008, at 4:14 PM, phillip holmes wrote:
I think Tim de Paravicini has some special electronics coming out
for the 1500 series. If so, that would be the cat's meow (and the
bee's knees too). Tim is a first class engineer, not some copier
of archaic Western Electric circuits (or the Radiotron Designer's
Handbook). I would bet that the 1500, with Tim's electronics and
custom heads, would blow the doors off of most stock professional
machines.
Phillip
carlstephen koto wrote:
On Jan 22, 2008, at 2:16 PM, phillip holmes wrote:
The Technics (the one Tom mentions) is the way to go. For better
sound, keep the Technics and use nicer/better electronics and
maybe custom heads. That Technics transport is super gentle and
it's got good looks. Also, the Technics turntables are still
state-of-the-art when combined with a good plinth and tonearm.
Matsushita put way more money/time/engineering into those
products than any high-end audio garage outfit will be able to do
(or Ampex for that matter). I'm not saying there aren't other
great tape decks and turntables (or that Ampex engineers
sucked). What I am saying is that if you want a great machine
for your home, the Technics is the way to go.
I've had a Technics RS1500US for a number of years. It's one of
several decks that I own and while I have very limited experience
with ATR 100s, MR70s, Studer A80-812-820s, it still doesn't
prevent me from lusting after one. That said, there's very little
that I haven't modified on my 1500. The major one has been wiring
the heads directly to output and using a custom, tube playback
amp..I have Greg Orton from Fux Magnetics, building a pair of
custom heads( 1/2 track 15ips and 1/4 track 7.5ips) that he'll be
installing in my headblock in a couple of weeks. Personally, I'd
love to get an A80 and give it this same sort of treatment. But
until I feel satisfied that I've wrung every last bit of
performance out of the Technics, I'll wait. The only way that I
can "know" that every adjustment or modification is "spot on" is
if I do it myself (it certainly helps that I enjoy this kind of
self torture). The combination of my deck and the Tape Projects
master dubs would be pretty hard to beat. I have a couple of
friends that have what would currently be considered among the
best sounding digital playback front-ends (EMM Labs transports/
Dac) and they are shocked how much better my tapes sound than
their SACDs. These comparisons are done with their systems.
BTW Bruce, I was glad to see your name here. I still miss your
newsletter.