I recently acquired a 1210 mk2 a deck I haven't owned before despite having had many Techies through the house.

This 2004 spec mk2 is in pretty tidy mechanical condition, claimed as only being used domestically. It's very quiet and keeps perfect speed with a quick switchover time from 33 to 45. It has some discolouration around the tonearm area which is quite typical for this dark grey paint and a couple of scratches I've decided to leave atm. It was however rather dusty which occupied any available recess and with the usual grunge on surfaces that accumulates over the years. However there was no evidence of smoke which stains and can damage the paint in extreme cases. Also it has all the original fastenings and fittings so hasn't been bodged! And crucially given the replacement cost, the lid although a little hazy was crack free. So a great candidate for a clean up.

 

As always its a pleasure dismantling a Technics only requiring a JIS 2 screwdriver. All the parts are consistently well engineered and the whole deck is built to last. Between the plinth and the rubber base sits an intricate composite structure that bolts to the underside of the plinth. This is made of a proprietary resin bound material known as Technics Non-Resonance Compound. It wraps around the various recesses for the switches, tonearm and the underside of the plinth recess for the bearing and motor. In this way, the mk2 is far more similar to the 1200/1210G than the other modern iterations such as the mk7, GR, GR2 or 1300G which have a simpler chassis. The 1200G uses a more open metal structure that attaches to the underside of the plinth. However I suspect the mk2 TNRC moulding was more expensive to manufacture than the simpler structure used in the G.

I first dismantled most parts and fastenings as its hard to clean things in situ and I don't want any cleaning liquids to get into places they shouldn't. I also take plenty of pictures just in case I forget what goes back in what order!

 

For a simple job like this I predominantly used Ambersil Amberclens foam cleanser. For painted surfaces I spray it first onto a soft cloth. It cuts through dirt without damaging surfaces. I wipe off the excess with another clean cloth leaving it dry. For tricky recesses and uneven surfaces such as the platter strobe I use a soft toothbrush to work in the cleanser. I then use a damp cloth with a hint of Fairy to clean off the surfaces which gets rid of the slight residue from the cleanser and then clean again with another damp cloth to remove any remainder. As water and electricals doesn't mix I use a hair dryer to ensure every surface is completely dry and let parts sit overnight to be extra sure.

 

I removed the tonearm housing and also unscrewed the speed switches and strobe light housing and the cueing light to ensure I could clean all surfaces and the plinth openings properly. These parts had been been relubed at some point and didn't need redoing at this stage all working very smoothly.

 

This deck responded well to the clean up regime. The platter in particular came up really well with only a minor blemish on the top rim that didn't clean out. The rubber base took on a natural black finish that looks really smart. The feet were also in good order the rubber still being very flexible.

 

The tonearm also came up well with some marks I thought may be permanent all cleaning out. However I noticed the VTA adjuster was a bit stiff. I applied some heat which freed up the grease a little however I think it's had too much lubricant applied at some stage so will need to be stripped and cleaned in future.

 

As the deck was largely dismantled I also removed the bearing which sits under the motor PCB.  This had oil seeping out the bottom due to being overfilled previously.  I stripped the parts and cleaned it in IPA using good quality cotton buds to clean out the bearing housing. The bearing seems in good condition with little wear to the thrust plate. Fortunately I have the correct Technics oil so applied a much smaller amount to the cleaned and dried bearing and a small drop to the thrust plate.

 

For the lid I use a two step process using Meguiers plastics restorer No17 and polish No10. This has worked some miracles on previous lids and it didn't disappoint bringing real clarity to the lid. The hinges also cleaned up well.

 

Now to the fun bit of reassembly which didn't take long. Though one has to ensure the coarse speed threads on the many bolts securing the rubber base engage the thread properly. It appears that a previous person wasn't so careful as I found a stripped thread that meant one of the long bolts under the feet doesn't tighten. This use of these speed threads was one of the changes made to later Mk2s.

 

For the lid I use a two step process using Meguiers plastics restorer No17 and polish No10. This has worked some miracles on previous lids and it didn't disappoint bringing some real clarity to the lid. The hinges also cleaned up well.

 

So how does it sound?. I run a 1210G with an SME arm so my expectations weren't overly high and the freebie quality fixed tonearm cable didn't bode well. I first tried a Roksan Corus Mk1 and was pleasantly surprised. Although a bit diffuse and lacking some attack compared to the rearmed G, the presentation had a wonderful analogue rightness that makes you wonder how CD ever succeeded. Next was an Audio Note IQ3 and things really started to sound good. I could recognise a lot of what I like in my reference setup just in a lighter form, a real achievement given it was mounted to the stock Techy arm. As the IQ3 lives on the 1210 I dug out my goto MM for Technics which is the Audio Technica 150Sa (shibata stylus and very similar to the VM750). I previously found this cart worked well on the stock GR and G arms. I installed it in a light AT magnesium headshell which keeps the weight lower with the resonance around 8Hz.

 

While not as ultimately capable or as energetic as the IQ3 or as warm as the Corus this combo sounded excellent working to the Techy strengths. Whether it was the lower expectations or that my system has improved on other areas, I found it more compelling than the GR I owned 3 years ago using the same cart but I'm aware audio memory can be deceiving. However I admit I'm tempted to get better quality tonearm and internal cable fitted as I think this will significantly clean up the presentation.

 

They say don't meet your heroes but this certainly doesn't apply to this classic deck. It does so many things well and is a doddle to setup and use. It also looks and feels right engendering a real pride of ownership. Its built like a tank feeling chunky without the OTT mass of the G which can be pain to move around.

 

As a deck supported by a whole sub industry, I have no doubt it should give many more decades of service. And there is also no shortage of upgrades that can be made should one wish to.

 

Although no longer the bargain they used to be, find a good one and settle down to years of hassle free vinyl listening!