I want an SP 1200 but damn!!

UK bro London,

500 bills for printed paper nah never

@Simon, lets just say there are some areas of the SP1200 book that could be improved upon and others that will be a challenge to match. The author had a fair amount of support from others, much like I'll be needing.

@Horseclick, I didn't know the SP1200 book was on amazon unless by private seller. The Behind the Beat book is available to pre-order but keeps getting pushed back.

Not sure whether to scan or photocopy the book, got to return it soon...

@Clint, Cheers, yea behind the beat was the book its still in my cart but no preorder available no more, could be a bad sign.

Thanks for the info on the power supplies.

Cheers bro

More SP talk...

Custom rack mount SP1200 by Armen.



And details of how to replace the SP12/1200 display.





http://www.gearslutz.com/board/geekslut ... ement.html

Generic LCD display replacement part = HD44780 16x2

Search ebay for "HD44780". Nice and cheap, you'll also need a wiring kit.

Clint wrote:More SP talk...

Custom rack mount SP1200 by Armen.

Horseclick wrote:@simon only fair test would be 2 models sitting together and being tested in the same conditions, noise floor and any noise in the chain would greatly differ from one set up to another.

same converters same cables 2 sp's sitting side by side only fair test.

That is exactly what I am getting at.

How many people who believe that an original grey SP sounds better than the reissue SP have done such a rigourous side by side comparison?

I would guess that hardly any would have done the test themselves, or heard the results of such a test.

If they have not untaken such testing themselves, or have not heard the actual results of such side by side tests, how can they have a vaild opinion that one sounds better than the other? And isn't their preference therefore based on the hype around the original being OG, rather than the original actually sounding better than the reissue?

If people have actually done these sort of side by side tests, where are the recordings for others to listen to and form a valid opinion from?

Until I hear these sort of tests, see some sort of discussion that they have taken place by those voicing these opinions, or something similar, I just don't believe the hype.

Clint wrote:Generic LCD display replacement part = HD44780 16x2

Search ebay for "HD44780". Nice and cheap, you'll also need a wiring kit.

I don't think there is an actual wiring 'kit' as such, you just need suitable wires to connect the LCD to the PCB, and a trim pot to set the contrast.

Need to make sure you get the correct viewing angle for the LCD, which would be 6:00 or bottom view.


I'm still deciding whether to go with a blue LED backlit LCD, or a Noritake VFD...



With either the LED backlit LCD, or the VFD, I would test the noise floor before and after installation, to ensure noise from the display is not getting back into the audio signal.

I have seen this sort of mentioned in relation to LED backlit LCD swaps, with some recommendations to use a ferrite bead/core around the wires to the LCD to prevent any noise, but no really clear statement that the LED backlight is actually putting noise into the audio signal, and if so, how much.


Another possible option I have noticed recently, might be an OLED display, which has no backlight or contrast control, each pixel creates it's own light source, so you get better contrast, as in a blacker background and brighter characters, compared to CCFL or LED backlit LCDs. Not sure if you would find one that would be a straight swap into an SP, and they come in different colours (blue/green/yellow/red/white/etc.)...

Coz wrote:

Nice. You got it!

Horseclick wrote:Also I im defiantly shooting for a OG 1200.

Same here, and have been for years for the exact same reasons you have stated; better power supply.
There's a lot of people here that are bidding against each other.

SimonInAustralia wrote:

@Jimmie it will only get worse as time progresses, im on the same hunt as you, like Clint said prior sp1200's are very rare here in the UK especially for buyers , US guys have a healthy selection on ebay but UK/Europe Nada.

Why can't you buy one from the US?

Shippin cost is about £100 and then +20% import tax works out around another £200.
Plus, the pound is weak currently against the dollar.
So... yeah... not happenin.

jimmie wrote:Shippin cost is about £100 and then +20% import tax works out around another £200.

GCES Maths jimmie?

Moving on to a musical interlude, SP Shit Volume 5 by Oslo Ensemble. These guys were involved (and interviewed) in the SP1200 book. Fred Fades and DeckDaddy at least, dropped some knowledge on a brother. 100% SP1200.

jimmie wrote:Shippin cost is about £100 and then +20% import tax works out around another £200.

jimmie wrote:

Horseclick wrote:Also I im defiantly shooting for a OG 1200.

Same here, and have been for years for the exact same reasons you have stated; better power supply.
There's a lot of people here that are bidding against each other.

would be 200 if you found one for a grand, lowest price on ebay US is £1400inc postage ($2000) (on sale 20% off was $2.5k) Forat is on top at £1800 then add postage.

Notice any pattern?

All reissues no OG's

hunting for a Og with a Linear supply is trying to sift 10 tonnes of crap looking for gold.

Posting whatever is available right at the moment is one thing, actively searching for them and jumping on them when available is another.

I was watching this one sit there at a starting bid of $1300, and a Buy-It-Now of $1475, for a while...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171002546251

There was the couple of reissues on here just recently at around $1500-1650, or something like that, maybe one of those could have been negotiated for a lower price.

Doing an ebay search and using inflated BIN prices, on items that are sitting there unsold because they are too expensive, as street prices, is not realistic.

You need to be patient, and active in your searching, and wait for one to come up for sale by someone that needs to sell it, not a commercial dealer, or non-commercial dreamer, waiting for top dollar.

yea that same one I was looking at, but the mod on the unit put me off it, the transistor/thing on the back was a real negative for me.


The waiting game continues

The transistor or regulator is probably the main heat generating component in the power supply, and has probably been moved to the rear panel to overcome the internal heat issues.

I can understand that some people might not want one like that, it wouldn't bother me though, I would just move it back inside, and plug up the holes, if I didn't like it.



If the linear power supply in the original grey model is why you have to buy an original grey model...

...and 'IF' the early black reissues, with the square external fuse holder and rocker switch for power, have the same linear power supplies...

...am I missing something?

Is there a reason you would not consider an early black reissue, 'if' it does have a linear power supply?

Just wondering as it might open up your options to more SPs, and therefore have more chance of getting one at a good price.



Also, regarding taxes, they are calculated on declared value, right?

You might also be able to lessen costs there, depending on the level of risk you, and the seller, are willing to take.