Moved from Michell Orbe SE/SME to the 1200G for mostly the same reason. Upgraded the G with Oyaide BR-12 mat, carbon fibre headshell, Furutech phono lead and changed the torque to approx half way setting. Previously 301,401, LP12, 124,Roksan and other TT's but the G just makes the listening experience just right. Shall await with interest your experience with the G. Hope you enjoy the ride and thanks for your videos. A pleasure to watch.
Just yesterday I upgraded my 1210GRs headshell with Oyaides carbon fibre. The improvement was quite noticeable. I wasn't aware of their platter mat, going to check that out.
Derek, what cartridge(s) are you using? noticed that the audiophiliac seemed to have down graded his cartridges. I also am interested in this turntable, but mainly because I want play with different cartridges, unfortunately I have a transimpedance phono stage that limits me to low output cartridges. I'm wondering if this table is more suited for more high energy cartridges like high output moving irons.
@@BobCoalWater I'm using a Audio Technica AT33PTGII and an AT33EV into EAR834P Sig phono stage. The G is a wonderful TT for the price in my opinion and the arm is just fine. See the Technics video about how Michiko Ogawa sought out old boy employees to come back and make the arm. Spirit of Japan.
Around 10 years ago, I gave up my Linn Sondek (which I had for more than 25 years) and replaced it with a Technics SL-1200 MK 2. To me, the Technics sounded about 95 percent as good as the Linn did when the Linn was working properly. The problem is that the Linn rarely was in peak form--it needed tweeking on a regular basis and I spent a lot of money getting it tweeked. The Technics, on the other hand, is fabulously reliable. It sounds they way it sounds every single time I play it. And I love that. It has also cost me nothing to maintain. OTOH, I also love my Honda Accord and Johnny Walker Black scotch, so maybe i am just not a high-end person in any dimension.
I like your disclaimer on the end haha. To be fair Johnny Walker Black is overwhelmingly a blend of Caol Ila whisky mixed with some cheaper stuff. Caol Ila is literally the best Distillery IMO in Islay overall. Double Black is just a higher ratio of Caol Ila in the blend. So you're not as basic as you say, just economical!
The Accord is a good car ...just like the SL 1200 mark II. A good drive, does what it's supposed to do and very reliable. As far as the Scotch Whisky goes...I have some Irish blood in me . I discovered the two don't mix well. Anyway I be using my Technics SL-7 put the record on close"n"play. My Stanton L747S even has a brush...when I'm lazy! I just pulled a power cord in a dumpster years ago...and this little whale was at the other end . $105 for the Stanton. It puts a smile on my face 😊 every time I use it. It's kind of cute too sittingon top of my JVCDD-7 ( yeah I said it has good enough isolation)..the foot print is the size of an album jacket and has good enough isolation since it's as heavy as my SL-1200 mark II (another dumpster find ...needs a tone arm bearing...eventually I'll fix that) .
After doing a college radio show for four years on 1200-MKII turntables, I couldn't go anywhere else for a turntable. The feel of using a Technics 1200 is like nothing else.
After a couple decades of not listening to vinyl I decided to take my turntable out of storage in my basement and bring up a handful of my favorite albums. My turntable is a vintage 1970s Technics SL 1600. After 20+ years boxed up on a shelf I was surprised it even ran. All though not as good as new, after a 5 minute “warm up” I was able to get the speed adjusted and Abbey Road sounded so good. The 1600 needs a little patience each time I play it but it still brings me joy after almost 50 years.
I've had my 1200G for about two years now (it replaced a 1200 MK 7 which replaced a MK2). It's the last turntable I ever buy. I use an Ortofon 2M Black on it and I love that combination. The 1200G is a joy to touch and operate and it's always ready to roll. No tweaking, no speed fluctuations, no issues what so ever. It's reliable, it sounds great and if another small company was making it, it would have cost triple the price. Great video Steve!
I have a SL-1600 MK2 that has the super isolated body and the rubber underside platter like the G. It also has a Vertical Tracking Angle adjustment that you don't see on some of the other Technics decks. It does sound great and I've never had to use isolation tables or special feet. It blocks sub-sonics from getting back into the system very well. Love my Technics. Glad you had such a great time reviewing these.
I treated myself to a 1200G back in 2019 and I don't regret it one bit. Rarely do I splurge on something so nice but I know if well taken care of, this thing will likely outlast my ability to bend over to pick out an album. It's built like a tank. The solid construction and overall feeling interacting with this turntable just brings a smile to my face every time I drop on an album to kick back at the end of the day. The ability to quickly swap the carts is super handy and something I didn't think I would use as much as I do, but now that I have the ability, I find myself trying out different carts with different albums simply because it's so easy to swap.
To Mrmoogle, I done exactly the same in Feb 21 , after years and years faffing and pratting around with a JA michell, I find myself playing records now so much more than I used to , every thing is so easy and predictable with the G , swapping cartridge and headshells in seconds, and playing records I thought I didn't like of which I now love .
I've probably got about 10 different turntables but my "everyday driver" is my SL-1200 MK2 (customized) . Always will be because of the design, no belt, changeable head shells, easy manipulation. Love Technics
I just bought my third 1200 and this is why. There are better sounding decks. The Technics, with some modification are good enough and nothing is more user friendly. I see what you said over and over again. Why would a guy with a ten thousand dollar turntable not use that? The Technics must be good enough to overcome the headaches of dealing with those very high end turntables. To me that says save my money and invest it in other areas. I'll be honest. I want to swap the arm and power supply on the MK2 I'm refurbishing but other than that I'm good. I'll only swap the arm if I can find one with the same removable stylus functionality though. Otherwise it defeats the point for my needs.
Hi from the UK 🇬🇧. I've owned a SL1200GR for 5 years, discounted to £1100. Used with a Chord Huei, Ortofon 2m Black and a Denon DL103R. Much loved and intended to be my "End Game" Turntable. However.... I was able to borrow a SL1200G with a Sumiko Songbird low output MC, and a Rothwell SUT with the Chord Huei. The improvement, in all respects was ridiculously high. I then bought the SL1200G, discounted to £2849. The Songbird discounted to £699. The "Law of diminishing returns" does in no way apply to these Upgrades. After watching Steve Guttenberg's Review on the SL1200G and him buying one for himself, convinced me to start saving cash to buy one. The rest of my System was easily good enough to do the G justice. My advice to Everyone is, save harder, and skip the GR 1 or 2.
Just bought the 50th anniversary 1200 as my first turntable out of sheer nostalgia and reputation from watching DJs with them my whole life. I’m not disappointed. They’re as fun to play with as they always looked and they perform as advertised. If it gets better, good on ya.
I Dj'ed from '99 to '05 and used the Technics mkII and mkIII which was pretty much standard for all Djs. Never thought of them as at home listening tables but it makes sense because they are just really good turn tables.
love your videos ..however, It all really comes down your hearing ability.. Most don't even mention this..me as an nearly 84 year old man , obviously my hearing has deteriorated over the years, but my system definitely gives me true pleasure in listening to it... I use a Fluance RT-85 tt with a orofon 2 m blue and a shure V15II into a Kenwood KA-5500 amp and Fluance Signature series and B&W dm6 speakers
Interesting you would say that. I’m 53 now and 10 years ago I auditioned a Linn system with my then 76 yo father at BillyVee hifi in London. My father just had his first hearing aids. The linn speakers we listened to were the top of the line Klimax speakers, active drive with 10 (!) mono amps, 5 per speaker. The dealer had us listen to our own music on cd. Then he disconnected the super tweeters that have a range from 20kHz to 44kHz. As a trained electronics engineer and hifi enthusiast I was sure this wouldn’t make any difference. Boy was I wrong. I heard a clear difference but also my father. Turns out harmonics and many, many other variables play a role. Since then I have been chasing the perfect sound… Welcome to the world of audiophiles… Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱
Audiophiles are a funny bunch: after decades of being despised and shun upon with disgust as the "DJ turntable", the 1200 now is getting wide acceptance in those same circles and, as usual, it's just a few who have actually listened, while the rest just follow suit on trust.
Technics used to charge $400 for a brand new SL-1200. Audiophiles didn't 'approve' of Technics tables until they started charging big money for them. You could lock these dudes in a room with a 1200G and a GR in a blind abx setup with rules in place that they're not allowed out until they pass a 10/10 blind test identification of the tables, only difference being the table. They'd all die in that room.
After researching so many Turntables I went with the GR1200 and am very happy with my choice. I have considered upgrading to the 1200G but it would have to be an "Oh Wow" experience when comparing to my 120GR. Bear in mind I would demo with the same cartridge. Love the swappable cartridge as well.
I feel transparency can be a bit fatiguing sometimes - I agree you can listen to something like the 1200 for so much longer, also the durability aspect of Techincs makes it very enjoyable to not feel on edge around your equipment
these people wouldn't be able to tell the difference from yours - as long as it had the same cartridge , rubber mat ect and one was using headphones.. I would admit yours would suffer due to the lighter mass of your turntable in a 'playing' live environment . . This is hilarious when belt people think this is new because of an outrageous price tag.
I've got one of those . It's very reliable I ditched my belt drives for it a while back. Now that I have my SL-7 fitted with a Stanton L747S I've been using the little close"n"play.
Everyone knows that turntables can sound different, but I was really amazed when I replaced my tired (1978?) Technics SL-1400 MK2 with a brand new SL-1210M5G. This was in the summer of 2010, so I got one of the last few 1210M5Gs around, having to order it from a shop In Calgary, a full time zone away. Since the new turntable didn't come with a cartridge, I took the cartridge (a Shure M97xE) and headshell from the SL-1400, as well as the thick Platter Matter mat. This meant that I had to raise the tonearm to correct the VTA, but that was simple to do with the big threaded ring on the 1210M5G. So, everything that contacted the LP was the same with both turntables: the cartridge, the headshell, and the platter mat. The SL-1400 was getting old and was making a clicking sound when the platter rotated, plus the controls were getting sticky to operate. I just wanted to replace it with a new Technics, and went for the top one. When I put on the first LP, within seconds I could hear the difference. The same LP, when played on the new M5G, sounded much better. The sounds were clearer and the bass notes sounded more solid, with a sharper attack. I was amazed! Everything touching the LP was the same on both turntables, but the new turntable sounded much better. Maybe the upgraded tonearm wires on the M5G model (compared with the regular SL-1210 MK5), maybe the increased platter weight. I don't know, but the differences were unmistakable, and they were all good. 12 years later, the SL-1210M5G still sounds and looks great. I added a dust cover hinge kit from KAB, as well as a solid walnut base, which really upgraded the looks and seemed to make a slight improvement in the sound. I gave the 1400 MK2 to a buddy, who was happy to have a working turntable.
I was going through my belongings in my garage last year and found a turntable I has bought back in 1980 or so, and cleaned it up and brought it in my home. It had a Grace Ruby cartridge and stylus mounted on the headshell. The turntable is a Technics SL-1200 Mark II. She sounds sweet!
My Clearaudio Concept died out and I went with a 1210GR as a replacement and I had the same experience as you regarding the ease of use. Adjustments and setup are just WAY more intuitive than the Clearaudio.
Bought my 1200's in 1985 from a shop on 14th. along from Union Square, the salesman wrapped some nylon string round them and attached a wee handle. I carried to Woodside via subway to arrive home with two rather ugly welts on the outside of my thighs due to friction burns. Well worth it as they are still going strong after being hauled all over NYC and beyond for DJ parties/gigs.
It’s funny the way I agree with your decision to acquire a 1200g instead another turntable around the price: the option to exchange cartridges; I have the 1200g exactly for that. Another reason: it is forever, its validity and durability are indisputable. Thanks for make me feel proud of my decision!!! 😃👍
I often think going from a belt drive to direct drive is a bit like going from vinyl to CD back when CD’s came out first. I really loved not having to phaff around seemingly always having to care for the belt drive turntable,just pop in a CD and listen and enjoy, I ended up not missing that last ounce of vinyl goodness and just enjoyed the music more as I was not worried if I had set up my turntable correctly or if it had changed from its optimal set up which belt drive always seems to do. The answer was direct drive and I had a Technics and the convenience and ease just made it a more enjoyable listening experience as I simply did not have to worry about if it was tweaked enough to be at top performance. And when you think about it whatever we can do to ease the way we listen has to have a benefit to our mood in listening. If we are more at ease we enjoy the music more and I find that is far more important than the last ounce of detail or timbre that a more expensive better designed product can bring, after all, music is emotional perception not technical prowess. Listen to a musician that is technically a better player and then listen to one who puts more emotion into the performance and the one that will lodge in your heart is the one who put the emotion in, the technical one will leave you in awe but the emotion fades away quickly!
you didn´t had to worry if correctelly used, a belt drive can last a lot of years but this new change it yourself for the speed i guess they become very fast out of tune due to the daily handling of the belt while mechanical change doesn´t afect sound but skin grease or skin natural protection will be added everyday when listening to records how much time does one of these keep the speed not having a stroboscope to watch it´s changes in speed and not correctable
@@RUfromthe40s It depends on the deck ; many do indeed rely on moving belts from one pulley to another , and indeed my Gyrodec with the standard power supply required this approach ; also my previous Hydraulic Reference Turntable used a little fork to nudge the belt one way or the other ( that turntable did have a strobe and was designed to run slightly fast , then slowed to speed by dipping a vane into the well of silicon fluid ) . However , since getting the QC power supply , speed change is effected by changing the oscillator frequency which changes the motor speed . I rarely find any need to tweak anything on my turntable and the music just keeps sounding good .
@@derekheeps8012 i do have 2 turntables driven by belts but it´s inside the turntable wooden box with mechanical change of speed no electronics or unprotected belt made of cheap synthectic rubber, this since 74 no flutuations on speed and i´m re-wiring it because original wires due to excessive use are getting old and sometimes one has to put in place the ground wire but either than this it delivers a clean sound with a large spectrum of frequencies ,even those one can´t hear or feel when loud, i´m not against turntables driven by belt but i saw a fluance and already close to 1.000€ that only made think of my 78 also pioneer lower reference that at the time were the cheapest(PL-514) but even being like i discribed ,the fluance looks a lot like it and for the worth ,cheaper material, and it´s very good they say, and there´s a diference between those who had records and stop having because when cds came out they just bought a compact system and throw away their old turntable and stereo receiver ,most of them never cleaned the dust of a record or changed the stylus since new on their old system some even had the records on top of a speaker out of the cover , no wonder the cd sounds better ,but in my personal case i worked for 35 years in a radio station was responsable by the electronic material bought for the station that i was one of the first to have the idea of a fm radio station started by young people ,today nothing related with the 80´s or 70´s ,it´s now still a station with only author programs that choose and play the music either in vinil or cd ,this to say that for several decades was also a dj and never stop using records and cds i only started to buy them in 93 allthough i had the first sony cd player semi-portable ,one could listen to it by using headphones and at home one atatched to it a sony part that was a transformer and two rca´s and it becomes a home cd player ,funny that the first md player that in the 90´s arrived to my friends store was also the same system both had a crystal liquid display, i never stoped listening to records and one thing i notice earlier was the guitar sound on cd´s, still bought a lot of early 90´s lp´s in record ,one could buy two records with the same money of one cd and was still using a system bought in 76 ,it cost a fortune at the time but this works perfect today ,had a thorens turntable ,i think it was the best but also in 79 bought the SL-1000mkII and several other from technics including the SL-1200mkII to work ,in 72 the old thorens professional line were substituted by the new SL-1200 from technics the mkI,now i´m using a SL-3310 from 76 full automatic direct drive that i don´t even understand how it works today in perfect condition without any repair along with the p'l-15D from pioneer and the SL-1000 from technics (i have diferent rooms with diferent systems) ,i don´t even understand what brands like pro-ject are doing .Today one see´s the kids changing cartridges and stylus as upgrades ,one used to buy a cheaper turntable and buy a new cartridge and stylus to make it sound perfect but not each year there´s no improving to do ,what i noticed it´s the bad quality of the phono stages in integrated amplifiers, but one could always improve it´s turntable but once not several times it doesn´t even makes sense, but not all are the same each brand delivers diferent turntables allthough some use the same turntable only personalise them a litle to be similar to other equipment from the brand , regards
I started with a used original DD Technics 1200 back in the late 70's and have never looked back, or desired another brand. Of course I moved on to a 1600MK2 and an 1800mk2 that is still in use today. End the upgrade madness forever and buy the Technics!
The D.J world made the SL 1200 famous out there from back in the day ! A masterpiece that has stand the test of time and will continue to do so embracing both worls ,D.Js and audiophiles!
The journey of Technics started (and I am taking out the SP 10 for this although it was the first one) with the 1972 release of the SL 1200 and the artists discovering it for their art. The rest is history. There would not have been a MK2 and follow up models or today's G models without that. ❤
Technics direct drive turntables are simply great, they perform well and last forever. Their SP10MK II back in late 70's is well-known for it's high torque and low vibration.
I bought the Technics 1200MK7. It replaced an old Yamaha DD P700. Go direct drive and never look back. The Yamaha wore down over all, but the motor was rock solid to the end. My MK7 plays slightly slow at default, but the speed control allows me to set it right. Plays 33,45,78, all with the push of one or two buttons. A removable head shell is something I cannot do without. I have two cartridges. A medium end AT and an Ortofon Mono with 78 and LP stylus. I own bootlegs, which were often mastered at varying speeds, so again, the speed control in indispensable. I bought an acrylic mat for it which is set on a lambskin mat. These units also have tonearm height adjustments, so setting the stylus rack is possible and easy. It can be done while playing a record so you can get it to your preference. The table, within the bounds of my budget, is fantastic. Get a 1200 model within your budget and you will never look back.
Have a Yamaha DYP8 direct drive. After 30 plus years, I looked around and decided on a Thorns 1601 semi automatic tt, with a cadenza blue moving coil. I like that your approach indicates that being a audiophile indicates that systems need to be compatible. I really enjoy the details in my system. However, if I was doing reviews having a turntable that allows easy switching of cartridges would be a big plus. I enjoy your equipment reviews and your audiophile philosophy.
I recently got a GAE , use it with a Nag JT-80bk MM cartridge, which I think is a reissue of the cartridge at nag made specifically for technics for a limited run of the Gae. Seems to work really well.
Hi, Steve what I think is going here is the sound that is stuck in your head since the 70’s!! There is pace & life in music on Technics that is not as dry as the SME! That is precisely why I bought the Klipsch Forte IV!
I've got the sl1200 G and agree with all you said , I'd been using a JA MICHELE focus one for years and the G outperformed it hands down, and this will probably be the last tt I'll ever buy, it really is that good .
In 50 plus years of being an audiophile, I owned one belt drive TT. Then in the 70's, I bought my first Technics direct drive, an SL-1500, and never gave a thought to owning a belt drive again. Besides the major plus of being able to swap head shells as easily as changing shoes, direct drives are less fiddly and so much easier to set up. Welcome to the club Steve!
I have a SL-1200GR with a Sumiko Amethyst on order. I would love the SL-1200G but is is more than I want to spend though I could. My first TT I bought was a Technics SL-BD10, their most basic table. I still use it as I love the controls on the outside of the dust cover. Great review!
I have a stock 1200-G and an old 1200-Mk2 with upgraded power supply and SME-V arm. I'm sure the G would sound better with the SME arm on it, but I love the ease of being able to swap out carts on a whim.
I had a sl1400 many years a go and LOVED it!!! Then I got into other tables like the meitner modified oracle Delphi, systemdek, ariston, rega 3, maplenol air driven turntable. I stopped getting into high end audio when I accidentally fried a shinon ex red cartridge. I had it with high end audio! I now have an audio Technica turntable to digitize my LP collection. I know what high end sounds like and it's incredible but I can't go there anymore. It drove me crazy. The same reason I switched from apple to Linux. Love your channel.
that not a real issue ,that´s you wanted to be more sure than your hears can ,like if you doubt them, but they are yours and you shouldn´t doubt them ,i never got crazy over high-end hi-fi but happy some years ago i was thinking about the 2m ortofon black with golden letters and i did bought one for my sl-1000mkII and till i´m dead it´s enough the sp-10 is a sl-1000 but not assembled by technics you choose the options of building it perfect for you ,in terms of sound they are much above the SL-1200 but the SL-1200 was never intended to be a high-end audio turntable but professional one ,good sound and practical while working ,i´m doing the reverse i´m buying whatever i didn´t had in vinil but avoiding new records and searching for colections being sold , at the same time i own more than a thousand original cd´s but those are not older recordings tuned into digital, as an example one listens to AIR or the first Massive Atack cd and it sounds good if listening to portished cds also the cd version in good but the vocals can only sound better in vinil versions but they don´t sound bad in cd so why spend more money if what you have is good and either than good only bad, and some original recordings came with more noise than home recordings this meaning not all music is the same
I tried an SL1200GR for a while,I made sure it was set up correctly with the same cartridge (Goldring G1042) but there was no comparison, the linn had more life and sounded more musical so I sent the Technics back. I do like the idea of swapping out cartridges but I guess I will have to find a Jelco arm instead.
@@nomorokay Yes I considered it but having heard it I didn’t believe the small increase in sound quality was worth the large increase in price and having the ease of cartridge swapping does not hold up against a much better turntable so now I am a bit lost as to why Steve would change from an SME turntable to the technics.
You are so right about the turntable being the actual tactile interface with the entire sound system. Turntables we’re my favorite device My favorite turntable was as a Sony 2251 LA. As I remember I mounted an SME ARM. My most exotic was a Linn Sondek with a Vestigal arm. The Sony as I remember was the only AC direct drive being produced at the time. I wish I never sold it or the Klipschorn I purchased in 1975 for about $1600 (plywood).
I bought the cheaper mk7...even that turntable is great...no loose tonearm bearings, nice and smooth, no warped platter, good looking, and I got it for an end price of about $600 after credit card points and a bonus from sweetwater...I'm happy. I already have too many turntables, so my mk7 is just for fun, and it is....I can switch from my stereo cartridge to my mono to my 78 cartridge in no time. Plus I really like the red led strobe over the blue of the GR and G, I know that sounds ridiculous, but I gotta be happy looking at it. The red strobe has a nice glow in my dimly lit room.
I’m not one who changes cartridges a lot, and the removable head shell connection can introduce some wiggle room so you do need to be aware that your azimuth setting might change. At least that’s the way it is on my 40+ year old mkii. With that said, I can see how it could be convenient to be able to swap out and readjust another cartridge/head shell in about a minute. I too went to DD a long time ago when I found myself constantly listening for a stretched-out belt - wanted to take the speed stability issue out of the equation.
I change headshells a lot on my modified 1200MKII - that I use strictly for analog to digital transfer - every day I swap for various reasons - depending on the vinyl / styrene / size, type of pressing / ect - to get best sound from what the client is handing me..and to me that means simply flat frequency response - - I align the headshell every time I pop a different one on.. it is a real concern if one doesn't do that.. I invented a little bubble level just for that proceedure. - these people wouldn' t know the difference from a 1978 1200MKII and this $6000 unit.. unless the $6000 unit has some flaws.
I also made the switch "back" to direct drive Technics from belt drive. However, I'm going to disagree with you on this, the G sounds better possibly, but it doesn't sound $3500 dollars better than the GR. At a certain point there is always diminishing returns, and coupled with the right cartridge, matt, etc, a GR can sound just as good if not close, and even and MK7 can be enough for most enthusiast up to "audiophiles".
I have a Rega P3 and a Technics sl1210Gr along with a VPI Classic 2. I have a Grado Gold on the Rega and another Grado Gold on the 1210gr. The Rega sounds noticibly better and I end up listening to the Rega/Grado combo more than the technics. The VPI /Denon being the one I listen to most. Changing cartridges isn’t as much fun as people make it out to be. You end up preferring one cartridge over the others and end up listening to that one all the time. For sound quality, simplicity and ease of use the Rega tables are unbeatable. I have a feeling he will miss his SME in the coming months. The Technics tables are good don’t get me wrong, but they’re aim is to multi task I.e. dj, quick change out if during dj use if a cartridge breaks, and multiple cartridge use. The Rega and SME’s of the world aim at sound quality. I want sound quality.
I still have my Gyrodec some 25 years on ; I have the QC power supply and originally had the SME Series III ( which I'd bought when it first came out to replace the Transcriptor Fluid Arm on my old Hydraulic Reference Turntable . I bought the SME III at the time because it was lauded as a 'universal' pickup arm , with variable mass and damping to suit so many different cartridges , and I bought several of the CA-1 carry arms just so that I could experiment with different cartridges . Not only did SME supply modular lead weights to fit into the counterweight assembly , but they also supplied headshell weights so that you could balance out different cartridges without changing the counterweights , and the FD200 damper , which was an optional accessory for the Series 2 , came with three different paddles to vary damping , and they made thinning fluid which you could add to the dashpot . It truly was a very adaptable arm , and I used it for a while . However , my days of playing with cartridges were behind me , I'd tried so many and settled on the At-OC9 , which I'm on my second example of ( stylus wear ) and I knew there were better arms sonically , particularly ones that didn't use knife-edge bearings ; so I shopped around and bought a Rega RB700 , which was their second top arm at the time ; the next one up ( RB-1000 ? ) was a fair bit more expensive . However , during my years in the trade , I had many of the decks you mentioned through my hands , not only the LP12 ( I still know Ivor to speak to as I'm in Glasgow ) but all of the Technics , from the entry level belt drive ones , through the SL120 and SL1200 variants . The sound of turntables with just beginning to be discovered by people like Russ Andrews back then and the direct drives were quiet , simple and reliable . However , these were all what I'd have to describe as consumer level direct drives . Since you guys have had some quite expensive turntables , I'd guess price isn't such a problem , so may I point you to the Technics deck which was designed for broadcast studios ? The SP-10 . It is an armless deck , so you would need to choose an appropriate pickup ; since both of you have had SME , there was an arm ( the 309 ) which sat below the Series IV and V , but had a detachable headshell , but which tightened onto the arm tube with a collar to restore rigidity . While it is a lesser arm than the other two , I'm sure it is still a helluva lot better than the standard Technics arm . Maybe worth a look for you guys ?
I am 100% on the removable head shell train! Technics 1500c for my main setup, and Fluance Rt-85 for my headphone setup. I probably wouldn't be inclined to buy another fixed head shell deck. It's too much fun swapping carts. Steve have you tried the KAB fluid dampening tonearm upgrade for your Technics decks? I have not yet, but people insist it's a substantial upgrade.
For those SL-1200G owners out there: how is the tonearm setup? Changing the headshell/cartridge on a regular basis might not be something I would do if the process is a pain.
Unscrew the headshell, replace with new headshell, tighten, adjust counterbalance, adjust antiskate, adjust VTA dial, done. Just like any other turntable. :)
@@That_Handle I looked up the manual for the sl1200g. The vta adjustment is the only difference from the arm I have now. Do you have a 1200g? Curious to know your experiences.
I purchased one of the first Technics SL1000R when they were released a few years ago. I sold my SME table and I completely agree with all your description between the sounds. However, I immediately started missing my SME, the Technics has just no soul as a machine, it looks perfect and feels perfect but something is missing as far as the interaction.
I have a silver Technics 1500c with which I added isonoe feet bought direct from England. A charcoal colored Achromat, a Femeli record weight which sounds a little more solid and good quality locking interconnects. It’s plugged into a $32 Furman power strip, filter which definitely lowered the noise floor. I’d say it looks awesome and sounds great as well. Not a fan of the strobe and pitch control so this is it. It is a pleasure to use and look at. Glad your enjoying your Technics.
The SL-1200 series is like buying a Porsche 911. They may all look the same but the interior, engine and tuning are all different. I traded-in my Rega P3 to the new black G. My only regret is I should have get the GAE when it was still available early last year.
So for a very simplistic comparison we have basically the g which costs $100/lb while the gr costs $68/lb. 🤷🏻♂️ Then looking at other parameters maybe a prospective buyer can determine which one gives delivers more bang for the back. 😉 There will always be a debate between belt drive vs direct drive. Each has its merits and drawbacks. Get what you like within your budget and just enjoy your favorite albums and don’t look back. As always very spot on and timely for those pondering an important upgrade to their kit.
Hi Steve! I’m a long time follower of your Chanel and I have to say that my jaw dropped when you announced that you’re swapping the SME for the Technics! Wow! The SME is waaay out of my budget but the Technics, although far from cheap, is definitely in the realm of future attainable. Thanks for the vid and keep up the good work!
Steve, I have been reading your writings and watching your videos since your Stereophile days. You realize that as we age, our hearing deteriorates. Also, our taste and appreciation for different genres of music changes. It sounds to me you have given up some ultimate detail for a bit more convenience and you are not missing that ultimate detail anymore, and it doesn’t matter. The hobby is less expensive now. Let’s enjoy the music. :) I enjoyed your musings about the Technics turntables. My first TT back in the late 70’s was a Technics TT. I switched to belt drive non removable head shell TT and, so far, have not switched back.
I have both, the 1210 GR and the 1210 GAE. When I compare them, I have to say that the GR sounds frescher, lighter than the G. The G has a firmer bass and sounds more - I would say "grown up" in comparison with the young and fresh GR. The magnesium tonearm is much more dampining than the aluminum tonearm of the GR. And naturally I use magnesium haedshells on the 1210 GAE.
Interesting, I always remember you saying that SME was your end game deck and it would be with you forever! It just goes to show how important user interface is with components, bad designs can wear thin no matter how good it sounds.
There was no bad design , the Series Iv and V had one piece arm tubes for rigidity and low mass , just as had been first done on the Series II fixed headshell . If a detachable headshell was a requirement , SME made the 309 which was a similar design to the Series IV and V but with the removable headshell . Of course it was a 'budget' version of the Series IV , but it did exist .
@@derekheeps8012 this was more an observation of user interface in general, the better it is the more likely someone will want to use it. Living with a product over time makes the small details count, using the product needs to be a pleasure. There’s a reason streaming is the number one way to listen to music, it suits more users needs.
I have long had a removable headshell after I purchased a Pioneer PLX-1000 based on an earlier recommendation by Steve. I guess he didn’t keep that one.
Many years ago I used the Technics 1200, I loved the simplicity, the ability to adjust arm height, it just made record playing convenient. Would possibly consider the idea of a 1200G as a replacement for my old Gyro SE/QC/SME IV, but the attraction is really just about convenience and it being robust enough that it would possibly be my last turntable and one the whole family would not be worried to use. Strange how as some of us get older, sometimes we start considering things like convenience, easy to use functions and robust as viable as sound quality. Even just having a lid appeals to me these days.
I was close to retiring my MK2 manufactured in 79' but recently found out all Technics are no longer manufactured in Japan. I'll likely end up upgrading/restoring my table now.
Steve, you are so fun to watch. Just for anyone here watching, the GRs are discounted rn if you look. GR2 is being released. I got a GR for $450 off, so I am essentially grab a Nagoaka 300 for the difference in price ;) hope everyone gives direct drive a chance, it’s such an enjoyable experience!
Don't worry about it your gr is a really good choice, I have a G model and it sounds good but to really capitalise on better sound I would have to get better amp , speakers and associated cables of which I cannot afford.
I just went from a 1210GR to the 1210G and really wasn’t expecting such a big jump in performance. I even compared both TT using the same Phono pre-amp (Cyrus Phono Sig) that has 4 TT inputs and was able to easily flip between G and GR on the fly. Yes, the 1210G is definitely worth the price premium over the GR, and it’s a beautifully made TT. Still think the GR is a great TT though.
you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from the original 1978 technics 1200MKII and these decks being hucked for thousands. Never in a million days. This community is hlariously myopic.
@@ericochoa4034 no they don't and it's a fixed inflation so how could it. it's very basic math - I'm actually reflecting to 1991 prices when I was purchasing NIB for $250 USD.
There's irony in this video for me because decades ago you persuaded me to stop using my SL-1200 MkII and buy by a Rega Planar 2 at SbS. I don't still have the Technics but fortunately I saved the Shure V15 that I still use today.
There's a reason those things are found in the best and most world-class dance clubs in the world. Very few turntables have bass that offers what DJ's call "punch", the thing that gets folks jumping on the dance floor. From this review, it sounds like you definitely heard that in your trial.
@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 you'd be surprised, I once had a Technics SL 1300MKII and compared it to the Technics sp 15. the SP was better, not a big difference but noticeable. you need to understand the equipment you hook a turntable into, can make a difference in the way they sound. I'd be interested to know what you compared the G and the old MKII with. if you are running it on what most DJ's use for MKII's no wonder you can't hear the difference.
@@kwd-kwd Oh maybe my comment wasn't' clear enough.. I forget now what I said...but I agree - SP are known to be better but 'barely' like , negligible to most people (but made to be best in the 'industry' of course for broadcast duty) - that's why I modd my 1200s to be similar to the SP of course not everything can be changed - The 1200's I mod is for my transcription business.. yes stock 1200s are great but not excellent for sound. I recently got 2 Audio Technica 1240s for actual DJ work - to run with Serato and wow the phono stage is NOISY ! I think it's the USB interface inside the turntable which I hope to disable . The AT is a Hanpin turntable (Chinese).. has amazing bells and whistles.. is substantial for real time mixing - but it's 'loosey-goose' compared to a Golden era Technics. I may have been a bit glib in my response.. again can't remember the vibe..thanks for your comment.
Technics in a way shot themselves in a foot when they created SL-1200 MK2, still an "accidental reference" class their other models are being compared to. First SL-1200 (MK1) was good but the MK2 changed its genes so much it became simply "the SL-1200". Match is with a good stylus and you won't be longing for better or newer from their later SL1200 product line, you can trust me on that. Creation of the 1200 MK2 was one in a lifetime event for them, when their best technical, design and engineering minds got together to create a true masterpiece. All the future MKs and models were really just a variation on the original theme. Mine still going strong, after 30 years.
@@DNGR369 The tech hasn't changed much. More of a modernisation in few of its areas to keep up with the times, than a change. Those who still have SL-1200 mkII should be content with it. The ones who don't, will certaimly benefit from the new editions.
This ^^^ Same sentiments here. I have MK7 and my dad still spins 42 years old MK2 on daily basis. His MK2 looks like brand new. These things were built to last, overengineered pieces of hi-fi kit. Enjoy yours!
I have been on the fence for a while about a 1200g. I have been listening to different vpi’ s and Linn’s for about 40 years and your little you tube show and what you have said about this table made the difference. I now have one on the way from HiFi Heaven and am so excited.
I settled on the Sony, flew beneath the radar. I have some great mid fi cartridges to rotate. It is rock sold, my seniorly ears could not hear any better.. I think a lot of audiophiles should have their hearing checked, It could be much to do about nothing.. if your hearing trims off between 10 - 15K you are likely BS yourself.
Just bought my forever 1200g. In another thread you recommended an interconnect cable upgrade you've used. I haven't been able to find that. Can you repeat that?
Have the SL-1210 GAE 55th and the best turntable I’ve ever owned. Hands down. Also have the external psu upgrade from precision sound lab (Italy) -- I’ve over 20 high end carts and love love love changing it up. Can’t beat it! The G is worth it imo.
Is it possible that you try out the new Thorens TD 124 DD before you order the Technics SL-1200G.I'm interested in your opinion on both of them in comparison. Kind regards, Sven
Since you are prioritizing switching out cartridges, I suggest you consider either the Moerch DP-6 or UP-4, beautiful Danish tonearms. The DP-6 is a fixed tonearm and the UP-4 is a unipivot design. They both have tonearm wands which are easily switched out. They’re exceptional.
I think once you align the cart in the headshell it should stay put even when you remove the headshell from the arm. On the other hand are you speaking about the tightness of the tonearm's fastening system having an effect on alignment? I would think that the tolerance of the tonearm's threaded connector would be less than 1 mm. Maybe I'm wrong?
Technics might be the first with direct drive, but coreless direct drive, Dual was the first one with the 701, which came out in '72 I believe. In fact, the motor in the dual 701/721 looks remarkably like the motor in the technics sl-1000r, a $20k turntable. Both have a dual row coreless coil stator drive with both about the same amount of coreless coils (I think the dual has 2x8 coils, the sl-1000r 2x9 coils). It was that advanced back in the day. That motor was developed by Papst, a famous electric motor manufacturer, which back in the day was situated in the same village as Dual Gmbh. Most coreless direct drives of later design (many many turntables/brands used it) were usually constructed of 4 or 6 corless coils. But never 16, until the sl-1000r now, half a century later 🙂
I bought an SL-1210GR when my Dual 701 gave out two years ago. The AudioTechnica is nice, but I honestly haven't been able to make it sound as good as the Dual did with a Grado basic cartridge yet. But truly both of them have amazingly good motors.
Could I suggest a comparative review of the Technics SL-G700 CD/SACD Player and your Technics SL-1200G Turntable. It would be interesting to hear how the house sound compares across two different mediums, and hear how CD stands against analogue. Regards, Colin Jones Wrexham, UK
Since you liked the SL-1200G for the removable headshells, have you ever thought about trying the SL-1000R? All the features of a world class audiophile turntable but headshells can be swapped in the same way as in the SL-1200 series.
I think the solid dynamic bass is very appealing. But in the long run a single expensive good cartridge with belt drive will go further and will not require changing cartridges. I have Koetsu black and few other popular cartridges. But after listening to Koetsu I have no desire to swap unless it’s permanent for a better cartridge.
Moved from Michell Orbe SE/SME to the 1200G for mostly the same reason. Upgraded the G with Oyaide BR-12 mat, carbon fibre headshell, Furutech phono lead and changed the torque to approx half way setting. Previously 301,401, LP12, 124,Roksan and other TT's but the G just makes the listening experience just right. Shall await with interest your experience with the G. Hope you enjoy the ride and thanks for your videos. A pleasure to watch.
Just yesterday I upgraded my 1210GRs headshell with Oyaides carbon fibre. The improvement was quite noticeable. I wasn't aware of their platter mat, going to check that out.
What, nk power supply mod?
@@johntrott9513 Forgot to mention I added a Oyaide STB-MSX record stabilizer set to 350g (3 weights) and a Furutech Roxy power cable.
Derek, what cartridge(s) are you using? noticed that the audiophiliac seemed to have down graded his cartridges. I also am interested in this turntable, but mainly because I want play with different cartridges, unfortunately I have a transimpedance phono stage that limits me to low output cartridges. I'm wondering if this table is more suited for more high energy cartridges like high output moving irons.
@@BobCoalWater I'm using a Audio Technica AT33PTGII and an AT33EV into EAR834P Sig phono stage. The G is a wonderful TT for the price in my opinion and the arm is just fine. See the Technics video about how Michiko Ogawa sought out old boy employees to come back and make the arm. Spirit of Japan.
Around 10 years ago, I gave up my Linn Sondek (which I had for more than 25 years) and replaced it with a Technics SL-1200 MK 2. To me, the Technics sounded about 95 percent as good as the Linn did when the Linn was working properly. The problem is that the Linn rarely was in peak form--it needed tweeking on a regular basis and I spent a lot of money getting it tweeked. The Technics, on the other hand, is fabulously reliable. It sounds they way it sounds every single time I play it. And I love that. It has also cost me nothing to maintain.
OTOH, I also love my Honda Accord and Johnny Walker Black scotch, so maybe i am just not a high-end person in any dimension.
I like your disclaimer on the end haha. To be fair Johnny Walker Black is overwhelmingly a blend of Caol Ila whisky mixed with some cheaper stuff. Caol Ila is literally the best Distillery IMO in Islay overall. Double Black is just a higher ratio of Caol Ila in the blend. So you're not as basic as you say, just economical!
@@DNGR369 Johnnie Walker Black is pretty decent, IMO (just not the best).
The Accord is a good car ...just like the SL 1200 mark II. A good drive, does what it's supposed to do and very reliable. As far as the Scotch Whisky goes...I have some Irish blood in me . I discovered the two don't mix well. Anyway I be using my Technics SL-7 put the record on close"n"play. My Stanton L747S even has a brush...when I'm lazy! I just pulled a power cord in a dumpster years ago...and this little whale was at the other end . $105 for the Stanton. It puts a smile on my face 😊 every time I use it. It's kind of cute too sittingon top of my JVCDD-7 ( yeah I said it has good enough isolation)..the foot print is the size of an album jacket and has good enough isolation since it's as heavy as my SL-1200 mark II (another dumpster find ...needs a tone arm bearing...eventually I'll fix that) .
After doing a college radio show for four years on 1200-MKII turntables, I couldn't go anywhere else for a turntable. The feel of using a Technics 1200 is like nothing else.
Hi from the UK. I bought a 1200GR, 3 years ago. Various Cartridges for various music. I have no doubt that it's my end game TT. I love it
After a couple decades of not listening to vinyl I decided to take my turntable out of storage in my basement and bring up a handful of my favorite albums. My turntable is a vintage 1970s Technics SL 1600. After 20+ years boxed up on a shelf I was surprised it even ran. All though not as good as new, after a 5 minute “warm up” I was able to get the speed adjusted and Abbey Road sounded so good. The 1600 needs a little patience each time I play it but it still brings me joy after almost 50 years.
After being in storage for that long, the bearing would love 2-3 drops of glide bearing oil. After that, it'll be ready to roll.
I've had my 1200G for about two years now (it replaced a 1200 MK 7 which replaced a MK2). It's the last turntable I ever buy. I use an Ortofon 2M Black on it and I love that combination. The 1200G is a joy to touch and operate and it's always ready to roll. No tweaking, no speed fluctuations, no issues what so ever. It's reliable, it sounds great and if another small company was making it, it would have cost triple the price. Great video Steve!
The MK2 is a better deck than the MK7! The G on the other hand is superb.
I have a SL-1600 MK2 that has the super isolated body and the rubber underside platter like the G. It also has a Vertical Tracking Angle adjustment that you don't see on some of the other Technics decks. It does sound great and I've never had to use isolation tables or special feet. It blocks sub-sonics from getting back into the system very well. Love my Technics. Glad you had such a great time reviewing these.
1200ś have VTA
I treated myself to a 1200G back in 2019 and I don't regret it one bit. Rarely do I splurge on something so nice but I know if well taken care of, this thing will likely outlast my ability to bend over to pick out an album. It's built like a tank. The solid construction and overall feeling interacting with this turntable just brings a smile to my face every time I drop on an album to kick back at the end of the day. The ability to quickly swap the carts is super handy and something I didn't think I would use as much as I do, but now that I have the ability, I find myself trying out different carts with different albums simply because it's so easy to swap.
To Mrmoogle, I done exactly the same in Feb 21 , after years and years faffing and pratting around with a JA michell, I find myself playing records now so much more than I used to , every thing is so easy and predictable with the G , swapping cartridge and headshells in seconds, and playing records I thought I didn't like of which I now love .
I have had my Kenwood direct drive turntable for 40 years. I love it!
I've probably got about 10 different turntables but my "everyday driver" is my SL-1200 MK2 (customized) . Always will be because of the design, no belt, changeable head shells, easy manipulation. Love Technics
I just bought my third 1200 and this is why. There are better sounding decks. The Technics, with some modification are good enough and nothing is more user friendly. I see what you said over and over again. Why would a guy with a ten thousand dollar turntable not use that? The Technics must be good enough to overcome the headaches of dealing with those very high end turntables. To me that says save my money and invest it in other areas. I'll be honest. I want to swap the arm and power supply on the MK2 I'm refurbishing but other than that I'm good. I'll only swap the arm if I can find one with the same removable stylus functionality though. Otherwise it defeats the point for my needs.
Hi from the UK 🇬🇧. I've owned a SL1200GR for 5 years, discounted to £1100. Used with a Chord Huei, Ortofon 2m Black and a Denon DL103R. Much loved and intended to be my "End Game" Turntable. However.... I was able to borrow a SL1200G with a Sumiko Songbird low output MC, and a Rothwell SUT with the Chord Huei. The improvement, in all respects was ridiculously high. I then bought the SL1200G, discounted to £2849. The Songbird discounted to £699. The "Law of diminishing returns" does in no way apply to these Upgrades. After watching Steve Guttenberg's Review on the SL1200G and him buying one for himself, convinced me to start saving cash to buy one. The rest of my System was easily good enough to do the G justice. My advice to Everyone is, save harder, and skip the GR 1 or 2.
Just bought the 50th anniversary 1200 as my first turntable out of sheer nostalgia and reputation from watching DJs with them my whole life. I’m not disappointed. They’re as fun to play with as they always looked and they perform as advertised. If it gets better, good on ya.
Technics have always made some of the best turntables in the world. Glad to see you do this review
I Dj'ed from '99 to '05 and used the Technics mkII and mkIII which was pretty much standard for all Djs. Never thought of them as at home listening tables but it makes sense because they are just really good turn tables.
love your videos ..however, It all really comes down your hearing ability.. Most don't even mention this..me as an nearly 84 year old man , obviously my hearing has deteriorated over the years, but my system definitely gives me true pleasure in listening to it... I use a Fluance RT-85 tt with a orofon 2 m blue and a shure V15II into a Kenwood KA-5500 amp and Fluance Signature series and B&W dm6 speakers
Interesting you would say that. I’m 53 now and 10 years ago I auditioned a Linn system with my then 76 yo father at BillyVee hifi in London. My father just had his first hearing aids. The linn speakers we listened to were the top of the line Klimax speakers, active drive with 10 (!) mono amps, 5 per speaker. The dealer had us listen to our own music on cd. Then he disconnected the super tweeters that have a range from 20kHz to 44kHz. As a trained electronics engineer and hifi enthusiast I was sure this wouldn’t make any difference. Boy was I wrong. I heard a clear difference but also my father. Turns out harmonics and many, many other variables play a role.
Since then I have been chasing the perfect sound…
Welcome to the world of audiophiles…
Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱
Audiophiles are a funny bunch: after decades of being despised and shun upon with disgust as the "DJ turntable", the 1200 now is getting wide acceptance in those same circles and, as usual, it's just a few who have actually listened, while the rest just follow suit on trust.
The new line of 1200 decks are completely different than the Mk II and better sounding.
Technics used to charge $400 for a brand new SL-1200. Audiophiles didn't 'approve' of Technics tables until they started charging big money for them. You could lock these dudes in a room with a 1200G and a GR in a blind abx setup with rules in place that they're not allowed out until they pass a 10/10 blind test identification of the tables, only difference being the table. They'd all die in that room.
@@mrb2917 😆
That Audio Technics AT-120XUSB's stock is about to rise...
I've always found that a darkness is resonance. Anybody that went to night clubs in the 80s know what the 1200 is about. It's an addicting sound
After researching so many Turntables I went with the GR1200 and am very happy with my choice. I have considered upgrading to the 1200G but it would have to be an "Oh Wow" experience when comparing to my 120GR. Bear in mind I would demo with the same cartridge. Love the swappable cartridge as well.
I feel transparency can be a bit fatiguing sometimes - I agree you can listen to something like the 1200 for so much longer, also the durability aspect of Techincs makes it very enjoyable to not feel on edge around your equipment
Transparency?
I've been a Technics direct drive fan for 30 years my SL1210mk2 and it's cousin my semi auto SL1700mk2 are just end game turntables for me.
I've had a Technics SL D2 direct drive turntable since 1978, still works great and I still use it.
Yep hasn’t changed very much for over 42+ years
That was my first turntable. Have a sl-1210gr now.
these people wouldn't be able to tell the difference from yours - as long as it had the same cartridge , rubber mat ect and one was using headphones.. I would admit yours would suffer due to the lighter mass of your turntable in a 'playing' live environment . . This is hilarious when belt people think this is new because of an outrageous price tag.
You are a healthy and lucky man!
I've got one of those . It's very reliable I ditched my belt drives for it a while back. Now that I have my SL-7 fitted with a Stanton L747S I've been using the little close"n"play.
Everyone knows that turntables can sound different, but I was really amazed when I replaced my tired (1978?) Technics SL-1400 MK2 with a brand new SL-1210M5G. This was in the summer of 2010, so I got one of the last few 1210M5Gs around, having to order it from a shop In Calgary, a full time zone away.
Since the new turntable didn't come with a cartridge, I took the cartridge (a Shure M97xE) and headshell from the SL-1400, as well as the thick Platter Matter mat. This meant that I had to raise the tonearm to correct the VTA, but that was simple to do with the big threaded ring on the 1210M5G. So, everything that contacted the LP was the same with both turntables: the cartridge, the headshell, and the platter mat. The SL-1400 was getting old and was making a clicking sound when the platter rotated, plus the controls were getting sticky to operate. I just wanted to replace it with a new Technics, and went for the top one.
When I put on the first LP, within seconds I could hear the difference. The same LP, when played on the new M5G, sounded much better. The sounds were clearer and the bass notes sounded more solid, with a sharper attack. I was amazed! Everything touching the LP was the same on both turntables, but the new turntable sounded much better. Maybe the upgraded tonearm wires on the M5G model (compared with the regular SL-1210 MK5), maybe the increased platter weight. I don't know, but the differences were unmistakable, and they were all good. 12 years later, the SL-1210M5G still sounds and looks great. I added a dust cover hinge kit from KAB, as well as a solid walnut base, which really upgraded the looks and seemed to make a slight improvement in the sound. I gave the 1400 MK2 to a buddy, who was happy to have a working turntable.
I was going through my belongings in my garage last year and found a turntable I has bought back in 1980 or so, and cleaned it up and brought it in my home.
It had a Grace Ruby cartridge and stylus mounted on the headshell.
The turntable is a Technics SL-1200 Mark II.
She sounds sweet!
As does my late model Mk 2 in black. They sound sweet, and reliable doing it. A joy to own and operate.
My Clearaudio Concept died out and I went with a 1210GR as a replacement and I had the same experience as you regarding the ease of use. Adjustments and setup are just WAY more intuitive than the Clearaudio.
Bought my 1200's in 1985 from a shop on 14th. along from Union Square, the salesman wrapped some nylon string round them and attached a wee handle. I carried to Woodside via subway to arrive home with two rather ugly welts on the outside of my thighs due to friction burns. Well worth it as they are still going strong after being hauled all over NYC and beyond for DJ parties/gigs.
It’s funny the way I agree with your decision to acquire a 1200g instead another turntable around the price: the option to exchange cartridges; I have the 1200g exactly for that. Another reason: it is forever, its validity and durability are indisputable. Thanks for make me feel proud of my decision!!!
😃👍
my neighbors motor is shot, and its not an uncommon thing...
@@DG-ie5ip 😂🤣😂
I often think going from a belt drive to direct drive is a bit like going from vinyl to CD back when CD’s came out first. I really loved not having to phaff around seemingly always having to care for the belt drive turntable,just pop in a CD and listen and enjoy, I ended up not missing that last ounce of vinyl goodness and just enjoyed the music more as I was not worried if I had set up my turntable correctly or if it had changed from its optimal set up which belt drive always seems to do.
The answer was direct drive and I had a Technics and the convenience and ease just made it a more enjoyable listening experience as I simply did not have to worry about if it was tweaked enough to be at top performance.
And when you think about it whatever we can do to ease the way we listen has to have a benefit to our mood in listening. If we are more at ease we enjoy the music more and I find that is far more important than the last ounce of detail or timbre that a more expensive better designed product can bring, after all, music is emotional perception not technical prowess. Listen to a musician that is technically a better player and then listen to one who puts more emotion into the performance and the one that will lodge in your heart is the one who put the emotion in, the technical one will leave you in awe but the emotion fades away quickly!
you didn´t had to worry if correctelly used, a belt drive can last a lot of years but this new change it yourself for the speed i guess they become very fast out of tune due to the daily handling of the belt while mechanical change doesn´t afect sound but skin grease or skin natural protection will be added everyday when listening to records how much time does one of these keep the speed not having a stroboscope to watch it´s changes in speed and not correctable
@@RUfromthe40s It depends on the deck ; many do indeed rely on moving belts from one pulley to another , and indeed my Gyrodec with the standard power supply required this approach ; also my previous Hydraulic Reference Turntable used a little fork to nudge the belt one way or the other ( that turntable did have a strobe and was designed to run slightly fast , then slowed to speed by dipping a vane into the well of silicon fluid ) . However , since getting the QC power supply , speed change is effected by changing the oscillator frequency which changes the motor speed . I rarely find any need to tweak anything on my turntable and the music just keeps sounding good .
@@derekheeps8012 i do have 2 turntables driven by belts but it´s inside the turntable wooden box with mechanical change of speed no electronics or unprotected belt made of cheap synthectic rubber, this since 74 no flutuations on speed and i´m re-wiring it because original wires due to excessive use are getting old and sometimes one has to put in place the ground wire but either than this it delivers a clean sound with a large spectrum of frequencies ,even those one can´t hear or feel when loud, i´m not against turntables driven by belt but i saw a fluance and already close to 1.000€ that only made think of my 78 also pioneer lower reference that at the time were the cheapest(PL-514) but even being like i discribed ,the fluance looks a lot like it and for the worth ,cheaper material, and it´s very good they say, and there´s a diference between those who had records and stop having because when cds came out they just bought a compact system and throw away their old turntable and stereo receiver ,most of them never cleaned the dust of a record or changed the stylus since new on their old system some even had the records on top of a speaker out of the cover , no wonder the cd sounds better ,but in my personal case i worked for 35 years in a radio station was responsable by the electronic material bought for the station that i was one of the first to have the idea of a fm radio station started by young people ,today nothing related with the 80´s or 70´s ,it´s now still a station with only author programs that choose and play the music either in vinil or cd ,this to say that for several decades was also a dj and never stop using records and cds i only started to buy them in 93 allthough i had the first sony cd player semi-portable ,one could listen to it by using headphones and at home one atatched to it a sony part that was a transformer and two rca´s and it becomes a home cd player ,funny that the first md player that in the 90´s arrived to my friends store was also the same system both had a crystal liquid display, i never stoped listening to records and one thing i notice earlier was the guitar sound on cd´s, still bought a lot of early 90´s lp´s in record ,one could buy two records with the same money of one cd and was still using a system bought in 76 ,it cost a fortune at the time but this works perfect today ,had a thorens turntable ,i think it was the best but also in 79 bought the SL-1000mkII and several other from technics including the SL-1200mkII to work ,in 72 the old thorens professional line were substituted by the new SL-1200 from technics the mkI,now i´m using a SL-3310 from 76 full automatic direct drive that i don´t even understand how it works today in perfect condition without any repair along with the p'l-15D from pioneer and the SL-1000 from technics (i have diferent rooms with diferent systems) ,i don´t even understand what brands like pro-ject are doing .Today one see´s the kids changing cartridges and stylus as upgrades ,one used to buy a cheaper turntable and buy a new cartridge and stylus to make it sound perfect but not each year there´s no improving to do ,what i noticed it´s the bad quality of the phono stages in integrated amplifiers, but one could always improve it´s turntable but once not several times it doesn´t even makes sense, but not all are the same each brand delivers diferent turntables allthough some use the same turntable only personalise them a litle to be similar to other equipment from the brand , regards
@@RUfromthe40s
You win the prize for longest sentence ever! Amazing!
@@nomorokay thanks ,not my first language, regards and a happy new year
I started with a used original DD Technics 1200 back in the late 70's and have never looked back, or desired another brand. Of course I moved on to a 1600MK2 and an 1800mk2 that is still in use today. End the upgrade madness forever and buy the Technics!
Would love to get a 1200G, they just never seem to be in stock.
The D.J world made the SL 1200 famous out there from back in the day !
A masterpiece that has stand the test of time and will continue to do so embracing both worls ,D.Js and audiophiles!
The journey of Technics started (and I am taking out the SP 10 for this although it was the first one) with the 1972 release of the SL 1200 and the artists discovering it for their art. The rest is history. There would not have been a MK2 and follow up models or today's G models without that. ❤
Technics direct drive turntables are simply great, they perform well and last forever. Their SP10MK II back in late 70's is well-known for it's high torque and low vibration.
I bought the Technics 1200MK7. It replaced an old Yamaha DD P700. Go direct drive and never look back. The Yamaha wore down over all, but the motor was rock solid to the end. My MK7 plays slightly slow at default, but the speed control allows me to set it right. Plays 33,45,78, all with the push of one or two buttons. A removable head shell is something I cannot do without. I have two cartridges. A medium end AT and an Ortofon Mono with 78 and LP stylus. I own bootlegs, which were often mastered at varying speeds, so again, the speed control in indispensable. I bought an acrylic mat for it which is set on a lambskin mat. These units also have tonearm height adjustments, so setting the stylus rack is possible and easy. It can be done while playing a record so you can get it to your preference. The table, within the bounds of my budget, is fantastic. Get a 1200 model within your budget and you will never look back.
Have a Yamaha DYP8 direct drive. After 30 plus years, I looked around and decided on a Thorns 1601 semi automatic tt, with a cadenza blue moving coil. I like that your approach indicates that being a audiophile indicates that systems need to be compatible. I really enjoy the details in my system. However, if I was doing reviews having a turntable that allows easy switching of cartridges would be a big plus. I enjoy your equipment reviews and your audiophile philosophy.
I recently got a GAE , use it with a Nag JT-80bk MM cartridge, which I think is a reissue of the cartridge at nag made specifically for technics for a limited run of the Gae. Seems to work really well.
Hi, Steve what I think is going here is the sound that is stuck in your head since the 70’s!! There is pace & life in music on Technics that is not as dry as the SME! That is precisely why I bought the Klipsch Forte IV!
I've got the sl1200 G and agree with all you said , I'd been using a JA MICHELE focus one for years and the G outperformed it hands down, and this will probably be the last tt I'll ever buy, it really is that good .
Been loving my 1200. Mkll table since the late 70s. Solid as a rock.
I bought a GR JUST to be able to swap cartridges! So I can appreciate your enthusiasm
In 50 plus years of being an audiophile, I owned one belt drive TT. Then in the 70's, I bought my first Technics direct drive, an SL-1500, and never gave a thought to owning a belt drive again. Besides the major plus of being able to swap head shells as easily as changing shoes, direct drives are less fiddly and so much easier to set up. Welcome to the club Steve!
I have a SL-1200GR with a Sumiko Amethyst on order. I would love the SL-1200G but is is more than I want to spend though I could. My first TT I bought was a Technics SL-BD10, their most basic table. I still use it as I love the controls on the outside of the dust cover. Great review!
I have a stock 1200-G and an old 1200-Mk2 with upgraded power supply and SME-V arm. I'm sure the G would sound better with the SME arm on it, but I love the ease of being able to swap out carts on a whim.
I had a sl1400 many years a go and LOVED it!!! Then I got into other tables like the meitner modified oracle Delphi, systemdek, ariston, rega 3, maplenol air driven turntable. I stopped getting into high end audio when I accidentally fried a shinon ex red cartridge. I had it with high end audio!
I now have an audio Technica turntable to digitize my LP collection. I know what high end sounds like and it's incredible but I can't go there anymore. It drove me crazy. The same reason I switched from apple to Linux.
Love your channel.
that not a real issue ,that´s you wanted to be more sure than your hears can ,like if you doubt them, but they are yours and you shouldn´t doubt them ,i never got crazy over high-end hi-fi but happy some years ago i was thinking about the 2m ortofon black with golden letters and i did bought one for my sl-1000mkII and till i´m dead it´s enough the sp-10 is a sl-1000 but not assembled by technics you choose the options of building it perfect for you ,in terms of sound they are much above the SL-1200 but the SL-1200 was never intended to be a high-end audio turntable but professional one ,good sound and practical while working ,i´m doing the reverse i´m buying whatever i didn´t had in vinil but avoiding new records and searching for colections being sold , at the same time i own more than a thousand original cd´s but those are not older recordings tuned into digital, as an example one listens to AIR or the first Massive Atack cd and it sounds good if listening to portished cds also the cd version in good but the vocals can only sound better in vinil versions but they don´t sound bad in cd so why spend more money if what you have is good and either than good only bad, and some original recordings came with more noise than home recordings this meaning not all music is the same
I tried an SL1200GR for a while,I made sure it was set up correctly with the same cartridge (Goldring G1042) but there was no comparison, the linn had more life and sounded more musical so I sent the Technics back. I do like the idea of swapping out cartridges but I guess I will have to find a Jelco arm instead.
Did you consider upgrading to the SL-1200G? It is said to sound noticeably better than the 1200GR.
@@nomorokay
Yes I considered it but having heard it I didn’t believe the small increase in sound quality was worth the large increase in price and having the ease of cartridge swapping does not hold up against a much better turntable so now I am a bit lost as to why Steve would change from an SME turntable to the technics.
You are so right about the turntable being the actual tactile interface with the entire sound system. Turntables we’re my favorite device My favorite turntable was as a Sony 2251 LA. As I remember I mounted an SME ARM. My most exotic was a Linn Sondek with a Vestigal arm.
The Sony as I remember was the only AC direct drive being produced at the time. I wish I never sold it or the Klipschorn I purchased in 1975 for about $1600 (plywood).
I bought the cheaper mk7...even that turntable is great...no loose tonearm bearings, nice and smooth, no warped platter, good looking, and I got it for an end price of about $600 after credit card points and a bonus from sweetwater...I'm happy. I already have too many turntables, so my mk7 is just for fun, and it is....I can switch from my stereo cartridge to my mono to my 78 cartridge in no time. Plus I really like the red led strobe over the blue of the GR and G, I know that sounds ridiculous, but I gotta be happy looking at it. The red strobe has a nice glow in my dimly lit room.
Don't you know , that you can change your strobe light in your MK7 and GR or G ?
I agree with you about the removable head shell ,I plan on buying a SL1200GR
I’m not one who changes cartridges a lot, and the removable head shell connection can introduce some wiggle room so you do need to be aware that your azimuth setting might change. At least that’s the way it is on my 40+ year old mkii. With that said, I can see how it could be convenient to be able to swap out and readjust another cartridge/head shell in about a minute. I too went to DD a long time ago when I found myself constantly listening for a stretched-out belt - wanted to take the speed stability issue out of the equation.
I change headshells a lot on my modified 1200MKII - that I use strictly for analog to digital transfer - every day I swap for various reasons - depending on the vinyl / styrene / size, type of pressing / ect - to get best sound from what the client is handing me..and to me that means simply flat frequency response - - I align the headshell every time I pop a different one on.. it is a real concern if one doesn't do that.. I invented a little bubble level just for that proceedure. - these people wouldn' t know the difference from a 1978 1200MKII and this $6000 unit.. unless the $6000 unit has some flaws.
I also made the switch "back" to direct drive Technics from belt drive. However, I'm going to disagree with you on this, the G sounds better possibly, but it doesn't sound $3500 dollars better than the GR. At a certain point there is always diminishing returns, and coupled with the right cartridge, matt, etc, a GR can sound just as good if not close, and even and MK7 can be enough for most enthusiast up to "audiophiles".
I have a Rega P3 and a Technics sl1210Gr along with a VPI Classic 2. I have a Grado Gold on the Rega and another Grado Gold on the 1210gr. The Rega sounds noticibly better and I end up listening to the Rega/Grado combo more than the technics. The VPI /Denon being the one I listen to most. Changing cartridges isn’t as much fun as people make it out to be. You end up preferring one cartridge over the others and end up listening to that one all the time. For sound quality, simplicity and ease of use the Rega tables are unbeatable. I have a feeling he will miss his SME in the coming months. The Technics tables are good don’t get me wrong, but they’re aim is to multi task I.e. dj, quick change out if during dj use if a cartridge breaks, and multiple cartridge use. The Rega and SME’s of the world aim at sound quality. I want sound quality.
I have a 1210GR on the way and had considered saving up for the G in the past but to each his own.
I still have my Gyrodec some 25 years on ; I have the QC power supply and originally had the SME Series III ( which I'd bought when it first came out to replace the Transcriptor Fluid Arm on my old Hydraulic Reference Turntable . I bought the SME III at the time because it was lauded as a 'universal' pickup arm , with variable mass and damping to suit so many different cartridges , and I bought several of the CA-1 carry arms just so that I could experiment with different cartridges . Not only did SME supply modular lead weights to fit into the counterweight assembly , but they also supplied headshell weights so that you could balance out different cartridges without changing the counterweights , and the FD200 damper , which was an optional accessory for the Series 2 , came with three different paddles to vary damping , and they made thinning fluid which you could add to the dashpot . It truly was a very adaptable arm , and I used it for a while .
However , my days of playing with cartridges were behind me , I'd tried so many and settled on the At-OC9 , which I'm on my second example of ( stylus wear ) and I knew there were better arms sonically , particularly ones that didn't use knife-edge bearings ; so I shopped around and bought a Rega RB700 , which was their second top arm at the time ; the next one up ( RB-1000 ? ) was a fair bit more expensive .
However , during my years in the trade , I had many of the decks you mentioned through my hands , not only the LP12 ( I still know Ivor to speak to as I'm in Glasgow ) but all of the Technics , from the entry level belt drive ones , through the SL120 and SL1200 variants . The sound of turntables with just beginning to be discovered by people like Russ Andrews back then and the direct drives were quiet , simple and reliable . However , these were all what I'd have to describe as consumer level direct drives .
Since you guys have had some quite expensive turntables , I'd guess price isn't such a problem , so may I point you to the Technics deck which was designed for broadcast studios ?
The SP-10 . It is an armless deck , so you would need to choose an appropriate pickup ; since both of you have had SME , there was an arm ( the 309 ) which sat below the Series IV and V , but had a detachable headshell , but which tightened onto the arm tube with a collar to restore rigidity . While it is a lesser arm than the other two , I'm sure it is still a helluva lot better than the standard Technics arm .
Maybe worth a look for you guys ?
I am 100% on the removable head shell train! Technics 1500c for my main setup, and Fluance Rt-85 for my headphone setup. I probably wouldn't be inclined to buy another fixed head shell deck. It's too much fun swapping carts. Steve have you tried the KAB fluid dampening tonearm upgrade for your Technics decks? I have not yet, but people insist it's a substantial upgrade.
For those SL-1200G owners out there: how is the tonearm setup? Changing the headshell/cartridge on a regular basis might not be something I would do if the process is a pain.
Unscrew the headshell, replace with new headshell, tighten, adjust counterbalance, adjust antiskate, adjust VTA dial, done. Just like any other turntable. :)
👍
What tools do you use / prefer for making the adjustments after installing a different headshell?
@@That_Handle I looked up the manual for the sl1200g. The vta adjustment is the only difference from the arm I have now. Do you have a 1200g? Curious to know your experiences.
@@paulrenault7991
Don't want to overburden this subthread here yet wanted to mention I have no experiences with it as of yet.
Once you have the cartridge aligned properly on a head shell. Just swap the head shell and adjust as said above. Easy peasy
I've never understood why people would think a rubber band would be better than an electronically controlled motor.
all depends on the motor. In the early days, a belt would get rid of the motor noise.
Love the review. Welcome to the direct drive light!
I purchased one of the first Technics SL1000R when they were released a few years ago. I sold my SME table and I completely agree with all your description between the sounds. However, I immediately started missing my SME, the Technics has just no soul as a machine, it looks perfect and feels perfect but something is missing as far as the interaction.
'no soul as a machine' - you sound delusional. you are just not very bright. And I mean that literally.
Please elaborate.
the 1200G had the opposite affect on me. maybe its the cartridge?
SL1000R needs time to burn in.
I have a silver Technics 1500c with which I added isonoe feet bought direct from England. A charcoal colored Achromat, a Femeli record weight which sounds a little more solid and good quality locking interconnects. It’s plugged into a $32 Furman power strip, filter which definitely lowered the noise floor. I’d say it looks awesome and sounds great as well. Not a fan of the strobe and pitch control so this is it. It is a pleasure to use and look at. Glad your enjoying your Technics.
I said noise but hum is more accurate. Something that’s common with turntables. The ortofon red that comes with it is subpar.
I said noise but hum is more accurate. Something that’s common with turntables. The ortofon red that comes with it is subpar.
I said noise but hum is more accurate. Something that’s common with turntables. The ortofon red that comes with it is subpar.
I said noise but hum is more accurate. Something that’s common with turntables. The ortofon red that comes with it is subpar.
I said noise but hum is more accurate. Something that’s common with turntables. The ortofon red that comes with it is subpar.
The SL-1200 series is like buying a Porsche 911. They may all look the same but the interior, engine and tuning are all different.
I traded-in my Rega P3 to the new black G.
My only regret is I should have get the GAE when it was still available early last year.
Ordered one once I heard they were available trying to sell my 1200GAE now
SL series not 1200 that´s only a reference and not the best second their builders
Changing cartridges is why I bought a Fluance, to see how much I use that facility.
So for a very simplistic comparison we have basically the g which costs $100/lb while the gr costs $68/lb. 🤷🏻♂️ Then looking at other parameters maybe a prospective buyer can determine which one gives delivers more bang for the back. 😉 There will always be a debate between belt drive vs direct drive. Each has its merits and drawbacks. Get what you like within your budget and just enjoy your favorite albums and don’t look back.
As always very spot on and timely for those pondering an important upgrade to their kit.
Hi Steve! I’m a long time follower of your Chanel and I have to say that my jaw dropped when you announced that you’re swapping the SME for the Technics! Wow! The SME is waaay out of my budget but the Technics, although far from cheap, is definitely in the realm of future attainable. Thanks for the vid and keep up the good work!
Steve, I have been reading your writings and watching your videos since your Stereophile days. You realize that as we age, our hearing deteriorates. Also, our taste and appreciation for different genres of music changes. It sounds to me you have given up some ultimate detail for a bit more convenience and you are not missing that ultimate detail anymore, and it doesn’t matter. The hobby is less expensive now. Let’s enjoy the music. :) I enjoyed your musings about the Technics turntables. My first TT back in the late 70’s was a Technics TT. I switched to belt drive non removable head shell TT and, so far, have not switched back.
I'm happy with the GR and it's paid for. Still a good time.
I have both, the 1210 GR and the 1210 GAE. When I compare them, I have to say that the GR sounds frescher, lighter than the G. The G has a firmer bass and sounds more - I would say "grown up" in comparison with the young and fresh GR. The magnesium tonearm is much more dampining than the aluminum tonearm of the GR. And naturally I use magnesium haedshells on the 1210 GAE.
Interesting, I always remember you saying that SME was your end game deck and it would be with you forever! It just goes to show how important user interface is with components, bad designs can wear thin no matter how good it sounds.
Exactly! Thanks for watching
There was no bad design , the Series Iv and V had one piece arm tubes for rigidity and low mass , just as had been first done on the Series II fixed headshell . If a detachable headshell was a requirement , SME made the 309 which was a similar design to the Series IV and V but with the removable headshell . Of course it was a 'budget' version of the Series IV , but it did exist .
@@derekheeps8012 this was more an observation of user interface in general, the better it is the more likely someone will want to use it. Living with a product over time makes the small details count, using the product needs to be a pleasure. There’s a reason streaming is the number one way to listen to music, it suits more users needs.
I have long had a removable headshell after I purchased a Pioneer PLX-1000 based on an earlier recommendation by Steve. I guess he didn’t keep that one.
Many years ago I used the Technics 1200, I loved the simplicity, the ability to adjust arm height, it just made record playing convenient.
Would possibly consider the idea of a 1200G as a replacement for my old Gyro SE/QC/SME IV, but the attraction is really just about convenience and it being robust enough that it would possibly be my last turntable and one the whole family would not be worried to use.
Strange how as some of us get older, sometimes we start considering things like convenience, easy to use functions and robust as viable as sound quality. Even just having a lid appeals to me these days.
I have a Denon 60 direct drive that I have loved for years, with a ortophon cartridge it sounds great
I was close to retiring my MK2 manufactured in 79' but recently found out all Technics are no longer manufactured in Japan. I'll likely end up upgrading/restoring my table now.
Just bought a SL1500c and am enjoying the heck out of it.
Steve, you are so fun to watch. Just for anyone here watching, the GRs are discounted rn if you look. GR2 is being released. I got a GR for $450 off, so I am essentially grab a Nagoaka 300 for the difference in price ;) hope everyone gives direct drive a chance, it’s such an enjoyable experience!
Interesting change of turntable choice, and an excellent video as always Steve. Perhaps a Technics SL-1000R next !?! Wonderful shirt too.
I have the 1200 GR and love it. Would love the 1200 G I just don’t have the cash for it 😢
Don't worry about it your gr is a really good choice, I have a G model and it sounds good but to really capitalise on better sound I would have to get better amp , speakers and associated cables of which I cannot afford.
I just went from a 1210GR to the 1210G and really wasn’t expecting such a big jump in performance. I even compared both TT using the same Phono pre-amp (Cyrus Phono Sig) that has 4 TT inputs and was able to easily flip between G and GR on the fly. Yes, the 1210G is definitely worth the price premium over the GR, and it’s a beautifully made TT. Still think the GR is a great TT though.
you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from the original 1978 technics 1200MKII and these decks being hucked for thousands. Never in a million days. This community is hlariously myopic.
@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 maybe get that wiener out of your ear.
@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777You overlooked one thing inflation would probably put those 1978 prices close to what they these decks cost now!
@@ericochoa4034 no they don't and it's a fixed inflation so how could it. it's very basic math - I'm actually reflecting to 1991 prices when I was purchasing NIB for $250 USD.
There's irony in this video for me because decades ago you persuaded me to stop using my SL-1200 MkII and buy by a Rega Planar 2 at SbS. I don't still have the Technics but fortunately I saved the Shure V15 that I still use today.
There's a reason those things are found in the best and most world-class dance clubs in the world. Very few turntables have bass that offers what DJ's call "punch", the thing that gets folks jumping on the dance floor. From this review, it sounds like you definitely heard that in your trial.
I thought most of the clubs had moved onto Pioneer now
I thought most of the clubs had moved onto Pioneer a few years ago
why didnt you just swap to a sme tonearm with a detachable headshell?
I was DONE with belt-drive turntables in 1977, welcome to the club.
Proof again that there is no final “grail” and the thirst for new and different is never ending.
the king is the 1200MKII. that search ended in the late 70s . that's all this design is based on. y'all would never know the difference.
@@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777 you'd be surprised, I once had a Technics SL 1300MKII and compared it to the Technics sp 15. the SP was better, not a big difference but noticeable. you need to understand the equipment you hook a turntable into, can make a difference in the way they sound. I'd be interested to know what you compared the G and the old MKII with. if you are running it on what most DJ's use for MKII's no wonder you can't hear the difference.
@@kwd-kwd Oh maybe my comment wasn't' clear enough.. I forget now what I said...but I agree - SP are known to be better but 'barely' like , negligible to most people (but made to be best in the 'industry' of course for broadcast duty) - that's why I modd my 1200s to be similar to the SP of course not everything can be changed - The 1200's I mod is for my transcription business.. yes stock 1200s are great but not excellent for sound. I recently got 2 Audio Technica 1240s for actual DJ work - to run with Serato and wow the phono stage is NOISY ! I think it's the USB interface inside the turntable which I hope to disable . The AT is a Hanpin turntable (Chinese).. has amazing bells and whistles.. is substantial for real time mixing - but it's 'loosey-goose' compared to a Golden era Technics. I may have been a bit glib in my response.. again can't remember the vibe..thanks for your comment.
Technics in a way shot themselves in a foot when they created SL-1200 MK2, still an "accidental reference" class their other models are being compared to. First SL-1200 (MK1) was good but the MK2 changed its genes so much it became simply "the SL-1200".
Match is with a good stylus and you won't be longing for better or newer from their later SL1200 product line, you can trust me on that.
Creation of the 1200 MK2 was one in a lifetime event for them, when their best technical, design and engineering minds got together to create a true masterpiece. All the future MKs and models were really just a variation on the original theme.
Mine still going strong, after 30 years.
The Tech has changed once they re-started production a few years ago after the shutdown. They redesigned the Motor so
@@DNGR369 The tech hasn't changed much. More of a modernisation in few of its areas to keep up with the times, than a change.
Those who still have SL-1200 mkII should be content with it. The ones who don't, will certaimly benefit from the new editions.
This ^^^ Same sentiments here. I have MK7 and my dad still spins 42 years old MK2 on daily basis. His MK2 looks like brand new. These things were built to last, overengineered pieces of hi-fi kit. Enjoy yours!
Great content . . . EVEN BETTER, your Glasses! What awesome frames.
Pahaha
I didn’t even know there were other companies that made turntables. 1200’s are the only deck anyone (DJ or not) will ever need.
My technics sl1200g has arrived today, got it set up using a ZYX Yatra cartridge. It is everything Steve said it was.
Living the dream with that TT!
Swapping of the carts is why I bought the 1210GR. Can't afford the G. I replaced my restored Thorens TD125 with the Technics and I love it.
Never been a belt drive fan. I have had a 1200 for quite some time, and love it.
I have been on the fence for a while about a 1200g. I have been listening to different vpi’ s and Linn’s for about 40 years and your little you tube show and what you have said about this table made the difference. I now have one on the way from HiFi Heaven and am so excited.
I still have my Sony PSX-5 direct drive turntable! Bought new in 1977.
I have my Technics SL1800 also bought new in 1977….
I settled on the Sony, flew beneath the radar. I have some great mid fi cartridges to rotate. It is rock sold, my seniorly ears could not hear any better.. I think a lot of audiophiles should have their hearing checked, It could be much to do about nothing.. if your hearing trims off between 10 - 15K you are likely BS yourself.
A good belt drive with a detachable headshell worth checking out is the Audio Technica LP7.
Just bought my forever 1200g. In another thread you recommended an interconnect cable upgrade you've used. I haven't been able to find that. Can you repeat that?
Have the SL-1210 GAE 55th and the best turntable I’ve ever owned. Hands down. Also have the external psu upgrade from precision sound lab (Italy) -- I’ve over 20 high end carts and love love love changing it up. Can’t beat it! The G is worth it imo.
Tim, great info. Can you direct me to where you got the external PSU? I have the GAR as well. I love this turntable !!!! Thanks
Is it possible that you try out the new Thorens TD 124 DD before you order the Technics SL-1200G.I'm interested in your opinion on both of them in comparison. Kind regards, Sven
Since you are prioritizing switching out cartridges, I suggest you consider either the Moerch DP-6 or UP-4, beautiful Danish tonearms. The DP-6 is a fixed tonearm and the UP-4 is a unipivot design. They both have tonearm wands which are easily switched out. They’re exceptional.
Steve - how do you ensure alignment when switching between cartridges on removable head shells?
I think once you align the cart in the headshell it should stay put even when you remove the headshell from the arm. On the other hand are you speaking about the tightness of the tonearm's fastening system having an effect on alignment? I would think that the tolerance of the tonearm's threaded connector would be less than 1 mm. Maybe I'm wrong?
Strange I was the other way around moving from DD to belt drive. Steve have you been tempted to to try the Technics SL-1000R?
Technics might be the first with direct drive, but coreless direct drive, Dual was the first one with the 701, which came out in '72 I believe.
In fact, the motor in the dual 701/721 looks remarkably like the motor in the technics sl-1000r, a $20k turntable. Both have a dual row coreless coil stator drive with both about the same amount of coreless coils (I think the dual has 2x8 coils, the sl-1000r 2x9 coils). It was that advanced back in the day. That motor was developed by Papst, a famous electric motor manufacturer, which back in the day was situated in the same village as Dual Gmbh. Most coreless direct drives of later design (many many turntables/brands used it) were usually constructed of 4 or 6 corless coils. But never 16, until the sl-1000r now, half a century later 🙂
I bought an SL-1210GR when my Dual 701 gave out two years ago. The AudioTechnica is nice, but I honestly haven't been able to make it sound as good as the Dual did with a Grado basic cartridge yet. But truly both of them have amazingly good motors.
The Dual 701 is a masterpiece of DD system.
Could I suggest a comparative review of the Technics SL-G700 CD/SACD Player and your Technics SL-1200G Turntable. It would be interesting to hear how the house sound compares across two different mediums, and hear how CD stands against analogue.
Regards,
Colin Jones
Wrexham, UK
Since you liked the SL-1200G for the removable headshells, have you ever thought about trying the SL-1000R?
All the features of a world class audiophile turntable but headshells can be swapped in the same way as in the SL-1200 series.
I do have belt drive turntable and it does have a detachable headshell (thanks to the Jelco arm) but I never have taken advantage of it.
I think the solid dynamic bass is very appealing. But in the long run a single expensive good cartridge with belt drive will go further and will not require changing cartridges. I have Koetsu black and few other popular cartridges. But after listening to Koetsu I have no desire to swap unless it’s permanent for a better cartridge.