Cartridge for Technics SL-1200G or SL-1200GR

@stevecham But my favorite, and I HIGHLY recommend it, is a vintage Pickering XSV3000 (or 4000) and you can still get styli for these.

I have a minty spare of Pickering XSV 3000 if anyone need it, the XSV3000 is equal to Stanton 881s. I like those cartridges, but Stanton signature SC-100 WOS is much better (the only problem is the price), it’s an exceptional MM cartridge, very rare. Highly recommended for Stanton/Pickering fan club.

Another relatively cheap MM is a vintage Ortofon M20FL Super (Nude Fine Line tip). Great cartridge for those Technics tonearms. Some dealers offered this cartridge with $5000 tonearms, until the buyer will find anything better. If the budget is under $300 then M20FL Super is a contender! It looks like VMS series, everyone can learn more about it in this anniversary calendar. I have a NOS stylus, but still looking for a generator myself.

@oldschool1948 Don’t know the budget, but if you have more than $600 for a cartridge then you can find some stellar vintage MM for this tonearm. Victor X1, X1-II, X-1IIe are superb, Audio-Technica AT-ML170 is an exceptional MM, Joseph Grado XTZ is very good, Pioneer PC-100 mkII is great, Technics EPC-205c mk4 is amazing (only if the suspension is fine).

For a brand new carts look for Garrott Brothers p77i and higher models, if they are as good as the old Garrott p77 then it’s amazing.

I have those KAB fluid dampers on both of my upgraded SL1210mkII, the biggest improvement was not the KAB dampes, but a Technics 205c mk4 cartridge i have tried for a first time about 5 years ago. You may need a fluid damper for high compliance cartridges, but definitely not for low compliance cartridges. Also the damper collect dust all the time, i have removed mine today for cleaning. Better cartridge makes a HUGE different on this turntable, the dampers are not.

As for the classic SL1210mkII that you’re calling inferior compared to automatic SL1600, simply add Isonoe Footers and SAEC SS-300 mat and the problem is solved.

For a half price of the new SL1200G everyone can buy a Luxman PD-444 turntable designed for two tonearms. It’s a king of turntables made by Micro Seiki. Technics is a little toy compared to Luxman PD-444, almost any tonearm can be mounted on Luxman ("9, "10.5, "12 inch).

Our @brentknoll just bought one for $2k including shipping from Japan to USA and this is amazing price! Not to mention spare armboards supplied by that japanese seller. The price is very low compared to Technics SL1200G or GR. Luxman is state of the art turntable and does not require any mods. 

@sleepwalker65 basically i don't care about automatic turntables and my reference Technics was an SP-10mkII, this is my Technics setup. 

As for the spring suspension just look for the Isonoe Footers designed for Technics SL1200 series. They are great! I bought my SL1210mkII in 1996 and fully upgraded it long time ago. 

To any Technics fan i would recomment at least SP-10mkII in a cuatom plinth with proper tonearm. SL1200 or 1600 series or even new SL1200GAE is always a compromise. I don't like then much. 

I heard my first sp 10 mark II yesterday. Had a Jelco tonearm and a MM cartridge on it. The cartridge was an Old Stanton. Not sure which one. It sounded great but I would not that the 1200G is a compromise. In fact I would rather have my 1200G any day. Sorry... Its closer to a lateral move than anything but the 1200G is newer and I honestly think its sounds better to me. Of course my table has a lyra delos on it but not sure that it matters that much. That Stanton sounded great. So great in fact that I am getting an older Pickering MM cartridge that is supposed to be close to the Stanton he had.

I don’t think a turntable has sound, it’s cartridge and tonearm which makes bigger difference than one Technics motor or another (they are both good). Compromise is a tonearm, you can not use most of the "12 arms on Technics SL1200G for example. Stanton cartridges are really good if it’s at least 881, 980, 981 or higher models like CS-100 WOS, but they are not for Jelco tonearms, Stanton are high compliance cartridges for light mass tonearms like Luxman TA-1, Infinity Black Widow or related light mass tonearms. I’ve heard them on Technics tonearm and it was also nice, but Jelco has higher effective moving mass than Technics tonearm.

If you think an SL1200G is not a compromise then why do you think Technics made SP-10R ?

I just told to another member that i have Pickering XSV-3000 which is equal to the Stanton 881. It’s inexpensive cartridge with Stereohedron stylus.

Do you remember review posted by Pani here on audiogon? It’s opposite opinion in favor of SP-10 mkII over the SL1200G

Anyway, i sold my Technics turntables (SP-10mkII and SP-20) in favor of Luxman PD-444

New Technics must be on the used market sooner or later

You can still change out the arm on a 1200G if the stock arm does not do it for you. I think the stock arm is very good and a fantastic value and very versatile.

This not a sort of turntable to change tonearms, it's too complicated. But Technics tonearm is great to swap the cartridges quickly. I've been using Technics SL1210mkII since 1995, just bored of its design and limitations. But for begginers GR it's amazing turntable. I love Techniques for its build quality, it's bulletproof turntable, this is the reason why i don't like cheap belt-drive turntables flooded the market.   

you cannot put a 12 inch arm or 3 arms on it and I guess that is a compromise of sorts. However, some do not need 3 arms and the 1200G gives a great performance of a very high end turntable for a fraction of the cost of a sp-10R.  its still not inexpensive  

3 arms at the same time is a perversion (imo). Using a high compliance (40-50cu @ 10Hz) unit on Technics tonearm is not good, much lighter tonearm required for them. Using an SPU or related low compliance (10-15cu @ 10Hz) on Technics tonearm is also perversion. The rest of the carts works fine on it. 

But even SP-10R is not as good in terms of usability as Luxman PD-444 for two tonearms, i don't like the desing of the SP-10R plinth, power supply and even tonearm. Luxman's metal armboards on slide with bracket is an amazing solution for people who's searching for the right arm/cart combo. I can swap the tonearm in 10 min. Designer of Luxman PD-444 is genius! This superheavy turntable cost $2000-4000 depends on condition and sound quality is amazing. So in my world Technics SL1200G can't compete with Luxman PD-444 (thanks Micro Seiki for it). 

The only problem is that my Technics EPA-100mk2 can not be mounted on Luxman :(

No problem with the rest of the arms from my small collection.
I'm sure the PD-444 is the best value product on the market for people who would like to use two tonearms at the same time.   

@tzh21y

Why cant you mount the Technics arm on the Luxman?

If you asking me, the EPA-100 mk2 has its huge VTA on the fly mechanism, exactly like on your SL1200G turntable. When the VTA is belowe zero the arm is still too high for the platter. Luxman (PD-444) metal armbase with the biggest possible hole for the armshaft is not big enough to lower down the EPA-100 mkII into the Luxman armbase without destroing the bracked (lock mechanism of the armbase). I can not put 3 copper mats on the platter to rise it up (to make armwand parallel to the record surface). EPA-100 mk2 and Luxman PD-444 are not compatible.

However, i’m talking about EPA-100 mkII, the previous EPA version can be mounted, but i have sold it long time ago.