Has Anyone Heard the (fairly) New Technics Grand Class TT?

You can simply use search option to find several threads about it before start it all over again. 

My internet research suggests that Technics marketing is confusing, as per usual with this product. The 1200GAE was the first of the Grand Class turntables to come to market. It has all the bells and whistles and was supposedly "limited edition". Complainers said it was too expensive for a turntable that "looks just like" a 1990s vintage SL1200. It may look like an SL1200, but it is better in every conceivable way, most importantly in that it has a coreless motor. Then there is the 1200G; I have no idea what are the differences between a GAE and a G, but I think the differences are relatively minor, perhaps related to chassis rigidity. Last, we now have the 1200GR, which is a physically lighter weight version of the G and supposedly costs less. Perhaps you are thinking of the GR as being "fairly new". Make no mistake, I think these are all great products, probably a lot better than many would care to admit. I would wager that a GAE or a G could kick butt of anything else on the market at up to $10,000 retail, and maybe beyond. (I don’t own one.)

GAE or G would be superior to the Luxman you mention by quite a bit, in my opinion. Possibly this is true of the GR model, also.

I’ve been casually following this TT. The 1200GAE (Anniversary Edition?) is a limited edition run of 1200 units which makes it "collectible". The 1200G is the same unit without the "AE" badging. The 1200GR (Reduced?) is a "light" version of the 1200G. It has a single "core" motor where the G has a dual-core. It has several other "reducements" which I’m kind of foggy on. I think the tonearm is not as sophisticated and the chassis uses thinner material, etc. Still your gonna save $1000 (and regret later on that you didn’t get the one you wanted!).

Dweller, to be precise, the drives are single rotor and dual rotor as the design is strongly marketed as "coreless". Sorry to be a pedant! ;)

Please post this on - New Technics 1200 GAE - post; try to keep all the info together.

Thanks
nkonor

Dweller is right on his description of the differences between the SL1200 variant.
SL1200GAE and SL1200GEG are the same turntable, the GAE was the limited edition version. The SL1200GR (silver)/SL1210GR (black) are the lighter version with a cheaper "coreless" motor, no magnesium tonearm, lighter 2 material platter vs. heavier 3 material platter, etc...

My bad...

I think there are many posts about the Grand Class on here for your reference.

I own the Grand Class. I spent more than my budget by about $2k, but I have not a single regret. In addition to fantastic sound, the machine is so well built. I think it might be hard to best the R&D and economy of scale of a committed company like Technics.

The value of these tables is extraordinary. There are some who have understandable difficulty in getting past the styling, which they equate with the old 1200s. The new R, G, and GAE may be cousins of the old 1200s in some ways, but they are different animals.

I pair mine with an AudioTechnica ART-9 cartridge and a Manley Chinook phonostage. The overall sonics best my digital setup, which runs a Stereophile Class A DAC. There is nothing I can fault on the GAE.

I am pondering a GAE / GAG and having it modded to take a Triplanar 12" arm.

The DD turntable might be good, but I not crazy about the arm.

I do think this combo could be a game changer.

Others on my list:
TW Acoustic Black Knight 
Tech Das III
AMG
Kronos

I run my current tables through a Steelhead.

This is my opinion of course but I would call the turntable 'excellent'. The arm really isn't bad either (much improved over the original SL1200 arm), but is bested by other tonearms, the Triplanar being one of them.

I would place the stock arm above other high end arms like the Rega, its more adjustable and better precision in construction.

Atmasphere,

Appreciate your input.

Thanks

I guess the consensus is the 1200GAE (or G) is a better performing table than the Luxman PD-171A (with the Jelco SA-750E 10" arm). The Lux is significantly more $. 1500-2000