Technics 1200G Tweaks

My tweaks are as follows:1.  Yamamoto HS-4S headshell and wires2.  Note, I tried Raul's arm wire change and found that it improved detail, but I thought it was an unnatural sound.  An expensive mistake for me I went back to the stock wire. 
3.  Interconnects are by AudioSensibility Statement OCC Silver.  I also tried their copper version of same.  Silver a bit more tingly, copper a bit warmer.4.  Primary cartridges:  Stereo - Ortofon Per Windfeld;  Mono Ortofon 2M Mono SE or Audio Technica Mono 33 Anniverary5.  Mats - I have several, can't say they make much difference.6.  Arm - I have a lot of experience including setting up turntables for a living for a decade back in the 1970s and this arm is among the best.  It is very easy to set up.  This factor is exceptionally important especially today, when many people are new to vinyl or coming back to it after a long absence.  Getting professional help is difficult today.  Unless you have a lot of expertise, stick with this arm.  You have to go a long way to beat it.  Plus it is nice use and nice to have interchangeable headshells. 

Mine is a GAE rather than a G, which should matter not, but in the interests of full disclosure there you have it.  I agree with the advice that the most significant impact will result from cartridge choice.  I use an Ortofon Per Windfeld (original) because it pushes all my buttons.  Most people would prefer the A-95 for it's greater detail and more up front presentation, but prefer the more distant perspective of the Windfeld.  Either sounds very balanced/neutral and I prefer them to the highly regarded Audio Technica A7. Next, very important, the headshell and wire:  Yamamoto HS-4S offered a big improvement in detail.  Next, I tried Raul's recommended arm wire upgrade, it made for greater detail, but I thought it unnatural (brighter maybe?) and went back to the stock wire.  Again, this is subjective.  Many (most?) would prefer the arm wire upgrade.  Interconnects.  I tried a bunch.  Settled on AudioSensibility Statement OCC Silver (I also considered their copper version of same).  (Note this is not a cheap upgrade)  The silver is a little more tingly, whereas the copper is a little warmer.  I think if I had gone with the AT cartridge the copper interconnects would have worked better, so the lesson here is that these things are all inter related.  Finally mats.  I could not say they made a discernible difference to my ear.  I have the stock one of course, a deer skin one, a Herbies and a couple of others.  All I can tell you is mats are going to have less impact (if any at all) compared to the other tweaks mentioned.  A word on alternative arms.  The stock arm on my GAE is really superb.  It sets up like a dream, in an exactly repeatable manner.  I think setup is critical and for people for whom vinyl is a new adventure in particular, this factor of ease of setup cannot be overstated. Too, I change cartridges frequently, mono, MC, MM, trying different ones and like having a removable headshell.  I can't say I would consider replacing this arm under any foreseeable circumstance.  This is a great turntable and the more I use it the better I like it.  These tweaks improve what is a fantastic bargain.

Dear Raul,
I agree with you about arm wire, which explains why I followed your advice and recommendations for changing mine.  As I explained, most people would like and probably prefer the result.  I agonized over it, not least because of the expense and effort involved in making this change, but in the end decided that the stock setup was preferable for me.  This is based on my objectives and for the type of music that I listen to, which is acoustic jazz and a lot of that is old recordings dating back many decades.  Not exactly audiophile quality fare in many cases.  So my comment is definitely specific to my needs and preferences.  It is true that for modern recordings the arm wire change was probably preferable, I never evaluated it from that perspective.  At the risk of stirring up more controversy, in my opinion, modern recordings are generally better reproduced in digital format anyway.
Regards,
Bill