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What is Technics thinking?

Lots has been said, both pro and con, about the new Technics turntable.  Description here -

http://www.sl1200gae.info/about

Some are excited about the potential, given the upgrades since their last production table/arm, the venerable SL-12XX series.  Others see it simply as an excuse to raise the price significantly of the 1200s.

In my view they shot themselves in the foot.  They copied the model number of their best selling table (I can only imagine in the hope the familiarity will carry over) and also ended up with a very similar appearance.  Given the information on all the upgrades over their prior model, the similarities make it appear like something less than what it might be.

Technics had a room at THE Show Newport and that was my first chance to see a SL-1200GAE.  The fit and finish appeared to be very good but it did look like a "polished up" SL-12XX.  I ask the Technics rep why they didn't do more to distinguish this as a new model, given their efforts with engineer upgrades.  He said he could understand my question but then really didn't offer a reasonable explanation.  After describing all the components which had been redesigned/upgraded from the prior model he offered a demo.  However the room was crowded and the remainder of the system was completely unfamiliar, so no fair impression could be made.

I believe it should have had a more unique model designation and more might have been done to the physical package so it didn't look so much like the prior model.

pryso

Showing 8 responses by pryso

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
Andy, maybe so.  But weren't those priced around $600?  Can the new one be a "sure thing" at $4,000?!?

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
paraneer, perhaps I was not clear.  My issue was not just "really to do with the aesthetics".

The point was that after apparently a significant effort in engineering upgrades, Technics failed to provide much differentiation by model number or appearance.  That led many to assume it is a simple "reintroduction" of a basic, popular model at a much higher price.  It seems to me, and a few others, they might have done more to present this as a truly new model.  I don't own any stock in the company so it should not matter to me but I suspect this hinders their potential market. 

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
"There will be no confusion."  Sorry, I don't agree.  I've read too many comments saying in effect that Technics simply raised the price of their DJ table to an unreasonable level.  Those folks fail to realize the SL-1200 was designed as a consumer product to begin with (but that's another story) and seem to be unaware of the extent of the upgrades in the new model.  So they are confused.

As it turns out, the SL-1200GAE may be a bargain at $4K in the context of today's market.

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
Thanks Bill, I look forward to an owner's comparison.
pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
For billallen and others, maybe I should explain my reason for starting all this a little further.

I own a SP-10 Mk 2 and a SP-15, I'm a fan of Technics.  My interest in DD motor units and Technics in general was renewed a few years ago by discussions of the surprising quality of the SL-12xx series and how a few mods could take them even further.

Once I joined the Technics camp I found it disappointing that so many dismissed the SL-12xxs as "DJ tables" rather than being considered a reasonable cost option for a decent home system.  Apparently they didn't realize the SL-1200 was designed for consumer audio and only years later discovered and adopted by dance club DJs, a situation which allowed the tables to remain in production much longer than they might have otherwise.

So when word spread that Technics was about to introduce a new model I was glad to see that even if I would not likely be a customer.  Once the SL-1200GAE was introduced much of the talk focused on the price increase and the assumption it was just a polished up version of the discontinued SL-12xx series.

My point all along was that Technics might have avoided the confusion by choosing a different model designation and making a little more effort to change the appearance.  All this may be overcome in time by positive reviews and enthusiastic owner comments such as your own.  I was pleased to read your favorable initial report.

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
m-db, one of my implied points was not seeing how the new model would appeal to their recent sales base, so why continue the styling?

"I'm thinking they were considering how they would maintain their current customer base (scratchers) and their ability to mount the players into existing systems road cases."

Jumping from around $600 to $4,000 requires more than a leap of faith, particularly for the mobile DJs with two or more tables. 

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
"its S shape prevents an on the fly azimuth adjustment. WTF?"

With most arms azimuth is set at the headshell, few rotate the arm tube itself.  So why does it matter if S shape, J, or straight with offset headshell?

Actually I can't think of ANY arm that allows azimuth "on the fly", fortunately some do allow for VTA. 

pryso OP
1,912 posts
 
m-db, ah yes, I'd forgotten about the WTTA.  And I owned one, but that was many years ago and thus my excuse.  Still, I can't think of any others.

Also, as noted, I don't believe the standard SL headshell is a P-mount.  At least the one I saw at THE Show Newport in the Technics room had a standard 1/2" universal headshell.

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