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.
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.
I am glad I waited to buy the Technics 1200G model because:
1. It will be available in black. Everyone knows that dark colored components have a warmer tone. Silver components sound bright and lean. Often, they need to be dunked in a cyro bath to sound acceptable, something I would like to avoid, if possible. In any case, I much prefer black to silver.
2. It seems that the G and GAE models will be almost exactly the same. While the list price may be the same, I would expect the G model to be available at a discount, at least after the first few months.
I thought about buying the GAE but with almost no reviews, either online or in print, it was hard to pull the trigger. It is a long drive for me to hear one in the next state and I won't really have time until next month.
I sat down last night fully intending to evaluate the sound of the GAE with my Kondo IO & Technics 205Mk4 cartridges. Instead the wife started spinning her brand new albums, Michael Jackson, Depeshe Mode, Pharrell Williams, Kate Bush. I snuck in my remaining sealed LP's, some Black Keys, Hendrix, Willie Nelson, Pattie Smith, Nirvana Unplugged.
BTW these LP's were all purchased at Fry's Electronics superstore, they have at least a couple thousand for sale. The last time both of us thumbed through LP's together was the mid 90's, we weren't even married then. We frequented Tower Records in Hollywood because they had the best LP selections and we both hated everything to do with CD's. We still do, perhaps thats the secret to our long marriage ... we both hate the same things. We transitioned to computer audio in 2005, never having to touch those wretched plastic disc's again. These days we enjoy Hi-Res music downloads via a modded cryo'd Sony HAP-Z1ES. For background music & TV we bought a Naim Mu-So and stream Tidal Flac files. Tidal offers a seamless endless supply of high quality music on demand, check it out. Of coarse the Mu-So's main board is cryo'd and I added a mini headphone jack directly off the bass speakers to feed a REL sub. This rig plays day & night, we could easily live happily ever after with just the Mu-So/REL/Tidal combo.
Getting back to the GAE, I really don't know what else to say. It presents recorded LP music under a brand new light that you have to experience for yourself. I'm almost afraid what the Kondo IO will dig out of those groove's. While the GAE's 'hot sound' may match your system straight out of the box, I still highly recommend everyone Cryo this device. Without a doubt this was biggest transformation I've experienced with Cryo treatment. (PM me for details)
The GAE has taken center stage around our place and eliminated any thought of playing Hi-Res digital files. I see nothing but Vinyl purchases in our future. Maybe we'll just move our bed into the Stereo Room.
Friday evening began at Zur Kate for a fine german meal accompanied with un-amplified accordion music. This firmly set the foundation for the late night festivities.
Back in my main listening room the natives were clearly agog, fingering their brutal test LP’s that will surely bring the new Technics GAE to its knee’s. Stupidly I also agreed to a phono amp ’cable’ evaluation. Test LP’s combined with ’cable’ comparisons proved to be a recipe for audiophile neurosis.
What was I thinking ... hey boys ... this is my rodeo!
Grabbing the bull by the horns we regrouped back at my wet bar, the only damage being restricted to my Scotch collection. With everyone’s ego unfettered, we returned to my Technics 1610Mk2/Ortofon Vienna left on auto-repeat playing a virgin re-issue of Kind of Blue. Having previously reset my system back to normal all agreed the music sounded fantastic. After listening to both sides I quickly moved the Vienna & KOB LP over to the GAE. Once again I played both sides, total silence ensued ... no words necessary! I peeled backed the plastic from another virgin LP, the 2013 Mono reissue of Kind of Blue, silent nods agreed. Handshakes, tears, and stares of disbelief ensued after side one. Yes the mono version kills the stereo one, the GAE having laid it all bare.
Sticking with other Modal Jazz recordings, the consensus being the GAE clearly places you like a fly on the wall inside the recording studio.
Switching back to my 1610Mk2 changed perspectives, now we were just some blokes sitting in room listening to great music. A part of me was crushed by that revelation, as was some of the other players. The herd thinned at this point, perhaps realizing that your current analog rig now amounts to no more than a relic of the 20th century is a tough pill to swallow. (Days later some have rationalized that what they heard didn’t actually happen, perhaps I drugged them and unfairly used my Vulcan mind meld)
Those that remained went on to an all night listening session to the GAE. More virgin’s (vinyl) hit the floor Friday night then my high school prom 36 years ago. I personally opened 7 brand new LP’s, I hear the count was over 20 by the end of listening session. I threw in the towel at 3:30 am, others kept spinning records till the sun came up. I woke up for a glass of water at 7 am, ecstatic to find the ruby cantilever still intact on the Vienna.
I like other’s have yet to fully recover from the experience.
I hear where you're coming from. After reading the story behind the retooling and considering the SL has become the de-facto Icon for a record player even during the demise of the LP I can understand the manufactures dilemma.
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. I'm sure they'll be available at every Guitarted Center next to the Neumann microphones in the glass case.
My 1976 SL is on its second long term loan to another friend who has rediscovered the superiority of his LP collection. Since I temporarily relocated his bookshelf speakers unveiling his first experience with sound staging they've been in place for the past seven months.
Compared to my Well Tempered I do miss the ergonomics and quick startup and the platter torque when dusting a side. The damn thing has a certain pace in its presentation that I don't get with the Well Tempered. Unfortunately, that old arm is a POS.
51 albums later I still cannot shake the bright overall tone in my system.
Not wanting to rewire the tone arm on a brand new table, I called Charles at Cryogenics Int'l to discuss treating the entire turntable. He said he had never Cryo'd an entire turntable. Humm! Myself having commissioned over 1000 pieces the past 10 years felt strangely optimistic. The only issue's I experienced with Charles nitrogen vapor process was glue failures & paint peeling on improperly prepped surfaces, no electronics failures to speak off. (PM me or call Charles directly if you have specific questions on Cryogenics)
Well my entire SL1200GAE took the Cryo plunge last weekend, and a few wrinkles aside, the process was a total sonic success. After a 2 hours run-in the sound was not only relaxed but had and entirely different musical presentation. Way beyond my expectations, something entirely new is emanating in my room.
My SL1200GAE is having it's coming out party with friends and family. (Read-scrutinizing-audiophiles) The rubber hits the road tonite my friends!
I’m sorry, but Denon DL103R on stock Technics SL1210 tonearm is a total mismatch. Low compliance MC Denon 103R works fine only on high mass tonearms. Technics stock arm is ok for MM cartridges of medium compliance, it can handle 30cu compliance cartridges with kab silicon fluid damper, but your Denon is the oppisite story.
I don’t know anything about new technics tonearm, but do you think it’s better than top notch Technics EPA-100 or EPA-100 mk2 or EPA-500 (or any other vintage tonearms like Lustre, Saec, Micro etc) you can easily mount on custom plinth with SP10-mk2 for much less than 4k in total (most likely for half price) to spend the rest on some amazing cartridges.
Four grand seems like a lot. But I grew up on Technics DD. Vinyl returned to my system a few years ago via an SL-1210M5G. It's modified with a KAB power supply and tonearm damper plus a Funkfirm achromat. It sits on the Isonoe footers and sorbothane cups with glass centers. An AT440MLA was the first cartridge and it reminded me of the sound I heard as a kid. Next came a DL103R. That was a nice introduction to MC. Now it has an OC9MKII. Love that cartridge.
My GAE has been here a little over a week. The 103R is on a Sumiko headshell and I promptly installed it on the GAE. While I can't compare 2 tables with 2 different cartridges it seems like the 103R sounds better than I recall it on the 1210. Both tables will be set up with the same cartridge for true comparison. There is zero buyer's remorse here. An AT-ART9 on a magnesium Jelco HS-25 is likely the next cart for the GAE.
There is no ring at all when the GAE platter is thumped. That's quite a contrast from the 1210. I don't hear any cogging at all- but I never heard any on the 1210 either. The gimbal and it's support looks very similar but look closely- there are differences. The gimbal support is larger and the tonearm is mounted a bit differently. I have no idea what the magnesium tonearm mass is on the GAE.
The GAE is promising so far. I'll confess to little nostalgia but I'm mid-40s and enjoying vinyl again. I'd certainly recommend the GAE to anyone who likes Technics direct drives.
Hi Billallen10, Thankyou for the phone calls and emails, my sl-1600mk2 is now in perfect working order thanks to you, you are an asset to us all here on audiogon, I assure you, this gentleman knows technics turntable's 😎
Since I do not want to steal anyone’s thunder I will let someone like BillAllen10 write a more detailed/competent review. I have owned my Technics 1200 GAE for about two and half weeks now and am very happy with it.
I agree for my 4K I would liked to have seen the 1200 GAE have a different aesthetic than the G or previous MKxx models. My thought would be some for gold accents on the plinth and gold colored buttons, rather than a nondescript number plate. Which is the only cosmetic distinction the GAE has from other 1200’s.
Setting looks aside, this is the best table I ever purchased. I have had few over the years. Rega, SOTA, Thorens, plus Mid-Fi offerings from Project, Pioneer, Techincs, and Denon, just to give you all an idea.
The SL 1200 GAE is simple to use and set up, rugged in its construction, and well engineered. Though it is debatable as to whether or not the $4k price point is fair.
Call it buyer’s remorse, but I would be the first to agree that I spent too much on this thing. That being said, there is enough engineering, build quality, and performance value in this table that it does merit its hefty asking price.
To be more clear, even after being fool hardy enough to spend $4k on this thing. I do not feel ripped off. Believe you me, there has been a time or two where I spent considerably less on a big bang for your buck Audio Darling and felt I been had. Gaining nothing from my investment except a notable name, that has not been the case with the 1200 GAE.
It is not broken in yet so I am not going to go into great detail about its sound. But everything about this table works as it should. Fit and finish are excellent, the tonearm tracks extremely well, the platter speed is dead on.The most notable thing it offers is a great noise floor. It is the quietest of any table I ever owned.
This is important to me since I am a bass-head and like to use Grado cartridges for their excellent low end. The downside with these, is that on lesser tables they are prone to pick up motor hum and rumbling, so along with the super deep bass you hear that too.
The extensive Isolation within the 1200 GAE has eliminated this. Now for the first time since I been buying them I am finally getting the most out of my beloved Grado’s.
The other downside with a Grado wood-body is that they are over-sized. Not all tonearms handle them well, not so with the 1200, which handles them with aplomb despite being an very light tonearm.
As far as the sound goes, for the time being I will not go into a deep description. I want to get things broken in first. All I will tell you is I am enjoying the !@#$ out of this table right out of the box. Since its arrival I have gotten very little sleep. Instead of going to bed when I should; I have become addicted. There have been many nights where I have to play one more, because that last record sounded so good.
Do not get me wrong, there are other tables that are better buy, and this table is by no means a bargain. However, my experience has been, that the 1200 GAE did deliver on what I paid for.
The bottom line with this thing, is that it performs like a 4k table should. That is all I can ever expect from it.
I got a good listen to the both the small coax SB-C700 and the SB-R1 towers. Both are impressive at their price points, $1700 & $13,500 respectively. One could add a REL sub to the SB-C700 speakers & SL1200G turntable and no doubt live happily ever after.
I said it before and I will say it again, rewire the tone arms with solid silver wire & any of the SL1200 series turntables will preset an enormous soundstage. That is the achilles heel of the the 1200 series.
That said, I've been listening to my new 1200GAE all week with the Ortofon Vienna (Cadenza Blue). Comparing directly to my SL1200 "Limited" (Audio Note silver wired arm) does reveal some interesting differences. The soundstage is actually "smaller" on the GAE using the exact same cartridge. However I agree with Herb the GAE throws a more precise 3D image. For now I still prefer my 1600Mk2, interestingly it sounds closer to my 1200 Limited than to the new 1200GAE. Here I suspect the new DD motor & plinth in the GAE is doing something most excellent.
While there's something new and right going on with the GAE, at the same time there's something a bit off! The initial "hotness" I described is mellowing after 30 LP's, but I can't seem to shake it completely. I'm starting to suspect silver plated copper tone arm wiring. Yuck! Perhaps this bright overtone will work perfectly in your system ... wrong tone in mine.
More break-in time will tell, but I am prepared to rewire the GAE arm.
The Technics speakers aren’t single-driver; they’re 2-way coaxial. They also make a much larger and more expensive floorstander that uses the same driver. Kind of like KEF with the LS50 and Blade models, though the Technics floorstander is more like $10K instead of 30K. I agree, though, that the floorstander would have been more appropriate to demo the new SL1200G--assuming any of the floorstanders are available yet.
Also, the August issue of Stereophile has Herb Reichert’s column which features hands-on impressions of the GAE. He ranks it as equal or better to any other Stereophile Class B turntable. One thing he went on about is that where the original SL12x0 series didn’t have a particularly good spatial (soundstage and imaging) presentation, the new 1200GAE has it in spades--throws a big, precise 3D image. That’s a big change.
Got to see an SL1200G "in the flesh" this weekend at the CAF in Rockville, MD. Visual inspection suggests that it is much better built than the original SL1200; it has an almost jewel-like quality, even though the basic shapes are entirely borrowed from the SL1200. Technics had its own room at the show, and the SL1200G headed up an all-Technics system. Unfortunately, IMO, the speakers were tiny single driver "small box" units mounted on stands, the kind of speaker one might choose for a small apartment or home office. Not the kind of speaker that can show off the excellence (or lack thereof) of upstream components. However, I was favorably impressed with the 1200G. Knowing that it uses a coreless motor is also a big plus, in my mind.
I am currently using a SL-1210 M5G with an Ortophon 2m Black MM and it sound amazing with no mods. I am picking up my SL-1200 GAE this Friday and pairing it with a Lyra Delos MC. Hope to set it up and do some listening on Saturday. Excited to finally try it out.
Thanks for your posts and impressions of the GAE, billallen10. Im currently on vacation in Brasil, and hopefully my new GAE will be waiting for me when I get home in the start of august. Hope the vacation goes fast:).
Sure, the HiFi News review was very good. I guess it's not out on the net for free reading yet.
I never thought I would ever have a DD TT in my house. I always liked their bass control and attack, but they had their weaknesses in other areas. So for me this is a large step (up/down)? from my W&B Full Circle belt drive.
For cartridges, I have a few Ortofons laying around, a Rondo Blue and a Quintet Black. But I think I go for a Cadenza Blue. Hell, maybe I bring in another item that never been into my house before, a MM? Just kidding.
I have a Musical Fidelity VYNL RIAA. This is balanced all around, both in and out. Input is balanced 5 pin mini XLR. Can any of you suggest a cable for the GAE with this configuration (RCA to mini XLR)? Difficult to find.
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.
Lewm, do you know a lot about the technics sl-1600 mk2 ?, pm me if you do,we will take this off thread, since it is off topic to what's said here, cheers
Thankyou lewm for the post, very informative, however, seems audiophiles on this thread do not talk much, not sure why?, I have 37 years experience with audio 😎
A close look at the video above should dispel any myth that the the SL-1200GAE has much to do with the original. This being most obvious to those with intimate knowledge of the plastic guts inside the original mass produced SL-1200.
The direct drive motor is a brand new design, the hybrid platter is 3 times heavier & spun balanced. The arm while also similar looking, is actually a new design with new tooling, notice how it sits inside its own sub assembly. The plinth is twice the weight and rests on machined tuned sprung feet. This table is more the evolution of the SP10MK2 with a SL1200 wrapper.
If you stop the pictures in my slide show you’ll can see even more details. The platter is now screwed down to the motor. There are now 2 aux weights, you can balance cartridge/headshells up to 28.5 grams. Notice there’s even a USB input under the platter to upgrade the software inside the table. If the 1200G turns out to be the last turntable Technics ever builds, then perhaps it strikes the perfect balance.
Visual appearance aside, more importantly it sounds like a brand new design. While it’s going to take me a while to get my head wrapped around the sonic performance of the 1200GAE, its safe to say there’s serious potential.
Last night I couldn’t get the Kondo IO on song mounted to the stock Technics head-shell. With some tweaking I was able to get the Ortofon Vienna/magnesium head-shell to sing. By this I mean music was playing in my room ... not HI-FI.
Right now the table is coming off a bit hot in my system but I will get it dialed in and report back with results.
What is Technics Thinking? ( Panasonic Corporation )
For starters the Panasonic Executives had to be convinced that the Technics Brand could once again turn a profit. No small feat considering the inertia involved in starting a project of this size.
It’s obvious by their own words that the new Technics Executives all have a passion for music. Something we all have in common ... or there would be no dialog here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNn7Y-Llxf8
IMO, they were thinking. Audio-Technica and others have a niche market for “Utility Turntables” (UT). With Pioneer’s decision to get in the game with it’s own UT, Technics may have felt they could do better and at the same time make a little money. The sales figures, reviews and customer comments appear to show they hit the nail on the head. Also, I think the timing was perfect.
I own a Technics SL-1210 MKII and it saddens me that if my 1210 dies, I may not be able to afford one of their new TT’s. Yet, I am happy to see Technics back in the game and making products worthy of displaying that well respected Technics logo.
Strange feeling! Maybe because i’ve been using Technics SL1200mk2 on radiostations, in the clubs and at home for more than 20 years (because of my work). I still don’t understand why their luxury Porsche looks exactly like restored and polished classic Fiat.
P.S. Peronally i’m extremely bored of this design. Will stick to my SP10mk2
Dear Audiolabyrinth, Apart from current offerings from Win Tinnon (Saskia) and OMA, I don't think there ever was a commercially made slate plinth for anything. The original OEM plinth for the SP10 Mk3 was a nice one made of obsidian (I think). I've never seen one in the flesh, let alone owned one. For the Mk3, I then had a blank slate slab cut for me to my specs (20X23X3 inches, I believe), with chamfered corners and honed flat on both surfaces. (A company in PA will do this.) I then found a template for cutting the slate on-line as a pdf file. I had the slab shipped to a water-jet company in York, PA, and they cut the holes for the Mk3 chassis using the pdf file to program their water-jet. Then I commissioned a carpenter to make me a base using cherry wood. I bolted the bottom of the slate to the cherrywood base by drilling holes in the slate to accommodate threaded inserts, which I epoxied in place. Five or six hefty bolts.
I had already by this time gone through similar processes to make plinths for an SP10 Mk2, Denon DP80, and Lenco L75, so I had the process down pretty well by the time I found a Mk3. Except that none of the first 3 plinths received a cherrywood base, just all slate.
I swung for the fences and mounted my Kondo IO, while the IO is my favorite cartridge, I mainly choose it because it’s the least fussy of my 3 evaluation cartridges to setup. For kicks I started by using the included Technics headshell and interconnect cable, which is ridiculous with a 10K cartridge I know, but hey, I’m curious how they compare to my references.
First listen was Depeche Mode Personal Jesus on both 33 1/3 & 45 speed 12" LP’s. Speeds are dead on from the factory while playing these albums with the pitch reset button "pushed on". On the scope the needle is tracking dead center in the groove and the VTA knob is easily adjustable on the fly. Antiskate works as advertised.
From unboxing, assembly, setup, to my first listen ... so far everything has exceeded my expectations. Worth every penny! What more can I say, this robust $4k turntable just looks, feels, smells, and sounds damn good. Hell, I might even try tasting it later tonite.
Lewm, your sp10 mk3 didn't come like that stock did it?, where did you obtain slate and hardwood of this type, or where did this turntable body come from?
Billallen, You are certainly entitled to your conclusion that direct-drive turntables "need" a tuned suspension, but there is a legion of direct-drive aficionados who would disagree with you. Yes, it's important to isolate any turntable from environmental disturbance, but most "direct-drivers" think that is best done by the liberal application of mass, using materials that are as non-resonant as possible. The problem with designing a built in suspension that really works is that the torque of the direct-drive motor tends to want to induce the plinth to rotate in the direction opposite to that of the platter. A suspension based on springs or the like cannot resist that unwanted effect. High mass firmly anchored does the trick. From what you wrote, it would seem you have made your observations based on comparing the performance of one or two Technics tables of relatively light weight/low mass. You might come to believe in the superiority of high mass/no suspension, if you were to do more experimentation. My SP10 Mk3 sits in a 100-lb plinth of slate and hardwood. You could put something like a Minus K air-based isolation platform UNDER such a construct, if needed. I don't perceive the need in my listening room.
To finish a thought, I really like the Ortofon Cadenza series and they happen to match up nicely with all the Technics Direct Drive tables mentioned above. Especially with solid silver rewired arms.
While I realize very few players have experianced this odd couple, IMO together they represent the best value in analog. Scour the used market for these gems and its almost like stealing candy from a baby.
While I like all the Cadenza colors, the Black & Blue work magic in my system. Just don’t beat me up over my choices.
Before anyone marches off and purchases a Technics 205CMk4 cartridge understand it is one of the most finicky MM cartridges ever made. Part of the reason I use one for evaluation purposes.
It’s been awhile, so I set one up last night on my backup SL-1600Mk2 to prepare for next Wednesday’s ... "arrival". Tweaky, but no big drama with a proper protractor & Technics veritable arm. The 205CMk4 also demands a stellar phono amp or they can sound thin. However once on song it sings like a Canary, closest MM to a MMC (madman moving coil) I’ve ever experienced.
The Kondo IO & S9 step-up on the hand would sing glued to a lead pencil played through a string tied to a tin can.
I have scanned 3 pages of audio review from 1986 for rare Technics 205CMk4 cartridge. If anyone interested, you can find them inside picture gallery here and read.
Let me start by saying, I’m not writing this for some ego trip, I’m just hoping people can save some money, make more informed decisions, and gather some insight from my turntable experiences. While I really didn’t want to names names on this forum, for the benefit of the players who want to get a better grip on what I’m saying ... here goes.
I agree the solid plinth SL-1200MK2 tables don’t sound as good ... yes even with every mod you can throw at it. Best bang for the buck with the SL-1200’s is to solid silver wire the arm and leave it alone. Most of the other mods are just sound changers IMO, not improvements. My suggestion if your on a budget, save your money and acquire a "used’ Ultra Hi-End cartridge. Mark my words, that combo will still slay some giants!
I’ve also owned a fully decked out SP-10Mk2, yet my SL-1610Mk2 with a solid silver wired arm ... and no other mods ... sounds better. Why you ask, "the tuned suspension"! Eight years ago I came to the conclusion direct drive tables need sprung tuned suspension for optimum performance. You can play with solid plinth’s on DD tables all you want, all you get is different sounding turntables. Do I too want a professionally sprung tuned SP-10Mk3 ... ohh you bet ya!!!
Now enter into our imagination the 2016 factory tuned suspension Technics SL-1200GAE. (I like Chakster having already sampled the goods)
Well there’s no doubt in my mind, the $4k SL-1600GAE will dance all over any belt driven tables at or near that price. It may very well dance all over most turntables on the planet. Bold statement but consider I also own a $20k TW Acustic table with upgraded power supply and Graham Phantom arm. Yet already my 1979 silver wired SL-1610MK2 goes toe to toe when playing $4k plus cartridges. That’s a big revelation my friends, I like most players, never even considered using ultra Hi-End MC cartridges on lowly DD Technics tables. Major oversight! Another hidden benefit of the 1610Mk2 is that its fully automatic, after 4 fingers of Scotch, the last thing I want to be doing is handing a $4k cartridge. (A common occurrence around my place)
Speaking with the Technics engineer at CES 2016, he claimed the new Direct Drive motor specs on the SL-1200GAE falls somewhere between the SP-10Mk2 & SP-10Mk3. Wow! Couple that with a factory sprung tuned suspension and all the other improvements. Well now you can see why I’m so excited about acquiring this turntable.
Nothing else like it on the Planet!
Initial evaluation with my Technics SL-1200GAE (Scheduled to arrive on July 6) using 3 distinctly different cartridges.
Technics EPC-205CMk4 Moving Magnet
Ortofon Vienna Moving Coil made for the German Market
Kondo IO Moving Coil with S9 Step-up Transformer
Phono amp will be a "retubed" Zesto Andros 1.2, into a Solid Silver Wired passive TVC preamp, into my Kondo Ongaku amp, wired to a pair of Bastanis Apollo open baffle speakers.
Later I will also try the SL-1200GAE with my Cryo’d Sony TA-A1ES amp to bring the price point back down to earth a bit. The Sony A1ES Class A amplifier itself being an under the radar Giant Killer!
If you love technics that much and willing to spend 4k why don’t you buy used SP10mk2 with custom plinth of your choise and tonearm of your choise (all for less than 4k for sure)? With custom plinth it’s easy to swap the tonearms. Everybody knows how good is this deck.
I use a pair of SL-1210mk2 from 1996, even fully upgraded version (rewired, w/silicone tonearm damper, isonoe feets) can’t compete with my SP-10mk2 with EPA-100 tonearm. I also have rare Technics SP-20 which is also way better than upgraded SL-1210mk2.
You don’t need 4k to buy Luxman PD444 for example which is a great direct drive, probably best design ever made for 2 tonearms. I have one and i’m happy with it.
If i ever need another technics it will be SP-10 mk3
Well there is no shortage of available SL-1200's, that's for sure. I'd put an SME 10" arm and a Herbie's mat on a 1200MK5 and call it a day, but that's just me.
It may be great, but will it slay all other TT’s at the $4K mark?
We all are entitled to our opinions, but from the audition I had, I believe it can slay many. And if one wants a new Direct Drive turntable, then yes, it will slay all other 4K tables on the market. Name me one high end TT available today that is Direct Drive and priced at 4K other than this one? There are none.
My 6 month wait is over, my Technics SL-1200GAE shipped today from Hi-Fi Heaven
Congrats Bill. I look forward to your review. Also, what cartridge will you be using with this table?
I think this TT is quite impressive, and can appreciate the homage, but $4K is a joke. A very very bad joke. It may be great, but will it slay all other TT's at the $4K mark? I think not even close personally.
I realized today that it’s been many years since I been so excited about acquiring an audio component ... I really am jonesing for this thing.
However I do agree with you Pryso that Technics should have called it by different model number. Besides the useless pitch control it really has nothing in common with the SL-1200 turntable. Under the hood it’s a brand new ball game.
Logically it should have been called the SL-2100. (As is a 21st Century Turntable)
Later if they wanted to reissue the SL-1200, it could be called the SL-1200NC. (As in New Century)
In the end I guess it doesn’t really matter what they call it, or what features they include. My purchase decision logic was quite simple ... I get it ... so I got one!
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