Its a fairly easy matter to change the arm on the new SL1200. We are working on installing a 12" Triplanar on one right now. That's a bit trickier but still pretty doable.
BTW, it shares very little with any of the previous 1200s- its an entirely different design! Why they chose to make it look like a 1200 is a bit of a mystery other than possibly the older 1200 was the most popular DD turntable made. But the new 'table has very little in common other than looks and the arm.
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In the meantime if you could post your initial findings on stock out of the box thoughts. They would be appreciated. OK- We took the machine apart doing a complete analysis. I’m very familiar with the older machines; I own one and have serviced them over the years. The GAE is a ground-up new design, one that is intended to look like a 1200. I think that is unfortunate as it leaves people wondering what Technics was thinking. But that aside: The machine uses four methods of vibration damping control in the plinth. The platter is more massive and is also damped. The motor has more torque (up to speed in about 1/8 turn) and the speed is rock steady. Speed wise it sits about 80-90% of the way to the top between the SP-10 MkII and SP-10 MkIII. That makes it one of the most speed stable turntables in the world, quite unlike the original 1200s. The arm is nothing special but is easily removed. With a Triplanar installed this is a world-class machine that takes on much more expensive machines with ease. Technics has a lot of servo experience; in this case they applied it to an entirely new design that is computer based rather than an analog chip set. To that end the firmware appears to be updatable via a USB connection. Initially we were looking at lifting the motor and circuitry out of the chassis and installing it in a new plinth. However upon opening up the machine it was obvious that Technics was aware the vibration damping is a serious issue. As a result while I think our initial plan would be better, its well past the point of diminishing return! This is an excellent machine and has a place in the high end pantheon of turntables. I’m not a fan of the arm, but I’ve seen worse and it would be no worries to set it up for balanced operation. |
The stock setting is pretty good. It takes a bit to stop it, but if you let go its up to speed really fast. It might win a little bit to tinker with it, but it seems that is at a point of diminishing return already. In the meantime, if you are using a Sutherland Timeline, when you set the needle down on the LP its quite steady.
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I would also be interested in how changed the torque might effect the
sound. One poster felt that reducing it had a very positive effect. Usually reducing the torque reduces speed stability. That can cause the arm to waver slightly, changing the lateral tracking forces, which in turn can cause the soundstage to have a slight shimmer to it. What you are looking for is the same soundstage solidarity that tape has (or real life for that matter). IOW, I'm suspicious of this claim. However we've not played around with it to any great extent. We will do more of that after the Triplanar is mounted. |
If you prefer just the "look" of the SL1200 mk2 over the SP10mk2 then
it’s a matter of taste, but you can’t ignore the fact that SL1200mk2 is
not the hi-end turntable at all, in stock condition it’s a dark sounding
turntable, not interesting at all, but the SP10mk2 is the ultimate
along with SP10mk3 and compete with any modern hi-end decks of any
price. @chakster - just so we are clear here, the SL1200GAE is an entirely different beast and sits between the SP10MkII and the SP10MkIII in terms of speed stability. Its also quite easy to mount a different arm on it. Atmasphere: Do you think that the "slight shimmer" that you hear after
reducing the torque could be related to what is often referred to as
"viscosity" or "liquidity" in the sound? (Such as HR's review of the
new Technics in Stereophile.) No. Liquidity and solidarity of the soundstage sound to me like two very different things! |
I think it's not easy to mount different tonearm on SL 1200 GAE or
SL1200 mk2. It's impossible to mount "12 tonearm and most of the "9 or
"10.5 inch tonearms (except maybe jelco, sme, audiomods, dynavector,
rega etc) does not fit into position of the new armboard. The 9" Triplanar (a state of the art tone arm which is easily at home on this 'table) is easy to mount if you have a different armboard. We've managed to find room for a 12" arm too. That took a bit more work; the impossible always does. |
Just a FWIW y'all, regarding the original post.
We have successfully mounted a 12" Triplanar to the SL1200GAE. The combination is fabulous!
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May I inquire if you actually drilled into the top 10mil aluminum plate in order to mount that arm? One hole is drilled into the original plinth. The other two are on the armboard we fabricated. |
Atmasphere, how do you compare your own Empire based direct drive turntable offering against the Technics 1200 GAE ? While over the years the model 2098 we've built has acquitted itself very nicely over 'tables costing a lot more, overall I think the Technics is a better machine. Its biggest weakness is the arm (which should not be mistaken for the original even though it looks the part just as the 'table does), so that is why we looked see if the Triplanar 12" could be installed. Quite literally, the SL1200 is now the most speed-stable machine in production and it is well-damped right out of the box. So mating a state of the art arm to it was a no-brainer. |
Contact me via email.
We've only done this with the Triplanar. Not sure how well it will work with other 12" arms! But IMO the Triplanar is one of the very best out there.
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Hello Norb, the nice thing about the Technics is its reliable and is not likely to need any service likely for decades if its not abused.
Its a bit of a statement that no turntable has been more speed stable than the SP10 MkIII in the succeeding decades since its production; the SL-1200 is now the 2nd most speed stable machine ever made, being about 90% the difference between an SP10 MkII and SP10MkIII.
Add to that one of the finest arms in production and you have a very nice and timely machine.
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@nkonor I hope you are feeling better!
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We had to replace the stock mat on the Technics as well. It posed a bit of a problem, as a proper mat should have a very intimate relationship with the platter (in this case, glued down). That meant that we couldn't use the screws that hold the platter to the motor unless we drilled holes in the platter pad, which would have made a mess of it.
The stock platter pad is IMO one of the weaker aspects of the new Technics but none of their machines have ever had a good one so this is not surprising.
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@pryso The mat employs a permanent-stick mounting with a peel-off. Its not rubber.
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The stock mat is too soft in my opinion.
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The SL1200 is more speed stable and I think the plinth is more sorted out than all the SP-10s and that includes (at least for now) the new SP-10R which is supposed to be released soon. I would expect the SP-10R to have state of the art speed stability. IOW unless you are willing to devise or otherwise find a competent plinth for the SP-10 so that the arm can be properly mounted, you might be better off with the SL1200G/GAE.
Funny how Technics manages to get so many things right then there's that one glaring flaw that has you scratching your head... In the case of the 1200 I think the platter pad and the arm are the weak links, although the arm is much improved and totally takes on many high end arms.
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Secondly when you say that the tonearm is on the 1200 is superb, do you
mean the one on the GAE or also the G (which has a inferior one) ? The arm is very good but I would not say excellent, although it easily takes on many high end arms. Just like the 'table, the arm looks the part of the original 1200, but its made of superior materials and superior machining with better bearings. But as I mentioned, I feel its the weak link of the new 1200, which is why we installed a Triplanar on it. |
I own the SL-1200G and find it bright. Fremer and others on the net
also find this artifact. Not on every recording but many. I'm
intrigued by the Tri Planar, once owned and loved one. Would the
Tri-Planar sound warmer on the SL-1200G as I would want to tame down the
brightness. Also, if I opt for a Tri-Planar, where can i acquire a
quality armboard for my deck? If you are inclined to respond I will be
very appreciative. We fabricated the armboard needed to mount the Triplanar 12" arm. There are armboards you can buy on ebay, but they didn't suit IMO since the arm board needed to have mass similar to the plinth of the turntable. We found no brightness in the machine at all, although we also replaced the platter pad in addition to the arm. The stock power supply was fine- it did not radiate any noise whatsoever. That was a relief as its built into the unit. Having also heard the Triplanar on the the Sp-10MkIII (stock) I would say the GAE gave the MkIII a run for the money. |
There is a video on Analog Planet with Michael Fremer of the prototype
Technics 10R. Sounds to made to be able to accept an arm of users
choice. I am holding tight and saving my nickels. Until I win the
lottery; the AF3 / Sat arm combo will need to wait. I'm sure Technics will offer a base. The problem is that a base made of different material other than the actual plinth of the turntable will result in a coloration, no matter how well damped the base is. For this reason, I suspect that a new plinth that is large enough to accommodate a tone arm will have to be fabricated. But time will tell. I'm looking forward to see what the SP-10R is all about too. |
Go to a live venue to hear the real deal. This is even more effective if the real deal you go to gets recorded and you can have the LP of the recording! Even more so if you are the one doing the recording... It would be really nice if Technics sorted out the issue with the plinth! |
I would like Ralph to comment on why he is so opposed to this arm. I
imagine with a different headshell the stock arm could become
significantly better than with the stock headshell. The video on
youtube from fremer really has me scatching my head to what Ralph is
talking about. The stock arm sounds pretty darn good. I am not saying
it bests a triplanar but I bet its closer than he would lead one to
believe. I'm not particularly opposed to *that* arm, what I am opposed to is engineering bugs. The Technics arm, like many others, has the bearings in the plane of the arm tube rather than the LP surface. This causes the tracking force to vary more with warp and bass notes (think about 2 people carrying a couch over flat ground and then up a stairs- who is carrying the most weight going up the stairs?). As a result they don't play bass right. I have several LPs which I recording and some of them which I also mastered. I know what they are supposed to sound like; I was there when the recording was made. The reason I like the Triplanar is because it plays the bass best of any arm I've heard, while also getting the mids and highs right. It is one of the most adjustable arms made and has some of the best bearings available. Its not that the Technics is a bad arm, its just that the Triplanar is better. |
