I prefer DD. Mechanically an elastic belt is just an inherently bad design to begin with - it needs an insanely heavy platter to be stable in pitch. Pitch changes are extremely discernable to our ears. It is also possible to design a good DD motor with low vibration that is at least as good as a belt (in addition to the solid pitch advantage). I am perfectly happy with a Pioneer PL 550 like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfrQ7Ylowr0&feature=shareGreat DD TT with upgraded veneer. Mine is in magnolia burl to match my speakers. It is inexpensive and even though cost is not an issue for me, I just really like the clean simple classic elegant look compared to Rega or more industrial steampunk looking designs like Transistor Tourbillon or Triangle Art. Funny but I don’t like the straight tone arm either - the S shape is just so sexy and elegant. I also think a dust cover is actually quite useful and practical on a TT - ;-) |
@shadorne nice link. Living in the desert with it's dry climate DD is the way to go, elastic belts dry out quickly when the humidity is in the low teens most of the time.
|
atmasphere6,176 posts05-08-2018
The SL1200G is a complete from-the-ground-up redesign and only shares its appearance with the older SL1200s. Its a very well-thought out design; is more speed stable and has considerably more damping and a very dead plinth. IMO they should have made it look different if just to avoid the obvious confusion people have thinking is nearly the same as its predecessors and look-alikes.
I have a 1210Mk5 and 2 x1210Mk5g. I love the iconic look. To my eyes the big attraction of the new models is that they have retained this look. I have never heard anyone getting confused, and I bet you didn't get confused either. |
I’ve had an SL1200G since January and continue to be amazed at the way it plays music. I don’t like the DJ brutal looks & only bought it to use various spare carts that have been building up over the past 40+ years. I’d sold a bunch of hifi gear and got nearly 30% discount on the Technics so it seemed a no brainer at the time.
I’ve only used belt driven tables in the past, all around the same price point, or more expensive (Linn, Clearaudio, Michell, Rega) & have since sold two of these as sounding inferior to the Technics - rather flabby & imprecise by comparison.
The way this thing produces bass in particular is simply outstanding - taut, layered and within a soundstage which is by far the most holographic my system has produced (with the right source material). Nothing else I own produces bass of this quality.... digital or analogue.
A friend & I did a back to back with his 1200 Mk5 (same headshell/cart/phono/cables) & the new table sounds considerably different - more sophisticated is the simplest way I can sum it up. He closed his eyes and reached out at one point, claiming that he could touch & put his hand behind everything, imaging is that sharp (no female singers present in that soundstage, fortunately!).
I have a feeling that pitch control is contributing to my own enthusiasm as this is the only DD I have owned & I now plan to keep only one of my former harem of belt drives. |
I purchased the SL 1200GR ($1800) at my local Technics distributor here in my area (south FL), which I paired with my Goldring MM 1042 cartridge. I change the stock headshell with a Yamamoto Acoustic craft Carbon fiber head shell HS-4 NEW that I bought from Japan. This TT replaced a Music Hall 5.1 that was paired with the Goldring cartridge.
I did audition both Technics TT (G and GR) on top of other but belt drive TTs. At the time my interest was the MoFi Ultra Deck (which I almost bough) and the VPI Prime Scout when I heard about Technics having come back with a new HiFi division including the resurrection of their 1200 TT line. This immediately got my attention having previously being a Technics TT in my youth days and well into my early thirties (60s now).
My local dealer have both versions and I auditioned both models the G and the GR through state of the art speakers, cables, pre/pro, room acoustics you name it, this people have it all for you to find out what any piece of equipment is capable of.
After I listened to the Technic SL 1200GR paired with my cartridge: Goldring MM 1042 while listening to my mobile fidelity album of Santana Abraxas I knew right there and then that I did not need to spent $4000 on the 1200G. The difference was so minimal(a little more open sound stage, and bass) that is not worthy, unless you are too anal retentive. And when my unit came, and they assembled it, after the Yamamoto Acoustic craft Carbon fiber head shell HS-4 was installed the sound got better, so much better than the stock headshell that the owner of my local dealership, immediately asked me for a link of the Yamamoto dealer in Japan. Once at home I switch the stock platter mat with a Nottingham mat that I was using on my Music Hall. All I can say is that the sound stage opened up so much that I could not believe it, and I had to call my wife and sat her in from of the system to verify if it was my brain playing tricks with me, she notice the difference also. So the 1200GR for me is all I would ever need (with this set-up the difference between the G and the GR closed-up to be almost the same), I listened to other TTs brands as well (in the thousands of dollars). This TT is way, way, way better than my Music Hall. i don't think that i will be needing another TT in the future. I think that I got at home very,very close to what I heard on the dealer acoustically treated room with all of that extremely expensive gear that they have.
|
