What is Technics thinking?

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.

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.

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 😎

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.

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.