Raul,
I am pinching myself as I ask this question. My HW40 arm needs to be rewired. I was going to take it to VPI and let them do it, but should I reconsider? You are right that the wire I installed in my GAE was Zavfino. I do not want to do that again.
Lewm and others who might be interested,
When I bought an SL1200GAE it was to replace an SL1200 that had been fully modded by KAB. While I had both TTs on my bench I conducted a fairly thorough comparison of the two, both in terms of physical characteristics and measurements using a variety of cartridges, a Shure Era IV test record and an O-scope. Referring to my notes: The two tone arms were dimensionally identical, weighed the same except I had to first remove the KAB cotton wadding used as damping material, The material of the arms was aluminum (SL1200) vs. magnesium (GAE). I was not able to discern any difference in the anti-skating settings. Technics claimed the bearings to be superior in the GAE, but both seemed similar and I had no way to measure a difference. Comparing the two arms set up with the same cartridges, however, the GAE consistently tracked 0.1 or better less VTF for the same tracking results as seen and heard during tracking tests. In listening tests, the GAE had a slight, but consistent subjective superiority to my ear. Cartridges used: Shure V-15Vmr, Ortofon 2M Black, Ortofon Per Winfeld. I could hear no cogging, there was no difference in speed stability as measured using a Roadrunner tachometer. I concluded that the sound superiority of the GAE was due primarily to the arm and the most obviously difference in the two arms was the material of construction. In any event arms matter.