New Technics SL 1200 GAE

@raymonda 

I have no doubt that the new SL1200 is a great deck but I too find it f'ugly. Just not my cup of tea. Well built but f'ugly. I wish it looked more like the prototype's that leaked out rather than an un-creative rehash of an old, tired design. Plus, as mentioned.......there are the tonearm limitation, too. I try to not get too caught up in looks, believing form follows function, but looks do count when they can be controlled. 

I agree with you about design, i think it was decision of the marketing department to reproduce design of the most popular turntable just to sell more, but on the new luxury level of design and sound quality.  

Panasonic made some design choices and used the old platform for a good reason. To sell this product to those fans that have an older 1200, status for DJ and hopes that the audiophile community will get past the design choices and choose it for what it brings.

Believe me 99% of the DJs never spend $2000 for single tunrtable as they need 2 of them for dj set up, so $4000, target price for DJs is $600 per unit or cheaper for used, so GAE is definitely not a DJs choice. 99% of the DJs never spend more than $150 even for a cartridge, normally $50 for Shure m44-7. I don't think that even night clubs will buy GAE since their old 1200mk2 or mk3d is the club standard and works well for 35 years if they change pitch in time. The GAE is for the audiophiles, but with a look of the DJ turntable (thanks to their best selling 1200mk2) which is strange, indeed.     

For the couple here that actually own the table, what controls exist on the arm for the usual setup adjustments?  VTF is the easiest of course with counterweights, but I can't find any notes on VTA and Azimuth adjustments.  I have to believe those can be done, but Technics doesn't get into that at all, let alone how, in their marketing notes.

DJ's with money will buy them. Who do you think bought all those gold plated 1200's, customized, powdered. coated, bling out 1200's. As soon as the big name DJ's have them the masses will follow. $1600 today is close to the actual cost of a 1200 in the early 80's.

jsm71, for most tonearms Azimuth will be a function of the headshell.  Few arms incorporate a means to rotate the arm tube.  (Certainly no S shaped arms for obvious reasons.)  My Kuzma Reference Stogi did but I think that is rare.

When considering any headshell, stock or accessory, just check to see it there is a set-screw to allow rotation around the connector.

Concerning the aesthetics of the SL1200GAE and G, I initiated another post here regarding my bafflement that Technics would copy an old design (successful sales or not) for what is largely a newly engineered product.   

Regarding my last post, I found and downloaded the user manual.  The VTF and VTA are both covered well with dial-adjustments.  Azimuth isn't covered but I guess properly mounting the head shell should suffice?