What is Technics thinking?


Lots has been said, both pro and con, about the new Technics turntable.  Description here -

http://www.sl1200gae.info/about

Some are excited about the potential, given the upgrades since their last production table/arm, the venerable SL-12XX series.  Others see it simply as an excuse to raise the price significantly of the 1200s.

In my view they shot themselves in the foot.  They copied the model number of their best selling table (I can only imagine in the hope the familiarity will carry over) and also ended up with a very similar appearance.  Given the information on all the upgrades over their prior model, the similarities make it appear like something less than what it might be.

Technics had a room at THE Show Newport and that was my first chance to see a SL-1200GAE.  The fit and finish appeared to be very good but it did look like a "polished up" SL-12XX.  I ask the Technics rep why they didn't do more to distinguish this as a new model, given their efforts with engineer upgrades.  He said he could understand my question but then really didn't offer a reasonable explanation.  After describing all the components which had been redesigned/upgraded from the prior model he offered a demo.  However the room was crowded and the remainder of the system was completely unfamiliar, so no fair impression could be made.

I believe it should have had a more unique model designation and more might have been done to the physical package so it didn't look so much like the prior model.

pryso
Thanks Andysf.

I looked at that graph, smh. This is a marketing stunt. They have a formula which based on their premise would have all and EVERY 12 pole motor cogging, coreless or with iron. Further they state this is a 12 pole motor when the lead engineer stated it is a 9 pole motor. This is marketing.

You know, I am not a fan of belt drive, guess where you are unlikely to see me wasting my time (or theirs) telling people why I don't like belt drive? On a thread for belt drive tables. Why would I want to be a sower of discord for those who may love their belt driven table.

I feel like I am taking crazy pills. No IRON, no stuturation, no interaction between the flux harmonics in the air gap. The fact that they claim to see the EXACT same result on two completely different types of motors, iron-core based and coreless would immediately cause this engineer to ponder if they are measuring what they think they are measuring. (Charlie Brown yell after he misses the football yet again)

I think this table has some people shaking in ther proverbial boots.

Hey, let's stipulate that is is the worst cogging table extant.., guess what, it is still one of the finest tables I have ever heard and I know a current beautiful $40k belt driven table (which is highly praised and for good reason) that this table would beat in most if not all major categories.

For those that own this table, ignore the noise (pun intended) and enjoy your table, you are among the fortunate few :)
I'm done talking about the nonsense of cogging, I want to engage with people who actually want to enjoy exchanging our experiences with this table and those who earnestly just want to know more about it.

I did some serious listening late last eve (paid for that this morning) and I was amazed at the digital like solidity in the pitch. I mean just flat DEAD-ON, not a quiver but yet with the magic that (at this point in time) it appears only analog can achieve. 

Don't get me wrong, I still love my digital, I listen to both regularly. Good digital can be awfully convincing.., until you play superlative analog :)
Andysf:

The fact that lowering the torque made such a profound difference caught me of guard a bit. My Mk3 has 16Kg-cm starting torque (what it is nominally I haven't a clue). I calculate that I have my GAE operating between 1.3 and 1.45 kg-cm of torque. The maximum is 3.3kg-cm. Whereas at max torque in manual or when set to auto the table locks speed in about a 0.3 seconds it now takes about 1.8 seconds to come to speed. YMMV but it is most beneficial in my system :)
I would describe the difference as follows; say you've finally met that nifty girl and your really like her, so you hold her hand tightly. She knows you like her but it is uncomfortable for both of you, so you loosen your grip a bit. 

You both feel better and she still knows you like her. Ok, now I am laughing at myself (I need to stop listening and get some sleep). Corny, I know but at the higher torque settings, it just seems that the table is holding on to the music a little to tightly. 

Backing the torque off gives the  music room to breathe, it really is quite a dramatic change in presentation.