What is Technics thinking?

I sat down last night fully intending to evaluate the sound of the GAE with my Kondo IO & Technics 205Mk4 cartridges. Instead the wife started spinning her brand new albums, Michael Jackson, Depeshe Mode, Pharrell Williams, Kate Bush. I snuck in my remaining sealed LP's, some Black Keys, Hendrix, Willie Nelson, Pattie Smith, Nirvana Unplugged.

BTW these LP's were all purchased at Fry's Electronics superstore, they have at least a couple thousand for sale. The last time both of us thumbed through LP's together was the mid 90's, we weren't even married then. We frequented Tower Records in Hollywood because they had the best LP selections and we both hated everything to do with CD's. We still do, perhaps thats the secret to our long marriage ... we both hate the same things. We transitioned to computer audio in 2005, never having to touch those wretched plastic disc's again. These days we enjoy Hi-Res music downloads via a modded cryo'd Sony HAP-Z1ES.  For background music & TV we bought a Naim Mu-So and stream Tidal Flac files. Tidal offers a seamless endless supply of high quality music on demand, check it out. Of coarse the Mu-So's main board is cryo'd and I added a mini headphone jack directly off the bass speakers to feed a REL sub.  This rig plays day & night, we could easily live happily ever after with just the Mu-So/REL/Tidal combo.

Getting back to the GAE, I really don't know what else to say. It presents recorded LP music under a brand new light that you have to experience for yourself. I'm almost afraid what the Kondo IO will dig out of those groove's. While the GAE's 'hot sound' may match your system straight out of the box, I still highly recommend everyone Cryo this device. Without a doubt this was biggest transformation I've experienced with Cryo treatment. (PM me for details)

The GAE has taken center stage around our place and eliminated any thought of playing Hi-Res digital files. I see nothing but Vinyl purchases in our future. Maybe we'll just move our bed into the Stereo Room. 

http://northcoastaudio.com/technicsSL1200GAE.html

Glad I decided to wait for the "G".

Still very interested in hearing owner reviews of the GAE!

Thanks for the link Andy.  Good to know that the "G" will be just as awesome as the "GAE". 

But its still the same price - 4 Grand!  So why are you glad you waited?

Bill Allen, Are you inferring that you actually cry-treated your entire SL1200GAE, or what?

I am glad I waited to buy the Technics 1200G model because:

1. It will be available in black.  Everyone knows that dark colored components have a warmer tone.  Silver components sound bright and lean.  Often, they need to be dunked in a cyro bath to sound acceptable, something I would like to avoid, if possible.  In any case, I much prefer black to silver.

2. It seems that the G and GAE models will be almost exactly the same.  While the list price may be the same, I would expect the G model to be available at a discount, at least after the first few months.

 I thought about buying the GAE but with almost no reviews, either online or in print, it was hard to pull the trigger.  It is a long drive for me to hear one in the next state and I won't really have time until next month.