New Technics SL 1200 GAE

@andysf

Your plinth looks great but the SP 10 was designed for professional use and looks the part: a bit clunky and 70s bland. I didn’t say it looked bad-just not any better than the SL 1200!

If you prefer just the "look" of the SL1200 mk2 over the SP10mk2 then it’s a matter of taste, but you can’t ignore the fact that SL1200mk2 is not the hi-end turntable at all, in stock condition it’s a dark sounding turntable, not interesting at all, but the SP10mk2 is the ultimate along with SP10mk3 and compete with any modern hi-end decks of any price. Yes, they were made for broadcast studios back in the days which makes them very special, same with broadcast Denon, EMT etc.

I have owned a pair of SL1210mk2 for 20 years and still own them, they were fully upgraded and have been used with top Technics cartridges like EPC-100cmk3 or EPC-205mk4 along with 20 others top of the line MM and a few MC carts. Untill i found SP10mk2 with EPA100 or Thomas Schick tonearm much more atractive.

No matter how much you invest upgrading SL1200mk2, this deck is far away from SP10mk2 and the main problem is the tonearm. For the cost of the upgrade of the SL1200mk2 anyone could buy used SP10mk2 and invest more in tonearm and plinth to get much better turntable than anything on the market today.

I ended up with vintage Luxman PD444 which i like as much as my SP10mk2, but on Luxman i can use 2 tonearms. I also have rare Technics SP20 and 2x1210mk2, but i don’t use them much.

Chakster:  I agree, of course, that the SP10mk2 is a superior sounding turntable to the 1200Mk2.  I just don't think it is as attractive as, say, your Luxman PD 444.
  If I could just drive across town to the "Olde Turntable Shoppe" and buy a SP10 from the kindly gent who rebuilds them and will be on hand to fix things when any problems occur, I would.  I don't think there are any for sale nearby.  I would have to get one off of Ebay or Audiogon.  I have had bad enough experiences buying records online.  The idea of buying a turntable online makes me very nervous!

Atmasphere:  Do you think that the "slight shimmer" that you hear after reducing the torque could be related to what is often referred to as "viscosity" or "liquidity" in the sound?  (Such as HR's review of the new Technics in Stereophile.)

BillStevenson:  Good point about the 1200 being a record collector's table.  It certainly checks all the boxes!

If you prefer just the "look" of the SL1200 mk2 over the SP10mk2 then it’s a matter of taste, but you can’t ignore the fact that SL1200mk2 is not the hi-end turntable at all, in stock condition it’s a dark sounding turntable, not interesting at all, but the SP10mk2 is the ultimate along with SP10mk3 and compete with any modern hi-end decks of any price.

@chakster - just so we are clear here, the SL1200GAE is an entirely different beast and sits between the SP10MkII and the SP10MkIII in terms of speed stability. Its also quite easy to mount a different arm on it.

Atmasphere: Do you think that the "slight shimmer" that you hear after reducing the torque could be related to what is often referred to as "viscosity" or "liquidity" in the sound? (Such as HR's review of the new Technics in Stereophile.)

No. Liquidity and solidarity of the soundstage sound to me like two very different things!

@atmasphere I think it's not easy to mount different tonearm on SL 1200 GAE or SL1200 mk2. It's impossible to mount "12 tonearm and most of the "9 or "10.5 inch tonearms (except maybe jelco, sme, audiomods, dynavector, rega etc) does not fit into position of the new armboard. I'm talking about affordable japanese vintage tonearms, not about luxury modern arms that cost $2000-5000 (for this money anyone could buy complete vintage tunrtable with perfect tonearm on it).  

And btw the speed stability on my SP10mk2 or Luxman PD444 is enough to enjoy the music.

Anyway the GAE could be a good deck in the next 5 years when they are available used for half price, lol.     

I think it's not easy to mount different tonearm on SL 1200 GAE or SL1200 mk2. It's impossible to mount "12 tonearm and most of the "9 or "10.5 inch tonearms (except maybe jelco, sme, audiomods, dynavector, rega etc) does not fit into position of the new armboard.

The 9" Triplanar (a state of the art tone arm which is easily at home on this 'table) is easy to mount if you have a different armboard.

We've managed to find room for a 12" arm too. That took a bit more work; the impossible always does.