New Technics SL 1200 GAE

I'm pretty handy but was surprised To find out that I had to use the exact size mini screwdriver as specified by the manual, 2 mm

 I was able to get the switch over to manual, and set the torque fairly low, hopefully about 20% or 1/5 of its maximum. 

 The sound certainly has more air yet  I am still listening and fiddling. 

What a table!  It's nice to be in love again.  

This is another useless SL1200G review published by Tone Audio Mag:
http://www.tonepublications.com/review/the-technics-sl-1200g/ 


 

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the 1200GAE or G outperforms a bone stock SP10 MK2 (with all due respect to owners of the Mk2).  I don't own the 1200GAE, but I have owned two of the latter, each of which was re-mounted in a slate plinth, re-capped, calibrated, etc.  Compared to the best of my other DD turntables (including a Mk3), the Mk2 seemed to have a faint "gray"-ish coloration.  In fact, I didn't notice it until I set up my Mk3 and my Kenwood L07D for comparison. The Mk3 is an incredible tour de force, on the other hand, made even greater and more neutral and musical by the Krebs modifications.  I have to believe that the Krebs mod would be very beneficial to a MK2, as well, perhaps ridding it of that last bit of coloration. But the big advantage of the 1200GAE vs any of the vintage Technics turntables would be its coreless motor.  I own two vintage DD's with coreless motors, the aforementioned Kenwood L07D and Victor TT101, and I think their profound neutrality is to a great extent due to the motor type, as well as the mode of operation of the servo in those two (different from each other but also very different from Technics' approach).  Furthermore, based on these ideas and on Atma-sphere's findings from deconstructing one, the 1200G or GAE must be seen as a great bargain when you put it up against other turntables you can buy for similar cost.  If the original and inferior SL1200 were introduced today, it would have to cost ca $2000, at least.