New Technics SL 1200 GAE

dougolsen:

"Do you recommend running in manual until 700 hours is reached and will this help reduce the brightness I object too?" I do recommend running it in manual mode for the first 700 hours.  

"How do you know when you have reduced torque down to 20%?"   Count the number of turns lock to lock (be gentle, it is a small pot) and then turn it 1/5 the way up from the lowest setting.

While I definitely know that the unit can sound a bit out of sorts in auto mode until the bearing is run-in I am not so sure if the brightness you are referring to is the same thing I am referring to. I did note a tilting up of the sound of my system but ALL SMPS's have this affect on my system.

Simply put this is one of the best tables I have ever heard bar none, is my SP10 MK3 better, well yes but I have a $9K cart on a $7K arm feeding a $13K phono stage on a  $10K rack (in fairness the GAE is on a rack of equal cost), not to mention an Artisan Fidelity Modification to make it a NG (currently undergoing the upgrade to NGS) ~180 pound table. The real question is how does it compare? Very well indeed, in no way is my GAE/103R(or London Ref)/iPhono2 embarrassed by its big brother. My system so far ranks as follows (going in ascending order of goodness), digital (AMR DP-777SE, GAE+iPhono 2 with LPS, SP10 MK3 NG + AMR PH 77, Custome built (by Soren Wittrup) Tascam 42BR R2R).

All of them sound excellent and the GAE is very very good, it simply can be made to sound better. I still say its FAR better than most of the MDF rubber band driven junk out there being marketed for crazy money. 

I don't want to start a thing about the Krebs mod which many know I do not believe in or support. I will just say this, if you know of anyone who has had it performed some years ago, try to look at the interior of the unit where the linseed oil was applied and see what it looks and smells like now. All I am saying is look for yourself and if you are fine with this in your TT, then go for it.

Ok, wait... If I am brutally honest, YES the SP10 MK3 (NG)/AMR system does embarrass the GAE on the Royal Ballet LP :) but I suspect it would do this to a lot of tables in all price categories.

That album sounds great on the GAE, on the NG, it sounds SCARY REAL!!!

For the record I am not lumping ALL belt drives in my comment about "MDF rubber band driven junk" I am referring to true "MDF rubber band driven junk" :)

Obviously their are some fabulous belt drive systems out there, I personally would like to own and play with some of the big Micro Seikis (SX-8000 II).

Audiofun, My Mk3 was Krebs modded by Bill Thalmann in Springfield, VA. I think it was a worthwhile upgrade, and I am not sure how the smell of linseed oil, assuming I were to remove my platter and sniff, is necessarily a detriment to the listening experience.  I can say I noticed no such odor when re-assembling my Mk3 after Bill worked on it, but I could imagine that such an odor might develop over time and use.  But so what?  On the same subject, I would think that the Krebs mod for the Mk2 would be even more effective than on the Mk3, since the Mk2, to my ears, has a slight gray-ish coloration (very slight, mind you) that some say may emanate from servo over-correction, which is "treated" by Krebs. Best of all, the Krebs mod to the Mk2 is cheaper.

Also, based on theory and my fairly extensive experience with a variety of DD turntables, my guess would be that the 1200GAE outperforms a stock Mk2.  I'm not so sure about Yamaha GT2000 or Victor TT101, but both of the latter probably would need mods to the plinth in order to compete with or out-do the 1200GAE.

lesm:

I believe you and I'm glad it was a mod you are pleased with. The greyness that most people speak of is mostly caused by the chassis of the mk2 and mk3. A great deal of this greyness can be removed by seating the motor unit in a plinth such as Albert Porters beautiful plinths. 

The best results are achieved by completely removing the motor unit (mk2 & 3) from their aluminum housing and fixing them directly to a plinth a-la Steve Dobbins or Artisan Fidelity.

I can attest that the GAE has no greyness to speak of, at least my ears don't perceive that trait.