TECHNICS 100th Anniversary 2018 Premium Turntables. Their best ever.

@audiozen Yup. I'm definitely going for an SME. SME makes the best engineered, built, finished, sounding, and measuring turntables in the world. Followed by TechDas. 

If I was getting a Technics, it would have to be the SL-1000R with an SME V 12 tonearm. But the price would be closer to $30K. At that point I would be crazy not to just go for an SME Model 20, or 30. Both are best measuring turntables in the world.

I would not want to put an SP-10R into some nonmetal wood DIY garage plinth. 

I think people are getting out of hand in regards to praising these direct drive turntables. They're very good, but that's all that they are.

I am using the Boston Acoustics Mat.  I would like to try the Luxman mat.  Has anyone used the Luxman?

The SME and Technics are 2 different animals.  The SME is Smooth, quiet, and slow sounding.  The Technics is fast, great timing, pretty darn quiet, great bass, and fairly neutral with a slight hint of warmth. I would say one of the best values in audio today.. If SME made the 1200g, it would cost 15 grand.

Technics on its own, sounds great. Better than most in its price range. But comparing to SME or Michell, 1200G sounds like mud. Both belt driven turntables play music with significantly more conviction, clarity, drive, and rhythm.

I have not tried the 1200G with a modern SME tonearm, so who knows what that could bring...

And you have it reversed. If Technics tried to manufacture SME's machining, fit, and finish, 1200G would cost $50K.

Aside from a very advanced motor, the rest of the fit and finish is midfi. Your standard cast parts, brushed aluminum and powder coated finish.

I do not think so. Panasonic is a much bigger company than SME with more engineering prowess and can absorb costs much easier than SME even though SME is a defense contractor that makes their deck in house from scratch. Thats not to say that the SME is not well engineered table. It is an old design. Great table 25 years ago. Your Michell is better in many ways than the SME. When I heard the SME, I liked it but was somewhat disappointed. I expected more. It is a somewhat thick slow sounding table and although it is very detailed and quiet, when I heard the direct drive in the Technics. it was a ear opener and eye opener at the same time. The leading edge attack and transients are just really something. Sounds spooky real at times. I hear things on a 4K table that I only heard on 20K tables. Frankly the SME sounds in many ways like a Linn LP12. I recently hear a totally maxed out Linn and this 4K table wiped the floor with it. Totally. Sorry but you are wrong on this one.  Many things are also very system dependent.  In some systems an SME would sound great.  You are right about the Michell.  It is a great table and it was a difficult decision for me.  If I were you, I would keep the Michell unless you just want something different.  You cannot get much better than that regardless of price.