Why Isnt Techincs 1200 Considered Audiophile?

stevecham,

thanks for your post. It is nice to see that someone has had more references than most of us have and can look at it as objectively as it comes. I suspected that what you wrote about the Technics 1200 was just that way, but the list of the turntables I have had experience which is neither that broad, nor that recent.

I do not try to defend SL 1200 in any way, but am surprised that a number of people on this website seem to think it was designed as a DJ turntable (somewhere a little above this post is my earlier post throwing clarification of that matter) while it was not. For a dwindling number of us who remember those days, it is as clear as a day. yet, it still gets perpetuated as a "DJ turntable". Most of the Honda Civics were not racing cars by initial intention but you will see some racing on the street anyway.

Having said that, is there any way you could compare old 1200 with new 1200 GR? Even better, if you could briefly compare 1200GR with your other turntables. I am considering one because it is....direct drive. Cogging and jitter be damned, it is just much more convenient.

glupson -
Appreciated your 1:48PM 5/4/18 comments (as well as those from Stevecham in response). I’ll contribute in the form of an acronym my own profound insight to the question of why the Technics 1200 isn’t considered audiophile: WGAS.

I sure don’t - and that’s not a shot at the OP...more a comment on the elusive enlightened state the right combination of gear produces (not to mention the appropriate monetary outlay) and which only certain self-annointed illuminati are allowed to enjoy.

ghosthouse,

you made me run to Google to look up your acronym.

I agree with assessment but original poster's question remains only partially answered. If it has a complete answer at all.

In my mind, think young teenager in early 1980s, SL 1200 still remains as some high standard of what I cpould not afford. In short, it is a high-class product. I am aware that there are many products these days that would blow it away, but that hypothesis it is not "audiophile" puzzles me. That is why I wondered what would make any turntable "audiophile" in minds of the people who surely seem to invest more emotions, money, and time in these topics than I do. I am still plenty happy with my SL-Q2, as non-audiophile as it is. Together with its EPS 207 and Ortofon OM 10 cartridges from, the latest, 1990. It produces the sound that it produced when it mattered and when Rolling Stones released Emotional Rescue and that is the sound that makes me tick. I am tempted to buy this new 1200 for curiosity and nostalgia sake, but not because I am or am not an "audiophile" (which I do not think I would be considered on this forum). As you said, WGAS.

Have not read the entire thread yet. Just arrived home with my new modded Technics SL1200G ( Thanks Ralph and Tri) with Triplanar tonearm and Lyra Kleos mounted. Very tired after a long drive. Will set it up in the morning.

Can hardly wait!!!

Glupson - At the risk of further discussion undermining my WGAS stance on the topic, I think you put your finger on the problem by pointing out the general vagueness of the term "audiophile" in asking what’s the objective/3rd party standard that must be applied to determine qualifications? I’ll nitpick and comment further that an audiophile is a person, not a device so the OP’s real question is, "Why isn’t the Technics 1200 acceptable to audiophiles?" or words to that effect - but this comes right back to your point. Looking up audiophile I see Wikipedia and Merriam Webster define it as a "hi fi enthusiast". Take the word apart and the parts can mean lover of sound. Those definitions impose pretty low "barriers to entry". Heck, I was probably an audiophile at 11 but didn’t know it listening to music on the AM band of a cheap Japanese transistor radio. Years later listening to a KAB mod’d. SL1210 playing vinyl that’s over 40 years old the device is different but the enthusiasm is the same. Unfortunate part is how’d the term get to be so closely associated with a bunch of effete, supercilious (thank goodness for an on-line thesaurus :) semi-informed, know-it-alls?! But like I said before, WGAS. Time to put on Side 2 (though I’m probably listening to something digital tonight).