Technics 1200 Critic Fremer Praises the newer 1200G

I purchased the SL 1200GR ($1800) at my local Technics distributor here in my area (south FL), which I paired with my Goldring MM 1042 cartridge. I change the stock headshell with a Yamamoto Acoustic craft Carbon fiber head shell HS-4 NEW that I bought from Japan. This TT replaced a Music Hall 5.1 that was paired with the Goldring cartridge.

I did audition both Technics TT (G and GR) on top of other but belt drive TTs. At the time my interest was the MoFi Ultra Deck (which I almost bough) and the VPI Prime Scout when I heard about Technics having come back with a new HiFi division including the resurrection of their 1200 TT line. This immediately got my attention having previously being a Technics TT in my youth days and well into my early thirties (60s now).

My local dealer have both versions and I auditioned both models the G and the GR through state of the art speakers, cables, pre/pro, room acoustics you name it, this people have it all for you to find out what any piece of equipment is capable of.

After I listened to the Technic SL 1200GR paired with my cartridge: Goldring MM 1042 while listening to my mobile fidelity album of Santana Abraxas I knew right there and then that I did not need to spent $4000 on the 1200G. The difference was so minimal(a little more open sound stage, and bass) that is not worthy, unless you are too anal retentive. And when my unit came, and they assembled it, after the Yamamoto Acoustic craft Carbon fiber head shell HS-4 was installed the sound got better, so much better than the stock headshell that the owner of my local dealership, immediately asked me for a link of the Yamamoto dealer in Japan. Once at home I switch the stock platter mat with a Nottingham mat that I was using on my Music Hall. All I can say is that the sound stage opened up so much that I could not believe it, and I had to call my wife and sat her in from of the system to verify if it was my brain playing tricks with me, she notice the difference also. So the 1200GR for me is all I would ever need (with this set-up the difference between the G and the GR closed-up to be almost the same), I listened to other TTs brands as well (in the thousands of dollars). This TT is way, way, way better than my Music Hall. i don't think that i will be needing another TT in the future. I think that I got at home very,very close to what I heard on the dealer acoustically treated room with all of that extremely expensive gear that they have.